A/N: Sorry for the big gap, I'm in the last few weeks of the semester at
college and things are...cluttered. I *will* be updating this story so
don't worry.
I dare you
****Flash back, fifteen years earlier....****
Sam watched him anxiously out of the corner of his eye, but Gaffer gave nothing away. Everytime Sam thought that he would be done with chores and able to go out and play, he would be told to do something else. Sam was beginning to think he'd never get away. Finally, having finished planting the last of the flowers, Gaffer turned to the now eager Sam.
"Well," he said speculatively, "I suppose you've helped me enough for one day."
The words had barely left the man's mouth before Sam turned and sprinted away.
"Hey now! Remember to be careful! It's not like it was when I was your age, things are a bit more perilous!"
Things were always a bit more perilous from the adult point of view. Sam ignored the needless warnings and after looking back with a wave made his escape.
**************
The well was deep, bottomless, there was no way he would go near it, no one would. All the children had heard about the well being haunted, or spooked by some nameless dark magic. So then, what was he, Samwise Gamgee doing in the Hornbrower garden, headed to the well?
It started out as simple bragging and dares, children daring each other to do something absolutely ridiculous so they could laugh about it later. No big deal. Then Edifice Proudfoot took it upon himself to bring up the old well, saying he'd actually looked into it a couple of times. No one believed him of course, not even Sam.
"I've been by the well once or twice," Sam admitted, "but I've never looked in." "Why," asked Edifice, "were you afraid?"
Edifice had held on to his lie that he had himself visited the well, but now felt he could push speculation from himself onto Sam, who sniffed offendedly.
"Fear, had nothing to do with it," Sam said, "it was just that I had no interest in it. I still don't."
A few of the children snickered, and began to whisper among themselves. Sam began to feel heat creeping to his face. He dreaded it, but knew a dare was coming. It was one thing to be a liar, which was the equivalent of a teler of tall tails, no that was harmless. But to refuse a dare, especially one that would label you a coward, would be unthinkable.
So yes, he accepted, this particular dare. The conditions were that he leave some proof, either a possession or carve something in the dirt to let the others know that he had truly been there. The sun was beginning to set and Sam knew that it would be darkening when he reached the well.
Sam gulped as he reached his destination. He stood there for a moment, just looking at it. Sure he had seen it before as he passed, but for some reason, it looked....different.
"Alright Sam," he said to himself, "Here goes nothing."
Sam walked slowly up to the well. It seemed it took him longer to approach the well then it did for him to arrive to it. Sam picked up a small twig and wrote as neatly, but deep as he could:
"Sam was here!"
At the sound of a small chuckle, Sam jumped to his feet, and stumbled backward. He looked towards the well. Something was down there. Sam looked down at his writing to make sure it was neat enough and threw the twig into the well. He then turned and began to walk away. He had gone maybe a few feet when he heard something hit the ground behind him. Sam turned to look. It was the twig that he had thrown into the well. Sam ran away as fast as his feet could carry him.
**************
The next day, the group of kids, Edifice among them, insisted that he accompany them so that they could "verify" his presence at the well. It was daylight, so Sam could bear it this time, until he came back to the well. He didn't know how to explain it. For the other children, it was enough, they believed him. "A very funny message," giggled one little girl. Sam wasn't giggling. His message had been altered, if one could even call it that. It now read.
"Samwise Gamgee floats!"
Beside the message was a drawing. It featured little stick figure halfway above a wavy line which was no doubt water. Beneath the legs of the little stick figure was a monster preparing to eat it. "Well, that's that," said Edifice patting Sam on the back. He and the other kids turned to go, but Sam lingered for a brief moment before turning to go himself. He thought he heard a laugh, not unlike what he heard the night before. Sam quickened his step.
*******************
If you haven't guessed, I'll be focussing on each person individually first. Thanks for the reviews they are encouraging! ^.^ BP
I dare you
****Flash back, fifteen years earlier....****
Sam watched him anxiously out of the corner of his eye, but Gaffer gave nothing away. Everytime Sam thought that he would be done with chores and able to go out and play, he would be told to do something else. Sam was beginning to think he'd never get away. Finally, having finished planting the last of the flowers, Gaffer turned to the now eager Sam.
"Well," he said speculatively, "I suppose you've helped me enough for one day."
The words had barely left the man's mouth before Sam turned and sprinted away.
"Hey now! Remember to be careful! It's not like it was when I was your age, things are a bit more perilous!"
Things were always a bit more perilous from the adult point of view. Sam ignored the needless warnings and after looking back with a wave made his escape.
**************
The well was deep, bottomless, there was no way he would go near it, no one would. All the children had heard about the well being haunted, or spooked by some nameless dark magic. So then, what was he, Samwise Gamgee doing in the Hornbrower garden, headed to the well?
It started out as simple bragging and dares, children daring each other to do something absolutely ridiculous so they could laugh about it later. No big deal. Then Edifice Proudfoot took it upon himself to bring up the old well, saying he'd actually looked into it a couple of times. No one believed him of course, not even Sam.
"I've been by the well once or twice," Sam admitted, "but I've never looked in." "Why," asked Edifice, "were you afraid?"
Edifice had held on to his lie that he had himself visited the well, but now felt he could push speculation from himself onto Sam, who sniffed offendedly.
"Fear, had nothing to do with it," Sam said, "it was just that I had no interest in it. I still don't."
A few of the children snickered, and began to whisper among themselves. Sam began to feel heat creeping to his face. He dreaded it, but knew a dare was coming. It was one thing to be a liar, which was the equivalent of a teler of tall tails, no that was harmless. But to refuse a dare, especially one that would label you a coward, would be unthinkable.
So yes, he accepted, this particular dare. The conditions were that he leave some proof, either a possession or carve something in the dirt to let the others know that he had truly been there. The sun was beginning to set and Sam knew that it would be darkening when he reached the well.
Sam gulped as he reached his destination. He stood there for a moment, just looking at it. Sure he had seen it before as he passed, but for some reason, it looked....different.
"Alright Sam," he said to himself, "Here goes nothing."
Sam walked slowly up to the well. It seemed it took him longer to approach the well then it did for him to arrive to it. Sam picked up a small twig and wrote as neatly, but deep as he could:
"Sam was here!"
At the sound of a small chuckle, Sam jumped to his feet, and stumbled backward. He looked towards the well. Something was down there. Sam looked down at his writing to make sure it was neat enough and threw the twig into the well. He then turned and began to walk away. He had gone maybe a few feet when he heard something hit the ground behind him. Sam turned to look. It was the twig that he had thrown into the well. Sam ran away as fast as his feet could carry him.
**************
The next day, the group of kids, Edifice among them, insisted that he accompany them so that they could "verify" his presence at the well. It was daylight, so Sam could bear it this time, until he came back to the well. He didn't know how to explain it. For the other children, it was enough, they believed him. "A very funny message," giggled one little girl. Sam wasn't giggling. His message had been altered, if one could even call it that. It now read.
"Samwise Gamgee floats!"
Beside the message was a drawing. It featured little stick figure halfway above a wavy line which was no doubt water. Beneath the legs of the little stick figure was a monster preparing to eat it. "Well, that's that," said Edifice patting Sam on the back. He and the other kids turned to go, but Sam lingered for a brief moment before turning to go himself. He thought he heard a laugh, not unlike what he heard the night before. Sam quickened his step.
*******************
If you haven't guessed, I'll be focussing on each person individually first. Thanks for the reviews they are encouraging! ^.^ BP