Scene Nine

(We now go back to Lizzo Baggins, Kram Gamgee, and their new accomplice and guide, Jenolum. Jenolum leads the way for the hobbits out of Emyn Muil, sounding very happy and overjoyed to be out-and to be alive. Lizzo Baggins & Kram Gamgee stare about with disbelief on their faces, unwillingly to believe that they have actually gotten through)

Jenolum: (In a happy hissing tone) See? We leads you out! We leads the hobbits out!

Kram Gamgee: (In a grim tone) Yeah-now we're closer towards the one place we don't want to go.

(In spite of herself, Lizzo Baggins smiles grimly as she looks in the distance)

Jenolum: (Still in the hissing tone) Come, young hobbits! Come! We's lead you to Black Gate! Come!

(Jenolum takes off, and Lizzo Baggins walks behind. Kram Gamgee readjusts the straps on her pack and looks after them)

Kram Gamgee: (Quiet and sarcastically) Woo hoo! (Follows after)

(Suddenly, we see Kram Gamgee's foot sink into some murky swamp water. She gives a great exclaim of disgust as she looks down and drags her foot from the muddy mess. Lizzo Baggins looks back and joins her friend)

Kram Gamgee: (Disgustedly) It's a bog! (Nodding over towards Jenolum) She's led us into a swamp, Miss Lizzo!

Lizzo Baggins: (With a small scowl) No kidding, Kram? I thought that with all this mud and murky water, we were in the desert!

(Kram Gamgee glares at Lizzo Baggins, but both hobbits soon turn their attention upon Jenolum, who is speaking)

Jenolum: (In a hissing, yet strangely delighted tone) Yes, young hobbits! It is a swamp! The Misty Marshes! No one knows the way through-even nasty Orceses! They go around for miles and miles-which is really unnecessary, but they're stupid, so who cares? But we's know the way! We's traveled through the marshes and survived-we's knows the way through. (Looking back at the hobbits) Come, little hobbits! To cross the marshes, you must be as quick as shadows, and swift as air.

Kram Gamgee: (After taking a whiff of the air and wrinkling her nose) And have a nose made of granite, I warrant.

(Now we see the travelers have stopped in an area to rest and have something to eat. Kram Gamgee & Lizzo Baggins sit near to one another, munching on their lembas as they watch Jenolum sit in front of them)

Kram Gamgee: (Disgruntled as she looks about the place) I hate this place! It's too quiet! Not an animal in sight-not even a bird!

Jenolum: (In a forlorn tone) Nope-no birds to eat-no crunchable birds. (In an angry tone) Dang ingrates, think that Marshes too good for them! (After being quiet for a few seconds, begins to speak in a whining tone) We are famished, we are! Famished!

(Both the hobbits merely continue to eat their lembas, and Jenolum looks on the ground and sees something that makes her eyes lighten up. She quickly plunges her hand in the mud and pulls out a wriggling worm. Jenolum flicks it into the air and eats it, sounding satisfied each time she chews. Kram Gamgee looks quite disgusted at this)

Jenolum: (Licking her lips) Mmm! It's nice and juicy-and it wriggles as it goes down!

Kram Gamgee: (Angrily putting her lembas back in her pack) Damn it, I lost my appetite!

Lizzo Baggins: (Breaking off a piece of her lembas and throwing it to Jenolum) Here.

(Jenolum eyes the lembas with bright, curious eyes, and Lizzo Baggins watches with distrust and disinterest. Kram Gamgee looks very disgruntled about everything)

Jenolum: (Picking up the piece of lembas and eyeing it curiously) What is it, precious? What is it?

(After sniffing it, Jenolum pops the fragment of lembas into her mouth-only to spit it out again into the waters, coughing up as if she has eaten something rather nasty. Lizzo Baggins & Kram Gamgee look at the scene with wide eyes. Jenolum is cursing under her breath)

Jenolum: (Hissing) Agh! It burns as we chews it! It tries to chokes us! We mustn't have hobbit food!

Lizzo Baggins: (Crossing her arms angrily) Well-sorry for caring!

Kram Gamgee: (Suddenly having a bit of lembas in her hand) Besides-it's not that bad! (Chews on it, and speaking with her mouth full) It's a little stale, but once you chew on it for about five minutes, it goes down easy enough!

Lizzo Baggins: (Incredulously at Kram Gamgee) I thought you said you lost your appetite!

Kram Gamgee: (In a quiet voice) I got hungry again. (Munches on her lembas in silence)

Jenolum: (In a forlorn tone, her hands covering her face) It is no uses! We will never find food for us to eats! We will starve!

Kram Gamgee: (In a very bitter tone to Jenolum) Well, starve then! Then you'll know how I felt during those few seconds!

Jenolum: (Angrily at Kram Gamgee) It is mean to us! It is bitter and rude! It doesn't care about us! She wouldn't care if we was to die!

Kram Gamgee: (In a stern tone) Hey! I would so care if you were to die! I'd be happy! That's not caring to you?

Jenolum: (Looking towards Lizzo Baggins with pride upon her face) Not like- master.

(Lizzo Baggins looks at Jenolum, a mixture of confusion and distrust etching upon her face)

Jenolum: (In a kind voice) Master is kind.loyal.and friendly to us! She is so much more than many can compare.

(Jenolum looks towards Lizzo Baggins' chest, where the Movie of Power is hidden under the shirt. Lizzo Baggins'-sensing what Jenolum is watching- puts a hand defensively to her chest. Jenolum-who is extending her hand- slowly draws it back, but keeps her pale eyes upon the chest)

Jenolum: (In a quiet tone) Once it has a hold of us.it never lets go.it has a really good grip on things, after all. So pretty.

(Jenolum places a hand softly upon Lizzo Baggins' sleeve, but the hobbit flinches as if touched with a dead fish)

Lizzo Baggins: (Angrily, smacking at Jenolum's hand) Don't touch me! Your hands are really cold! Haven't you ever heard of a sweater?

(Jenolum backs away with a small gasp, crouching away from Lizzo Baggins, yet still keeping an innocent eye upon her. Lizzo Baggins merely turns away, trying to ignore the creature as best she can. Jenolum then moves away a fair distance and scrunches up-probably to find some comfort within herself. Then, we see the three travelers trekking along the marshes again. Kram Gamgee follows Jenolum at a fair pace, with Lizzo Baggins close behind. Jenolum moves swiftly, her skinny and lithe form easy to go from one place to another quickly. But Kram Gamgee is rather bumbling, stumbling over her own feet, causing the pans on her pack to clatter loudly. Lizzo Baggins is staring at the different surroundings, both intrigued and horrified by its presence. Kram Gamgee looks at some water nearby and her eyes widen in fear as she sees a dead body lying in the water, some kelp growing out of its head)

Kram Gamgee: (Her tone quiet, but building louder and louder) EeeeewwwWWWEEE!

(Both Lizzo Baggins & Jenolum look at Kram Gamgee, who has backed up a fair way, but finds herself tottering on another edge of the marsh. Quickly, Lizzo Baggins rushes to her friend's aid, grabbing her before she can fall in. Kram Gamgee looks behind her to see another dead body)

Kram Gamgee: (Jumping in horror) Oh my GOD!

Jenolum: (Confused) What bothers it, precious? What bothers it?

Kram Gamgee: (Exasperated as she points to the water) What bothers me? What BOTHERS ME? I'll tell you what bothers me! There are dead things in the water! DEAD THINGS!

Jenolum: (Hissing in frustration) Of course there is, precious! Of course there is dead things! Why does it thinks they call it the Dead Marshes?

Lizzo Baggins: (Intrigued) The Dead Marshes?

Jenolum: (Explaining in hisses) They's hold the bodies of the ones who died in a great battle-long ago. There are Elves and Men-maybe some other animals, but that isn't the point! Hobbits must be careful-they mustn't follow the lights. If they do, then they go under and light little candles of their own.

Kram Gamgee: (Sarcastically, glaring after Jenolum) Oh-that's reassuring!

(Without another word, the hobbits follow Jenolum quietly. Jenolum crawls animal-like through the marshes, swift as anything you could imagine-even jumping over one bank to another quietly. Kram Gamgee tries not to step in so much mud, but when she does she curses and continues on. Lizzo Baggins follows after, looking about cautiously. We occasionally catch glimpses of the bodies embedded in the swamp, lying eerily below the murky water. We see Jenolum look to the distance, quiver back, but then look towards the hobbits eagerly)

Jenolum: (Hissing) Hurries up! Hurries up! We draws closer to the Dark Land-to Mordor. Move quietly, young hobbits! They must move quietly!

(And with that, Jenolum quietly bounds forward, Kram Gamgee muttering darkly afterwards. Then, we see Lizzo Baggins begin to take a different route from everyone, looking entranced at something. Almost without thinking, Lizzo Baggins walks to the edge of the water and peers in blankly. We see that she is eyeing Dead Body#1, lying there eerily, a branch of seaweed coming out of its head. We see Lizzo Baggins stare at it as if fascinated, as if expecting it to do something. Kram Gamgee looks behind her and her eyes widen as she sees what the other is doing)

Kram Gamgee: (In a breathless voice) Lizzo! Get away from there! What're you doing?

Lizzo Baggins: (In a blank voice) There's a dead body here. I just wanted to see it.

Kram Gamgee: (Angrily) Lizzo, wake up and look around you! There are dead bodies everywhere! You can look at them! Lizzo!

(But Lizzo Baggins appears to not have heard. We then see Dead Body#1 open his eyes-the colorless, sightless orbs of white gazing at the hobbit. Suddenly, Lizzo Baggins falls forward-as if being drawn mindlessly-into the water with the dead body. With a hard splash, she disappears from view. Kram Gamgee looks horrified)

Kram Gamgee: (Shouting as she runs back to her friend's aid) LIZZO!

(We now see Lizzo Baggins under water, looking about as if finally realizing what has been done. She looks terrified as she looks at Dead Body#1, who has turned into some greenish, creepy spirit. It begins to inch towards her, like a spider seeking its prey after catching it in its web)

Dead Body#1: (Misty and evilly) Fresh meat! Fresh meat!

(Lizzo Baggins gasps under water in fear, and her eyes widen as she sees the spirits of Dead Body#2&3 come towards her)

Dead Body#2: (In a hissing voice) Come, mortal creature! Come join us!

Dead Body#3: (In an eerily convincing tone) It's not so bad, young one! You spend your entire life under the water, but you get all the generic cola you want!

(Lizzo Baggins screams under water and begins to try and swim to the surface. But the spirits follow afterward, slowly reaching up to grasp the fool that so easily came within their grasp. Lizzo Baggins struggles violently to be free of the trap, but it appears useless. Suddenly, we see Jenolum's hands come onto Lizzo Baggins' shoulders and roughly pull her out. Lizzo Baggins is pulled to the surface, sputtering and coughing as she breathes in the air)

Lizzo Baggins: (Fearfully, kicking towards the water) Get 'em away! Get 'em away from me!

(Jenolum sets the drenching hobbit far on shore, watching her cough up water)

Jenolum: (In a comforting hiss) Master is all right! Master is okay!

Lizzo Baggins: (Looks at Jenolum as if seeing her for the first time) Jenolum?

Jenolum: (With a small scowl) We tells it once, precious! "Don't-follow- the lights!" (With a sigh of frustration) Stupid!

(Jenolum bounds away, and Lizzo Baggins stares after her. At that moment, Kram Gamgee runs to her friend's side)

Lizzo Baggins: (In a small voice) Jenolum?

Kram Gamgee: (Relieved to see her friend alive) Oh, thank goodness, Miss Lizzo! You're alive. Gees! (Scowls at her friend and speaks in a scornful tone) I swear, Miss Lizzo, I can't go anywhere for five seconds without you doing something stupid, can I?

(Lizzo Baggins doesn't answer, staring after Jenolum curiously. Then, we approach nightfall, where we see a restless Lizzo Baggins toss and turn under her blankets. Finally, seeking reprieve from her uneasiness, Lizzo Baggins carefully puts her hand down the front of her shirt, seeking out the One Movie to hold. Suddenly, her eyes snap open as she realizes that it's gone. She pulls out the chain to find the Movie has left its bind)

Lizzo Baggins: (In a horrified whisper) What the hell?

(We suddenly hear Kram Gamgee saying something indistinguishable and a sudden whish! Lizzo Baggins sits bolt upright and looks off to her side and is horrified to find Kram Gamgee & Jenolum playing a game of Frisbee- with the Movie of Power. They play it casually, as if it's no big deal. Lizzo Baggins lets her jaw drop in horror)

Lizzo Baggins: (Shouting) WHAT THE HELL?

(Lightning quick, Lizzo Baggins jumps out from under her blankets and runs to Kram Gamgee's side, who acknowledges her with a simple nod)

Kram Gamgee: (Concentrating on catching and throwing the Movie) Hey, Lizzo. How's it going?

Lizzo Baggins: (In a horrified tone) What the devil are you doing?

Kram Gamgee: (Simply) Playing Frisbee with Jenolum. Want to play? We're open for one more player.

Lizzo Baggins: (Still frightened) No! Do you have any idea of what you're using as a Frisbee?

Kram Gamgee: (Simply, not understanding what the big deal is) Yeah-we're using the Movie. We would have used a Frisbee, but I lost mine in Moria. We had to use this instead.

Lizzo Baggins: (Angrily) Are you mad? What would make you do this? What would possess you into doing something like this?

Kram Gamgee: (With a shrug) You keep saying that I should pay more quality time with Jenolum-and here I am, playing Frisbee! What more do you want?

Lizzo Baggins: (Frustrated) You idiot! Don't you realize the risks in this? You could lose the Movie! And you have any faint idea as to whom your opponent is? She could just take the Movie and bat off-kill us in our sleep! It could all start over again-or turn out worse than what it was before!

(Kram Gamgee catches the Movie and her eyes widen in shock as she realizes it. Jenolum looks rather confused at the moment. Kram Gamgee looks at an angry Lizzo Baggins with a horrified expression)

Kram Gamgee: (In a small voice) Ohhhhh!

Lizzo Baggins: (Shouting to Jenolum) Game over, Jenolum! Kram's gotta get some sleep! (Glares at Kram Gamgee)

Kram Gamgee: (Muttering as she shuffles off) I swear! Do one thing nice for somebody and it ends up blowing up in my face!

(Lizzo Baggins watches Kram Gamgee go, then finally shakes her head in frustration and slips the Movie back on its chain. Then, she hears Jenolum speak)

Jenolum: (Adoringly) So bright-so beautiful-so shiny. The precious.

(Lizzo Baggins immediately puts the Movie back under her shirt, and stares at the creature. Jenolum is crouching upon a large rock, holding her hand before her and stroking an imaginary Movie of Power within her grasp)

Lizzo Baggins: (In a small voice) What? What did you say, Jenolum?

Jenolum: (In a matter-of-fact tone) Master should be resting. It should be recovering from her little dive into the Dead Marshes. (Fondly strokes the object in her hand)

(Lizzo Baggins gets up and walks over to Jenolum, looking rather concerned for the creature)

Lizzo Baggins: (Questioning) What are you doing, Jenolum? What do you have in your hand? Jenolum: (In a convincing hiss) My precious. This was the hand in which we would hold it, and we would stroke it and pet it like this. (Pets the object in her hand lovingly) My precious.

Lizzo Baggins: (Looking at the object in her hand and back at Jenolum with a logical look upon her face) Er-Jenolum, you know that that's a rock, right?

Jenolum: (Lifts the rock from her grasp and stares faintly at it) We wonders why it didn't feel the same. (Throws the rock behind her into the waters)

Lizzo Baggins: (In a sudden intrigued voice) Who are you, Jenolum?

Jenolum: (In a defensive voice) It mustn't ask us, precious! It's not it's business! It is invading our privacy!

Lizzo Baggins: (Bending down so that she is eye to eye with Jenolum) Kendalf told me about you-a story about your past.

Jenolum: (In a rambling tone) Hobbits live with trees and grass, unwilling for the danger to pass.

Lizzo Baggins: (Egging on) He said that your story was a sad one-very sad, considering it dealt with the Movie!

Jenolum: (Trying to avoid these words, still rambling) It does not see what lies ahead, where sun has failed and moon is dead.

Lizzo Baggins: (Still pushing the matter) You were not that different from a hobbit once, were you-(Her face goes into a look of caution as she utters the name) Jenéagol?

(Jenolum stares at Lizzo Baggins in shock, almost as if Lizzo Baggins uttered a curse word or something. Then, obviously speechless, the creature speaks)

Jenolum: (Incredulously) What did you call me?

Lizzo Baggins: (In a sympathetic tone) That was your name once-a long time ago.

Jenolum: (Nodding in understanding) I-suppose so. Can't remember these things so often, anymore.

(Suddenly, a horrible hiss is heard from overhead-a familiar and ominous hiss from the first movie. Kram Gamgee's eyes snap open and she looks skyward, along with Lizzo Baggins, whose face has turned ashen. Jenolum looks petrified)

Kram Gamgee: (In a horrified shout) Oh my God! PHONE SOLICITORS!

Jenolum: (Scared beyond comparison) Quick, little hobbits! Little hobbits must take cover! Mustn't let them see us!

(Jenolum is already bounding for a stray tree on the shore where they're camped, and Kram Gamgee makes to follow. But suddenly, Lizzo Baggins lets out a shout of pain, and falls on her back, clutching her left shoulder tightly. As she screams, we see a figure of the past-the spirit, king form of Adelphia, as he raises his dagger and lunges it at Lizzo Baggins' shoulder. We then see Lizzo Baggins look horribly pain stricken, grasping her left shoulder and screaming in anguish. Kram Gamgee backtracks and runs to her friend's side)

Kram Gamgee: (Horrified) Lizzo! What's wrong?

Lizzo Baggins: (In a painful voice) It hurts! It HURTS! OUCH! (Clutches shoulder in pain) Help me, Kram! Help me!

(We see Jenolum look at the hobbits in fear)

Jenolum: (Seriously) Hobbits must take cover! Hobbits hurry and keep out of sight!

(Kram Gamgee picks up Lizzo Baggins and supports her to the cover under the tree, where Lizzo Baggins practically collapses in exhaustion and pain. Kram Gamgee looks to the skies in anger and fear)

Kram Gamgee: (In a shout) I thought they were dead! Those freaky, strange water horses took care of 'em!

Jenolum: (Looks at Kram Gamgee with a shocked expression and shakes head wildly) Dead? Dead? No! You cannot kill them, no! They don't die! (With a small hiss) You cannot hang up on them so easily!

(Another awful hiss rings throughout the area, and all three companions look to the skies in worry)

Kram Gamgee: (Frustrated) Why, though?

Jenolum: (In a dark whisper) Because they are phone solicitors! When you think you get rid of one-they come right back for more! They live off of the annoyance of others!

Kram Gamgee: (In a heated whisper) They're pests!

Jenolum: (Darkly) Of course, young hobbits! (Shrinks down further) Stay quiet, young hobbits! Don't let them see us!

(Kram Gamgee does as she is told, but looks up to catch a good look at the Phone Solicitors. We see Sprint off of the usual bicycle and now riding-a hand glider? Well, Sprint flies throughout the skies, seeking out the One Movie to take back to Mordor. Of to the side of him, we see other Phone Solicitors seeking the Movie as well; each hand glider is a different, bright neon color. Suddenly, Sprint lets out a sickening shriek, causing the three companions to flinch at the noise)

Kram Gamgee: (Whispering to Jenolum) What's it making that racket for?

Jenolum: (In a hissing whisper) They seeks out the precious! They are minions of the Dark Lord-they are trying to find the precious!

(Lizzo Baggins gives a strong gasp of pain and clutches her left shoulder in pain. Kram Gamgee places her hand upon Lizzo Baggins' forehead)

Kram Gamgee: (Concerned) Don't worry, Miss Lizzo! It'll all be over soon! Just hold on, Lizzo! Hold on!

(Lizzo Baggins looks to the sky in horror, and goes deadly silent as a Phone Solicitor flies over their tree. Finally, the Phone Solicitors give up their search and fly off towards Mordor. As we see them disappear, we see AT&T & Verizon crash into one another, hissing as they go down. Luckily, there is a strong breeze, causing the two Phone Solicitors to get a better flight, allowing them to fly after the others towards Mordor. When the last of their hisses disappear altogether, the three companions look at one another in relief. Lizzo Baggins sits upright, breathing heavily and sweating from the strain that occurred a few minutes ago. Jenolum looks after the Phone Solicitors with a venomous stare)

Jenolum: (Darkly) They surveys the Marshes-we must cross them quickly, young hobbits!

Kram Gamgee: (In a simple tone) Well-this just sucks, if you ask me anything.

(We see the three companions look to the distance to see a Phone Solicitor flying towards Mordor, a mere, foreboding speck in the distance)