The Princess Edd
Chapter Eleven
A large creature approached the lightning sand pit, smelling the presence of two fresh pieces of meat. His nose brought him to the lightning sand pit, where a taut vine was stretched down from a branch into the lightning sand. Sniffing the lightning sand, he could tell that the meat had fallen into the lightning sand and was out of reach. Enraged at having lost a chance at a meal for the first time in years, he stomped off for a measly morsel of bonefish from the boiling marshes.
Had he lingered for but a moment longer, he could've captured a larger prey; Marie hoisted Edd from the lightning sand on the vine, both of them coughing and gasping for breath. They sprawled out in the leafy soil, brushing the sand from their bodies and straining to catch their breath. Growls could be heard from behind the trees, and Edd's panting broke into whimpers.
"We'll never succeed. We may as well die here."
Marie shook her head. "No, we've already succeeded." She helped Edd to his feet and continued walking. "There are three terrors in the Fire Swamp. First are the flame spurts; no problem. There's a popping sound preceding each; we can avoid those. Next is the lightning sand, but you were clever enough to discover what that looks like, so in the future, we can avoid that, too."
Edd caught an eye behind a tree. "What about the R.O.U.S.s?"
"Rodents Of Unusual Size?" Marie scoffed. "I don't think they exist."
As if on cue, an ROUS jumped Marie, pinning her to the ground. Her gun fell out of her shirt pocket and landed out of reach against a tree root. Marie fought to wrestle the giant rat's gaping maw from her face, in the process putting her arm in it. She beat the rodent away between two trees and reached for her gun, putting Edd in the path of the giant rat.
"MARIE!"
She was quick to grab hold of the rodent's tail, arresting its advance on Edd. He took the opportunity to grab a log, which he used to push the rat away from him. Tripping backward over a tree root, his foot got clamped between the rodent's teeth until it went for Marie. The ivory stakes went through her shoulder until a popping sound resonated from the center of the clearing. Rolling toward the sound, the flame spurt belched out on the rat, wounding it.
Dragging herself to her dropped gun, Marie grabbed it as the rat recovered from the fire.
BANG! The rat collapsed on its frontside.
BANG! The rat's head fell to the ground.
BANG! The rat stopped moving.
Marie turned to Edd straining to stand straight. Edd wrapped his arm around her, and they headed for the exit in view.
Marie's strength returned by the time the grass appeared at their feet.
A relieved smile reached Edd's face. "We did it!"
Marie laughed. "Now, was that so terrible?"
Before Edd could answer, the sound of a helicopter being vacated resonated from the woods.
Kevin stood at the foot of the trail ahead of the duo surrounded by his entourage. "Surrender."
"You mean you wish to surrender to me?" Marie drew a gun in each hand. "Very well, I accept."
Kevin laughed. "I'll give you full marks for bravery; don't make yourself a fool."
Edd watched as the soldiers surrounded him and Marie as the latter spoke to Kevin. "Ah, but how will you capture us? We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp; we can live there quite happily for some time, so whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit."
"I tell you once again: surrender!" Kevin watched as his soldiers aimed their weapons at Marie.
"Will not happen!" Marie pointed her guns at Kevin.
Kevin repeated her actions. "For the last time: SURRENDER!"
"DEATH FIRST!"
"WAIT!" Edd jumped between Marie and Kevin before turning to the latter. "Will you promise not to hurt her?"
The two responded together. "What was that?"
"If we surrender and I return to you, will you promise not to hurt this woman?"
Kevin lowered his weapons. "May I live a thousand years and never hunt again."
"She is an aviator on the airplane Revenge. Promise to return her to her crew."
"I swear it will be done." Kevin signaled for his men to pack away their weapons before doing so himself.
He returned to the helicopter, where Rolf was waiting. "Once we're out of sight, take her back to Peach Creek and throw her in the Pit of Despair."
Rolf nodded. "Rolf swears it will be done."
On the other side of the helicopter, Edd was talking to Marie. "I thought you were dead once, and it almost destroyed me. I could not bear it if you died again; not when I could save you."
The helicopter started up and flew away with Edd in tow, leaving Rolf and his four henchmen to "escort" Marie.
"Come, madam; we must get you to your vessel."
Marie laughed. "We are people of action; lies do not become us."
Rolf smiled. "Well spoken, madam."
As the soldiers tied her hands behind her back, Marie's eyes drifted down, where she saw Rolf's overly large shoes. Marie was able to deduce Rolf's shoe size by the stitched number on the toes.
Rolf noticed the smirk on Marie's face. "What is it?"
"You're wearing size 16 shoes. Someone was looking for you."
Rolf flicked a tranquilizer dart at her breast, and she was out like a light.