Red (The Hobbit Fan Fiction)

17. A Risky Game

17. A Risky Game

            “Well, Baggins first,” Gollum offered. I kept a close eye on him, sticking close to Bilbo’s side. I didn’t trust Gollum and his split personalities. It explained why he was one thing one minute and the next he was the total opposite. I kept my bow at my side, but the arrow was still ready.

            Bilbo paced a little bit, trying to think of a riddle. Let’s make this quick. He turned to Gollum, addressing the creature:

“Thirty white horses on a red hill

First they champ, then they stamp

Then they stand still”

 

            I was glad I wasn’t included in this game, that I was a spectator. I never played any riddle games in my life, not even when Bilbo and I were younger. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Bilbo tried to get me to play with him once when we were much younger, and that was the only time I ever did.

            Silence filled the air around us as Gollum mulled over his answer. Ever fiber in my body wanted him to get it wrong, but I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Nothing ever was.

            “Teeth?” Gollum answered. I looked at Bilbo, who obviously gave it away with a defeated look on his face. Gollum rejoiced. “Teeth! Oh, yes, my precious! But we—we only have nine!” He pulled his lips back, exposing the nine he had left. I swallowed the bile that threatened to come out of my mouth. As if his appearance on the outside didn’t unnerve me enough…

“Our turn.” It didn’t take Gollum long to spit out his riddle.

“Voiceless, it cries

Wingless it flutters

Toothless bites

Mouthless mutters”

 

I was trying to recite the riddle in my head, but I felt like I kept mixing up words.

“Just a minute,” Bilbo murmured. He paced near me, muttering words under his breath. While he tried to think of the right answer, I watched Gollum. He was behind a rock, so I could only see the top half of him.

“Oh. Oh! We knows! We knows! Shut up!” I shook my head. Being down in here all by yourself probably could make you insane as Gollum. I shuddered, never wanting to imagine myself isolated from civilization. I certainly didn’t want to see myself looking anything like Gollum.

“Wind,” I heard Bilbo mutter to him. “It’s wind. Of course it’s wind.”

Gollum hissed. “Very clever, Hobbitses. Very clever.”

“Ah, ah,” I snapped, shielding Bilbo as Gollum tried to sneak closer. “Don’t even think about it.” Gollum bared his teeth at me, I snorted at him.

Bilbo was ready with his next riddle:

“A box without hinges, key or lid

Yet golden treasure inside is hid”

 

That was perhaps the shortest of the riddles exchanged in this game. Gollum looked as befuddled as I did, and that was saying something.