Chapter 42: Filthy Little Thieves

Gollum grasped the Ring on its chain in his scrawny hands and his eyes lit with joy at possessing it again. So engrossed was he in looking at it, he was not aware that someone approached from behind until the chain was nearly yanked out of his grasp. His fist tightened around it just in time and he turned to look at Sam. The grim-faced hobbit was bleeding from several superficial cuts on his face and hands, sweating and nearly exhausted, his clothing liberally stained with the blood of his enemies and his sword as well. He looked at an avenging angel, but Gollum was not cowed.

"It’s ours! You will not takes it from us!"

"It is not yours," Sam said, advancing toward him. "It never was. It belongs to Sauron and to the fire." He reached out again to take the Ring and his fingers grasped the chain.

"Not, to us!" Gollum cried and lunged at Sam, bitting down on the hand which held the chain. Sam cried out, but would not relinquish his hold.

Frodo woke slowly and raised his head, coughing as he tried to take in some ragged breaths. He touched the bruises around his throat and swallowed painfully. He saw Sam and Gollum fighting and heard the call of the Ring fill his mind again just as Sam reached to yank the chain from the other creature. He got up and rushed toward the struggling pair, eyes blind to all else but the Ring, his mind entirely focused on getting it back.

Sam saw his brother’s Ring-maddened eyes as Frodo rushed to grapple with him and Gollum. "Frodo, no!" he cried, but Frodo did not hear him.

He fought Gollum first and kicked the former hobbit viciously. Gollum curled his emanciated body around the Ring, trying to keep it safe from Frodo, safe from the dark lord he knew would come to claim it. But the lust for the Ring gave Frodo the extra strength he needed to yank the Ring away from the other bearer.

"Thief!" Gollum cried. "Filthy, nasty Baggginses always taking the Precious! Dark one coming and then you’ll see him take it from you!"

"It’s mine!" Frodo snarled. "I won’t let you have it! I won’t him you have it!"

"He will takes it from you! You won’ts stops him."

Frodo smiled wickedly, then put the Ring on. Gollum lunged for him just as he did so, grabbing him, bit down on his finger and severed it. Frodo reappeared in a scream of agony. The Ring fell to the ground. Just as the creature reached for it, Frodo viciously kicked out at him again and sent him over the edge.

The Ring-bearer turned to pick up the Ring, but saw it now in Sam’s hand, his face an undescribable mask of grief and horror as he held his beloved brother’s severed finger. Frodo didn’t see his friend’s tear-streaked face, only an enemy, another thief of his precious. The crazed hobbit lunged at Sam, knocking him onto his back and nearly over the edge. Sam’s head hung out over empty space as did the Ring which he held out away from Frodo. He looked into those tormented eyes and saw nothing but lust for the Ring. There was nothing left of his brother.