Chapter Five-The Passing of Bilbo

Frodo still struggled daily with trying to heal. Some wounds take much longer to heal than others, and for years Frodo was still hearing the evil whispers of the Ring in his mind.

At times, especially in March, the month when he was attacked by Shelob and the Ring was destroyed, Frodo would suddenly be thrown into a bout of depression and feel like a traitor. But all Gandalf needed to do was hand him a piece of paper and a stick of charcoal, and anticipate quite a few tear-stained letters.

With Elrond’s help over the years Frodo began to consider the fact that maybe he hadn’t betrayed Middle Earth, and in his letters he slowly began to stop blaming himself.

Then on October 4^th, just after his 142^nd birthday, Bilbo Baggins died of very old age, and Frodo took to watching the harbor, waiting for Sam to come. He even avoided the library for a few days, until, at Bilbo’s funeral, Galadriel told him that Bilbo wanted him to keep going to the library and keep studying.

And for a while, Gandalf had Shadowfax watch Frodo’s house at night, and many Elves noticed him scribbling on a piece of paper with a charcoal pencil.

Then on the 6^th he started having nightmares every night, and some nights Gandalf or Galadriel would stay with him all night long.

But soon they stopped. Frodo understood that Bilbo was gone. His last words to his nephew, “We will meet again, Frodo-lad,” kept him hopeful. He knew that all was not lost and he believed his uncle’s words.