Three through two for one

Sam hurried to set his master once again on the path Gollum made through the desolate land. No life had followed them into this vale of death. A vision of his garden taunted Sam again, with the color of new leaves, the perfume of fresh flowers, and the chirping of young birds that nested above them. Here, among moss and mud, all Sam had was silence. Silence and the stench that grew stronger with each step. Death smelled better than this rot. And yet they were days from Mordor. How much worse could – would that land be?

Sam cast his eyes about, checked on Mr. Frodo, then returned to his watch of Gollum. Since his sudden switch in temperament, Sam’s suspicions of the creature ran deeper than ever. He could never trust that gleam in even a hobbit’s eye, and this was no hobbit. Promise or no promise, he was not above betrayal, no, sir. He may act like a pup for Mr. Frodo, but to him, ‘the fat one,’ the thing showed its truer face. And promise on whatever you like, Sam would catch him before he finished his fiendish act, and that was Sam’s promise!

Sam pondered once again how Mr. Frodo had known how to sway Gollum, but he knew it was the Ring as was likely how. A whisper he tried to shush away told him the Ring was a bigger haunt for his master than Sam cared to believe. He shivered again at the memory of Frodo’s eyes, suddenly lit with a strange light, as he dragged the oath from Gollum. It was like looking at the Ring itself. Like the Ring was in Frodo as well as around his neck. How would he get rid of that part, if they ever got where they were going?

***

Thank you for reading! And now for the quiz: Do you know what are the three, two, and one?