Sam blinked. He was no longer falling into the inferno but standing once again near the crack. Ahead of him stood his master, back facing him, staring down into the spitting fire. Although quite confused as to how he came to be there, joy surged throughout his body. There would be an opportunity to have a second chance in life, a second chance with his master. He ran forward crying out to Frodo. The hobbit turned and glanced back as Sam approached. Sam froze dead in his tracks. A familiar glint was shining in Frodo's eyes while he fingered at The Ring hanging round his neck. Sam began to back up, a cold sweat breaking out all over his body.
'No, no!' he screamed in his mind. 'This cannot be happening! I have only escaped from one hell to wind up in another! Everything is starting all over again! This is not what I wanted!'
Frodo turned back around and began to walk along the path. Sam tried to voice his plea when he was struck over the head. A form leapt over him as he fell to the ground grasping at his throbbing head. He lifted his head up and saw what he expected to. Gollum, once again, was wrestling near the crack's edge with an invisible foe. He teetered and nearly collapsed into the raging inferno but he managed to maintain his balance and pushed at Frodo. The creature gained more and more strength with its fear and insanity and struck out at the unseen force. There was a faint crashing noise and could guess that Frodo had been taken off guard and was now lying helplessly on the ground. Gollum wasted no time in taking advantage of the situation. He was soon on top of Frodo gnashing wildly. The creature's head tilted and whipped to the side as it was struck but that still couldn't throw Gollum off. A wheezing sound enveloped from Gollum's throat and he clutched at his throat, as if trying to remove something. Sam closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.
"Help me Sam!" Frodo cried.
Sam's eyes shot back open. In front of him Gollum remained grasping at his throat but the one underneath causing it was still invisible. Tears began to form in his eyes and he closed them. "No, Mr. Frodo. I will not do such a thing."
"He will kill me!" Frodo yelled. "I cannot hold him off much longer you must help me! Sam, why will you not help me? I am your friend."
"Yes, you were, once," Sam choked, "but not anymore. I know The Ring has corrupted you and there is nothing I can do about it." His eyes clenched and he turned his head to the side. "Forgive me for what I am about to do."
He turned his back completely and began to walk away from the cavern ignoring all pleas echoed to him. He would leave Frodo in the hands of the creature even though he knew he would hate himself for it later. His hand snaked around the butt of his sword. He would deal with Gollum afterwards and take back The Ring. A shriek rang throughout the walls of the crack forcing Sam to stop and look behind. Frodo was sprawled on the ground holding his bleeding hand and moaning in agony. Gollum stood over him triumphantly holding a bloodied finger with a ring in the air. He tore the finger away and caressed The Ring in his palm.
"Oh, my Precious," he crooned. "My Precious has come back to me, yes, my Precious."
Sam ran toward his master and gazed down at the fallen hobbit. Frodo's opened and glanced toward Sam. He nearly fell back at the sight. Frodo's blue orbs were soft, loving, nothing like the darkness that once possessed him. Sam knelt to the ground and ran his hand over Frodo's curls eliciting an appreciative smile from the hobbit.
"Master, my dear master," Sam sighed. "You are yourself again."
Frodo's smile grew and he patted at Sam's hand. "Yes, and I do believe I like it far better than that madness I was subjected to. I am so tired though and my hand pains me." He glared down at the wounded hand. "I suppose it is for the best. It was the only way to end it."
"Your poor hand," Sam cried. "Here I am sitting and doing nothing when you are in need of aide."
"Sam," Frodo stuttered, eyes wide.
"What is the matter, master?" Sam asked.
Sam looked up and found what Frodo was frightened of. He had been so overwhelmed with joy at his master's return he had entirely forgotten about Gollum and The Ring. The creature was gazing at them, wickedness gleaming in his eyes. Sam rose up and drew out his blade before stepping over Frodo, trying to shelter him from any possible attack. Gollum remained silent, staring as if thinking, only lapping at the blood that dribbled from his mouth.
"Put The Ring down on the floor and maybe I will consider letting you live, you foul thing," Sam growled.
"Nasty hobbit tries to take to take the Precious from us!" Gollum hissed. "We won't let the hobbit have it ever again. No, it belongs only to us!"
"If that is your decision, very well then," Sam said.
Sam lunged forward and brought the sword down at Gollum. The creature managed to pivot to the right, barely missing the blade by mere inches, and then slamming his hand into the hobbit's back. Grunting in pain Sam fell to the ground, lost grip on the sword, and ended face first near the edge of the shooting flames. He crawled sideways, faced Frodo, and tried to rise but was pinned by Gollum's heavy weight. Sam fought to get the creature off of him but his strength had been drained from him. Gollum brought his face to Sam's ear breathing harshly.
"Now what will the nasty hobbit do?" Gollum taunted. "Such a weak creature it is, so very fragile. Just like the other hobbit. Once we have finished with you, we deal with the other hobbit. Yes, my Precious. We will him pay for the wretched time without the Precious all those years. He will suffer, yes Precious."
"You will stay away from him!" Sam barked, fury swelling.
"We will do no such thing," Gollum said. "Don't worry, no Precious. We will make it nice and slow for him as it was for us." He drew closer to Sam's ear. "Perhaps we will start by biting off his other fingers. It shall be a very sluggish death for him, yes."
Something inside of Sam snapped from Gollum's words. His body jerked and thrust upwards forcing the creature to topple back into the crack but not before he yanked on Sam's cloak. In turn Sam found himself falling into the crack and reached out for any leverage and found a groove at the edge of the pathway. Sam's eyes just about bulged from his head as he felt the front of the cloak cutting into his throat. Gollum was still hanging on and the extra weight was starting to choke the life out of Sam. The Elven cloth began to sear at the creature's flesh. He couldn't handle the sharp pain and he released his hold of the cloak. Gollum head crashed against the jagged rocks and he disappeared silently into the depths along with The Ring. Sam was left grasping at the ledge, gasping for air, and trying to pull himself to safety. His grip was beginning to loosen.
'At least I was able to save my master,' Sam thought.
The stone he held crumbled and his grip failed. He closed his eyes in wait of the perilous fall but when he expected doom he found salvation. His eyes opened and he saw Frodo hovering over him, gripping at his hand, and attempting to pull him on the ledge. Sam placed his hand on the edge and used the strength he had left to haul himself up while gripping Frodo's arm tightly. Frodo stumbled back taking Sam along with him. Both hobbits sighed in relief as they hit the stone floor.
"Oh, Mr. Frodo thank you!" Sam cried, hugging onto Frodo. He gazed down at Frodo's hand. "Master, your hand is bleeding worse. Did I do that to you? I am sorry I never meant---"
"Quiet Sam," Frodo said softly. "It was a small price to pay for your life. I wasn't about to sit by and watch you fall into the crack. I hope--" The fire rumbled beneath them and shot up into the air. "What is happening?!"
"The Ring has been destroyed so everything in Sauron's land will soon follow!" Sam yelled. "Come, master, we cannot linger here or the fire will consume us! I will guide you along as best I can."
The two were soon fleeing out the crack and back into the desolate land now turned an ugly red as the world around them shook. Sam glanced back to find the lava streaming from the top of the volcano. Frodo tugged at his arm and forced him to stop.
Sam gave Frodo a confused look. "Master we must continue on or the lava will be on us."
"The lava will have us no matter what we do Sam," Frodo sighed, eyes downcast. "I haven't the energy to continue on. My hand hurts so much."
"As you wish Mr. Frodo," Sam said. "I suppose there is no point in running. Even if we could outrun the lava where would we go? Besides, neither of us carry food or drink. We could never survive out there. What would do you wish to do master?"
"Let's just sit and rest for a bit," Frodo said. "It has been so long since I have felt at peace. I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from my heart but it also feels as if a great emptiness has replaced it."
Sam held Frodo tight against his chest. The lava flowed down the mountainside streaming closer and closer toward the two hobbits. Sam continued to gaze down into his master's eyes ignoring the pending death that drew closer by the minute. A smile formed on his face. He had gotten what he wanted. He was at his master's side. Heat rose around him and felt his skin begin to sizzle.
"I do not understand how all this has come to be," Sam said, "but I guess we never will. I am grateful you have remembered nothing about before. It must have been painful for you to through all that my dear master. Everything will be fine now."
Frodo had passed out beneath him from the rising vapors. Sam looked up to the sky briefly seeing something fly toward him before he blacked out while feeling his flesh burn.
*
He awoke to a stinging sensation in his lower back and a deep burning in his lungs. Breaths came ragged and he found himself wheezing in effort. The room around him was unfamiliar and blurry shapes surrounded him but he didn't care for it didn't matter. His master was lying beside him and that was all that mattered. He recognized the feeling of Frodo's body and snuggled against him, content. Sam stretched his arm out and wrapped it around Frodo's shoulder. More of his vision came back and he saw his arm more fully. The skin, once creamy white, was now charcoal colored and oozing a clear liquid. The same was true with parts of Frodo's body. Wounds that matched Sam's were riddled across Frodo's neck and limbs. Even at the sight Sam smiled. The stinging on his body had vanished leaving him free from pain and the same appeared for Frodo as well. He was sleeping quite peacefully on the bed, lying perfectly still. Sam caressed Frodo's cheek frowning at the coolness and stiffness of the flesh.
Sam reached down and tugged at the sheets. "Now, do not worry about a thing Mr. Frodo. Your Sam is here. I will help you warm up." He pulled the sheet up to Frodo's neck and tucked it neatly. "There, does that feel better, master?" No answer. "I thought it would. You were ice cold Mr. Frodo and so very stiff. We cannot have you catching a bit of pneumonia, now can we?" No answer. "Perhaps you would like something to eat? I know it has been such a long time since you have eaten a proper meal. Would you like me to fetch you food and drink Mr. Frodo?" No answer. "Ah, yes, I suppose you will want to sleep a bit first. I am feeling a bit weary myself. I think I will just lie down next to you and sleep, just for a little bit. Do you mind master?" No answer. "I thought not."
Sighing he laid his head down on Frodo's stiffened shoulder and closed his eyes. In the background he could hear a voice yelling and several others sobbing. Something about trying to find athelas. Sam tuned the rest of the conversation out. Whatever the problem was he wasn't concerned about it. He was at his master's side and there was no more pain. Finally, after all the torment he had gone through, he had found peace. He felt himself slowly drifting off and his breathing became shallow. All sounds around him became drowned out. He faded further until he too became as silent, still, cold, and stiff as was Frodo beside him.
End.