Frodo lay there in the darkness singing till his throat was horse and his frail voice was barely echoing off the stone walls.  He tried to keep the horror of what was happening out of his mind but it was impossible! He could feel the mangy vile creatures enveloping his body like a blanket.  Everywhere he could feel their razor-sharp claws prodding, climbing over his bare skin.  He tried standing and moving but it did not help they clung to him like leaches.  He was terrified and thought this nightmare would never end!  Just when he thought he could bear no more and darkness began to take him, he heard the bolt on the trap door being pulled, the door swung open and came to a halt on the floor with a tremendous thud.  There was a bright light in the room and Gorbag stood there staring at Frodo, a lit torch blazing in his hand. 

"Stop your sqeekin' or I'll learn you good!" sneered the Orc.  "I see you've had some visitors," he jeered as he watched the rats scurry from the light.  "That's alright, they don't eat much," Gorbag laughed.  He then replaced the extinguished lantern with a lit one and turned to leave. "Now be quiet, or I'll chain you up for good!" he growled and the door once again slammed shut and Frodo heard the bolt slide back into place. 

It was quiet again, the rats had disappeared, but Frodo could still feel the sensation of their claws against his skin.

The new lantern seemed brighter; he could see much more of the room than before.  He still sat upon a cold stone ledge at the far edge of the room.  Attached to the wall, farthest from the door, were rows of chains with shackles hanging from the ends.   He shivered at the thought of being chained up, he would be quiet as ordered, Frodo glanced at the lantern wondering how many hours of fuel were in it.  How long did he have until the veil of darkness resumed, and the rats returned?

Frodo continued his glance around the room, he noticed something lying in a heap in the corner, he walked over to investigate.  He at last discovered the source of the foul stench in the room; it was a pile of dirty rotting rags.  The smell made him nauseas and he reeled backward collapsing onto the floor.

Frodo, drew his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them for warmth.  He sat there thinking and desperately trying to recall what had brought him to this place.  He remembered a great black monster surrounding him, its many black, piercing, baleful eyes peered down at him, he was trapped between the great arches of her many legs.  He had been bound from his shoulders to his feet, he was being lifted off the ground and dragged, he remembered Sam yelling something and then everything went black.  He knew nothing till he woke up in this place.

Orcs there were horrible orcs all around, they gave him a gruesome drink and it burned his throat.  Then they stripped him of everything, and questioned him.  Hours, days, weeks, he did not know  He thought would go insane from all the questioning.  They were looking for something, they wanted something of his!  Their fingers pointing, prodding, poking, jabbing!  What had they wanted?  Frodo sat there frustrated at himself, feeling the need to remember something he could not.  He felt a yearning for something that he no longer possessed.  His head began to hurt, his right hand again fluttered toward his breast in a vain attempt to seek for something that was no longer there.  Frodo closed his eyes searching the deep recesses of his mind, trying to discover what it was he was missing.  His mind drifted back, back to a place of darkness. 

***Five tall, dark figures loomed over him, black robes swirling in the air, their white, ghostly drawn faces burning, piercing the darkness that surrounded them, and their sullen eyes peering out from under black robes, searching, yet not really seeing.   A white, pellucid, gaunt hand was reaching, grasping for something. A flash of something gold on Frodo's finger, Frodo's hand not being able to resist the force was being pulled, lifted toward the looming figure.  With desperate strength Frodo pulled back, a long dagger pierced his left shoulder pinning him to the ground.  Frodo cried out in agony, reached over and removed an object from his left hand!  ***

The Ring!  Frodo suddenly remember the ring!  It was gone!  His ring, the purpose for the quest it was the reason that he was here!  Terror seized him, it was gone they had taken the ring, he had failed!  The one task he had been given to do he had failed at.  Frodo's heart was sickened, all hope was lost!  Frodo remembered Galadriel's words to him in Lothlórien; "This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find a way, no one will."  

What will happen now?  What was to become of him?  Locked away in this dungeon, the ring now in the hands of the Enemy!  Frodo couldn't help but feel that if Gandalf had lived none of this would have happened.  The Fellowship would not have been broken, he and Sam would have never followed Gollum, Sam would still be alive and Frodo not locked up in this horrible place!  Frodo began to weep, all was now lost!  

What had Gandalf ever seen in him, why had he been entrusted to such a task?  He was just a small hobbit from the shire.  Such things were beyond him.  The entire fate of Middle Earth had rested on his shoulders and he had failed!  Frodo's grief consumed him he was sickened by the thought of his failure! 

A feeling began to well up inside of him, something he had never felt before, he was grieved over the failure yes, but this was something more, something deeper, a desire he had never felt before.  It was so strong that he felt as if it would devour his very soul.  He heard a voice speaking, he looked around, despite the fact he knew no one was there.  "Who's there?" cried Frodo!

There was no answer just a menacing laugh.  Frodo shrank away in fear.

"Who are you he cried?"  The cackling laugh just got louder.

"What do you want?" asked Frodo

The voice responded  "We wants it, no, we needs it, must have precious!"

"Who are you?" demanded Frodo.

"Why Frodo, don't you know?  the voice laughed  "you should recognize me! I am you! They stole if from us must have it back, must have precious!" 

Frodo recognized his own voice speaking these words and yet somehow his voice was different.  A deeper, gruff violent voice, he knew couldn't be his and yet somehow it was familiar.  Frodo suddenly realized who he sounded like.  Sam's words came flashing back in his mind. 

"Can't you hear yourself?  Don't you know who you sound like?" 

Frodo had shrugged off Sam's words that day.  He knew it wasn't possible, he would never become like Gollum.  The ring would never have the same affect on Frodo that it had on Gollum, would it? 

His heart sank, now Frodo knew it was possible, the ring had taken him, it had consumed him, the quest was over, his life was finished.    He only wished Sam was there, Frodo would tell him he was sorry.  Sam had been right about so many things especially Gollum, but Frodo wouldn't listen.

Frodo wondered was what was to become of him now?  He knew that he was destined  become a slave to Sauron.  Frodo remembered Gandalf's words to Frodo in Rivendell about being stabbed with the Morgul blade

 "If they had succeeded you would have become like they are, only weaker and under their command.  You would have become a wraith under the dominion of the Dark Lord and he would have tormented you for trying to keep his ring."

Frodo knew what was in store for him, he would forever be under the Dark Lords control and power now.  He didn't care so much for himself but for his friends he was worried.  He knew that they had depended on him and he had failed!

Frodo completely drained of strength collapsed upon the heap of stinking, rotting rags.  The stench was vile and all consuming, but he didn't care, his tiny frail body could take no more.  He lay down his head and prayed for death, for that was the only thing that could truly save him now!  Death was the only escape left.

Frodo was not sure how long he lay there but he thought he heard Elves singing.  Was he dreaming?  Had death finally come for him?

*** in western lands beneath the sun

the flowers may rise in the spring.

The trees may bud, the waters may run,

The merry finches sing.

Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night

And swaying beeches bear,

The elven-stars as jewels white

Amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie

In darkness buried deep,

Beyond all towers strong and high,

Beyond all mountains steep,

Above all shadows rides the sun

And stars forever dwell:

I will not say the Day is done,

Nor bid the stars farewell.***

Suddenly a feeling began to well up in Frodo's heart, he knew this song.  Bilbo had taught it to him, Frodo lifted his voice and began to sing along with the Elves.  His faint quiet voice was feeble at first but gradually grew stronger.  Before too long Frodo sensed someone in the room. 

" I told you to lie quiet or you'd pay for it!  You've not got long to live in peace, I guess; but if you don't want the fun to start right now, keep your trap shut, see?"

Frodo heard the crack of a whip and felt a great stinging pain, he didn't care, maybe death would come for him now.  He instinctively shielded his face but secretly wanted death to take him.  Frodo heard a scream, was it him?  He didn't think so, everything was growing so foggy and distant.  He heard a struggle occurring and then a great thud!  He felt his body going light like he was beginning to float away, his arms and legs began to go numb. This was it, he thought, death coming for him, he was glad, he was tired and was ready to die.  His last thoughts were of Sam, he hoped that with death he would be able to see his beloved Sam again, on the other side, wherever that was.  And with that thought Frodo faded into blackness.

"Frodo!  Mr. Frodo, my dear!  Frodo!"  Frodo opened his eyes, kneeling before him was Sam!

"It's Sam, I've come!"  Sam was sobbing and holding Frodo to his breast.

"Oh Mr. Frodo, hold on I'm here, it's your Sam!"

"Sam?" replied Frodo "Sam are we dead?"  Sam continued to cry, stroking Frodo's furrowed brow.

"No Mr. Frodo we are not dead, we are very much alive, and I've come for you!"

"Am I dreaming? The other dreams were all so horrible."

"No Mr. Frodo you're not dreaming! Said Sam half laughing half crying  Tis' I tis' your Sam and I'm really here!

Frodo lay back in Sam's gentle arms, closing his eyes.

"I'm glad you're here Sam, oh how I have missed you, I think you shall never know."

"Come Mr. Frodo, I need to get you somewhere safe." 

Sam gently picked Frodo up and headed toward the door.