Chapter Three

Pippin Tells Merry His Story

"Pippin?" Merry asked, walking outside. "Pippin?" he called. No answer. "Pip!"

"Over here!"

"Pippin, what the hell are you doing?" Merry asked walking over to him and sitting down next to him.

"I can't do it, Merry. I can't listen to that bastard's lies any longer."

"Pippin!"

"It's true. Don't scold me. I ran away just to get away from him!"

"Where did you go?"
"Bree."

"Bree?" Merry asked, shocked. "Why Bree?"

"Because,"

"Because why?"

"It was the place with Hobbits could live where no one knew me. No one knew who I was. I wanted to get away."

"You caused a lot of commotion after you left."

"I'll bet. Being the Thain's son and all," Pippin said, bitterly.

"What I'm trying to say is, there's a lot of people who care about you."

'Who?"

"Me, my parents, Frodo, Sam, we all went looking for you, Pip. Now I think it's high time you got out of this little attitude shell you're in."

"This is how I am, Merry. Nobody, not even... him, can change me."

"You used to love life. You used to-"

"As bad as Bree is, you'd be surprised how people change after living there for 17 years. I fended for myself. I had to steal food-literally! You don't know me anymore."

"You're right, I don't." Merry said, and left. Pippin just sat there. He didn't know what to do. He just sat there and cried.