[identity profile] lilybaggins.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] hobbit_holidays
This is NOT a creepy tale. It's really a Five-Minute Fic . . . i.e, you will read it and see that it's certainly not a work of great literature. Ha, putting it mildly. At any rate, I felt the urgent need to post something Halloween-ish but completely NON-serious. Here it is . . .




***

“I’m not going in there, Frodo. Forget it! Those trees look dark and scary. Besides, we promised Cousin Bilbo that we’d stay well within the boundaries of the Shire.”

“It’s almost within the Shire, Merry. Just a little on the edge . . . What’s got into you, anyway? You’re the one who is always talking about going off into the Old Forest.”

“Well . . . I’ve heard . . . heard . . . things . . . about this particular forest.”

“What things?”

“They say that . . . that a dark spirit lives in there. The Shadow Man.”

“The Shadow Man? Why not a Shadow Hobbit?”

“Don’t laugh, Frodo. Haven’t you heard the tale of the Shadow Man?”

“I’m afraid I can’t say as I have.”

“The Shadow Man is tall and bony and vaporous and moves about like a great black shadow. By day, he stays hidden away, out of the sunlight, feeding on moss and lichen. But come nightfall, he ventures into the forest and lies in wait, seeking hobbits to strangle and dine on. I really don’t want to meet him.”

“Meriadoc Brandybuck, you do have the strangest ideas.”


**************


“It’s full dark now, Merry. Let's go, shall we?”

“Noooooo, Frodo!!!!”

“Come now, Merry . . . it will be an adventure!!! Just follow me. Don’t forget your pack.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“If you go with me, I’ll personally raid Farmer Maggot’s fields just for you.”


*************


“It’s very dark in here, Frodo. Haven’t we gone far enough now?”

“Not quite. Ouch! Is that a tree root . . . or a snake?”

“I don’t know . . . let’s get out of here, please?”

“Just a moment, Merry. I want to see---”

“I AM THE SHADOW MAN!”

“Merry, did you hear that?! What was that?”

“I AM THE SHADOW MAN!”

“Frodo, a black shadow . . . it’s coming after you!”

“I see it! Go, Merry, run! Run!”

“Frodo!!!!”

“It’s got my arm, Merry! Run, go get help! Run!”

“I AM THE SHADOW MAN! SUCH A TENDER THROAT YOU HAVE . . .”

“Frodo!”

“Mmmph . . . ooof . . . owww . . . arrrgh . . . I’m free, Merry! Let's get out of here! Run!”

“Frodo?!”

“I’m right behind you, Merry! Go, go, go!”


*************


“Oh, Merry . . . I promise I won't ever doubt you again.”

“I’m just glad you’re all right, Frodo.”

“I’m never going back into those trees again. Ever.”

“Me, neither . . . never.”

“Come along, Mer. Let’s go home.”


**************


“Strider, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

“They were scared, were they not? I feel quite sorry for them.”

“Nearly frightened to death, the poor creatures. You will probably be the talk of the Westfarthing tomorrow---again.”

“You must admit, Halbarad, that my ploy accomplishes its purpose while letting us remain undiscovered. Those two hobbits will not venture so deep into the woods here again.”

“No, they will not. Which is important, since we spotted those cuthroat ruffians from Bree sneaking about two days ago.”

“Indeed, Halbarad. To that end, I am happy to be the Shadow Man . . . even if it does give young hobbits a tale to tell in the morning.”

END

Date: 2006-10-31 02:34 pm (UTC)
ext_28802: (Default)
From: [identity profile] belleferret.livejournal.com
Hehe! Strider plays a trick on the hobbits, how fun!

Date: 2006-10-31 02:40 pm (UTC)
shirebound: (Default)
From: [personal profile] shirebound
Eeeee, that sneaky Strider! I wonder if he ever dares tell Frodo and Merry about his little trick. (Although it's for their own good, that lovely man.)

*grins*

Date: 2006-10-31 02:57 pm (UTC)
ext_28880: Gift from Frodosweetstuff :) (Default)
From: [identity profile] lbilover.livejournal.com
Oh, I didn't expect that ending! Poor little hobbitses :)

Date: 2006-10-31 04:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mews1945.livejournal.com
What a thrilling story, and I never saw that ending coming. So good, Lily. Happy Halloween!

Date: 2006-10-31 04:21 pm (UTC)

Date: 2006-10-31 04:38 pm (UTC)
ext_28878: (Default)
From: [identity profile] claudia603.livejournal.com
awww...! What noble Rangers we have, scaring INNOCENT little hobbits! :D hee.

Date: 2006-10-31 06:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] frodobaggins252.livejournal.com
**Squeeeee!** Just LOVED it -- and Frodo promising to raid Farmer Maggot's for Merry -- wonderful!

Date: 2006-11-01 01:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] addie71.livejournal.com
*giggles* I think I love Shadow Rangers!

Date: 2006-11-01 01:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gloryunderhill.livejournal.com
*giggles* Naughty rangers!

Date: 2006-11-01 08:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] summershobbit.livejournal.com
LOL< oh this rocks! What a treat and Strider, you naughty naughty boy! LOL

Date: 2006-11-01 12:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angiet.livejournal.com
I can just see it now:

"Frodo, you must not push until I tell you to."

Frodo groaned through another Contraction. Aragorn tried to thing of a way to distract the labouring hobbit.

"Frodo, do you remember when you and Merry went looking for the Shadow Man?...."

Date: 2006-11-01 01:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] angiet.livejournal.com
I forgot to mention this is great! but that ranger deserves a kick in the pants!

Date: 2006-11-01 04:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mariole.livejournal.com
Oh! I am melting into a love puddle. This is great!!! *adores all of them*

Date: 2006-11-02 09:40 am (UTC)
dreamflower: gandalf at bag end (Default)
From: [personal profile] dreamflower
*snicker* Poor Merry and Frodo!

Reminds me of when I was a young girl, and my cousins and I would sit around on dark back steps and tell "smooks", which was our family word for "spooky stories".

Date: 2006-11-14 06:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lovethosehobbit.livejournal.com
Wonderful! Such a great fic...love that Strider, what a 'devil'.

Date: 2010-11-01 03:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cairistiona7.livejournal.com
Hee hee... I love sneaky Aragorn! And I love that he had a good reason for his "prank". Well done!

Date: 2010-11-03 12:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cairistiona7.livejournal.com
Well, it was perfectly fine without any "owies". *g*

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