The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - THE LONELY STAR (Contd. from BD birthday party)

mark12_30 · 09-12-2002, 10:12 PM

Gamba flexed his blistered hands as he tiptoed down towards the water. He had no appetite for dinner that night. He silently passed the circle of laughing children in the lingering twilight that shone dimly up the river tunnel. The children frolicked and gamboled, laughing and singing, and he was glad of their noise, glad to be distracted from his grim thoughts.

Four of his close friends had lost a parent over the past two weeks since he had been digging graves. Many more hobbits had quietly disappeared, and graves had been filled shortly after they were dug. The friendly guards that Phura had learned the hymns to Eru from, had disappeared, replaced by grim, silent men.

Adding grief to grief, a section of the iron mine had collapsed a week ago. Over thirty hobbits had died in the mine. Although every able-bodied hobbit had been digging out the rubble of the collapsed mine, all night for three nights, even so only three hobbits had been recovered alive by digging, and of those three, one was dead and one barely hung on to life. The other was relatively unhurt. But they had buried more than thirty dead hobbits.

Gamba sat by the water, and listened to the children play. Phura, having followed him down the tunnel, joined him silently.

Gamba gazed out at the dark water. "I'm sick of digging, " he said quietly. "I'm sick of death."

Phura sat by him, and put a hand on his shoulder, and softly replied, "We live in the tombs; death is all around us. But it will not always be so."

"So you say," Gamba replied. "But Azra and Nitir are not here, and hobbits die every night."

"I know," Phura said. "I know. I'm sorry." His heart ached for his little brother, but he did not know how to make gravedigging easier, or less horrifying. He felt powerless. "I'm going to go back to the graves, and sing over them, " Phura said.

"Sing what?" Gamba said, knowing the answer.

"Lullabyes. What else?" Phura said.

"Do you think that is what they wrote them all for? For funerals?"

"Some of them. Not all, " Phura said, rising. He laid his hand on his brother's head, and thought of Eru, and wished he could encourage his brother, but no words came. He went back up the tunnel.

Gamba sat and listened to the children singing and laughing, and wondered how long he could stay there unnoticed, and how long the children would be allowed to play past twilight.

[ September 13, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

09-12-2002, 10:12 PM	#741
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Gamba flexed his blistered hands as he tiptoed down towards the water. He had no appetite for dinner that night. He silently passed the circle of laughing children in the lingering twilight that shone dimly up the river tunnel. The children frolicked and gamboled, laughing and singing, and he was glad of their noise, glad to be distracted from his grim thoughts. Four of his close friends had lost a parent over the past two weeks since he had been digging graves. Many more hobbits had quietly disappeared, and graves had been filled shortly after they were dug. The friendly guards that Phura had learned the hymns to Eru from, had disappeared, replaced by grim, silent men. Adding grief to grief, a section of the iron mine had collapsed a week ago. Over thirty hobbits had died in the mine. Although every able-bodied hobbit had been digging out the rubble of the collapsed mine, all night for three nights, even so only three hobbits had been recovered alive by digging, and of those three, one was dead and one barely hung on to life. The other was relatively unhurt. But they had buried more than thirty dead hobbits. Gamba sat by the water, and listened to the children play. Phura, having followed him down the tunnel, joined him silently. Gamba gazed out at the dark water. "I'm sick of digging, " he said quietly. "I'm sick of death." Phura sat by him, and put a hand on his shoulder, and softly replied, "We live in the tombs; death is all around us. But it will not always be so." "So you say," Gamba replied. "But Azra and Nitir are not here, and hobbits die every night." "I know," Phura said. "I know. I'm sorry." His heart ached for his little brother, but he did not know how to make gravedigging easier, or less horrifying. He felt powerless. "I'm going to go back to the graves, and sing over them, " Phura said. "Sing what?" Gamba said, knowing the answer. "Lullabyes. What else?" Phura said. "Do you think that is what they wrote them all for? For funerals?" "Some of them. Not all, " Phura said, rising. He laid his hand on his brother's head, and thought of Eru, and wished he could encourage his brother, but no words came. He went back up the tunnel. Gamba sat and listened to the children singing and laughing, and wondered how long he could stay there unnoticed, and how long the children would be allowed to play past twilight. [ September 13, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ] __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.