"Can someone please help me up? I'm stuck!" I whimpered. I found that Pippin had landed on top of me. "Oh, Hello, Brianna! It's nice to see you again!" he said.

"Pippin, you should probably get off of me. You know, because I'm sick and I wouldn't want you to get sick, either." I chuckled nervously.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Sometimes I can be a bit clumsy." Pippin chuckled as well. I think 'Sometimes' is a bit of an understatement.

Pippin had carefully lifted himself off of me and brushed off all of the dirt on his jacket. Someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind. It was Frodo.

His arms were crossed and his eyebrows raised. Something seemed to have been bothering him. "Pippin! What do you think you are doing?" "Oh, Frodo, I was just....um...I...was..."

"If I ever catch you doing that, I will never forgive you. Stay away from her. Understand?" "What did I do?" The young hobbit asked.

Frodo had ignored Pippin and rushed over to me to see if I was hurt. "Oh, dear." He said quietly. "You have quite a few bruises on your leg and you have a large bump on the back of your head. Would you like me to fetch you your walking stick?" I nodded my head.

After Frodo had brought me back my walking stick, I found myself sneezing uncontrollably. My stomach hurt so bad I could barely walk. I collapsed to the ground. "Brianna? Brianna!" Frodo cried. "My darling, are you alright? Please tell me!" "I can't move. It...It hurts. My stomach....I can't..."

"Stay here, I'll go and get Sam."

Luckily, Sam was standing right next to him. "What do you need, Mr. Frodo? Is something wrong?" Frodo's eyes were on the verge of tears. "Sam, It's Brianna. Her sickness has gotten worse. She cannot get up. Can you help her? Please? Please, Sam?" Frodo Begged.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Frodo. Don't you worry one bit. I'll take good care of her. She'll be safe with me."

"Oh, Sam. I don't know how I can thank you for your kindness." Frodo Smiled. "I'm glad I can trust you."

"You don't have to thank me, Mr. Frodo. It's the least I can do."

Sam gently lifted me off of the ground and carried me in his arms and held tightly onto the back of Sam's neck. "Thank you." I whispered. "Thank you, Sam."

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took!" Sam exclaimed. "That was just a detour." Added Merry. "A shortcut." "A shortcut to what?"
"Mushrooms!" Pippin blurted out.

Merry and Pippin spotted a bunch of mushrooms that sat at the edge of the road and yanked them from out of the ground.

Where was Frodo off to? I noticed that he was standing in the middle of the road, staring off into the distance. A fierce wind blew across the path, sending a bunch of leaves flying through the air.

"Get off the road! Quick!" He screamed in terror.

Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam (who was still carrying me) had dashed off I the trail and we found a hiding spot underneath the roots of an old tree.

"What's....happening?" I coughed. "Hush, Brianna." Sam whispered in my ear. "Be very quiet."

Frodo peered over Merry's shoulder and gazed fearfully at me. Was he worried that I might get hurt? Or even worse, killed? His eyes turned a bright blue and his lips were quivering. "I'm sorry." Frodo said under his breath. "I'm sorry." He repeated.

I could hear the sound of hooves clamping down on the ground. Then, there was the sound of footsteps. I could sense that some otherworldly being was following us and we were being watched.

The being was dressed in black robes. It had sharp claws like knives and no face could be seen. The being made a chilling hissing noise as it approached the tree. Was this one of the servants of the dark lord, Sauron who was looking for the Ring?

Sam had noticed that Frodo was trying to take the ring from out of his coat pocket and he had an urge to put it on. Oh, no. We're done for!
Merry shook Frodo and the temptation for him to put on the ring slowly faded. That was a close one.

The hooded being hopped back onto his horse and rode off into the distance. I knew from that moment that my life was never going to be the same and there was no escape.