An- Hey all! So it took a little longer to update this time, but we've all been so busy getting ready to go back to school (Shudder) next week, and time to write has been little. But anyway, here's the chapter now! But yeah, that's all that there is really needed to say. Peace out.

Chapter 39

Total darkness greeted Sam and Erin as they raced head first into the cave. Erin stopped dead in her tracks a few steps into the cave. She couldn't see a thing...not a damn thing. And she knew with her luck, she'd run smack into a wall or trip on some stupid rock and possibly end up hurting herself and the baby.

"Sam! I can't see a thing!" Erin cried desperately, feeling around at the sides of her for something solid.

" I know! I can't either!" Sam replied, his voice sounding further ahead then where Erin stood, "But we just can't stay here...Frodo's in trouble!"

He's right...Erin thought and slowly moved forward towards where Sam's voice was.

Suddenly, there was another cry from somewhere in front of them. This caused both Erin and Sam to forget any caution and take off through the darkness to where the scream had come from.

They moved swiftly and then suddenly, a bright light appeared from a corner in front of them.

" Look!" Erin cried, pointing out towards the lights.

She hoped, no prayed, that it was Frodo, unharmed or course.

Please don't let him be hurt! Erin prayed silently, please let him have kicked Gollum's ass and he's alright!

Sam was ahead of her and in the dim light, she saw him bend down and pick something up off the ground.

" What-"Erin started, but gasped as she saw what Sam now held in his hand. It was the little bottle thing that Galadriel had given to Frodo in Lothlorien. The name of it escaped her momentarily, but that was what was giving off the white light.

" Something's wrong!" Sam spoke, "He wouldn't have just dropped this!"

" Come on then!" Erin cried, and turned around quickly...and came face to face with some kind of corpse thing that was hanging wrapped in what looked in white string.

Erin's eyes grew in surprise and horror as she stumbled backwards, stifling a scream. She almost tumbled helplessly to the ground as her feet stumbled over whatever horrible things littered the ground, but Sam caught hold of her waist and steadied her.

"Oh...My...GOD!" Erin cried and pushed away from Sam, a chill running up her spine. In her backpack, she could feel and hear as Elijah started to wiggle and cry a bit.

Her hand went out to touch one of the stone walls to steady herself, but instantly she realized that something was wrong with the wall. It didn't feel like stone...it felt more like...like silly string.

Erin looked to the wall in confusion. Then, as her mind registered what she was touching, she gave another short cry and pulled her hand away.

It was a spider-web.

" Sam...What kind of twilight zone have we gotten ourselves into!" Erin croaked out as yet another shiver traveled up her spine. In her pack, Elijah was wiggling uncontrollably and wailing loudly at the rude awakening he had gotten.

Erin took the pack off her shoulders and took her crying son out of it. She cradled him in her arms and slowly rocked him back and fourth in an attempt to calm him.

" Hush child," she whispered soothingly.

" Erin!" Sam cried from ahead of her, "We haven't the time! WE still have to help Frodo!"

Erin started to move forward again, but stopped and looked down at Elijah, who was beginning to calm back down. She knew if she rushed off now, the baby would start crying again...and that would cause whatever had caused Frodo to scream would hear them coming a mile away.

" Go on!" Erin cried, "I'll follow!"

Sam gave a quick reply and left, leaving Erin and her child. Erin stayed there for about five minutes (to her it felt like eternity) and finally, after Elijah's eyelids had closed and the tiny baby had drifted into the land of sleep, Erin cuddled him tightly into her chest and then again moved swiftly through the darkness and webs before her.

l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.

She moved as fast as possible through the darkness. Every time a part of exposed flesh rubbed up against the webs that were everywhere, she gave a groan as a shiver traveled through her. Erin pulled the little green blanket that was wrapped around Elijah as tightly as it would go so the sticky substance wouldn't touch him.

And then, as suddenly as the darkness had been all around her, she was suddenly standing in the light again. She was outside in the fresh (ok, so it wasn't so fresh) air and under an overcast sky.

Then, her ears picked up the sound of battle just in front of her and moved forward. She got to where the 'battle' was just in time to see an enormous spider, wailing in pain, withered backwards into a giant opening in the mountain.

Erin held a scream deep in her throat and brought Elijah as tight into her as she could. Vaguely, in the back of her mind, Erin thanked God that the others weren't here to see that monster, especially Niori, who was deathly afraid of spiders and probably would have fainted on the spot.

Erin looked around frantically for Sam (or better yet, Frodo) and saw Sam leaning down over a big pile of string with his back to her. Erin started forward, preparing to ask if he knew where Frodo was, but was stopped as Sam spoke suddenly.

"Don't!" He spoke, his voice high with emotion, "Don't come and closer Erin...you don't want to see this,"

"Sam-"Erin started and stopped walking.

"It's Frodo Erin," Sam spoke, turning to look at her, reveling the tears running down his cheeks, "he's dead,"

l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l

An- Well, there u go, another chapter done. Have fun and review! The next chapter will be up soon!