<<TITLE: THE TWO TOWERS>>
<Frodo and Sam climbs over the rocky terrain Emyn Muil. They look into the distance at the Mountain of Fire.>
Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don’t want to see any closer, and the one place we’re trying to get to. It’s just where we can’t get. Let’s face it, Mr. Frodo, we’re lost. I don’t think Gandalf meant for us to come this way.
Frodo: He didn’t mean for a lot of things to happen, Sam... but they did.
<Suddenly Frodo feels and sees the Eye zooming in on him. He gasps and pants as he backs away.>
Sam: Mr. Frodo? It’s the Ring, isn’t it?
Frodo: It’s getting heavier. <Clutches the Ring by his chest and sits down, still panting. He then fumbles for his water bottle and takes a sip.>
Frodo: What food have we got left?
Sam: Well, let me see. <He takes out a package of lembas bread from his pack> Oh yes, lovely – Lembas bread. And look! <He digs deeper into his pack> More lembas bread.
<Sam shows another package. He then breaks off a piece and tosses it to Frodo, and munches on a piece himself.>
Sam: I don't usually hold with foreign food, but this Elvish stuff, it’s not bad.
Frodo: <smiles> Nothing ever dampens your spirits, does it Sam?
<Sam smiles back, and then looks ominously towards Mordor.>
Sam: Those rain clouds might.
<They continue trekking through difficult terrain, often huddling underneath their cloaks.>
Sam: <Looks around> This looks strangely familiar.
Frodo: <Exasperated> It’s because we’ve been here before! We’re going in circles.
Sam: Ah! What's that 'orrid stink? I'll warrant there's a nasty bog nearby. Can you smell it?
Frodo: Yes. I can smell it. <Drops to a whisper> We’re not alone.
<Nighttime: Frodo and Sam are sleeping. A dark shape appears on top of the cliff. The creature Gollum has appeared and is making his way down to the hobbits.>
Gollum: The thieves! The thieves! The filthy little thieves! Where is it? Where isss it? They stole it from us. My preciousss. <Gollum creeps closer and closer.> Curse them! We hates them! It’s ours, it is... and we wantssss it!
<Gollum reaches out his hand towards the hobbits. Suddenly the hobbits spring up, grab hold of Gollum’s arms and pull him down. Amidst the struggle, Gollum wriggles loose and leaps onto Frodo. As Frodo falls back, the chain and Ring around his neck is revealed and Gollum jumps straight for the Ring. Sam tries to grab at him but is knocked away. Gollum now jumps on top of Frodo and tries to reach for the Ring even as Frodo grabs his hands and tries to push him away. Gollum’s cheeks puff with exertion as he struggles with Frodo, his enormous eyes fixed on the Ring. Sam grabs hold of Gollum again and tears him away from Frodo. Gollum then turns around and bites Sam on the shoulder, wriggles around and clasps his arms around Sam’s neck and legs around his waist in a death grip. Frodo unsheathes Sting and holds it to Gollum's throat.>
Frodo: <menacingly> This is Sting. You’ve seen it before, haven’t you... Gollum! Release him or I’ll cut your throat!
<Slowly, Gollum loosens his grip on Sam and as the latter disentangles himself, Gollum wails. In the next scene, Gollum is being dragged with Sam's Elvish rope around his neck, wailing and writhing in pain.>
Gollum: It burns! It burns us! It freezes! Nasty Elves twisted it. Take it off us!
Sam: Quiet you!
<Sam tugs fiercely at the rope. Gollum cries some more and collapses onto his back. Sam turns to Frodo in dismay.>
Sam: It’s hopeless! Every Orc in Mordor’s going to hear this racket! Let’s just tie him up and leave him.
Gollum: No! That would kill us! Kill us!
Sam: It’s no more than you deserve!
Frodo: Maybe he does deserve to die, but now that I see him, I do pity him.
Gollum: <Begging> We be nice to them if they be nice to us. Take it off us. We swears to do what you wants. We swears.
Frodo: There’s no promise you can make that I can trust.
Gollum: We swears to serve the master of the preciousss. We swears on... on the precious. *Gollum. Gollum.*
Frodo: The Ring is treacherous. It will hold you to your word.
Gollum: Yes... on the preciousss. On the preciousss.
Sam: I don’t believe you! <Gollum backs away, frightened, and climbs onto a boulder> Get down! I said, down!
<Sam jerks strongly at the rope as Gollum tries to get away from him. He crashes onto the ground, choking.>
Frodo: Sam!
Sam: He’s trying to trick us! We let him go he’ll throttle us in our sleep!
<Gollum lies panting and holding his throat. He backs away, frightened, as Frodo approaches him.>
Frodo: You know the way to Mordor?
Gollum: <nods warily> Yes...
Frodo: You’ve been there before?
Gollum: <nods again> Yes...
<Frodo reaches out and takes the rope noose off Gollum’s neck. Gollum seems surprised and relieved.>
Frodo: You will lead us to the Black Gate.
<Gollum scrambles off in the direction of Morannon and the hobbits follow in his wake.>
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