Chapter Four
Welcome to the Jungle
I continued to make my way through the jungle with every twig snap behind me sending my nerves on edge. I don't know what it was, but something about this place made me paranoid.
"Calm down Sweet Pea." I whispered to myself. I paused for a moment, realizing that I had just called myself Sweet Pea. I shook my head, dismissing it, and continued.
I began to hear rustling in the trees next to me. It sounded as though someone was moving through them, following me… watching me. I quickly brought up my gun, holding it tightly. I looked around, trying to locate the rustling. The sounds were coming from everywhere now.
I then heard a shriek, and something whizzed past my face. My head snapped to the right, seeing a metal arrow lodged in the tree. I spun on my heel, bringing up my gun again. "How's there!" I barked. "Show yourself!"
The response I received was another metal arrow, barely missing my face. I shot in that direction, not sure if I was missing or not and not caring.
Soon, three people emerged from the brush, all of them dressed in leather and metal armor. All three of them were men. One held a bow in his hand; another held a sword, and another with a spear.
"Well well well. What have we here? Another warrior comes to offer herself to our gods?" one asked. "You'll have to get in line sweetheart. We're booked for the next four days."
I didn't respond, pulling my sword from its sheath. "Oh-ho!" another one laughed. "This one's looking to fight us. What do you think boss?"
"I think we should give it to her." the one holding the spear said. He reached out to grab me.
That was his first mistake, with a sharp cry I swung my sword downward on his hand. The warrior cursed. "Son of a bitch!" his hand had come clean off, and he was clutching the bloody stump to his chest. "Get her you morons!"
With them distracted for just a moment, I started running, frantically cutting through vines and branches. That was my first mistake.
I'd failed to pay attention to one of the Wiseman's warnings. Stay away from areas with lots of leaves.
The moment I had stepped on a large leaf, I was lifted off of the ground by a net, dropping both my weapons, and Baby Doll's. "Damn it!" I hissed, trying to untangle myself from the net.
"Where are ya girly!" one of the warriors shouted in the distance. "You can't hide forever."
My heart pounded. I tried to slip my arm through one of the holes in the net to untie it, but I couldn't reach far enough.
"Oh lookie here boss! Looks like our little friend left behind her weapons."
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep as quiet as possible. Suddenly I heard a loud grunting noise, and someone drop to the ground below me. My eye cracked open a bit to see what had gone on. I caught a glance of a dead body, and opened my eyes fully.
All of the warriors were dead.
Below me, I could see a girl picking up the weapons I had dropped, and leaned them up against a tree. She then went over to a low branch where a rope was tied. She undid the loops, and slowly eased the rope up.
Before I knew it, I was back on the ground again, and free of the net. I dusted myself off as I stood up. "Thank you." I said to the girl.
The girl took the weapons in her hands, and turned to me. My breath stopped in my throat.
"R-Rocket?"
The girl smiled at me, and handed me my weapons, strapping Baby Doll's on my back.
"Jena, what are you doing here?" I asked her. She didn't answer me. She placed a finger to her lips, signaling for me to be silent. She then pointed in the distance. Not too far from here, I could see a clearing and some huts.
"Jena come with me." I told her. "We can rescue her together. And then we can go home!"
She shook her head, and mouthed the words, "Not yet."
"Why won't you talk to me?" I asked frantically. She just shook her head again, and took a step back. Then, she started running, off into the brush and out of my sight.
"Jena!" I shouted, the name not seeming to fit her anymore. It was no use. She was gone.
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I shook my head, shaking them away. "Get a hold of yourself Abbie. You can do this."
And with that said, I cautiously made my way towards the clearing.
There were a few other warriors in the camp, but in the very center I could see one hut with its door wide open and unguarded. From where I stood I could see a girl with snowy white pigtails sitting in a chair with her head down.
Baby Doll.
When I was sure that it was clear, I quickly made my way across the clearing, stopping once to duck behind a few barrels, thinking someone might've seen me. Then, taking a deep breath, I ran into the hut.
I quickly closed the door behind me, and walked over to Baby Doll. Her clothing was torn, and her hair was messy. I knelt down in front of her, lifting her head a bit. "Emily?" I asked quietly.
Her eyes were open, but she made no attempt to move. "Emily?" I asked again, more frantic than the first time. "Baby Doll!"
Her head shot up at that. She looked at me for a moment, and then a single tear slid down her cheek. "Sweet Pea?"
I nodded. "I'm here Baby. I'm going to get you out." I said, taking notice that her wrists were tied down to the arms of the chair. I worked to undo to knots.
"You shouldn't have come." Baby Doll whispered.
"Don't say that! Of course I'd come back for you." I said.
"No… Sweet Pea, I mean that….."
"You really shouldn't have come back." A male voice said.
I recognized that voice. I slowly turned around just to be sure. I wish that I hadn't.
Standing there was the tribal leader. Or, as he was known in Lennox, Blue Jones.
"Now, why don't you be a good little girl Sweet Pea, and step away from my little Baby Doll there?" he said with a smirk.
