The Grand Illusion - SixBR
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(Disclaimer: Characters from The Lost World belong respectively to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Telescene, et al. This is for entertainment purposes only. Any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used without permission.)p

Once they made it off the plateau through the passageway, the Amazon beckoned. For Veronica, it really wasn't much different from the plateau except that there were no raptors to watch for.BR
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Somehow they made it, although they did lose Sinta, a guide that had been with them from the beginning. They had been attacked by cannibals and he had fallen from a bridge as he ran across, protecting his wife, who was carrying his child. The loss of Sinta hit them all hard and trying to keep his wife from hysterically going after him had been an ordeal in itself. BR
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The photographic equipement as well as some of their precious photographs of the various dinosaurs had been lost as well and it was only by a miracle that the plant samples were saved. BR
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And then - BR
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London. Bastion of the civilized world where there were still vestiges of the Victorian and the Edwardian. The modern age had arrived, it was true, but there were still the old customs and ways that still clung despite the recent War. BR
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They were recieved with open arms - at least by the Historical Society. The scientific community looked upon the weary travelers with a jaded eye, all the while taking notes on what could be the finds of the century. Evolutionists cheered and Creationists viewed the travelers at the least as misguided souls and at the most, the harbringers of complete and utter disregard for their Creator.BR
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For Veronica, London was a revelation - a jungle in itself. BR
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~Ned had said that to me once..~ she mused as she looked at the tall buildings and the people all about. BR
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Somehow a part of her missed the green of the jungle, the lushness and the scent after a rainy downpour. Flowers scenting the air with it's rich perfume and the hot sun blazing down upon her, tanning her skin a golden brown. BR
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The sun here was not so bright and as a matter of fact, the skies were likely to be a slate grey, sometimes bordering on rain. BR
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London consisted of buildings, although her parents said they did have green countrysides with rolling hills and trees. Veronica wondered if she should believe that or not, seeing as London seemed to be paved with hard cement and cobblestone. BR
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The entire party was rather nervous around the excess of automobiles that seemed to run pell mell along the roads. Veronica's parents knew of automobiles before they had left on their journey but back then, they were few and far between, a novelty and an item for the rich. Now it seemed everyone had one. They had been shocked to hear that it was even worse in America. Their preferred mode of transport was by horse and carriage.BR
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And then they were informed that Sir John Roxton had invited the entire party to his manor to lecture and to a ball in their honor. It was quite a surprise and even more so to Veronica. It substaniated the fact that Roxton had NOT been something she had made up in a fevered dream. She did not mention the fact to her parents although her mother had given her a funny look when they received the invitation. Her father was all for it, for Roxton was well known in the London circles and frankly they could use his support. BR
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They accepted and then the rush to outfit them in proper attire began. Lord Roxton generously provided the means which made Veronica and her parents feel a bit guilty. After all they had been self suffient all those years on the plateau and now to have someone buy the very clothes on their backs..BR
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If Veronica only knew that Marguerite was footing the bill, well she would have laughed..BR
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"Well, what do you think?" Veronica's mother did a graceful turn in her new dress of dark blue satin. Her husband looked on approvingly.BR
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"You look stunning. I shall have to beat the swains off with a stick to dance with you." Tom smiled as he adjusted his tie. BR
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"Humph.." Veronica's mother raised a brow but her eyes sparkled. It had been so long since she had dressed up. BR
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"It's true." Tom swept her up into an imaginary waltz and hummed an old tune - the tune they had courted to so long ago. BR
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"Tom, we don't have time for this - and your tie! You never COULD tie a tie." BR
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She stopped to fuss with his tie and he smiled down at her. BR
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"And you think 20 odd years in the plateau helped?"BR
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"It certainly did not. Now hold still.." BR
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A knock at their door interrupted them. BR
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"Come in." Tom called out. BR
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The door opened and Veronica came in almost shyly, her dress rustling behind her. BR
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"Veronica! You look so lovely!" Her mother exclaimed. BR
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"Is that my little tree climber?" Her father could not believe how grown up Veronica looked. BR
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"Dad..." Veronica blushed but her eyes sparkled. BR
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Her ivory gown was modest but it showed her figure. It was almost old-fashioned in that sense for even in London, fashion was changing. For a ball at Roxton manor, though it was perfect. Her gold hair was piled up high upon her head, small tendrils escaping around her ears. She wore simple earrings and the old necklace that had come from her grandmother. She touched the back of her hair nervously. BR
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~I wonder if Ned will notice how I look?~BR
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A weird sense of deja vu came over her and she remembered that day - Ned's birthday, the party she had arranged and then that girl, Kaya. She - BR
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Veronica lowered her eyes. It still hurt. She KNEW that Ned meant what he had said - that he loved her, but it still hurt that he forgot her so easily.BR
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Oh why was she so convinced that it had even happened?BR
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She raised her eyes to look at her parents and screamed.BR
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In the place of where her handsome parents had been, two decaying corpses stood, their fine clothes rotted and torn, jungle vines weaved through the holes in their clothes. The bones were grey-white and brittle with age. Veronica looked with sick fascination as she saw worms crawl in and out of one of her father's eye sockets. She looked to her mother and saw that it had been a apeman's stone axe that had cleaved her head open. Veronica backed away in terror. BR
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"No..no..oh no..not after I found you.." BR
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"Veronica?" Strong arms shook her shoulders gently.BR
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"Wha - ?" She blinked and the vison of death disappeared. BR
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Her father was in front of her, his face concerned. BR
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"Are you alright? You looked pale for a moment." BR
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"I - I'm fine.." Veronica blinked again. Her father was alive and whole. BR
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Her mother fluttered about her worriedly. "Are you sure? Perhaps it's all this excitement." BR
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Veronica gave her mother a look. "Mother, after what we've went through on the plateau, you ask me that? I'm all right, really. I guess I'm just nervous."BR
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Odd. They had not heard her scream.BR
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Her mother smiled slightly. "I know, dear. I think we all are. Your father is very nervous. After all he will be the one to give the lecture."BR
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"You had to remind me?" Her husband raised an eyebrow.BR
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"Here, Veronica, take a sip of some juice. I think it will help." Her mother handed her a glass of berry juice from out of nowhere. It was almost like a magic trick. BR
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"No, I'm really not thirsty.."BR
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"Come now. Be a good girl.." Her mother wheedled.BR
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~She resists. The gods will not be pleased..~BR
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And suddenly she was drinking the juice as if she had wanted to all along. Veronica smiled. BR
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"Perhaps I did need that after all." BR
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"Of course dear." Her mother smiled. "Now, shall we go?" BR
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"Ah, I am a very lucky man - escorting two of the lovliest ladies in Londontown." Her father extended his arms and the two women each took one. BR
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"Oh you." Her mother laughed. "You only say that because it's true." BR
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They all laughed as they made their way downstairs....BR
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