Chapter Eight.
The Black Gate Of More-Doors, Ryan's dream come true and Sam and Ryan's new conspiracy, formerly known as 'the secret path'.
The four travelers climbed a rock face. Sam led them, after an argument between Ryan and Gollum about who should lead on. Ryan believed, seeing as Gollum was the travel-guide, he should lead on. However, Gollum said he had suspicions of Ryan, so he should go first. This led to an argument and Ryan almost resulting in throwing a couple of rocks to shut the creature up. This is when Sam stepped in. He didn't want any evil creatures from Mordor to hear this squabble and come and take them captive.
"The black gate of Mordor," Gollum muttered, announcing to the group.
"More doors?" Ryan asked, seeing if he could upset the creature once again.
"Mordor!" Gollum sneered in retaliation.
"More...doors?" Ryan asked again, grinning at his sarcastic comments.
"MORDOR!!" the creature yelled, realizing he could be heard, covered his mouth.
"Ooh, Mordor," Ryan nodded. "Why didn't you say so the first time?" This made Sam giggle at the comment, receiving an annoyed glare off of Gollum. Sam didn't like the creature very much, but Frodo believed that he could help, so he kept his mouth shut for the sake of his friend.
Gollum cringed, and looked at the black gate, the other hobbits staring in awe also.
"Oh save us," Sam whispered. "MY old Gaffer would have a thing of two to say if he could see us now,"
"Like, oh crud?" Ryan offered, staring at the gate.
"Master says to show him the way into Mordor, so good Sméagol does, Master says so," Gollum cooed proudly.
"I did," Frodo muttered astonished that the creature had kept his word thus far. His heart sank when he looked down at the gate where orcs both armed and armored, where walking along the top, keeping guard of the fortress.
"That's it then," Sam threw his hands up in surrender. "We can't get past that!" he continued, observing the gate. There were orders yelled in another language, coming from one of the numerous orcs which were situated on the gate.
"Translation, if you would please," Ryan nodded in a comedic fashion. His face turned pale when he saw a large group of foreign soldiers, marching on the flat-surface below them, towards the gate. Ryan thought they had funny dresses on, and giggled. He then remembered a conversation he, Angela and Sarah had on the whole 'do-males-giggle,' and asked the narrator politely not to refer to his giggles as giggles, and to make it more manly sounding.
A horn blast suddenly came, the sound resonating in the air. Gollum cringed, covering his ears as the sound faded away. A thud came, and the gate began to creak open slowly.
"Open Says-me," Ryan proclaimed, as he got the other's attention, all of them staring at the opening gate.
"Look," Sam said, pointing to the gate. "The gate. It's opening!" he announced, starting to climb down the rocky surface.
"I can see a way down!" he stated, slowly making his way down.
"Look at all those rocks..." Ryan muttered, his attention soon being snapped away from the rocks that covered to the ground, to Sam, who lost his balance on a rock which gave away underneath him, tumbling down the rocky surface.
"Sam! No!" Frodo called after the tumbling hobbit, follow after him.
"Master!" Gollum shrieked, following. Ryan shrugged, and soon joined in the quick pursuit to save his fellow hobbit, pocketing some random rocks incase he got into another almost-all-in-brawl with the straggly creature that was Gollum, the three trying desperately to free Sam.
Two soldiers from the army which was marching towards the gate a moment ago, cautiously walked towards the hillside to investigate the rock slide.
"Ryan, your cloak!" Frodo muttered, the two hobbits covering themselves, Sam and Gollum underneath the two cloaks, camouflaging them with the scenery. The two soldiers, unaware of this, continued to scope the rocky slope for any clue of what caused the suspicious rock slide. Seeing that there was nothing, the two looked at each other, and return to the group. Ryan and Frodo uncover themselves, and hurry to free Sam.
"I do not ask either of you to come with me," Frodo sighed, looking from Ryan to Sam.
"I know Mr. Frodo. I doubt even these Elvish cloaks will hide us in there," Sam sighed, struggling to pull himself up.
"Besides, where else are we going to go?" Ryan shrugged.
"Now!" Frodo yelled, the hobbits running forward for the gate, which was slowly beginning to shut. If they didn't go now, they might never get another chance.
"No!" Gollum exclaimed, pulling the hobbits and yanking them back. "No, no master, they catch you, that catch you!" he continued, his tone full of anxiety and fear. "Don't take it to him! He wants the Precious. Always he's looking for it, and the Precious is wanting to go back to him. But we mustn't let him have it.
Frodo ignores the warning, and goes to run for the gate again. Gollum grabs him and yanks him back for a second time.
"No!" Gollum exclaimed again. "There's another way. A secret, a dark way,"
"Why haven't you spoken of this before?!?" pestered Sam, annoyed. The gate was almost closed, and they could have at least tried to get in through that way. He began to think that Gollum was stalling for some reason.
"Because Master didn't ask," stated Gollum in his own defense.
"It's a conspiracy, that's what it is!" Ryan exclaimed, also suspicious of this supposed 'secret path'.
"He's up to something," Sam nodded in agreement, pushing Gollum.
"Are you saying there's another way into Mordor?" Frodo asked, curious, receiving a nod in response from the creature.
"Yes. There's a pass, and some stairs, and then...tunnel," Gollum sneered.
"He'll probably lead us into a trap!" Ryan exclaimed, still not buying this story. He eyed the creature, who sighed, laughing his head against Frodo's arm, stroking it for support in taking his secret way.
"He's led us this far, Sam," Frodo pleaded.
"Mr. Frodo, no," Sam protested.
"I'm with Sam. Something isn't quite right," Ryan said, taking Sam's side of the debate.
"He's been true to his word," Frodo stated firmly.
"Until now," Ryan muttered. "What happens if he double crosses us?"
"No, Mr. Frodo!" Sam protested again, trying to plead with him.
"Lead the way Sméagol," Frodo calmly said to the creature.
"Good Sméagol, always helps," the creature grinned scampering off.
"I wonder what price his help comes at," Ryan muttered, Sam nodding in agreement, both dreading what could happen if they reluctantly follow the creature. Frodo start to walk behind Gollum, cautiously. Sam and Ryan followed, not wanting anything to happen to Frodo if they didn't go. Ryan looked back as the Black Gate creaked, shutting. He sighed. They had the chance, and they blew it. He hoped that this path the mangy creature spoke of wasn't some ploy to get them eaten by evil creatures or something.