[Frodo is in the water and sees many faces of the dead, no longer still but screaming and grasping, their rotten robes and hair flowing about their gruesome faces. Their hands are reaching for him. Suddenly he is grabbed from behind.
Frodo sputters and gasps for air as Gollum pulls him out of the water.]
FRODO:
[Looks at Gollum in perplexed gratitude and disbelief.] Gollum...
GOLLUM:
Don’t follow the lights! [Crawls away]
SAM:
[Runs to Frodo’s side.] Mr. Frodo! Are you alright?
[Frodo lies panting, staring after Gollum] [NIGHTFALL Sam is asleep but Frodo is still awake.
He is holding the Ring in the palm of his hand and stroking it, mesmerized.
Suddenly he hears Gollum.]
GOLLUM:
Sooo bright. Sooo beautiful. [Frodo quickly puts the Ring back inside his shirt. He looks up to see Gollum crouching away from him, stroking the centre of his palm] our preciousss...
FRODO:
What did you say?
GOLLUM:
Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength.
FRODO:
[Moves over and crouches in front of Gollum] Who are you?
GOLLUM:
Mustn’t ask us. Not its business. *Gollum, Gollum*
FRODO:
Gandalf told me you were one of the River Folk.
GOLLUM:
Cold be heart and hand and bone. Cold be travellers far from home.
FRODO:
He said your life was a sad story.
GOLLUM:
They do not see what lies ahead, when sun has failed and moon is dead.
FRODO:
You were not so very different from a hobbit once, were you... Sméagol?
GOLLUM:
[Looks up slowly.] What did you call me?
FRODO:
That was your name once, wasn’t it?
A long time ago.
GOLLUM:
My name... My name... S... S...Sméagol… [Suddenly, the piercing cries of the Nazgûl are heard overhead]