14. The Passage of the Marshes
[Frodo and Sam follow Gollum through rocky terrain.]
Gollum: "See, see, we've led you out! Hurry hobbitses, hurry. Very lucky we find you."
[Gollum jumps on a rock. Frodo walks past and Gollum cowers as Sam nears.]
Gollum: "Nice Hobbit."
[Sam steps in to the swamp.]
Sam: "Whoa! It's a bog! He's led us into a swamp!"
Gollum: "Swamp, yes yes. Come master. We will take you on safe paths, through the mist. Come Hobbits come! We move quickly."
[Gollum looks back and gestures for the hobbits to follow him.]
Gollum: "I found it. I did. The way through the marshes. Orcs don't use it. Orcs don't know it. They go round for miles and miles. Come quickly. Soft and quick as shadows we must be."
[Frodo, Sam, and Gollum have stopped to rest. Gollum eats a large worm, causing Sam to lose his appetite.]
Sam: "I hate this place. It's too quiet. There's been no sight nor sound of a bird for two days."
Gollum: "No, no birdses to eat. No crunchable birdses. We are famished! Yes! Famished we are, precious."
Frodo: "Here."
[Frodo throws Gollum a piece of his bread.]
Gollum: "What does it eats? Is it tasty?"
[Gollum chokes on the Elven bread.]
Gollum: "Aggh! It tries to chokes us! We can't eats Hobbit food! We must starve!"
Sam: "Well starve then, and good riddance!"
Gollum: "Oh! Cruel Hobbit! It does not care if we be hungry. It does not care if we should die. Not like Master. Master cares. Master knows."
Gollum: "Yes, precious. Once it takes hold of us it never lets go."
[Gollum reaches towards Frodo.]
Frodo: "Don't touch me."
[Little fires burn in the swamp. Sam sees faces under the water.]
Sam: "There are dead things! Dead faces in the water!"
Gollum: "All dead. All rotten. Elves and men and orcses. A great battle long ago."
[Gollum turns to face the hobbits.]
Gollum: "The Dead Marshes. Yes, yes! That is their name. This way. don't follow the lights."
[Sam's foot slips again into the water.]
Sam: "Ohh!"
Gollum: "Careful now! Or Hobbits go down to join the dead ones, and light little candles of their own."
[Frodo is in half-trance and follows the lights, drawn to one of the faces. He stares at it intently.]
[Suddenly its eyes open and Frodo falls into the water.]
Sam: "Frodo!"
[Under the surface, Frodo sees greenish, ghotsly faces, screaming and reaching for him.]
[Frodo is then pulled ashore by Gollum. Frodo looks at Gollum in disbelief.]
Frodo: "Gollum?"
Gollum: "Don't follow the lights!"
Sam: "Frodo! are you all right?"
[Frodo lies panting, looking at Gollum.]
[Night has fallen. Sam is asleep, but Frodo is awake. He holds the Ring in the palm of his hand, staring at it and stroking it.]
Gollum: "So bright, so beautiful."
[Frodo hides the Ring and looks up to see Gollum stroking the center of his palm.]
Gollum: "Our Precious."
Frodo: "What did you say?"
Gollum: "Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength."
[Frodo moves over and crouches in front of Gollum.]
Frodo: "Who are you?"
Gollum: "Mustn't ask us, not its business. (gollum gollum)"
Frodo: "Gandalf told me you were one of the River Folk."
Gollum: "Cold be heart and hand and bone. And called be travelers far from home."
Frodo: "He said your life was a sad story."
Gollum: "They do not see what lies ahead when sun has failed and moon is dead."
Frodo: "You were not so different from a Hobbit once were you? — Sméagol."
[Gollum looks up slowly.]
Gollum: "What did you call me?"
Frodo: "That was your name once, wasn't it? A long time ago."
Gollum: "My — My name… Smé — Sméagol."
[Gollum notices something overhead and screams.]
Sam: "Black Riders!"
Gollum: "Hide! Hide!"
Frodo: "Argh!"
[Frodo feels a sharp pain in his shoulder. Images of the Ringwraiths comes to him in flashes.]
Frodo: "Argh!"
Sam: "C'mon Frodo, C'mon!"
Gollum: "They will see us! They will see us!"
[Frodo clutches at the Ring on his chest. Sam drags him across to hide beneath a bush.]
[The Nazgûl appears riding a flying beast.]
Sam: "I thought they were dead?!"
Gollum: "Dead? No, you cannot kill them. No."
[The Nazgûl lets out a loud scream.]
Gollum: "Wraiths! Wraiths on wings!"
Gollum: "They are calling for It. They are calling for the Precious!"
[The call of the Ring is very powerful and Frodo is taken over by it and tries to put the Ring on.]
[Sam grabs hold of Frodo's hand just as he reaches for the Ring and holds his hand.]
Sam: "It's all right."
[The Nazgûl continues to circle, then flies away.]
Gollum: "Hurry Hobbits. The Black Gate is very close."
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