Chapter Twenty
-~-~-Last chapter guys!-~-~-
Eli walked around the theatre, looking at the man fixing the lights.
"Did they tell you when they'd come back!?" He growled up at Clifford, who looked down from the light rigging, and ended up nearly falling off.
"NO MAN. Would you just SHUT UP and go sit down or something!? The gofer's in the hospital, I don't know when they'll be back, and I'm trying to fix this dang light, so unless you gonna help me up here, just shut up would'ya!?"
Eli watched Clifford a second, then his attention was drawn to the doors of the theatre. Kermit was helping wheel something into the theatre. It was Scooter, in a wheelchair the hospital had given him. They had told him, he wasn't to start walking for almost a week now. Everyone was sad, not really talking anymore.
"....I've made arrangements, Kermit. We'll give her a wonderful service and burial...I'm sure of it!" Sadie told Kermit, while walking in beside him and her son.
Piggy walked ahead of them, to go back to her dressing room, she needed to get something she said. It was really to fix her makeup and to think for awhile. She stopped cold in her tracks.
She saw the man in black again, the demon she had figured he was. He was sitting on the stage, a lit cigarette in his mouth.
Puffing away.
"I see you've finally come back from that little trip of yours." He stated. He felt like taking someone's soul just then.....he was itching to create some havoc, some mayhem.
"Little TRIP?!" Sadie was absolutely furious now. She had kept her emotions of anger in line, but now, she just let all heck loose. A mother angered is not a thing one would like to see much of. She pratically flew at Eli, pinning him to the ground.
"My brother told me everything, Eli. You....YOU....."
"You what, Sadie? You're going to hurt me?" He smiled at her, from where he was on the floor, underneath her, he decided to let his true form show. Those little fangs in his mouth were positively vampire sized, and they could see his black tail coming from behind him. He gripped onto Sadie's arms, and lifted her clear into the air.
"I'd like to see you try, my sweet little wo---."
He let go of Sadie suddenly, and fell forwards onto the stage.
Uncle Deadly had another brick in his hand, one brick was laying on Eli's back now, from where it had struck him on his head.
"That will shut him up for awhile. Until his Father can get here." Deadly set the brick down on the floor, and he looked out to the rest of the muppets.
They were silent, some had their mouth open, but all of them were staring at what just happened.
Deadly was about to say something else, when a pillar of black flames and a pillar of white smoke both appeared on the stage.
Death stepped out of the blackened fire, and over to Deadly.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON, DEADLY?" Death asked quite plainly. He was angry with his son, but he still did not like for others to harm him.
"I've merely made him less of a threat. He was going to try to harm Ms. Grosse, your deathlyness." He bowed slightly, moving out of Death's way, over to Sadie.
Eli moaned, feeling the back of his head, he felt the black thick blood on his hand now. He sat up for a second, and he turned his face towards Deadly, growling softly. He stood up, about to pounce, when a bony grimed hand thrust into his chest.
"SON. YOU WILL WALK NO FURTHER. YOU'RE THE ONE WHO HAS CAUSED ALL THIS MAYHEM. YOU SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR IT." Death was blazing black now, in anger, he gripped Eli by the shoulder tightly. They could him crumpling in pain underneath the iron grip.
Eli cringed and groaned in pain, as Death turned his head towards the others.
"I'M SORRY FOR WHAT HE HAS ATTEMPTED TODAY."
Kermit and everyone else said nothing, a few nodded. Then Death was gone as quickly as he had came, taking Eli with him. Life stepped forward and off of the stage. She looked quite sad, as she walked towards Scooter. She knelt in front of him, placing a delicate hand on his. He wanted to pull away for a second, he was quite scared.
"There's no need to be afraid, Scooter. I will not harm you." She said softly, she sounded a lot like Nanny he thought.
Kermit stood beside Scooter's wheelchair, holding on the handles to it, Gonzo and Rowlf were beside him. Piggy was halfway down the walkway, but she hadn't walked back towards them. She was still, listening where she was.
She gave Scooter a gentle kiss on his forehead, and she stood up addressing everyone.
"I'm sorry, for the grief my son, Eli had put you through."
'Son? Eli?' Kermit thought, it finally connected to him.
"You're Nanny's...Mother??" Kermit asked the spirit, shocked.
She laughed a little, smiling down at them. "Why yes. I am."
"Then...why did Nanny....leave us??" Scooter asked quietly, his voice still troubling him.
"She was getting too old, my child. She had been wanting to leave this mortal plane for quite sometime. But, she saw no way how to do it properly. Eli....he was wanting your soul, Scooter."
Scooter's eyes widened. He was that close to death the entire time.....
"But," She continuted "she asked her Father, Death to take her instead. She sacrificed herself for you Scooter. She is also the reason many of you are still alive to this day. Have you ever thought....why am I here? With many accidents, and explosions? Falling downs, and crumplings? ..And Gonzo's spectular stunts?" That last line, she smiled at Gonzo.
Piggy had walked back towards them now. She watched the spirit of light speak to them all. Everyone was deep in thought, either remembering what Nanny had done for them that they knew, or what they had learned.
"She helped save us....and we never even knew it."
--------------
Kermit and everyone else were standing outside in the cold rain. The snow had turned to slush, and they were wrapped up in dark clothes, battling the cold wind and the soaking rain.
It was a few hours after the service.
Eariler Gonzo had spoke of how Nancy never let him give up his dream of climbing the highest mountain...even if he was wearing only his underwear and socks. And Piggy told of the first time Nancy taught her and Skeeter how to wear makeup and dress like all pretty young ladies should do. Fozzie told a few jokes, that he remembered Nanny loved. No one laughed, but they didn't boo either. They all just smiled.
Rowlf played the piano the entire service, although he did not speak on her behalf, it's what he contributed for her. Kermit sang a touching song, at that moment, he forgot what he even sang. Animal had tried to play 'Taps' on his drum, while Zoot played it on his saxophone. For once, he didn't eat the drums at all.
Scooter and Skeeter did not speak at the service. But they were the last out of the church. Skeeter wheeled her brother outside to the gravesite, where she lay. The earth had already started to settle.
"You missed the burial, guys." Gonzo said, quite plainitively.
Skeeter looked down at the area, a few purple and red roses laying on top. "I know. We....we..."
"We wouldn't have been able to take it guys. So we stayed behind." Scooter said, his arms folded across his lap. Ever since the surgery, because of the stitches, they wouldn't let him walk, until a month had passed. It was still only a week after the fact.
Skeeter faked a small laugh, trying to smile. "Plus, bros new wheels here kept getting caught in the mud." She tried to laugh, but it quickly died down.
Everyone was quiet for a moment.
Scooter was the most quiet there, looking down at the grave. His hands reached around to the back of his wheelchair, and he pulled out that old beat up guitar.
He started to sing. "If just one person believes in you, deep enough, and strong enough, believes in you...hard enough, and long enough, it stands to reason, that someone else will think "If he can do it, I can do it."
Piggy joined in, starting to smile. She remember how Nanny had cared for them, unconditionally, "Making it: two whole people, who believe in you deep enough, and strong enough, believe in you. Hard enough and long enough..."
Kermit joined in, grasping Piggy's hand. He remembered when Nanny had always made sure no one ever felt too small or unsigifant. That they could do anything they set their hearts too. "There's bound to be some other person who believes in making it a threesome. Making it three.....people you can say: believe in me....."
Then Rowlf joined in. "And if three whole people, why not -- four? And if four whole people..."
Everyone, at that small gravesite, joined in singing, that sweet beautiful song. Nanny had taught them when they were little. Whenever they felt bad, she sang that song for them.
"Why not--more, and more, and more....and when all those people, believe in you, deep enough, and strong enough, believe in you...hard enough, and long enough..."
Soon it was only Scooter singing, strumming his old guitar, smiling as he looked down at the gravesite. He knew Nancy was watching over them, wherever she was now.
"It stands to reason that you yourself will start to see what everybody sees in you..."
---------------
Two lone figures stood at the edge of the gravestone. Watching all of them singing.
"You raised them well, my child. They still have much care and joy to spread to this world you know." Life replied to Nancy, who was smiling with tears in her eyes.
"Yes, they do." She smiled, with tears in her eyes. "And thank you..."
Nancy watched as Scooter stopped playing, and he bent forward the chair, one arm holding onto the armrest, the other grasping a small bunch of flowers.
"Thank you Nanny. For all you've done for us. We'll miss you."
With that, they slowly filed away from the gravesite. Talking about the winter show they still had to do. Kermit had agreed eariler, they would dedicate it to Nancy.
Welcome to the Muppet Central Forum!
Back to the Rock Season 2
Sesame Street Season 54
The Muppets Mayhem premieres
Bear arrives on Disney+
Sam and Friends Book
