Hey ya'll. It's 12:18 at night. Do you know where your kids are? I have no
clue, of course I'm 14 and I don't have any kids. hmm. I wonder why?
Anywho, just a quick, note. I will be using one song continually throughout
this chapter. You'll see what I mean in a lil bit. Also my mom's leftover
chicken is really chewy and stale. Oh! Back to the story. Here's the next
friggin chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, I do however own a copy of the soundtrack to ROTK. I think that more than makes up for it. Oh I also own this annoying piece of chicken stuck between my teeth.
Chapter 7: Into the West.
*Yum chicken* *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
"MOTHER!!!" shrieked Darla lunging towards the bed. Merry held her back. Time seemed to stand still. Her father ran to the door of the room to see his daughter sobbing hysterically and his wife lying motionless on the bed. Darla was screaming inaudible tones Merry was also sobbing quietly next to her. Mr. Duklemyer felt his world spin around him. He started to sweat. His chest began heaving and a sharp pain erupted. He fell to the floor gasping.
"Father?" asked Darla crawling towards him. His hand clutched his chest as he gazed up at the ceiling.
"Fawn!" he cried, "I'm coming, slow down, I'm coming!"
"No! FATHER! NO!" she sobbed beating her hands on his chest, "You can't leave me too! I love you!"
"Darla!" he gasped, "Darla."
"I'm here father, I'm here, hold on. Please, I need you!"
"I love you Darla, and I always have!" he whispered. Suddenly he let out a gut-wrenching scream. His heart had burst. His life had gone. Waldo Duklemyer was now gone as well.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" she moaned lying down upon her father's chest. Merry crawled next to her and laid a hand upon her back.
"Not you too," she moaned over and over. Her sobs were carried out through the house. The house that was now empty of the two people she loved most.
Tears were running silently down Merry's cheeks as he stroked Darla's heaving back. She sat up and looked into his face, her own red and ruddy with tears. A fresh wave of sadness washed over her as she flung herself into his arms.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Lay down, your sweet and weary head, night is falling, you have come to journey's end. Sleep now, Dream-of the ones who came before. They are calling, from across a distant shore.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
It was some time before Darla could bring herself to speak at all. She just lay there in Merry's arms next to the bed of her dead mother, and the body of her dead father. Nothing was going through her mind as she lay there. Safe in the arms of the man who loved her. She just sat there, as if dead herself.
"What am I to do, Merry?" she asked not moving at all.
"I don't know Darla, I don't know," he croaked. Another moment of silence passed and not a word was thought.
"I can't just leave them here," she whispered, "I can't just leave them in this home that they loved."
"You could," he offered, "They loved this home and they loved each other. Why can't this be their final resting place?" he quietly offered. She looked up at him, she felt like a child. She was so vulnerable right now. Merry gently kissed her forehead. She laid her head back on his chest.
-------------------------------------------------
"Fawn and Waldo were some of the nicest hobbits around," proclaimed the preacher standing in front of the door to their beloved home, "They loved their home and their daughter with all their being. It is only suitable that they pass together, and that they rest together in the one place they loved best."
Merry stood with the rest of the crowd that had shown up for the funeral. There were the old women in black, the distant relatives in black, and then the friends and neighbors in a strange array of dark blues, browns, and purple's. Darla stood in the front in a gray frock and her hair flying away in the wind. She was not crying, nor smiling. She was like a stone. No feelings or hopes at all.
"May they rest in peace! Amen!" cried the preacher; a chorus repeated the phrase as Darla walked to the door of her old home. She came right up to the door and kissed it gently.
"Tenna' ento lye omentuva e gurth," she whispered and stepped back from the door. She nodded toward the man standing to the side of the front porch. He began to place bricks in front of the structure. She was going to have the entrance to her home sealed shut forever. The watchers quietly went off and left the scene. Only Merry, Pippin, Sam, Rosie, and Frodo remained.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Why do you weep? What are those tears upon your face? Soon you will see, all of your fears will pass away. Safe in my arms, you're only sleeping. What can you see on the horizon? Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea, a pale moon rises, the ships have come to carry you home, And all will turn to silver glass. A light on the water, all souls pass.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Darla turned to the remaining mourners. Merry saw that each step she took away from that house were the hardest steps she'd ever taken. She looked up at them; her eyes met with Merry's for a moment and then strayed.
"Thank you," she croaked, "For everything. For just coming, and for staying, and for just being. I don't know what I'm going to do now."
"You are going to come with us remember?" Pippin asked confused.
"I-I don't know if I could bear going on that adventure anymore," she answered her eyes filling with tears.
"Darla," Merry whispered grasping her hand in his, "I promised your mother that I would fulfill your dreams and take you on the adventure of a lifetime. I can't let you just stay here and rot like your parents." Darla looked up at him tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I don't know if I could bear it, Merry," she sighed beginning to sob.
"Darla, you've changed so much in the past week," Rosie smiled coming to her friend's side, "If I know anything, it's that Darla Duklemyer was meant for bigger and better things than this small town."
"You think I should go, Rosie?" she asked looking into her friends shining eyes.
"Yes, if any thing your mother would want you to go. Didn't she tell you that up above us there is no pain and sickness, and that she could watch you from her heavenly view?" Rosie patted her dear friend on the back.
"Yes, she did." Darla wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Hope fades, into the world of night, through the shadows falling, out of memory and time. Don't say, we have come now to the end, white shores are calling, you and I will meet again. And you'll be here in my arms just sleeping.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Two weeks later:
Darla stood on the hill above her old home. She still wore the gray smock that she had worn the day they sealed up the old house. The wind blew around her she would be leaving soon. She was about to go on her adventure. She was about to seek the one thing she had longed for all her life. She was going to find the magic that Merry had spoken about that day in the clearing.
She took a deep breath and looked out onto the Shire. She could see most of it from her lofty perch. It was strange; she was actually feeling rather sad about leaving. She would have never suspected that she would actually hesitate when the chance came for her to depart.
"What can you see, Mother?" she called into the wind, "On the horizon? Why do the white gulls cry, father?"
"She can see you, and she can feel your love for her," Merry said coming up behind her.
"I feel as if she is here with me, Merry," she whispered, he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"She is, I can feel her too. Even after speaking with her for only a moment, I loved her. She was a wonderful woman."
"And father was a wonderful man," she added.
"Yes, he was indeed." Darla turned and smiled up and Merry, "That's the first smile I've seen in weeks!" he beamed.
"I know, for some reason it all seems right now. My parents are dead, but this is the only way it could be done. This way they may watch me as I travel the world and find what I've always longed for."
"Darla, I must tell you something," Merry began.
"No, I must tell you something first," she interrupted, "I should have told you long ago. I've fallen in love with Frodo. That is the man that I spoke of weeks ago. I don't know why I was afraid to tell you, but we've been through so much together, I cannot hide a thing from you." Merry's smile faded, "What is it you wanted to tell me?" she asked.
"It's not important," he brushed it off, "What is, is getting you down there, we're about to leave."
"I'll be there in a moment, just give me one more minute." Merry nodded and smiled through his breaking heart. As he walked away Darla sang into the wind:
*&*&*
"What can you see, on the horizon? Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea, a pale moon rises, the ships have come to carry you home. And all will turn to silver glass, a light on the water, Grey ships pass, into the West."
*&*&*
She turned and walked down the hill and into her adventure.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
That's it ya'll. Now I must get some sleep, it's 1:20 in the morning and I've got an adventure to come up with, so. Laterz-DB:D
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, I do however own a copy of the soundtrack to ROTK. I think that more than makes up for it. Oh I also own this annoying piece of chicken stuck between my teeth.
Chapter 7: Into the West.
*Yum chicken* *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
"MOTHER!!!" shrieked Darla lunging towards the bed. Merry held her back. Time seemed to stand still. Her father ran to the door of the room to see his daughter sobbing hysterically and his wife lying motionless on the bed. Darla was screaming inaudible tones Merry was also sobbing quietly next to her. Mr. Duklemyer felt his world spin around him. He started to sweat. His chest began heaving and a sharp pain erupted. He fell to the floor gasping.
"Father?" asked Darla crawling towards him. His hand clutched his chest as he gazed up at the ceiling.
"Fawn!" he cried, "I'm coming, slow down, I'm coming!"
"No! FATHER! NO!" she sobbed beating her hands on his chest, "You can't leave me too! I love you!"
"Darla!" he gasped, "Darla."
"I'm here father, I'm here, hold on. Please, I need you!"
"I love you Darla, and I always have!" he whispered. Suddenly he let out a gut-wrenching scream. His heart had burst. His life had gone. Waldo Duklemyer was now gone as well.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" she moaned lying down upon her father's chest. Merry crawled next to her and laid a hand upon her back.
"Not you too," she moaned over and over. Her sobs were carried out through the house. The house that was now empty of the two people she loved most.
Tears were running silently down Merry's cheeks as he stroked Darla's heaving back. She sat up and looked into his face, her own red and ruddy with tears. A fresh wave of sadness washed over her as she flung herself into his arms.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Lay down, your sweet and weary head, night is falling, you have come to journey's end. Sleep now, Dream-of the ones who came before. They are calling, from across a distant shore.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
It was some time before Darla could bring herself to speak at all. She just lay there in Merry's arms next to the bed of her dead mother, and the body of her dead father. Nothing was going through her mind as she lay there. Safe in the arms of the man who loved her. She just sat there, as if dead herself.
"What am I to do, Merry?" she asked not moving at all.
"I don't know Darla, I don't know," he croaked. Another moment of silence passed and not a word was thought.
"I can't just leave them here," she whispered, "I can't just leave them in this home that they loved."
"You could," he offered, "They loved this home and they loved each other. Why can't this be their final resting place?" he quietly offered. She looked up at him, she felt like a child. She was so vulnerable right now. Merry gently kissed her forehead. She laid her head back on his chest.
-------------------------------------------------
"Fawn and Waldo were some of the nicest hobbits around," proclaimed the preacher standing in front of the door to their beloved home, "They loved their home and their daughter with all their being. It is only suitable that they pass together, and that they rest together in the one place they loved best."
Merry stood with the rest of the crowd that had shown up for the funeral. There were the old women in black, the distant relatives in black, and then the friends and neighbors in a strange array of dark blues, browns, and purple's. Darla stood in the front in a gray frock and her hair flying away in the wind. She was not crying, nor smiling. She was like a stone. No feelings or hopes at all.
"May they rest in peace! Amen!" cried the preacher; a chorus repeated the phrase as Darla walked to the door of her old home. She came right up to the door and kissed it gently.
"Tenna' ento lye omentuva e gurth," she whispered and stepped back from the door. She nodded toward the man standing to the side of the front porch. He began to place bricks in front of the structure. She was going to have the entrance to her home sealed shut forever. The watchers quietly went off and left the scene. Only Merry, Pippin, Sam, Rosie, and Frodo remained.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Why do you weep? What are those tears upon your face? Soon you will see, all of your fears will pass away. Safe in my arms, you're only sleeping. What can you see on the horizon? Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea, a pale moon rises, the ships have come to carry you home, And all will turn to silver glass. A light on the water, all souls pass.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Darla turned to the remaining mourners. Merry saw that each step she took away from that house were the hardest steps she'd ever taken. She looked up at them; her eyes met with Merry's for a moment and then strayed.
"Thank you," she croaked, "For everything. For just coming, and for staying, and for just being. I don't know what I'm going to do now."
"You are going to come with us remember?" Pippin asked confused.
"I-I don't know if I could bear going on that adventure anymore," she answered her eyes filling with tears.
"Darla," Merry whispered grasping her hand in his, "I promised your mother that I would fulfill your dreams and take you on the adventure of a lifetime. I can't let you just stay here and rot like your parents." Darla looked up at him tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I don't know if I could bear it, Merry," she sighed beginning to sob.
"Darla, you've changed so much in the past week," Rosie smiled coming to her friend's side, "If I know anything, it's that Darla Duklemyer was meant for bigger and better things than this small town."
"You think I should go, Rosie?" she asked looking into her friends shining eyes.
"Yes, if any thing your mother would want you to go. Didn't she tell you that up above us there is no pain and sickness, and that she could watch you from her heavenly view?" Rosie patted her dear friend on the back.
"Yes, she did." Darla wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Hope fades, into the world of night, through the shadows falling, out of memory and time. Don't say, we have come now to the end, white shores are calling, you and I will meet again. And you'll be here in my arms just sleeping.
*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*
Two weeks later:
Darla stood on the hill above her old home. She still wore the gray smock that she had worn the day they sealed up the old house. The wind blew around her she would be leaving soon. She was about to go on her adventure. She was about to seek the one thing she had longed for all her life. She was going to find the magic that Merry had spoken about that day in the clearing.
She took a deep breath and looked out onto the Shire. She could see most of it from her lofty perch. It was strange; she was actually feeling rather sad about leaving. She would have never suspected that she would actually hesitate when the chance came for her to depart.
"What can you see, Mother?" she called into the wind, "On the horizon? Why do the white gulls cry, father?"
"She can see you, and she can feel your love for her," Merry said coming up behind her.
"I feel as if she is here with me, Merry," she whispered, he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"She is, I can feel her too. Even after speaking with her for only a moment, I loved her. She was a wonderful woman."
"And father was a wonderful man," she added.
"Yes, he was indeed." Darla turned and smiled up and Merry, "That's the first smile I've seen in weeks!" he beamed.
"I know, for some reason it all seems right now. My parents are dead, but this is the only way it could be done. This way they may watch me as I travel the world and find what I've always longed for."
"Darla, I must tell you something," Merry began.
"No, I must tell you something first," she interrupted, "I should have told you long ago. I've fallen in love with Frodo. That is the man that I spoke of weeks ago. I don't know why I was afraid to tell you, but we've been through so much together, I cannot hide a thing from you." Merry's smile faded, "What is it you wanted to tell me?" she asked.
"It's not important," he brushed it off, "What is, is getting you down there, we're about to leave."
"I'll be there in a moment, just give me one more minute." Merry nodded and smiled through his breaking heart. As he walked away Darla sang into the wind:
*&*&*
"What can you see, on the horizon? Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea, a pale moon rises, the ships have come to carry you home. And all will turn to silver glass, a light on the water, Grey ships pass, into the West."
*&*&*
She turned and walked down the hill and into her adventure.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
That's it ya'll. Now I must get some sleep, it's 1:20 in the morning and I've got an adventure to come up with, so. Laterz-DB:D