The Ring of Power

Chapter 3

It seemed as through the two hobbits had walked for days. They passed meadows with colorful butterflies streaming around them. The sun gave them a sense of warmth and security. They walked through a waterfall accompanied by jagged rocks. The loud sound of powerful water banging against stone filled their ears giving them slight headaches. The two hobbits walked through a field, the grass already turning golden. A large scarecrow stared down at them.

Abruptly Sam stopped at the scarecrow, digging his long hiking stick into the ground and glanced around. "This is it." He announced. Frodo stopped and turned around thinking that 'this is it' meant Sam was not coming further. "This is what?" though he tried to hide the incredulous tint from his tone.

Sam stood unmoving, "If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been." Frodo sighed, poor old Sam. He was still too much in love with the Shire to be venturing forth with him. "Come on, Sam."

And he waited. He waited for Sam to take that one small step, which must've felt like a leapt. He waited for Sam to become a man, to start the adventure. But he also waited for himself. This too would be very far from home for him. It isn't farthest he had been, no. But each step he took would lead him away from Bag End. His home.

Sam took that one step and off they were. They brushed up against the cornfield trying hard not to ruin the crops, for they were not theirs. "Remember what Bilbo used to say:

'Its dangerous business, Frodo, going out you door.
You step onto the road, and if you don't keep you feet
There's no knowing where you might be swept off to.'"

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The smell of salty meat and smoke filled the air around the forest they were resting him. Samwise turned over the pork once more as he took another puff from his pipe. There dinner was accompanied by the sweet sound of singing. The language was not of their knowing but it was certainly calming. The fist word, r maybe the second apart from 'Shire' they thought of when hearing the word calm was 'Elves'.

They hopped out of their tree and hid behind a bush. Young and beautiful man elves and female elves walked along the dirt path. A soothing white aura surrounded them. Frodo and Sam were drawn to their peace, for it reminded the hobbits, of home.

"They're doing to the harbor. To the Grey Havens." Frodo whispered as to not disturb the Elves' peace.
"They're leaving middle Earth. I don't know why...it makes me sad." They watched them sing. They soothing peace was the only thing keeping them from thinking about the upcoming and dangerous journey.

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At the first sign of the sun they Halflings set out again. They came out of the forest moving back into the cornfield. They were so hungry, Sam even thought about stealing one and eating it on the spot. At one point they, unintentionally, split paths and once Samwise noticed it he became fervently worried. This exactly what Gandalf told him not to do! Lose him. He ran through the maize calling out Frodo's name.

"Frodo! Mr. Frodo!" Just as he was about to give up, his master cane out from one side. "I thought I lost you!"
"Lost me?" his master asked. Sam waved him off. "Oh, its just something Gandalf said." Had Gandalf said something to frighten his friend?

"What did he say?"

"He said 'Samwise Gamgee, don't you lose him.' And I mean not to!" Sam's loyalty touched Frodo's heart, but still made it funny.

He chuckled, "Sam, we're still in the Shire. What ever could happen?" Many things apparently. Two small figure burst out of the maize almost knocking Frodo and Sam down. Pippin and Merry had wild looks on their faces holding armfuls of corn stocks. Oh good, thought Frodo, they stole it.

"Frodo!" Pippin looked to his partner in crime. "Look Merry, its Frodo Baggins!" Merry dragged Sam up. "Hello, Frodo."

"What's the meaning of this?" Frodo asked, watching Pippin and Merry shove the corn into Sam's arms. This could only lead to trouble.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" this is were all those vegetables ad gone to. Peaking of the devil Farmer Maggot came bursting through the maze.

"You'll know the devil if I catch up to yer!" he shouted waving a pitchfork. With a glance at the vegetables, Sam dropped them and hurried off to catch up with his companions.

"I don't know why he's so upset! Its only a couple carrots!" Merry yelled running from Farmer Maggot with the rest of the group. "And some cabbages, and those three bags of potatoes that we lifted last week!" Pippin decided to chip in on the honesty train.

"Yes, Pippin, my point is," he dodge couple a corn stokes, "he's clearly overreacting!" The four hobbits sprinted as fast as their short legs could carry them into the wood. Pippin stopped making the others run into him, knocking them all over the small mossy cliff. They rolled over another small mossy cliff landing on their back.

Through dirt filled mouth Pippin chimed, "Oh! That was close!" Frodo quickly got up. He walked long the dirt path remembering something Gandalf had told him before Sam and him set out. The Road!

"I think we should get off the road." He stated glancing back at Pippin, Merry, and Sam. None of them seemed to hear them as they stuffed their faces with mushrooms. But then Frodo heard something. A screeching sound. The road seemed to become wider in his eyes as he heard the screeching gain. "Get off the road!"

The hobbits jumped down and slid closing together into a hollowed out trees stump. The clopping of hooves got closer to them by the second. The loud breathing of a horse sounded above them. The rider jumped down as if sniffing for them. Small insects slithered and crawled between their toes. Sam had to suppress a yelp. The man got closer to their hiding place. Merry couldn't take it anymore. With as much grace as an Orc he threw one of the carrots to the left. Hearing its landing the rider screeched and galloped after the sound.

Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin ran away from the tree, not caring about how mush noise they made in their way. The foolish Halflings decided to follow the Black Rider. Merry and Pippin whispered questions and cursed every five seconds.

"Anything?" Sam called. Frodo took hold of a large tree. No. The rider was gone, disappeared in the night. "No!"

Merry strode up to Frodo. "That Black Rider was looking for something. Or someone. Frodo?" Merry was beginning to get suspicious of his friend. Pippin yelled a quick "Get down!" the Black Rider was most certainly not gone. With one last screech it was gone. Or so they thought.

"We must leave the Shire. Sam and I must get to Bree."

Merry nodded, "Right. Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me." The hobbits came out of their hiding spots only to find that the Black Rider did so as well. It screeched once it caught sight of Frodo. They dodged the kicking hooves of the black stallion.

"Hurry! Follow me!" Merry led them through the wood and toward a rickety looking dock, still being chase by the Black Rider. "Get the rope, Sam!" Sam untied the rope from the ledge. Pippin pushed the boat forward and jumped. Merry jumped. Sam jumped. They were left waiting anxiously for Frodo who was running very closely to the Black Rider. "Run, Frodo, run!" The rider reached out to grab the hobbit. He almost did if not for the long jump Frodo had made. If only Frodo had went just a little father he would've made it. Frodo grappled onto the edge of the boat. Sam, Merry, and Pippin pulled him to safety. The Black Rider screeched watching the hobbits float away. Out of his reach. Gone.