Chapter 2

The Passage of the Marshes

"See," Said Gollum as a valley was revealed. "See? We led you out! Hurry hobbitses, hurry! Very lucky we find you!" The hobbits continued their journey down into the valley. Sam paused to glare at Gollum.

"Nice hobbit," Gollum said quietly.

They finally made it into the valley. Sam was at ease until he stepped into some marsh. "It's a bog!" He cried. "He's led us into a swamp!"

"Oh no!" Hazel said. "Not another marshland!"

"A swamp," Gollum said. "Yes, yes," He came toward the hobbits. "Come Master and Mistress, we will take you on safe paths through the mists." He said as he continued. "Come hobbits, come! We must move quickly. I found it; I did, the way through the marshes. Orcs don't use it, orcs don't know it. They go 'round, for miles and miles. Come quickly, just and quick like shadows we must be."

They stopped to rest and eat lunch.

"I hate this place," Sam said. "It's too quiet; there hasn't been sight or sound of a bird for two days."

"No," Gollum agreed. "No birdses to eat…no crunchable birdses..." He took a deep breath and threw his arms in the air. "We are famished! Yes, famished we are Precious!" He stopped and looked at the ground, and reached and grasped at something. He lifted up a worm and examined it. Then he tossed it into his mouth and slurped it like you would with spaghetti. Hazel put away her slice of lembas bread, feeling a loss of appetite.

"Here," Frodo said, tossing a piece to Gollum.

Gollum looked over curiously. "What is it they eats? Is it tasty?" He quickly shoved the lembas piece into his mouth, only to cough and spit it out. "It tried to chokes us! We can't eat hobbit food! We must staaaaaarve!"

"Starve then," Sam said. "And good riddance!"

"Fat hobbit," Gollum cried. "He does not care if we be hungry…He does not care if we should die!" But then he turned to Frodo. "But not Master," He said, smiling at Frodo. "Master cares, Master knows…yes, Precious…" Frodo gripped his chest.

"Once it takes hold of us," Gollum whispered. "It never lets go." He reached out. Frodo slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" He gasped. Gollum jumped back in surprise, ashamed of what he almost did.

~jb~

After awhile, they continued across the marshes. Bits of fire blazed, but they ceased to spread around. Sam looked down into the water.

"There are dead things," He said. "Dead faces in the water!"

"Yes," Gollum said. "All dead. All rotten. Elves, men, and orcses. A great battle long ago."

He turned to look at the hobbits. "The Dead Marshes…yes, yes, that is their name. This way, don't follow the lights!" Sam stumbled and nearly fell into the water.

"Careful now," Gollum warned. "Or hobbitses go down to join the dead ones, and light little candles of their own!"

Hazel walked over to the edge of the water. The light seemed so intriguing. But she remembered Gollum's warning, so she walked away, only to realize she was walking toward the light. She couldn't help it…she really liked fire. She was looking over the edge before she could stop herself. She looked into the water and saw an elf with beautiful red hair.

"Hazel!" Sam shouted. But to Hazel, Sam sounded so far away she could barely hear him.

The elf's eyes opened.

And down fell Hazel into the water.

She looked around in panic. It was as if the cold water had awoken her. The elf seemed to glide toward her, reaching out. She wanted to scream, but of course she was under water. More and more corpses surrounded her, as if sneering and blinded by their jealousy that they were dead and she was alive. Hazel closed her eyes, not wanting to see such a sight and expecting to die. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and lift her out of the water. She gasped for air and coughed. She opened her eyes, expecting to see Frodo there. He was not there, for it was not Frodo who saved her. She looked up into wide piercing blue eyes.

"Gollum?" She asked weakly.

"Don't follow the lights!" Gollum repeated taking hold of Hazel's collar to make sure the message had gotten through to her. Then he let her go and crawled away.

"Hazel, are you alright?" Frodo asked, resting her head in his lap. She looked up and had a horrible thought.

Though much younger, Frodo looked a lot like Gollum.

~jb~

That night, Hazel kept coughing. Being through the pass of Caradhras, being caught in the rain and almost drowning in the Marshes was finally catching up and taking its toll on her. Gasping for air, she collapsed on the ground and Frodo suggested resting for the night. She wrapped herself in a blanket and Frodo gave her his.

"Sweat this out," He said, kissing her forehead. "Get some rest." For Hazel it was easy, but for Frodo it was hard. He pulled the ring out when he was sure Sam and Hazel were asleep. He didn't want them worrying.

Or medaling.

He lay there, petting the ring as if it were Hazel's cat. He heard Gollum speak up the words that Frodo was mouthing.

"So bright," He said. "So beautiful, our Precious!" Frodo sat up quickly in surprise.

"What did you say?" Frodo asked.

"Master should be resting; Master needs to keep up his strength." Gollum said, addressing his Master.

But Frodo stood up and walked over to Gollum. "Who are you?"

"Mustn't ask us," Gollum said. "None it's business."

Frodo knelt down to Gollum's level. "Gandalf told me you were one of the river folk."

"Cold be hand and heart in bone, cold it is and far from home." Gollum said, trying to ignore Frodo. But Frodo crept around to look him in the eye.

"He said your life was a sad story." Frodo said.

"They do not see what lies ahead when Sun has failed and Moon is dead." Gollum continued. But Frodo kept looking him in the eye.

"You weren't much different from a hobbit once, were you…Sméagol?" Frodo said.

"What did you call me?" Gollum asked in surprise.

"That was your name once, wasn't it?" Frodo said, though he knew the answer.

"My name…my name…" Gollum breathed. "Sméagol…"

Suddenly a cry they hoped to never hear again rose in the air. Sam jumped up in fright. Gollum looked around nervously. Hazel didn't move.

"Black Riders!" Sam cried.

"Hide!" Sméagol cried. "Hide!" Frodo gripped his left shoulder as pain rushed through it. He felt like he was being stabbed on Weathertop all over again.

"Frodo, come on!" Sam said, grabbing his arm and helping him to his feet.

"Hide!" Sméagol said, diving into a bush. "They will see us!" Sam helped Frodo down into the bush.

"Mistress!" Sméagol cried. "Mistress, come quick!"

Hazel didn't move.

"Hazel!" Sam rushed over and tried to wake her. "Come Miss Hazel!"

"But I'm tired." Hazel said. "Just let me sleep."

Sam picked her up and carried her to the bush and set her next to Frodo. Hazel was aware of the danger, she just couldn't wake. She blinked and blinked, trying to wake herself up. Sam looked up into the sky and saw a creature, much like a bat, and riding it was the Nazgul.

"Wraiths!" Sméagol cried. "Wraiths on wings!"

Frodo gasped and reached into his shirt, looking for the ring, feeling the need to disappear.

"They are looking for it!" Sméagol said. "They are looking for the Precious!"

Hazel suddenly felt awake. She reached for his hand and held it in hers, acting as his lifeline as she had before.

"It's alright Frodo," She said softly. He looked at her gratefully, but his face was filled with pain.

When the danger passed, Sméagol looked around to see if there was any more.

"Come quickly hobbits," Sméagol said. "The Black Gate is very close."

All right, I hoped you enjoyed that! Sméagol/Gollum is one of the most fascinating characters in books! I really enjoyed writing about him.

Leave a review and tell me what you think! ;)