A/N: Aug 21, 2012: This story is now in the process of being revamped and edited. The general plot will stay the same, but there will be a few minor tweaks. Hope you enjoy! And I hope you'll let me know what you think! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lost World.
Chapter 1:
"It's been three long years since we lost you, Summerlee," Challenger stated, sorrowfully. "And there is not a single day that passes by that we don't think of you."
"I second that," Malone added, solemnly.
"As do I," Roxton said.
Marguerite and Veronica nodded their heads in agreement.
It was the three year anniversary of that fateful day Summerlee had gone over the waterfall and had disappeared from their lives. Our adventurers were gathered around the dried up waterfall, in a spot just before it would have dropped over a cliff. They each had brought some flowers to lay there as memorial to the older scientist.
"We miss you so very much!" Marguerite said heartily.
"And we wish you were still with us," Veronica concluded.
After a moment of silence where each of our explorers remembered the kind man, they began to turn around to leave the area when a twig snapped nearby. Roxton, our great hunter with keen hearing, heard the noise. He motioned to everyone to be quiet as he whispered to all of them, "Cannibals."
Cannibal camps had surrounded the whole area of late. So it had been very risky of them to come on this journey.
Suddenly, without warning, a dart flew right past Roxton's head to stick in the pack on his back. He pulled it out, looking at it gravely, and gave it a good whiff. "Poison," he announced grimly.
"Oh, this is not good. What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Marguerite asked Roxton frantically. Her gun was quick to come out, and she pointed it into the trees surrounding them.
"We'll stand our ground," Roxton said, matter-of-fact-ly.
"Yes, listen to Roxton, he always has good plans," Challenger said reassuringly, and then realizing what the plan was he exclaimed, fearfully, "Stand our ground, are you insane!"
"If we run they'll stick us with darts, so I'm with Roxton," Malone agreed, nodding his head.
"I think there's about twenty of them," Veronica added, somberly.
It seemed that the cannibals had had enough of waiting. They were hungry and were tired of waiting for the five explorers to make the first move. So, with little delay, five of them charged at them.
Quick as can be, four bullets and a knife took care of them. But true to Veronica's word, there were more of them. Ten cannibal men ran out at them. Once again, five of them were shot, but the other five kept after them. Each explorer took a man and fought.
Roxton and Veronica had no trouble with their opponents. Marguerite just knocked hers down to the ground and then shot it. Malone was using his rifle as a club and was beating the cannibal down. He then gave him a good kick and knocked the cannibal out. Challenger was maneuvering around his opponent and when he got around him he knocked him over the head.
"Who's next?" Marguerite yelled out.
The last five came charging at them. Two of them carried spears, two had knives and one had a club. Marguerite took the one with the club. Malone and Veronica each took a knife-wielding cannibal. And the last two went to Challenger and Roxton.
Marguerite lured him closer to the trees. She planned on using the trees as a defense. Challenger and Malone had thought the same. Veronica and Roxton stayed out in the open.
Malone pulled out his knife and declared, "I'm ready for you!" And he charged at the man.
Marguerite was maneuvering around the trees and was doing just fine. She threw punches and kicks and was winning her battle. Challenger was doing the same with the help of a long branch he'd found; he was using it to defend himself from the spear wielding man.
Roxton wasn't doing as well. The cannibal had a spear, too, which was a great advantage. They were getting closer and closer to the edge of the waterfall. The cannibal hit Roxton with the spear and knocked him down. He held the spear to Roxton's neck and was trying to push Roxton over the edge.
Veronica was also having trouble. She had lost her own knife but she'd managed to kick the knife out of her opponent's hand, making the fight a little fairer. But this made her vulnerable and the cannibal quickly reached for her neck and began choking her. They fell to the ground and were about to fall off the edge.
Malone's cannibal had just knocked him to the ground. He fell flat on his back, when the cannibal charged for him. Ned instinctively stuck his legs out and pushed the man to the ground. He got up and quickly kicked the man in the head knocking him out.
Malone saw that Marguerite was having trouble. Her opponent had just clubbed her arm, possibly breaking it. He had her up against a tree and was just about to club her in the head. Ned quickly ran up behind him. He tapped the man-eater on the shoulder. When he turned around he gave proceeded to punch him in the face. This also knocked him out.
"Thank you, Malone," Marguerite exclaimed as she gave him a breathless hug, forgetting all about her arm in the process. "Ouch, damn it, I think it's broken."
Malone took a look at it and confirmed that it was broken. They were about to run back to the others when Marguerite took a step and cried out in pain.
"What's wrong?" Malone asked concernedly.
"My foot, I think it's broken, too," she replied in pain. "That monster stomped on it pretty hard."
"I'll have to carry you over to the others," Malone stated gallantly.
He proceeded to pick her up much to her embarrassment.
"Malone, no, no, it's not necessary," Marguerite objected.
"I insist," he replied, grunting with the effort. He gave her a smile that silenced her.
So, instead of running back, they walked with Marguerite in Malone's arms.
Meanwhile, Challenger had just finished off his cannibal and was running back to help Veronica and Roxton. Roxton was fighting a seemingly losing battle. He was half way over the edge of the cliff. And there was no help insight.
Challenger, Marguerite and Malone were just making it back to witness a disastrous scene.
Roxton's cannibal towered over him as he lay precariously close to the edge. The enemy pulled back his leg and swung it forward. It made impact in Roxton's side, the force of it enough to send him over the ledge. Before he could fall, quickly, he grabbed on to the cannibal's leg hoping to stay his plunge into the abyss. But, his weight was too much for the cannibal to handle on his already unsteady legs. And, with a sickening howl, both Roxton and the cannibal disappeared over the edge.
Marguerite and the others were there to witness the terrible scene.
Her scream of, "No!" was probably heard far and wide.
She practically jumped out of Malone's arms and ran as best as she could toward the edge, not feeling her foot a single bit only the pain in her heart.
Veronica was distracted momentarily by all this and was overpowered by her enemy. The cannibal pushed her over the edge. Malone saw this and he ran as quick as he could, hoping there was some way he could catch her before she disappeared forever.
The cannibal had other plans. Two of their meals having been lost to them, he wasn't about to lose anymore. The cannibal made to attack him, but Ned was ready with his gun. He shot the man over and over and over again until there were no bullets left.
Reaching the edge, there was no sign of Veronica. He had half a mind to jump after her. But a strong hand on his shoulder stilled him in his tracks. Malone looked over his shoulder to see a stricken with grief Challenger behind him, giving him a firm shake of his head.
Malone couldn't bear it. He fell to the ground and the tears soon overwhelmed him. He could hear Marguerite close by, making awful grief-filled noises. How could this have happened? he wondered to himself. They'd lost both Roxton and Veronica in matter of minutes.
Challenger walked over to Marguerite, bent down and hugged her close as she shook with the force of her sobs. The sound of the jungle was muted and all that could be heard was the sound of their weeping as they grieved for their loved ones.
First chapter, done. :)