18. The Black Gate is Closed
[Frodo and Sam have reach the Black Gate.]
Gollum: "The Black Gate of Mordor!"
Sam: "My old Gaffer would have a thing or two to say if he saw this."
Gollum: "Master says show him the way into Mordor, so good Sméagol does, master says so."
Frodo: "I did."
[There are orcs patrolling at the Gate.]
Sam: "That's it then. We cannot get past them."
[An army of Easterling soldiers march to the Black Gate, yelling a call-and-response marching song.]
Easterlings: "Za dashu snaku Zigur, Durbgu nazgshu, Durbgu dashshu!" (Hail, Sauron, Lord of the Ring, Lord of the Earth!)
[Gollum is terrified and covers his ears. A command is heard and an orc blows in to a horn.]
[Two trolls pull the gate open.]
Sam: "Look! The gate, it's opening!"
Sam: "I can see a way down."
[Sam moves closer to the edge and leans forward.]
[The rock under him gives way and Sam falls.]
Frodo: "Sam! No!"
Sam: "Argh!"
[Frodo jumps down after Sam.]
Gollum: "Master!"
[Two Easterling soldiers see streams of dust coming down the cliff, and move away to investigate.]
[Frodo reaches Sam, who is stuck in the scree. The Easterlings move closer.]
[Frodo throws his elvish cloak over himself and Sam. The soldiers stand directly in front of the hobbits.]
[The soldiers leave, and Frodo throws back the cloak and pulls Sam out.]
Frodo: "I do not ask you to come with me, Sam."
Sam: "I know, Mister Frodo. I doubt even these Elvish cloaks will help us in there."
[They prepare to make a run for the Gate.]
Frodo: "Now!"
[Gollum pulls them back.]
Gollum: "No! No! No Master! They'd catch you! They'd catch you. Don't take it to Him."
Gollum: "He wants the Precious."
Gollum: "Always he's looking for it. And the Precious is wanting to go back to him."
Gollum: "But we mustn't let Him have it."
[Frodo tries to make a run for it again, but Gollum pulls him back.]
Gollum: "No! There is another way. More secret, and dark way."
Sam: "Why haven't you spoke of this before?!"
Gollum: "Because Master did not ask!"
Sam: "He's up to something."
Frodo: "Are you saying that there is another way to Mordor?"
Gollum: "Yes. There's a path, and some stairs and then a tunnel."
[Gollum strokes Frodo's arm and buries his face in Frodo's cloak.]
Frodo: "He's led us this far Sam."
Sam: "Mister Frodo, no!"
Frodo: "He's been true to his word."
Sam: "No!"
Frodo: "Lead the way Sméagol."
Frodo: "Good Sméagol always helps."
[Sam stares at Frodo in disbelief.]
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