Tomb Raider:

The Adventures of Lara Croft

Book 1-Curse of the Scorpion

Chapter 52 – Whatever happened to…

"Should be alroight…". His words echoed softly in the back of her mind as all else around her fell into darkness. Deep… Impenetrable… Soundless… Darkness. More exhausted than she would ever have admitted, she would have taken the first watch shift had Adam not insisted otherwise. Consider how quickly she'd gone under, it was a good call on his part.

"Should be alroight…". That's what he'd said before leaving to get more wood for the fires. Should be alright. Should.

Should.

Now in situations like these; SHOULD, was never really how things worked out was it?

To avoid further incidents, or at least to avoid being completely caught off guard should their attackers choose to strike again under the cover of night, they had all agreed that sleeping in shifts would be the best precaution to take. Well, considering they had little else at their disposal… numbers were certainly not their strong point right now. Not anymore at least. They were also running low on ammunition as no one had forseen that they would need so much to keep these creatures at bay. Even with all their shooting, they had barely wounded the larger scorpions enough to get them to back off. This really was turning out to be a cluster fuck of an adventure wasn't it?

But… it wasn't over, not just yet. If they only knew… would they have opted to travel in the darkness, towards the village and take their chances? Would it of helped at all? To get aid from the village in retrieving their fallen comrades or… would the village have even allowed others to aid at all? Would they have survived the long trek in the darkness and made good time by first light? Or would the creatures have picked them off, one by one, until there was no one left to say what happened? There's no way to know… because all of that, they didn't do.

They slept in shifts, stayed close by the fire, guns at the ready and ever alert. How could they have known what was to happen? They couldn't have predicted such a sudden turn of events…

The night wore on, the fires flickered in the darkness and the soft whispers of the two escorts who remained awake were lost in the sound of the surrounding jungle.

One checked his guns again while the other put more wood on the fire before bringing a few branches over to the second fire; the one next to where Adam and Lara were sleeping. Neither stirred as the escort arranged the wood, his stare lingered on both before shifting his gaze outwards… towards the jungle. It seemed quiet but… it had seemed quiet before as well.

Deep in slumber the tomb raider and the guide were not disturbed, though the escort could see that both held a gun tightly in their right hand. He smiled softly at this discovery; even resting they were ready to jump at the first sign of danger. It eased him somewhat, to know that they; the remaining three escorts, were not alone in this. It felt good to know that someone was watching their back. Hell, Lara and Adam were even sleeping on the outskirts so that if anything attacked… they'd be on the frontlines. You couldn't ask for more than that.

As the escort wandered back to the inner fire, "At least THEY know to be prepared…". The man cast another weary glance into the distance, almost expecting to see signs of anything… while desperately hoping not to. "…for anything.". His words lingered as he re-took his seat across from the other man.

"How is he?". The second escort motioned towards the third, who was younger and appeared to be the most traumatized of the three survivors. Yet, he had been the quieter of the three as well.

"Finally asleep…". The first escort replied, poking at the fire with a branch.

"Did you check his wounds?". The second questioned, almost hesitantly.

"No… he wouldn't let me.". The first replied, still appearing to concentrate on the fire.

"Still?!". The second, arching his brow, stared over at the sleeping form of the third escort. "It could be infected… we could check it now?".

"No…". The first escort shook his head, eyes meeting the second's. "…it would surely wake him and… anyway, if it hurt badly enough, he's shown no sign of it bothering him. Best to leave the young one sleep…".

The second nodded in reply, turning to face the fire… staring into the flames seemed to ease his mind.

The night wore on… it seemed like forever, by they were a desert people and knew that this was not true. Looking up at the sky, at the position of the stairs and feeling the temperature around them… they knew it couldn't have been more than two or three hours. Their shift was far from over and yet, they knew that Lara and Adam would not have denied them sleep if the escorts suddenly felt they needed it.

"Best let them sleep too…". The first escort mumbled as the second stared across at them, almost answering a question that was not even asked. "Both are far better shots, we will need them rested. I fear we have not seen the last of those monstrosities.".

The second escort, half smiled at the mention of Lara and Adam being the better shots. "We are not going to mention that a man with a broken arm rescued us… he is not even an explorer. He is guide. He has never even come this far before… he is like us, only…".

"Only he has fared much better than any of us, has rescued us, has shown more courage than any guide I have ever seen and… he has done all that WITH a broken arm. Not many would have even last thing long, let alone still be sane enough to function properly.". The first escort spoke, defending Adam's position.

"Fine… fine… still… they will think us cowards back at the village.". The second escort shot back, determined to not be labelled.

"Hahahaha… you would prefer we simply say that we were rescued and outdone by a woman perhaps?". The first escort grinned teasingly as he lightened the mood.

"No I…", the second escort began, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly as he understood the point the first was clearly making. Just because they had guns, didn't make them courageous. And just because Adam was a guide and not an explorer, didn't make him any less brave or admirable. And just because Lara was a woman, didn't make her any less brave, resourceful and a complete force of brutal nature. "Well… she is pretty impressive.".

The first escort just laughed, poking at the fire again. "Uh-huh…".

"…for a woman.". The second added, still being stubborn about retaining some semblance of dignity.

"Riiiiiight…", the first escort grinned.

The two escorts talked quietly after that.

"Exactly, is what I told them but- ARG!", the second guide flinched as he felt a sharp jolt in his left lower leg. "What the…".

"What? You burned yourself? I told you not to leave your leg too close to fire… embers jump when the wood cracks due to the heat.". The first escort explained.

"No I… is not that. My leg it… ARG! There it is again! What is this?!". The second escort, a pained and frantic look on his face, reached for his leg.

"What?! You hurt?!". The first was on his feet instantly, eyes focused on the second escort's leg.

"My leg it… it stings!". The second exclaimed, grasping at the place on his leg where he had been bitten.

"Bah! Is all?!". The first escort waved his hands at the second and sat back down without showing much concern.

"But it stings…".

"Of course, mine too. But you do not see me complaining about it like a child.". The first replied, shrugging his shoulders as he motioned to his own leg.

"You mean… yours stings too? But… it hurts.". The second, a confused expression on his face, stared questioningly at the other man.

"You took the antidote right?".

"Right.".

"Is no longer bleeding right?".

"Right.".

"Then stop complaining. Is normal to sting… antidote must work the bloodstream to treat the venom.". The first escort smiled reassuringly, "Is not miracle cure.".

"Ah… yes… I…", the second escort began before bowing his head. "…nevermind.".

No one knows how long it was before the marks on both survivors began to sting with a greater intensity than before. A searing feeling, a bloodletting pain that neither had ever experienced before was more overwhelming than words could explain. They hissed and flinched and cursed in their native tongue. Then a moment's silence as the pain receded only to strike again and with a higher intensity.

The silence was broken and there, in the dead of night, the two began to argue. Within moments, their arguing began to stir the others. Almost instantly, Lara and Adam awaken to more than a heated argument… they awaken to a brutal fight.

"Oh shit!". Adam exclaims as he and Lara start towards the quarrelling escorts.

"What now…". Lara sighs in frustration, "As if we didn't have enough problems without fighting amongst ourselves over…". Casting a curious glance towards Adam.

Adam just grinned with a shrug, "Hey don't ask me love, I was asleep too.".

They approach the shouting escorts with certain degree of caution, they are still armed and presumably on edge. Maybe the stress and dire circumstances of their present reality had finally hit them… hard.

The two escorts continue to argue, the body language radiating pure aggression and rage. Neither seeming like they would back down from whatever the two were unsettled about.

"Alroight alroight, enough of this mates. Calm down…". Adam holds out his right hand, showing that he didn't mean then any harm. It was a show of reassurance and hopefully, would keep himself from getting pulled into anything physical.

"Break it up boys, this is neither the time nor place for losing one's head.". Lara added, following suit with Adam.

Little good it did… the two escorts continued to argue in their native tongue. Words that were chained together and laced with such thick accents that neither Adam nor Lara could make out just what they were even arguing about.

It was then that they noticed, while they tried to talk the two escorts down, it was almost as if neither could hear them. Lara and Adam could be invisible for all either escort was concerned; both acted as if Lara and Adam weren't even there at all.

That's when it happened…

When all the arguing suddenly escalated into something more; when words of aggression were simply not enough, they resorted to physical actions and… blood.

It happened so quickly, almost like a blur.

The scent of fresh blood…

The agonizing scream as sharp metal tore through warm flesh…

One escort stabs the other in the throat… a sudden end to the argument. Silence, followed by the gurgled sounds of blood… a vain attempt at one's last breath as the murdered escort fades out.

But that was not the end… far from it.

A gunshot echoes into the night as another life is ended… and their world goes dark. But in truth, they had slipped away seconds before the shot and the sound is lost on them.

Both escorts, the two who had been standing watch, now lay lifeless by the fire. Lara and Adam stare in bewilderment, it had happened so fast that their bodies were still progressing what their minds had already registered.

Whatever happened to "should be alroight"?

What Lara and Adam hadn't noticed was the third survivor, the youngest of the three. He had been so silent that no one even noticed when he'd woken up. In all honesty, no one had even been paying attention regarding him. That is, not until he claimed it all for himself.

The third survivor, he who had been silent until mere seconds ago, had been the one to suddenly shoot the stabber in the head with the guide's gun; Adam's gun.

It was then that Lara and Adam were launched into defense mode. "Adam?...". Lara questioned, her fingertips brushing against the hilts of her twin pistols.

"I don't know… I… I don't even know how… It… I…". Adam couldn't provide an answer, for it made no sense. He'd slept with his gun clutched firmly in his right hand, close to him. He would have felt it, woken up if anyone had tried to take it from him. So... why wasn't his gun on him? And… since when? When did the third survivor get it? When would he have gotten the chance? And most importantly… why?

The stabber, the one who was shot, doesn't make it. The shot was timed, well placed, and lethal in accuracy. The third survivor had meant to kill him… though an expression of defeat and vacancy spread across his face. He had meant to kill the stabber and yet, he did appear to feel guilt and sadness over it. He had killed a man and yet, he hadn't wanted to.

The third and now only survivor is tied up for the rest of the night as a precaution… they can't let him wander around freely. Not after what had seemed to befall the two deceased escorts, not after the events that led to their demise and certainly not after what the third survivor had done. How he'd gotten ahold of Adam's gun was still uncertain… but they couldn't take any chances of a repeat.

He rambled through the night…

Whatever happened to "should be alroight", indeed.

*Aven*

Hey guys! Happy Canada Day! (to those also from Canada) and Happy Monday to everyone else! Just wanted to say thanks for all the continued support and interest in my story and a great big thanks for the new follows and favorites! Always makes my day and brightens it when it's going to hell! Things are getting interesting and greatly suspicious in our little tale… wonder how that third survivor got ahold of the gun because… last the other two escorts saw/knew, Adam had it in his hand.

Gotta love little mystery events! =^-^=