42. The Forbidden Pool
[Back at the caves, Faramir sits alone. One of his men walks to him.]
Man: "Captain Faramir. We found it."
[Faramir approaches the sleeping hobbits. Frodo wakes.]
Faramir: "You must come with me. Now."
[Frodo is lead outside.]
Faramir [points]: "Down there."
[Frodo looks down at a pool and sees Gollum dive in it.]
Faramir: "To enter the Forbidden Pool bears the penalty of death."
[Archers step out from the bushes, with arrows drawn.]
Faramir: "They wait for my command. Shall they shoot?"
[Gollum squats on a rock with a fish, singing.]
Gollum:
"Rock and pool is nice and cool, so juicy sweet! I only wish to catch a fish, so juicy sweet!"
[Faramir raises his hand to give the order to fire.]
Frodo: "Wait. This creature is bound to me. And I to him. He is our guide. Please, let me go down to him."
[Faramir allows Frodo to go to Gollum, who is eating a fish.]
Frodo: "Sméagol. Master is here. Come, Sméagol. Trust master. Come."
Gollum: "We must — go now?"
Frodo: "Sméagol, you must trust master. Follow me, come on. Come. Come, Sméagol. Nice Sméagol. That's it. Come on."
[Gollum, with a fish in his mouth, follows Frodo.]
[Gollum is grabbed by Faramir's men.]
Frodo: "Don't hurt him! Sméagol don't struggle! Sméagol listen to me!"
Gollum: "Master!"
[Gollum screams as a hood is placed over his face. Frodo looks up at Faramir.]
[Inside the cave, a man kicks Gollum. He tries to scuttle away, but is dragged back by his foot. One of the men holds him while another punches him.]
Faramir: "That is enough."
[Gollum is thrown into a corner.]
Faramir: "Where are you leading them? Answer me!"
[Gollum cries.]
Gollum: "Sméagol. Why does it cry, Sméagol?"
Sméagol: "Cruel men hurts us. Master tricksed us."
Gollum: "Of course he did. I told you he was tricksy. I told you he was false."
Sméagol: "Master is our friend — our friend."
[Faramir looks at Gollum, confused.]
Gollum: "Master betrayed us!"
Sméagol: "No, not it's business. Leave us alone."
Gollum: "Filthy little hobbitses! They stole it from us!"
Sméagol: "No… no."
Faramir: "What did they steal?"
[Gollum turns to face Faramir.]
Gollum: "My… Precious! Argh!"
[The hobbits hear Gollum's scream.]
Sam: "We have to get out of here. You go. Go now."
[Sam moves to Frodo.]
Sam: "You can do it. Use the Ring, Mister Frodo. Just this once. Put it on. Disappear."
Frodo: "I can't. You were right, Sam. You tried to tell me. I'm sorry. The Ring's taking me, Sam. If I put it on, he'll find me. He'll see."
Sam: "Mister Frodo…"
[Faramir enters, and draws a sword. Frodo backs away, hitting a wall.]
Faramir: "So… this is the answer to all the riddles. Here in the wild I have you. Two haflings and a host of men at my call."
Faramir: "And the Ring of Power within my grasp."
[Faramir reveals the Ring with the tip of his sword.]
[The Ring calls.]
Faramir: "A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor, to show his quality."
[Frodo suddenly pushes the blade away, angrily, and runs into a corner.]
Frodo: "No!"
Sam: "Stop it! Leave him alone! Don't you understand?! He's got to destroy it. That's where we're going. To Mordor. To the Mountain of Fire."
[A man enters the room, and the lure of the Ring is heard again.]
Man: "Osgiliath is under attack. They call for reinforcements."
Sam: "Please. It's such a burden. Will you not help him?"
Man: "Captain?"
Faramir: "Prepare to leave."
[Sam looks at Faramir with pleading eyes.]
Faramir: "The Ring will go to Gondor."
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