Wow, this has taken me awhile to get back too. Anyway, I hope people take a liking to this. I tinkered around with this chapter, just a bit. I'm not really satisfied with it, but I guess it's good enough. Don't forget to review, I'm starved for reviews. Flames will be used to create amusmant for hours on end. Pyromaniacs of the world UNITE!!!!
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will own it. unless I get really lucky o' course!Frodo looked around himself at the clearing they had found for their camp. They had just escaped from Moria and had set up here to rest before they continued towards Lothlorien. Despite his best efforts he couldn't seem to pull his thoughts away from Gandalf. He had chosen the path of Moria when the Fellowship could have gone another way. They could have stayed on Caradhas or made for Rohan instead. But no, he just had to choose Moria. It was entirely his fault. If he hadn't made that decision Gandalf wouldn't have fallen into shadow. It all seemed so hopeless now. How were they supposed to continue on without their leader? Aragorn had now taken up Gandalf's duty of guiding them on their mission, but it felt like there was an empty space looming in their company which no one could fill.
Sam was preparing dinner, although no one seemed to have much of an appetite. Not even Merry and Pippin, which surely was an odd thing. Frodo leaned against an old tree trunk and tried to block all of the terrible memories flooding though his mind. His thoughts drifted back to the Shire and Bilbo. How he missed his dear old uncle! If only he could have stayed with him in Rivendell. But he had no other choice than to destroy this burden and threat to the free peoples of Middle Earth, that was the One Ring.
But again, Frodo's thoughts reverted back to Gandalf. How could he have been so blind? It had been obvious that Gandalf hadn't wanted to venture this way. But it hadn't sounded like so bad of a choice back then. No, back on the slopes of the mountain where frostbite clung to their toes it had sounded like a wonderful alternative to their freezing cold surroundings. Why had they placed the burden of this decision on his shoulders? Him, without any knowledge whatsoever about the likes of Moria? It hadn't been fair.
He was aroused from his thoughts by a soft voice. "Mr. Frodo, dinner's ready," said his best friend and faithful servant Sam. Forcing a smile he replied, "I'm not really that hungry, Sam." But Sam, as always, was very persistent. Eventually he got Frodo to have a bite to eat, although he mostly just pushed the food around on his plate. Guilt was gnawing at his heart.
While the others lay dreaming, Frodo lie awake staring up at the stars in the midnight sky. He didn't want to succumb to sleep. All he wanted to do was get away. The more Frodo thought of what he had done the more he became worried of what he was leading his friends into. He didn't want peril to befall them, especially because of him. He didn't want to play a part in the deaths of any more of his friends. Against his will, sleep soon washed over him.
Frodo looked around. There was nothing; at least not anything he could see. It was so dark he could barely see his hands in front of his face. He started groping around for some sort of wall or anything he could hold on to, but in the end found nothing. Trying to cling to whatever little hope in him still remained, Frodo stumbled forward onto the cold, harsh ground. Where could he be? Where had everyone gone?
Suddenly, in the midst of the impenetrable darkness, a faint light fought through. As the source of the light came closer, its beam grew stronger and stronger until Frodo had to shield his face with his arm to avoid being blinded by its brilliance. Once his eyes adjusted the source of the light came into view. Much to Frodo's surprise there stood Gandalf towering above him. "Gandalf! You're back!" But his excitement quickly turned to terror when Gandalf lifted him and started shouting at him in a voice Frodo could hardly believe was coming from the mouth of his once good, old friend. "How could you?! You should have known that Moria would only lead us to certain doom and early death!!", bellowed Gandalf, his voice rattling the ground. Frodo struggled to get away but it was no use. "NO!! Gandalf believe me, I didn't know! It's not my fault!" Gandalf them cast him down and withdrew his sword Glamdring. "No", screamed Frodo in anguish, "Leave me alone!" He started running back through the dark passages, but Gandalf appeared again. "No, No!" He backed up until he was finally pinned against a wall. There was no way out. He was trapped.
Frodo jolted awake when he felt someone nudge him. "Get away!!" He stumbled back only to realize that it was Aragorn who had awaken him. "Frodo, what's wrong?" Frodo wiped the cold sweat from his brow and replied. "Nothing. It was just a dream." Aragorn frowned. "Are you sure?" "Yes, yes. I'm fine." "Okay then," said Aragorn though he looked as though he wished to say something else, "It's your watch."
Frodo watched Aragorn walk over to his blankets silently. That dream had shaken him up horribly. He couldn't go on like this. He had to do something. There was no way he could live with this guilt. Frodo removed Sting from its sheath and wondered away from the group. He looked at the sharp blade then at his wrists. He knew what he was going to do.
The feeling of the cold metal on top of his skin sent tingles through him. His hand trembled as he grasped the hilt, holding the blade atop his arm. He sliced up the inside his arm and closed his eyes as the pain flowed through his body. Pain overwhelmed his system as he sat with the blade still limply held in one hand. 'This is what I deserve' He thought, though already he felt his mind becoming addled and slowing.
Again he took up Sting, this time in his other hand. It shook violently as he tried to get a firm hold on it. Blood trickled down onto the hilt of the sword as he finally managed to slice up his other arm. He watched the crimson blood slide down his arms and over his fingers, dripping to the ground. He felt giddy, and giggled slightly as time slowed and the blood drops fell slower, watched as the broke. It was amazing, he could see ever detail. The colours on his arm mixed and blurred as the crimson blood overtook the alabaster skin.
Everything began to blur together and spin in front of him as he watched the world ripple and change about him. Frodo swayed and fell back onto the ground, looking up to the stars that glittered so far above. It wasn't long before he could feel the peaceful darkness pulling him down into forgetfulness. He didn't fight it.