Pippin was having trouble sleeping. He tossed and turned, hoping to find a position comfortable enough for him to conk out. Finding his efforts futile, Pippin gave up trying to sleep and decided to head to the study. At least he could try reading.
It took him half an hour to find a book interesting enough to read. It took him another half an hour just to get comfortable enough to try to read. Then there was a knocking at the door.
"Come in," Pippin set his book down on the side table. It looked like he wasn't going to get any reading done either.
Kendrick entered the study, taking care to shut the door silently behind him.
"You can't sleep either," Kendrick took a seat across from his cousin.
"I haven't been able to sleep since Merry went missing. All I can think about is that he might be dead in the woods somewhere. More Hobbits keep appearing dead day by day. I..." Pippin had to stop before he lost it. Merry had been missing for well over a week. Four more Hobbits had been found dead and drained. Most of them in the Frogmorton area. "Ken...I want him back. I want them all back."
Kendrick pulled his cousin into a hug. He let his younger cousin cry out his anger, frustration, and fear. All of the Shire was in a panic over the recent disappearances and slayings. Pippin tried putting on a brave face for the others, but Kendrick knew that Pip was just as scared as every one else. He was scared too. Kendrick tightened his embrace on his cousin. Tears slipping through his eyes.
"Why are you up? It's three in the morning now," Pippin asked, rubbing the remaining tears from his eyes.
"I couldn't sleep either," Kendrick answered. He let the younger Hobbit go, and sat down in one of the study's plush arm chairs. He didn't have the heart to tell him, but in the end, he knew he had to. "The Watch found Fatty's body."
Pipping slumped down into an adjacent arm chair and let his head fall into his hands. How many more people were going to be taken away from him?
–
Pippin arrived at the Green Dragon Inn around six o' clock. The Inn, once a place of merriment, was now the headquarters of the Watch. The Watch consisted of Hobbits brave enough to wander the roads at night. Thus, the group was small. They tried to have at least eight Hobbits per night, however, most nights they were lucky to have five. Few Bucklanders were willing to help with the searching, and even fewer Tooks. Pippin had begged his family to help. Pearl was the only one willing.
The first night had been a bit awkward when his sister arrived for their shift wearing pants. Rufus had started the night by claiming Hobbit lasses should be at home doing "lass work." The lad had received a nice shiner for that remark courtesy of Pearl. Sam's brother, Halfred, ogled her for the first half of the night, which resulted in him receiving quite a few bruises from Pippin. However, they had found one of the Bree Hobbits that night. It wasn't until they had to retrieve the body from the brook when they realized that pants were far more practical than skirts for the work they were doing. Soon after that night Marigold joined...with pants. Though every now and then a Hobbit or two would volunteer, they would never return after their first night. The five of them were the only ones willing to tough it out.
"What's the report?" Pippin was in no mood for pleasantries.
"We found one body. Fredegar Bolger was found around three o' clock this morning floating in the Bywater Pool. Same as the others. Mutilated neck and completely drained of blood. We've already notified his family." Halfred reported. Fatty had been a dear friend, but Pippin knew that he wasn't who Halfred was looking for.
It was no secret to the members of the Watch that each of them were there for more selfish reasons. Halfred and Marigold were there for Sam, whose body had yet to be found. Due to the amount of dead turning up, the Mayor had decided to declare those who were still missing as deceased. Rufus had lost a few family members himself. All but one had been found. Pippin and Pearl were there for Merry and Frodo. Pippin thought about Frodo. He had been the first to go missing, along with Sam. Shortly after Rosie's body was found. Then Merry... Was there a connection?
–
Kendrick returned to his room to find it in shambles. Parchment was strewn everywhere. Books were lying on the floor. All of his notes were scattered about and out of order. He had only been in the study a few hours, but it had been enough for someone to ransack his room. He knew it hadn't been Pippin or Pearl. They had Watch that night.
He checked under his pillow for his dream log. Ever since Frodo and Sam had gone missing, Kendrick had been having the worst nightmares. Being the good writer, he kept a log of his dreams. He was relieved to find the journal in its proper place. He read through the entry he had written the night before. It was the most frightening one yet. Not caring to look at it further, he tossed the book onto his bed. Though his dream log was not taken, something had been.
A soft rapping came from the door.
"Come in. Watch your step," Kendrick beckoned. He began sorting the parchment into piles. Nothing was in order. It would likely take him the better part of the day just to get his writings put back together. It would be hours more to get them in their proper order after that. Pippin opened the door to the room, but found that there wasn't really any space to walk on to.
"What happened here," Pippin asked.
"Someone burglarized my room. Here have a seat," Kendrick replied as he cleared a space on his bed. Pippin gingerly stepped over the parchment covered floor. It took him a good minute to get to the offered seat due to the mess.
"What was stolen?" Pippin asked. He barely noticed that his fingers had brushed up against a small, leather bound journal.
"That log book I told you about a month or so ago," Kendrick replied.
"The one where you said didn't exist? The one you swore on the Valar didn't exist?" Pippin practically screamed. He was livid.
"When I told you about it, it was just a pile of notes. I hadn't put it into a log yet, so technically I didn't lie," Kendrick replied dryly.
"That's not the point Kendrick! You swore that you weren't keeping a log at all," Pippin lunged at Kendrick. Before the older Hobbit could react, Pippin backhanded him across the face with his dream journal. He then shoved the book into his face, "What's this?!"
Before Kendrick could protest, Pippin began flipping through the dream journal. He saw his cousin's face turn white as he read the contents of the book. Pippin's expression turned from horror to anger the further along he got.
"That's my dream journal. I started having nightmares shortly after Frodo and Sam disappeared. I didn't think anything of it when I started writing my dreams down. It was cathartic for me. That was until I began to notice that they were coming true. The nightmares," Kendrick decided to head off Pippin's questions and accusations. An uncomfortable silence fell on the room. Pippin was trying to absorb what he had read and what his cousin had told him.
"Why didn't you tell anyone? When you found out they were coming true, you should have told us. We could have saved people!" Pippin berated his older cousin.
"Oh please. Who would believe Kendrick the Weird. Don't think I don't know what you call me. If I had gone to anyone with this, I would have been shipped off to a lock hole in Michel Delving faster than you could down a pint," Kendrick explained.
"I would have believed you," Pippin replied.
"Would you? Would you believe me if I told you that you were next?" Kendrick asked. Pippin felt the blood drain from his face.
"When?" Pippin asked.
"I don't know exactly when. It felt like soon. I saw you sitting in your room, when you are beckoned outside by a voice. The voice was distorted and unfamiliar to me, but to you in the dream, it seemed familiar. As if this was the reason why you follow it outside. You follow it to a wooded area. I see a small town nearby, I can't really make out where. Once in the woods, you're confronted by three shadowy figures. They drag you into the shadows with them," Kendrick recalled the dream. His eyes seemed to be focused on nothing as he relived the vision. Pippin stared at his cousin. He could hardly believed what he was hearing.
"What about Merry?" Pippin was hesitant to ask. However, he wanted to know what happened to their Bucklander cousin.
"Same thing that may happen to you. He was at Bag End when he heard someone call him. He chased it to the woods. Two shadowy figures drew him into the shadows. After that I can't see him. I've seen everyone else...after they were attacked by the same shadowy figures. I would still see their bodies. But I can't see him," Kendrick explained.
"What of Frodo and Sam?" Pippin asked. He was having a hard time listening to what his cousin was saying. It was so outlandish, and heartbreaking at the same time. Was Kendrick really having visions? A dark possibility also crossed Pippins' mind. Could Kendrick be the killer they were looking for, and the nightmares were just a red herring?
"They've never appeared in my dreams. I'm sorry," Kendrick answered.
"Are you sorry? How do I know that it wasn't you all along?" Pippin accused. The younger Took was caught off guard when Kendrick tackled him to the floor. Pippin tried fighting him off, but his cousin managed to get leverage on him.
"You fool! If it were me, why would I be warning you of your own death?" Kendrick asked.
"Because you might be a sadistic bast...ahh!" Pippin's statement was cut off by Kendrick's hand across his face. The sting from the slap had barely begun to dissipate when Kendrick pulled him into a hug.
"I don't want these dreams. I'm tired of seeing them die. Seeing their bodies found and the faces of their families as they learn the truth," Kendrick cried on his cousin's shoulder. He let his tears fall freely. "I couldn't prevent the other premonitions from happening, but I'm hoping I can prevent yours."
Pippin felt conflicted. He had trouble believing everything Kendrick had told him. However, he no longer thought that his cousin had anything to do with the murders. He thought that the Hobbit was greatly disturbed, but that didn't make him a murderer. He hugged his cousin tighter, allowing him to cry it out. Much like he had done the night before.
"I'll stay in tonight. I'll let Pearl know so she can tell the rest of the Watch," Pippin soothed.
–
Pippin had received an earful from his sister. He explained why, at least what he was certain she would believe. However, she still laid a nasty guilt trip on him. Pearl didn't even hesitate to remind him that he was the one begging for volunteers for the Watch.
Eglantine was happy to see her son stay home for once. The lad hadn't taken a break from the Watch since he started it. Though he still slept in until about two in the afternoon, she made sure that he was going to have a proper meal that evening. She noticed that Pippin hadn't been eating properly since starting the Watch. She was lucky if she could convince him to take a meal to go most nights. Eglantine made Pippin's favorite meal that night, which happened to be breakfast. The table was spread with bacon, eggs, pancakes, biscuits, berries, jam, gravy, sausage, mushrooms, fried potatoes, and ham.
"Mom, this is too much!" Pippin complained.
"Nonsense young man. You need to make up for all those meals you've missed," She softly scolded.
–
Pippin reclined comfortably on his bed. He had managed to find a good book in the study, and decided to read and relax with a glass of wine. Ale would have been too much for his overfilled stomach.
Pippin hadn't realized he dozed off. His candle still burned. He guessed that it was about eleven o' clock. He had been asleep for about two hours. Setting his book next to his empty wine glass, Pippin rose from his bed. He turned down his sheets, intending to turn in for the night. His sword fell off the bed, nearly landing on his foot. Pippin picked up the blade. He had become so paranoid of late that he began sleeping with his sword under his pillow. It had been uncomfortable the first few nights, but he eventually became accustomed to the solid object resting under his pillow.
A gentle rapping at his window brought him back to reality. He looked up to see Merry's face looking back at him.
"Hoy, Pippin," Merry greeted with a smile.
"Merry?" Pippin was elated to see his cousin's face. Without a second thought, he raced out of his room, grabbing his cloak along the way. His sword lay at rest on his bed.
"Merry? Where are you?" Pippin called as soon as he exited the smial.
"This way Pip. Race you slow poke," Merry responded.
Pippin followed his cousin's voice. He didn't care where he was going, so long as he got to see Merry's face again. Maybe this meant Frodo and Sam were alright as well. He vaguely recognized the town of Pincup as he continued to follow Merry into Woody End.
"Meeeerrrrryyy," Pippin cried out. He had lost track of the Bucklander after following him into the woods. No response came. Pippin felt stupid as he stuffed his hands into his coat pockets. His left hand landed upon a leather bound journal.
'I must have taken Kendrick's dream journal by accident this morning.' He thought.
Suddenly, Kendrick's warning to him glared at him like the eye of Sauron. Pippin was petrified. He had done everything Kendrick told him he would do. Pippin went to unsheathed his sword. He cursed when he realized that he had forgotten it on his bed.
"Pip, are you alright?" Merry's voice called from behind. Pippin spun around to meet his cousin, who was smiling gently at him. Pippin could only meet Merry's smile with horror. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? You've been missing for weeks Merry? Hobbits are turning up dead. We found Fatty last night. What's wrong you ask? Everything is wrong." Pippin yelled. "What's going on Merry?"
"I probably should be the one to explain," Pippin spun around to find Frodo standing not more than three feet from him. A gentle rustling of leaves alerted him to someone flanking him from the right. Sam was standing about eight feet from him. "It was the day you all came to visit me. I hadn't been feeling well. That night something came into Bag End and attacked me. It killed Bilbo, but spared me. It came back the next night."
"But, you got out of it?" Pippin asked dreamily. His eyes were locked with Frodo's. He faintly felt his cousin's hand brush against his face.
"Yes, and no. I fought back, and I managed to fatally wound the creature. But it changed me. I'm not the scared, weak Hobbit you once knew," Frodo whispered into Pippin's ear. His Took cousin's face was flush and warm.
"But Merry?...Kendrick saw him die," Pippin mumbled. Frodo paused at his cousin's statement. Pippin's eyes were droopy. His body swayed gently on his feet. The Hobbit was well under the mesmer, making him susceptible to speaking freely, as well as suggestion.
"How did Kendrick see Merry die? He's right here," Frodo asked. He noticed Pippin's left hand resting on an object in his pocket. Frodo gently moved his hand aside and pulled out the journal.
"He saw me die too," Pippin said. Frodo's ears perked.
"How?" Frodo asked.
"Like this," Pippin answered. Without having to ask, Frodo seemed to know what Pippin meant. He nudged his cousin into Merry's waiting arms. He gave a shallow nod to the Bucklander. Pippin's screams broke the silence of the night, but Frodo paid no attention. He was intrigued by Kendrick's journal, and was eager to discuss its contents with his cousin.