A/N—I know this is short. I suspect all "Bilbo POV" chapters will be short
and choppy like this. Its tone rather calls for brevity.
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Bilbo was lost in a nightmare, alone and afraid. All was shadow, and flame. He did not know where he was, had no memory of leaving the Shire, no clue what had happened to him. He knew only that he must run, and hide, and protect himself.
Vague monsters leapt out at him, only to disappear over his head. Slobbering shadows made to devour him, only to dissolve back into the greater darkness. The path he found himself running down twisted and turned unexpectedly, dumping him into blind alleys where Death awaited. Each time, the hobbit would slash out with Sting, and the horror would retreat. It never occurred to Bilbo to wonder why he had Sting with him. It never occurred to Bilbo to wonder at all—he was too busy staying alive.
A flame drove him on from behind. He could feel its heat at his back, though he would not turn to face it. Bilbo thought it might be Smaug, though that did not seem quite right. He couldn't think of anything else that would be breathing fire down his back. In any case, he was not about to stop running to palaver with whatever wanted him fried.
"A fine pickle you've found yourself in, Bilbo," he told himself as he ran. "This is far worse than anything you ran into with Gandalf and the dwarves. Worse, even, than Gollum."
Right on cue, a thin wail of "Thieeef!!! Bagginssssssssss, we hatesssssss it forever!!" came out of the darkness. The elderly hobbit stopped his running and turned toward the sound.
"I am NOT a thief!" he cried, waving Sting defiantly. "I won, fair and square!"
"Thieeeeeef!" Gollum's voice accused again. "It tookssss the Preciousssssss!! It STEALSSSSS it!!"
"I did NOT!" Bilbo insisted. "It was a present. MY present!"
"THIEEEEEFF!!!!" Gollum cried, louder and closer. Bilbo steeled himself for battle. He knew he would not be able to avoid killing Gollum this time. He found he did not want to. He believed now the pity that had stayed his hand last time was simple weakness. The world would be a much better place without Gollum in it, and to spare him again would be sheer folly. This time, Gollum would die by Bilbo's hand.
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Bilbo was lost in a nightmare, alone and afraid. All was shadow, and flame. He did not know where he was, had no memory of leaving the Shire, no clue what had happened to him. He knew only that he must run, and hide, and protect himself.
Vague monsters leapt out at him, only to disappear over his head. Slobbering shadows made to devour him, only to dissolve back into the greater darkness. The path he found himself running down twisted and turned unexpectedly, dumping him into blind alleys where Death awaited. Each time, the hobbit would slash out with Sting, and the horror would retreat. It never occurred to Bilbo to wonder why he had Sting with him. It never occurred to Bilbo to wonder at all—he was too busy staying alive.
A flame drove him on from behind. He could feel its heat at his back, though he would not turn to face it. Bilbo thought it might be Smaug, though that did not seem quite right. He couldn't think of anything else that would be breathing fire down his back. In any case, he was not about to stop running to palaver with whatever wanted him fried.
"A fine pickle you've found yourself in, Bilbo," he told himself as he ran. "This is far worse than anything you ran into with Gandalf and the dwarves. Worse, even, than Gollum."
Right on cue, a thin wail of "Thieeef!!! Bagginssssssssss, we hatesssssss it forever!!" came out of the darkness. The elderly hobbit stopped his running and turned toward the sound.
"I am NOT a thief!" he cried, waving Sting defiantly. "I won, fair and square!"
"Thieeeeeef!" Gollum's voice accused again. "It tookssss the Preciousssssss!! It STEALSSSSS it!!"
"I did NOT!" Bilbo insisted. "It was a present. MY present!"
"THIEEEEEFF!!!!" Gollum cried, louder and closer. Bilbo steeled himself for battle. He knew he would not be able to avoid killing Gollum this time. He found he did not want to. He believed now the pity that had stayed his hand last time was simple weakness. The world would be a much better place without Gollum in it, and to spare him again would be sheer folly. This time, Gollum would die by Bilbo's hand.