Enjoy :) Oh, there's a song sung in in this one that's not named. It's called The Lament by Medieval Baebes in case you wanted to know. :) Happy reading!
Chapter forty-five
And Then there Was Silence
Dinner went by rather peacefully and Morgoth and Manwë seemed to be getting along just fine. The night's dinner consisted of leftover casserole. Most campers hated leftover casserole because it was a big dish of everything that had been eaten that week. Vesper looked down at the casserole in disgust. She poked at it with her fork.
"Well it's finally happened…the bottom layer of this week's casserole is last week's leftover casserole…"
Sam shuddered.
"I can't believe they served this to us."
A girl by the name of Faith Slayer of the Sues, or Faith for short nodded in agreement and poked at the casserole in abhorrence.
"This is just plain evil," she said.
Vesper put her head down and sniffed the casserole. Her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"So…nasty."
"Nasty doesn't even begin to describe it," Sam concluded.
The three continued to discuss the nastiness of the dinner when Kisha interrupted their conversation. She was standing on one of the chairs and called for quiet. When this was granted to her she smiled.
"Good evening campers! Now I hope you enjoyed the mystery game. Now tonight we shall have a game of song recognition. The staff have been preparing by listening to lots of different songs. So I hope you're ready to get beat! Especially since we have good old Gwen here who knows almost everything about music."
A few campers glared at her and she shrugged.
"What? So what if my master thesis was on music and the connection between singer and time period and the cause it had on economical, social, cultural, and political standards?"
Kisha smiled and rolled her eyes. She then dismissed the campers and told them to be at the Great Hall by eight.
"Did you really do that?" Fëanor asked Gwen.
"Do what?" Gwen replied.
"That whole master thesis thing. I don't know what it is but it sounded difficult."
Gwen smiled.
"A master thesis is a gigantic research report that can be a very long and fastidious undertaking."
"And you did it on that?"
Gwen smirked and shook her head.
"Nope, I just like the way that sounds. I actually did it on the similarities between the political, social, economical, and cultural aspects of Middle-earth and our Earth."
"Oh."
"Was it fun?" Morgoth asked.
Gwen nodded.
"No, it was terrible and because of it I hate Middle-earth now. No, I loved it, what do you think?"
--
The campers gathered in the Great Hall with smug looks on their faces. They believed they would wipe the floor with the staff, as they knew more about music then they did. Or so they thought.
Kisha stood at the front of the Hall and waited for everyone to calm down. When they did she explained the rules.
"Okay, I will play a sound bite of music and the first person with their hand up that can tell me the name of the song and the band will get the point. Now remember that the sound bite can be from any part of the song. Is everyone ready?"
The campers nodded and so did the staff. Kisha then hit play on the first selection.
"You don't remember me but I remember you. I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you…"
Another camper and Gwen raised their hands at approximately the same time but Kisha gave it to the camper. Gwen sighed.
"Taking Over Me by Evanescence!"
Kisha nodded.
"Very good. Next piece."
"Don't fear the eyes of the Dark Lord. Morgoth I cried all hope is gone but I swear revenge…"
"Hey my name's in that song!" Morgoth exclaimed as Manwë shouted out the answer.
"That was The Curse of Fëanor by Blind Guardian!"
Kisha nodded.
"Good job," she said as she marked it on the paper.
Gwen looked over at the campers.
"None of you knew that song? My Ilúvatar! Tomorrow's going to be Blind Guardian day!"
Kisha rolled her eyes and shook her head but played the next selection.
"Claude Rains was the invisible man. Then something went wrong for Fay Ray and King Kong they got caught in a celluloid jam…"
Sam almost couldn't wait to answer this question and so when Kisha called on her she practically yelled it out.
"Science Fiction Double Feature from Rocky Horror Picture Show!"
Kisha nodded.
"Very good Sam. It's good to know there are other Rocky Horror fans out there."
"What's Rocky Horror?" asked Legolas.
Gwen shuddered.
"You don't want to know…it's very twisted. We can watch it one night if you want."
Kisha rolled her eyes and turned on the next selection.
"You're getting closer. You're holding the rope and I'm taking the fall…"
Gwen knew she had heard that song at one point but at the moment she couldn't remember it. A quiet camper raised her hand and Kisha called on her.
"Loser by Three Doors Down," she replied.
"Good job. Not many Three Doors Down fans in here are there? Any who, next song."
The next song was the instrumental section from The Raven by the Alan Parsons Project. Nobody seemed to know it, not even Gwen. Kisha looked at everyone blankly.
"Come on! Someone has to know this one!"
A camper raised his hand.
"Dr. Tarr and Professor Feather by Alan Parsons Project?" he asked.
Kisha shook her head.
"Nope, sorry. Staff, you're turn."
It was then that Gwen remembered what it was. Her eyes lit up in recognition.
"The Raven! By Alan Parsons Project!"
Kisha nodded.
"Du'h."
"Learning the ways of goodness to pervert those shades of light. Light and its people in Arda. Weak fools, enemy forever. Enemy forever!"
Gwen's hand shot up so fast that Kisha barely had time to call her name before Gwen shouted out 'Shadowgate, Battlelore!' Kisha smiled and added a point to the staff. She knew Gwen was going to get that one as it was one of her favourite songs and listened to it daily.
"In all your fantasies you always knew that man and mystery…"
"OH MY GOD! THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!" a girl screamed. Everyone knew she was the big 'Phantom phan' at camp. Gwen didn't even have a chance to answer that one.
"All land is mine you can be sure don't dare me the mighty one screamed. Smash down the light I will not rest till I'm king. Valinor's empty now allied the elves and men…"
Morgoth quickly raised his hand.
"That is A Dark Passage by Blind Guardian and it's about me!"
Gwen smiled. She had played that song for him knowing he would like it. She was glad he remembered the song.
--
The hours passed and it was now a little after eleven o'clock. The score was a dead tie and there was one remaining song left. Each side had chosen one person to represent their group. For the staff it was Gwen as she had answered the most music questions correctly. For the campers they chose a girl named Adrian as she had answered a lot of the more 'obscure' questions correctly.
For this question they would have to listen to the entire selected section to give both players a chance and then someone could answer. Kisha hit play on the CD and the final song played.
"Holy light shines on so the judgment's been made. We're condemned though the trial's far ahead the crack of doom, father your handsome son is heading home."
Gwen made a face, as she could not remember from what song that lyric was.
From a Tolkien related song? Crack of Doom meaning Mt. Doom? She thought.
Across from her Adrian's face lit up and she smirked. It was then that Gwen realised she had lost. But what made it worse was when she replied with the answer.
"The song is 'And Then There Was Silence' by Blind Guardian," Adrian replied smiling.
The colour from Gwen's face drained completely and Kisha thought she was going to faint. Gwen knew every Blind Guardian song and so Kisha had asked this one knowing it would be easy for her. But Gwen could not remember it.
"I can't believe it…" Gwen mumbled.
Neither can I. Thought Kisha.
The campers then knew they had won and so they began their victory celebration. Gwen dropped her head in her hands and sighed.
"I knew that! Why could I not remember it? Why?"
She stood up.
"I'm going to bed," she mumbled as she slowly walked out of the Great Hall. Ten minutes later everyone in the Great Hall could hear the sound of 'And Then There Was Silence' playing from Angband. This was then followed by a very pained cry. Kisha knew it was Gwen venting. She rolled her eyes.
"Well there's a first for everything."
--
When Morgoth entered Angband he found Gwen sitting on the bed eating a pint of ice cream and watching the Blind Guardian concert. The song on at the moment was 'And Then There Was Silence'. Morgoth sighed and closed the door.
"You do know it was just a game right?" Morgoth asked.
"Blind Guardian is my favourite band. How could I get that wrong? Sure it's one of their songs that last about fifteen minutes and it is kind of hard to remember lyrics to a fifteen minute song but still!"
"Calm down Gwen. I think you need some sleep."
Gwen took another bite of ice cream.
"No, I need to stay up and watch this concert…"
Morgoth turned the television off.
"Hey! I was watching that!" Gwen protested.
"And you're not watching it now. You need rest."
Gwen sighed.
"Oh all right…"
She quickly finished the rest of her ice cream and threw the container out. Five minutes later she was changed and ready to go to bed. Morgoth turned off the lights and crawled in with her. A few minutes later Sauron and Lalaith entered the room and they too went to bed. When they had settled down Gwen was just ready to fall asleep when her eyelids flew open. She threw the covers off from the bed and ran out of the room.
"Gwen?" Morgoth asked after he sat up.
He heard her retching in the bathroom. He rolled his eyes.
"You didn't throw out all of the tainted ice cream did you?" he asked.
"Shut up!" Gwen roared from outside.
--
Kisha smiled when she woke up the next morning. She knew today was the last Saturday of normal camp. Next Saturday would be pick up day and so nothing was really done on that day. She got out of bed and stretched. Manwë and Namo were still sound asleep and so she silently found her clothes for the day and headed down the hall to the bathroom for her shower.
Ah, what a wonderful day…
--
Gwen felt nauseous during breakfast. She did get the 'sickness' ice cream that she had forgotten to throw out but what made it worse was it had expired making her experience all the worse.
"Ohhh…" she mumbled as she tried to force down a muffin.
"If its just going to make you sick then don't eat it," Morgoth said.
"What's wrong with her?" Fëanor asked.
"I don't feel so well…" Gwen replied.
"It's just the stomach bug. She'll be okay," Morgoth said.
"I think I'm going to die," Gwen mumbled.
From down the table Kisha rolled her eyes.
"Maybe you should go back to bed then," Kisha suggested.
Gwen nodded and stood up. Morgoth helped her out of the dining hall and walked her to Angband. He helped her get back into bed and covered her up with her blankets. He sat on the edge of her bed.
"Do you need anything?" Morgoth asked.
"A gun."
Morgoth furled his eyebrows. He had not been expecting that comment.
"Why?"
"To shoot myself with…" Gwen replied.
Morgoth rolled his eyes. He bent over and gave Gwen a kiss on the forehead.
"Just yell if you need anything okay? I'll come back in a half-hour to check on you."
Gwen nodded.
"Thanks."
Morgoth shrugged as he walked out of Angband.
"Don't mention it…I guess."
--
Kisha decided that since all week was spent playing both mental and physical games that today would be a rest day. She told the campers that they could go into the arts and crafts building and forge items with Fëanor and his sons or take singing lessons from the Valar in the theatre. Everything was available to them today and so the campers dispersed from the dining hall and headed their separate ways.
--
Morgoth opened the door of Angband and checked on Gwen. At the moment she was sleeping so he left Angband and headed outside. On the Great Lawn some campers were learning sword-fighting techniques from the Dúnedain and the men of Gondor and Rohan. On the other side of the Great Lawn a few elves were teaching campers how to fire a bow and arrow properly though most didn't get far as the female girls were smitten with the male elves. Morgoth continued on and went up the steps of the Arts and Crafts building. Inside Fëanor, his sons, Celebrimbor, and Sauron were teaching some campers how to forge items. Sauron, though, was off in his own corner showing just one camper, a boy named Mark, how to forge rings of power and control the minds of others.
"Sauron!" Morgoth roared.
Sauron seemed to jump out of his skin as he turned to face Morgoth.
"Yes?"
"Are you corrupting a young soul into the ways of evil?"
Sauron cleared his throat nervously.
"Err…uhh…umm…I…err…"
Morgoth rolled his eyes.
"Keep up the good work!"
Sauron breathed a sigh of relief and continued to show Mark how to forge rings of power. Morgoth left the Arts and crafts building and headed past the theatre. He was not going to go inside but he heard a light, airy, voice singing inside. So, not having anything else to do, he silently opened the door to the theatre and sat in the back seat.
"O thou pale orb that silent shines while care-untroubled mortals sleep! Thou seest a wretch who inly pines, and wanders here to wail and weep! With woe I nightly vigils keep, beneath thy wan, unwarming beams; and morns, in lamentation deep, how life and love are all a dream! O thou bright queen, who o'er th'expanse now highest reign'st, with boundless sway oft has thy silent-marking glance. Observ'd us, fondly-wand'ring, stray! The time, unheeded, sped away; while love's luxurious pulse beat high, beneath thy silver-gleaming ray, to mark the mutual-kindling eye."
The camper's song ended and her friends clapped for her. After that the Valar told her how to better perfect the song and Morgoth slipped back out of the theatre and continued his walk. Next he stopped at the garage where a few campers were playing ping-pong.
"Care to join us?" a camper asked.
Morgoth shrugged.
"Sure."
--
The summer Saturday droned ever onward. Morgoth played a few games of ping-pong with the campers and then went back to check on Gwen. She was still sleeping around noon and so he left her alone.
Kisha spent the Saturday in the living room of Lammoth working on the camp video and slide show for Wednesday evening. Arwen and Gilrean also decided to help make the decorations for the Thursday night dance that everyone in camp was looking forward to.
Some campers lounged on the beach and played water volleyball under the beautiful sun. They were glad that Ulmo was not playing as he was too good at this game. All in all it was a normal summer Saturday. The laziness lasted even when the sun began setting. Most of the campers were having a great time just lounging around the camp and hanging out with friends that they did not want to head in for dinner. But Kisha made them anyway.
--
"Pizza!" exclaimed Tim as he dove into his dinner. Sauron laughed and rolled his eyes. He then picked up his knife and fork and cut off a piece and ate it. Everyone looked at him funny and he shrugged.
"What? So what if I use a knife and fork to eat pizza!" he exclaimed.
"Calm down," Manwë said after biting into his slice.
A few minutes later the dining room door opened and Gwen walked in. She was looking a lot better and she carried a plate of pizza and two cans of pop. She took a seat next to Morgoth and began eating.
"Well you're feeling better," he said.
Gwen nodded between bites.
"I puked everything up and now I'm hungry. So no talking to me I'm trying to eat."
--
After dinner Kisha told the campers the night was theirs and they could do with it what they wish. They dispersed leaving the staff in the dining hall.
"So what's tomorrow?" Aragorn asked.
Kisha sat back down and thought about it for a moment.
"Hmm…Sunday…Sunday…Well Monday is the staff versus camper game of baseball and Tuesday is the swimming competitions. Wednesday is Glingal Idol and slide show/ video. Thursday is the dance and Friday is clean up day. Saturday the campers leave in the afternoon so tomorrow can be the big camper versus staff obstacle course."
Gwen let out a huge grin.
"Oh wicked cool."
Kisha nodded.
"I knew you'd like that."
Gwen took a swig of her pop then put the can down.
"Oh most definitely."
Aragorn furled his eyebrows.
"What does this obstacle course consist of?" he asked.
"You'll find out tomorrow," she replied.
Gwen let out an evil cackle.
Manwë rolled his eyes.
"You two are going to the void when you die."
Gwen smiled.
"Cool."
--
Gwen realised her fear after Morgoth had fallen asleep. Her head was on his chest and she had been trying to fall asleep for the past hour but to no avail. She had first realised it when Kisha quickly went through the run-down of the final week. Deep down Gwen knew they would be leaving soon. Gwen couldn't help but smile at herself from the beginning of the week. She remembered wishing so many times that Erik, Jack, and the others would just show up and everything would be normal again. Deep down she knew she would never be normal again though. She would always remember the magic of this summer even though she knew he wouldn't. She could feel his chest moving with every breath and a tear trickled down her cheek.
I wish this would never end…