A/N: OHMIGOSH (again!) Now this story has over 3000 hits!! Thank y'all. My mouth is watering!! (well, it's been doing that for a while). I really DO appreciate your interest! Don't be shy to review as well. I do respond to everyone's review, because if you took the time to write it, I make sure I take the time to answer...So, without more waterfalling, here is Chaper 21. And , of course, "IDNOAC". Enjoy!
His Own Worst Enemy—Chapter 21—Determined Struggle
"Maybe we can use our wrist ray guns on them?" Tucker suggests, panicking.
"There are too many of them!" Sam screams, also panicking.
Jazz, who in the midst of the horror headed their way somehow manages to screw up her normal level-headedness, commands, "Quick, Tucker and Sam, the vines! We need to tie ourselves to the cage! That way, if we—I mean, the cage—gets hit, we won't be thrown around inside like billiard balls!"
The other two, knowing that this is as good a plan as any, quickly go to work. And they finish with a not a moment to lose, as the deafening din of the nearly-upon-them stampede roars in their ears and they cough on the whirlwind of dust that the ghosts' charge has created.
Grabbing the bars and praying, the teens brace themselves, close their eyes and scream at the impact, not daring to watch as their cage is kicked around like a soccer ball.
Finally, the stampede passes and they slowly open their eyes. The first thing they see is-- no bars! The ghost elephant-like thingies have shoved the cage over for them! Forgetting their slight bruises, they excitedly untie themselves and crawl out of the cage.
"Is everyone all right?" Jazz asks, and she retrieves the vine, recoils it and hands it to Tucker, who puts it in his backpack.
"Yeah," both Tucker and Sam in turn say, rubbing their arms.
"Well, then, let's keep going!" The oldest announces.
After a couple of hours of cautiously slow trudging, and not finding—or at least, not setting—any other traps, they come upon a small stream.
"Finally! Water!" Tucker exclaims and he quickly kneels and reaches down into the stream. Cupping his hands, he scoops up some water and washes his face and then drinks. The girls quickly follow his lead, and are also refreshed.
"And I'm starving!" Tucker continues, not missing a beat.
"We're all hungry…and tired," Jazz admits. "But, look," She says, pointing, "We're almost there!"
They resume their journey and they suddenly see another trip wire at eye's height just ahead of them.
"Now what?" Sam sighs.
"Well, it has been a while," Tucker remarks. "I was beginning to think that Skulker had finally run out of those things!"
They approach the wire slowly, inspecting every angle of it. Two large boulders on either side straddle it. And there is obviously impassibly thick shrubbery surrounding the path at this point as well.
"This looks too easy," Sam mutters dryly.
"Well, we can't go around it. We'll just have to take the chance," Jazz replies.
The teens slowly duck under the trip wire, eyeing it and all around it as carefully as they can as they inch forward. But what the threesome didn't see is the electronic eye beaming at the same height as their knees, which, of course, they activate.
Suddenly, Sam hears an odd humming sound. "Everyone down!" She commands, and instinctively they all hit the deck as a shower of red darts sprays all around them.
"Eeyow!" Tucker screams. "I've been hit!"
The girls gasp when they see the dart imbedded in Tucker's leg. They dare not touch it at first, in fear should they inadvertently hurt him more. But after several moments, the girls are sure that the dart has not affected Tucker.
"What gives?" Tucker says, asking himself more than his friends. He reaches down and pulls the dart out of his pants leg. Then reaching in the cargo pants pocket that had been attacked by the dart, he pulls out two granola bars. He laughs, "Well, what do you know? I forgot about my emergency supply of food!"
The girls sigh in relief, while the boy quickly divides the granola bars evenly among them. They all thankfully relish the morsels. Now somewhat refreshed, they continue on their way and finally reach the lava pits at the foot of the volcano.
Sam shivers at the memory and utters, "Major déjà vu for me, too, Tucker! But we need to purge it from our minds and get the blossoms!"
The teens are so relieved and renewed in hope that they are finally near the end of their journey that they do not notice the large plants that line along this final pathway to the volcano. Nor does the trio notice that the plants change their position as the teens pass them, as if tracking the intruders, which, indeed, the plants are doing.
Suddenly, the book in Sam's backpack begins to shake, "What's wrong, my friend?" She asks just as she's hoisted off the ground.
Aaarrghh!" All three of the youths scream as the plants attack.
Jazz immediately fires her wrist ray gun with her free hand and successfully disables several of the plants.
Sam and Tucker, however, are quickly seized and the plants leave them no opportunity to defend themselves.
Jazz continues to blast away at the plant that has her and it quickly surrenders and drops her.
"Hang on, guys!" She yells, but before she can aim at the plants that have Sam and Tucker, another plant grabs her from behind, pinning her arms at her side. Using her legs, she tries to kick it away, but it quickly entangles her feet and then engulfs her. She is now not only helpless in her struggle, but she cannot see her friends anymore.
Suddenly, her blood curdles when she hears the piercing, painful screams of her friends. "Sam! Tucker!" She desperately shrieks, still struggling hard, but the answer she gets is not what she expected. Two beams from two different wrist rays strike at the plant holding her and she's released and falls to the ground.
The two younger teens immediately help her to her feet.
"What happened? Why weren't you eaten?" Jazz asks, stunned.
Sam and Tucker show her their scratched arms and smile.
Tucker announces, "Check it out! Those are ghost-eating plants, and we taste like humans, not ghosts! With just one bite of us, they shuddered and literally spit us out and let us go!"
"Well, I'm glad I didn't have the same opportunity to be nibbled at...or to see if we taste like chicken!" Jazz remarks with a relieved smile. "But are you sure you're all right?"
Her friends nod. Now more focused than ever, the trio knows that they are ready for the last part of their quest.