Chapter 14

Where the Shadows Lie

Hazel lay on the ground, looking up at the darkness above her. She sat up and looked around. She looked around and noticed Frodo and Sam were gone. She stood and looked for her friends, but everything was so dark she couldn't see. Suddenly, she heard a rough voice inside her head.

So…this is the girl.

Hazel stood, frozen in fear as she recognized the evil voice of Sauron.

Hazel opened her eyes and gasped. She looked over at Frodo and Sam who were still sitting close to her, and sighed in relief.

Frodo lifted his water bottle to his lips and shook it, trying to find any drop of water he could. Sam walked over to him and offered him a drink from his water bottle. He quickly took it gladly, after waking up from a terrible nightmare of his own. Obviously, Sauron had also threatened Frodo, telling him that he was going to take the one thing he loved the most.

He handed the water bottle to Hazel, sparing just enough water for her.

Hazel sat up and took the rest of the stale water. It was better than nothing.

"There will be none left for the return journey." Hazel said.

"I don't think there will be a return journey, Miss Hazel." Sam said, trying to hide his dismay, but Hazel could clearly see it in his eyes. Still, Sam stood up and helped his friends to their feet.

~jb~

The hobbits continued walking toward the mountains. Hazel's right ankle gave out, so Frodo took a turn with the ring. As they walked on, Frodo swatted at the air, as if some sort of bug was bothering him. He stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly. The hobbits could suddenly feel the heat of the Great Eye's gaze, resting upon them.

"Get down!" Sam shouted in panic. Hazel immediately obeyed and hid herself out of Sauron's sight. Frodo however, looked directly at it. He could feel the ring grow strong and fell to the ground. Sam and Hazel had shouted at Frodo, unsure what to do.

Do they go to the aid of their friend?

Do they risk being seen?

Frodo lay on the ground like a dead thing. The eye pierced him and looked as if in surprise.

Suddenly, for some strange reason, it looked away.

Sam slowly stood up. "It's gone Mr. Frodo!" He said. "The light's passed on, away towards the north. Something's thrown its gaze!"

Hazel came over and helped Frodo to his feet. He looked around, his eye-lids were red from lack of sleep, and his blue eyes surveyed the land.

The ground sloped upward more and more. The hobbits were breathing heavily as they struggled up the mountain. Frodo was still struggling with the ring. Hazel walked over to him and placed his arm around her shoulders. With that, they traveled together, sharing the weight of the ring. Eventually, all three hobbits collapsed onto the ground out of exhaustion. Frodo lay on the ground for a long moment, before looking up at the mountain with determination in his brilliant, blue eyes.

He slowly crawled forward, not wanting to stop for a moment. Hazel watched in awe at this, and she remembered why she loved him. He would never want to give up, even if he had to. That's who he was, the bearer and leader until the end. But he was only able to go a few feet until he lay face down in the dirt, and sighed.

Hazel crawled over to him and placed his head in her lap. She rocked him back and forth, trying to comfort him. She looked at the fires shooting out of the mountain and stared at it nervously.

They still had…such a long way…to go.

Hazel tried hard to fight back tears. She looked at Frodo who opened his eyes slowly, but saw nothing.

"Do you remember the Shire, Frodo?" She asked. "It'll be spring soon, the orchards will be in blossom, and the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket."

Frodo slightly twitched when Hazel mentioned her name.

Hazel continued; "And there will be sowing in the Summer Barley in the lower fields. And we'd be eating the first of strawberries with cream as we always had. Do you remember the taste of strawberries, my love?"

"Oh, Hazel." Frodo cried. "I can't recall the taste of food…or the sound of water…or the touch of grass…I'm…naked in the dark!"

Hazel's eyes filled with tears, and she cried as Frodo continued.

"There's nothing… I can't see you, I can't touch you! My heart doesn't feel anything! There's nothing…no veil…between me…and the way of fire! I can see him…with…with my waking eyes!" He cried out in despair.

Hazel began to weep. There were no words she could say to describe how she felt. Her heart felt beyond repair. This wasn't fair! Why should they have to suffer?! They were good! Hazel shook her head at this thought. Hazel looked at her love, and saw that his eye-lids were still red, dust and scars covered his beautiful face. He was suffering tremendously.

And Hazel couldn't do anything about it. Nothing. Only watch.

She looked up at Sam in despair. He looked back at her and it grieved him to watch his best friend suffer so.

"I…" Hazel began. "I don't know what to do!" She wailed.

Sam knelt down beside them.

"Then let us be rid of it!" He declared. "Once and for all, come on Mr. Frodo!" He encouraged. Frodo didn't seem as motivated.

"I can't carry it for you," Sam said. "But I can carry you! Come on!"

At this, he took Frodo out of Hazel's lap and threw him over his shoulders. Hazel stared in awe as Sam continued up the mountain. His steps were slow, but he stayed strong. Hazel looked at her cousin, and knew she would never look at him the same way again.

Sam's eyes burned like brown flames. Hazel felt strength returning to her, and she stood up and followed closely behind Sam.