Out Of The Frying Pan

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Gollum jumps into a tunnel "Wait, my Precious ! Wait ! Gollum, Gollum." A tunnel with an exit to the side of the mountain. Daylight is visible through the exit. Bilbo slowly approaches, invisible with the ring on. He has his sword drawn. Hearing a noise, Gollum quickly hides behind a rock. As Bilbo watches, Gandalf and the dwarves run by, escaping through the exit. Bilbo, seeing his companions, is frantic. The dwarves and Gandalf run down the side of the steep, tree-covered mountain. Gollum again enters the tunnel, looking for Bilbo and the ring. Bilbo, still invisible, put his sword to Gollum's neck, then pulls back to swing the sword and cut off his head. Before he can swing, however, Gollum turns around, looking down the passageway behind him. He cannot see Bilbo, but the hobbit can see him. Again, Bilbo places the tip of his sword at Gollum's throat, but he hesitates upon seeing Gollum's extreme sadness.

For a second, Gollum looks almost human

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For a second, Gollum looks almost human. Bilbo lowers his sword, pitying Gollum and remembering what Gandalf told him about swords and courage.

Bilbo then looks determined and takes a deep breath, stepping back a few feet

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Bilbo then looks determined and takes a deep breath, stepping back a few feet. Hearing Bilbo's feet, Gollum frowns and begins to growl. Bilbo runs forward and leaps over him, stepping on Gollum's head and knocking him over in the process. Still invisible, Bilbo runs out the exit. Gollum jumps up and scrabbles around him, trying to grab the invisible Bilbo, roaring all the while "Baggins ! Thief ! Curse it and crush it, we hates it forever !" Still invisible, Bilbo runs down the mountain after the rest of the Company. Far in front of him, Gandalf pauses to count how many dwarves are with him "Five, six, seven, eight... Bifur, Bofur... that's ten... Fili, Kili... that's twelve... and Bombur that makes fourteen." The dwarves pause to collect their breath. But then, Gandalf asks "Where's Bilbo ? Where is our Hobbit ? Where is our hobbit ?!" Dwalin shouts "Curse the halfling ! Now he's lost ?!" Gloin says "I thought he was with Dori !" Dori says "Don't blame me !" Thyri asks "Well, where did you last see him ?" Nori says "I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us." Gandalf asks "What happened exactly ? Tell me !" Bilbo, still invisible, has caught up to the rest of the group. He hides behind a tree as Thorin speaks "I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it ! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door ! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone."

Thyri, Daughter of Thrain, Dragonslayer (Book 1)Where stories live. Discover now