It was early in the evening. An awful thunderstorm had just begun. I was sitting in the living room, alongside Frodo. I was staring longingly at the fireplace. I could hear the sound of the thunder booming outside Bag End.
"That storm sounds terrible." I mumbled under my breath. "Yes. Yes, it does." Frodo replied. The light from the fire in the fireplace gave my face a bright orange glow. Frodo gazed at me. His bright blue eyes were like giant saucers. I looked away and stared down into my lap.
"What's the matter, Brianna? Is something troubling you?" asked Frodo. He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. For some strange reason, I had this feeling of guilt growing inside me. I gently pushed Frodo's hand away. "I'm sorry, Frodo. I can't." I said, softly. "You can't what?" I didn't answer him. I closed my eyes and masked my eyes with my right hand.
"Are you alright, dear?" Frodo asked again. He wrapped an around my waist. "It doesn't matter." I blurted out. "What do you mean?" Frodo replied, in a concerned tone of voice. I lifted my head up and I looked back at Frodo. There was fear in my eyes. "Why, Frodo? Why did you have to adopt me? I don't understand."
Frodo let out a soft sigh. "I adopted you because I love you. You know that I do." "Yeah, so?!" I grumbled. "You just had to have adopted a human!" All of a sudden, Frodo placed a gentle hand on my back and he massaged it in slow, circular motions. "There's no need to shout, my darling. It's quite alright." I shook my head, melancholy. "You say that everything's alright, Frodo, but it's really not. Nothing's alright."
Frodo sighed again. "Is there anything that you would like to talk about with me? Would you like to talk about how you're feeling? I'm here. I will listen to you." he reassured. "You wouldn't understand. Nobody ever understands me." "That's not true, dear. I'll always understand. Always."
I let out a small whimper. My voice cracked as I spoke. "It's so hard being a human. Especially, when you live with...with....hobbits. I'm an outcast. I'm all....alone." "But, you aren't alone." Frodo replied, with a heartwarming smile. "You have me." "I don't belong here, Frodo! I'm a human living among hobbits! It's...It's not normal! Don't you think...don't you think that... that sounds...unnatural?! Don't you?!"
"Oh, dear." said Frodo, in a quiet tone of voice. "I'm so sorry that you feel that way. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." "No, Frodo." I interrupted. "You don't have to feel sorry for me." Frodo patted my shoulder, softly. "I care about you, Brianna. I always do. Whatever you are going through, I'll always be here with you. You know what I think? I think you are such a beautiful, kind and wonderful girl. There's no need to be ashamed of who you are and what you are. I'll always love you, no matter what. Nothing will come between us."
Tears streamed down my face and I let out an outburst of anger. "No! No! I don't deserve this! Why are you treating me like this?! Why?! I don't deserve pity! I'm a monster!" I rose from the couch and stormed off to my bedroom. I slammed my door shut and I jumped onto my bed, sobbing loudly into my pillow.
Frodo sat silently in the living room, not knowing what to do. He folded his hands and collapsed his head into them. "Oh, dear." Frodo sighed. He slowly got up from the couch and walked over to my bedroom. When he arrived at my bedroom door, he could hear the sound of me crying, shakily. Frodo's heart shattered into pieces.
Frodo grabbed a hold of the doorknob and slowly twisted it. He quietly tiptoed into the room and sat down at my bedside. I felt the soft, gentle touch of Frodo's hand on my back. I continued to sob into my pillow and I shook violently like an earthquake. I didn't want Frodo to see me like this.
"W-What....What are you doing, Frodo?" I sniffled. Frodo moved in closer and whispered softly in my ear. "Shhh." he soothed. "Shhh." Outside my window, there was a huge flash of lightning, which cast a sharp white light over me. There was a loud rumble of thunder. "Stay away! I'm a monster!" I sobbed. Frodo massaged my back in slow, circular motions. "No, no, no. You're not a monster. You're my daughter." he pacified.
Frodo gazed at me with his watery, bright, baby blue eyes. "I'm so sorry, F-F-Frodo. It's...It's....all my fault." I faltered. Frodo lifted my white, cotton duvet from underneath me and swaddled me in it. He tucked the corners of the duvet around my neck. "I...scared you...didn't I?" I choked.
Frodo shook his head. "No, you didn't scare me." he whispered. "I was just...worried. About you. I had no idea that you felt that way. I'm glad that you told me the truth, dear." "I...I...didn't mean....t-t-to....I....didn't mean..."
"I know, I know." Frodo soothed. "I know."
Frodo towered over me, lifted me gently from my my mattress and cradled me in his warm, fatherly arms. I buried my head into his chest and sobbed, letting out short, quick gasps. "F-F-Frodo." "Shh. Shh." Frodo lulled. "Let it out, dear. Let it out."
Frodo lowered me gently down into my bed and tucked me in again. "Oh, Frodo." I whimpered. "Shh, my darling. Go to sleep." said Frodo, in a consoling voice. "B-But..But, I can't." I stuttered.
Frodo stroked my hair back gently with the palm of his hand and kissed my forehead with his soft, cold lips. "You must." Frodo whispered. "You must."
Frodo kissed me on the cheek and held me close to him. All of a sudden, I felt sleepy and fatigued. I could hear the soothing sound of Frodo hushing me to sleep. I let out a loud yawn and rubbed my sore, wet eyes. Frodo kissed me on the cheek one last time. He sat beside me until I was in a deep sleep and he walked back to his own bedroom and crawled into his warm bed.