Chapter Two

The group watch as Jena disappears, Roxton, Marguerite and Challanger are amazed by what they see but Malone and Veronica are not fazed.

CHALLANGER: How did that happen?

MALONE: We don't know, the same thing happened last time.

ROXTON: What do you mean last time?

He shifts uncomferatbly and explains what happens.

CHALLANEGR: She dies and is reborn each time?

MARGUERITE: Not as fancy as it sounds when you keep getting shot.

ROXTON: The man that we left on the hill maybe he can tell us what's going on .

They hurry back to the hill and find that Robert and the dead man were.

MARGUERITE: How can they not be here?

MALONE: How can the woman have disappeared?

MARGUERITE: Point taken.

VERONICA: Over there, a village.

CHALLANGER: I can't see anything.

They walk closer to where she's pointing.

ROXTON: The village has blended into it's surroundings...Maybe they know what's going on.

A small stream is running parralell to the village a young boy is playing near the water. The group walk towards him and when he see's them he runs into the village shouting.

ROXTON: Be ready for trouble.

A group of elders walk out of the village carrying spears.

MARGUERITE: Not a very civilised way to meet the neighbours.

The elders stop a hundred yards in front of them.

ELDER #1: Leave.

ROXTON: We just want to talk.

ELDER #1: No talk, you all leave.

ROXTON: We want to ask you about...Jena.

The elders gasp and back away in fear.

ELDER #1: Jena is dead.

MALONE: We know that a man shot her ten minutes ago.

ELDER #1: No, Jena died 400 years ago.

MALONE: You must be mistaken.

MARGUERITE: (To Malone) just go along with what he says they don't look like the sort of people who like to be contradicted.

CHALLANGER: She's right, it might be the only way to gain access to their village.

ROXTON: (To Elder #1) Maybe you could tell us what happened inside?

The elders discussed this idea between themselves in their native language and finally turns to Roxton and nods.

ELDER #1: You come...

He points to Roxton, Malone and Challanger.

ELDER #1: The women stay here.

MARGUERITE: I don't think so.

The elders look shocked that a even woman talked to them let alone contradicted them.

ELDER #1: Women do not enter the village...Our neighbours tribe will allow you to stay there.

ROXTON: Why can't they enter the village?

A deep voice talks from the back of the elders.

ELDER #2: To let them enter would be sacrilage.

VERONICA: Where's the other tribe?

MARGUERITE: What do you think your doing, we don't have to leave.

VERONICA: If we don't we won't learn anything at all, the other tribe might know something.

MARGUERITE: Fine.

She agrees but doesn't look happy with the idea.

ROXTON: We meet back here in 1 hour.

ELDER #1: The tribe is 10 minutes walk from here keep travelling west until you come to a fork in the path then continue on the left path for the remainder of the journey.

VERONICA: Thanks.

MARGUERITE: For nothing...While your there ask them why their english is so good.

Roxton nods.

ROXTON: Good luck...1 hour no more.

The men walk over to the elders who escort them into the village once their out of sight Marguerite and Veronica make their way over to the other tribe.

MARGUERITE: I hope the other people are friendlier than them.

VERONICA: If women aren't allowed in the village then why was Jena there?

MARGUERITE: A lot can change in 400 hundred years maybe it was different back then.

They continue walking until they come to the fork in the road.

VERONICA: He said right didn't he?

MARGUERITE: It doesn't look very welcoming...It's changed since I came here last.

Veronica looks at her confused.

VERONICA: You've been here before?

MARGUERITE: No, I don't know why I said that...Can we just get going? We don't want to waste any time.

They start walking again taking the left fork.

MARGUERITE: Stop, somethings not right.

Veronica stops a few seconds later, She instinctively reaches for her knife.

VERONICA: What is it?

MARGUERITE: Get out of there now.

VERONICA: What do you mean? Out of where?

MARGUERITE: Quicksand.

Veronica looks around and finds herself sinking as she tries to get out.

VERONICA: Help me out.

Marguerite lies down and reaches for Veronica's hand.

VERONICA: Don't let go...Pull me out.

She drags Veronica out of the quicksand.

VERONICA: How did you know about that?

MARGUERITE: De ja vu.

VERONICA: That man led us here, if you hadn't have told me about that...

MARGUERITE: Well now you and Malone have something in common.

VERONICA: What's that?

MARGUERITE: You both nearly died in quicksand.

VERONICA: We should go before something else happens.

They turn around and see a group od women in front of them.

MARGUERITE: Too late.

* * * * * *

The hut that Roxton. Malone and Challanger are sitting in is small and cramped for the amount of people that are in there.

MALONE: I guess these things are only made for one.

A fire burns near the door and as Elder #2 enters the flames flicker and almost blow out. He ignore this and sits down across from the others.

ELDER #2: What do you want from us?

ROXTON: We want to know about the woman that we saw.

ELDER #2: Tell me what you know first.

Roxton looks at him not wanting to divulge what they know when he knows nothing about them.

ELDER #2: I cannot answer your questions until I know what you saw.

MALONE: The first time I saw this woman, Jena was when I...shot her I killed a raptor and the bullet killed her too.

ROXTON: The second time my friends and I saw her arguing with two men...

ELDER #2: Peter and Robert.

ROXTON: And then another man ran out of the trees...

ELDER #2: Markh.

ROXTON: Peter shot Markh and then chased Jena then he shot her minutes later.

ELDER #2: That is how it happens every time...The vicious cycle will only be broken when Jena survies and saves Markh.

CHALLANGER: Cycle?

ELDER #2: Yes, Jena was to be married to Peter a noble of the tribe but Markh interfeared, he loved Jena also. In a jeolous rage Peter killed Markh with a spear.

MALONE: When we saw this he shot her with a gun.

ELDER #2: Times change as does the cycle. No matter how it happens she always dies.

ROXTON: Is that why there are no women in the tribe?

ELDER #2: Of course, we don't want the same thing to happen again.

CHALLANGER: We saw a young boy...

ELDER #2: The village that your women are going to, that is where we find our children we use them to reproduce the females stay with the rest of the lower species the males stay with us.

MALONE: Like amazons.

ELDER #2: No, we are far more superior.

A young boy runs into the hut out of breath.

BOY: Two of our men are in trouble.

ROXTON: Can we be of service?

ELDER #2: I will deal with this.

He leaves the tent with the boy.

CHALLANGER: Do you believe him?

ROXTON: He's lying about something I just don't know what.

* * * * * *

Marguerite and Veronica arrive at the other village with the group of women. A girl around 20 introduces herself.

GIRL: I am Adula, we are pleased to meet you we don't have visitors often.

VERONICA: Hello I'm Veronica this is Marguerite.

ADULA: I hope you like it here...Where do you live?

VERONICA: A days walk from here.

An old woman talks to Adula in her native language.

VERONICA: (To Marguerite) Do you understand them?

MARGUERITE: The old one doesn't trust us she's telling Adula to stay away from us. Some how she knows we've been near the other tribe. Apparently she doesn't trust men or anyone whose been near them.

VERONICA: She's coming over.

The old woman stops them from walking she has a suspicious look in her eyes.

OLD WOMAN: What do you want?

MARGUERITE: We were told to come here by another tribe.

OLD WOMAN: Men.

She spits out the word with rage.

OLD WOMAN: They didn't let you enter the village.

VERONICA: That's right.

OLD WOMAN: How did you come by their village?

VERONICA: We saw a woman die...Twice actually we wanted to find out what was going on.

OLD WOMAN: Jena, my ancestor...Is that who you saw?

MARGUERITE: The name rings a bell.

OLD WOMAN: She was murdered by Peter her fiance, it wasn't her choice she loved Markh a noble of the village. Peter was his half-brother and he was jeolous that Jena didn't love him so he murdered them both in cold blood. The men of course tell a different story. Robert went to the village and blamed it all on Markh. But Jena's sister told the truth but nobody believed her. Because of this from then on woman were driven from the village for fear of the same thing happening again. A vicious cycle that can't be broken.

* * * * * *

Elder #2 knelt beside two men.

ELDER #2: (Digusted) Dead.

Elder #1 joined him and looked at the two men sadly.

ELDER #1: Now what do we do Peter.

PETER: Replace them with two other men. Then go to the womans village with two of our finest warriors and have them select two women.

ELDER #1: It shall be done.

He walks into a large hut and shouts orders four men run out to remove the bodies then Elder #1 walks over to three horses with two warriors and then they leave.

* * * * * *

The old woman leads Marguerite and Veronica into her hut.

VERONICA: If no men live here then why are there children.

OLD WOMAN: We keep the girls while they take the newborn boys and teach them to be as pig headed and self centered as them.

VERONICA: They use you?

MARGUERITE: Why don't you fight them?

OLD WOMAN: With what? We don't fight so we can't do anything. They are men they are the stronger sex.

She looks at Veronica and Marguerite.

OLD WOMAN: My, my aren't I rude. You're standing here dirty and wet while I'm talking away. Adula will show you where the stream is you can clean up there.

She shouts for Adula and she walks in a few minutes later.

OLD WOMAN: Show our guests the stream then show them where we eat. You two must be hungry.

VERONICA: Thank you.

They leave with Adula and she shows them where to go.

ADULA: If you need me I'll be with Corintha.

MARGUERITE: Whose that?

ADULA: The old woman you've been talking to, my grandmother.

She smiles and walks away.

MARGUERITE: Obviously grouchy doesn't run in the family.

VERONICA: Corintha's okay, just angry about her life and how her village is treated.

MARGUERITE: I guess I don't blame her, but if I was Corintha I'd have shot those men long ago.

* * * * * *

Peter walks back into the hut where the others are waiting.

CHALLANGER: Problems?

PETER: Two of our men were killed by apemen.

CHALLANGER: We're sorry to hear that.

PETER: Are you hungry? Of course you are walking all that way, come I'll show you where we eat.

He walks out and waits for them to follow him.

ROXTON: (Whispers) For someone who just lost two men he doesn't seem that sad.

CHALLANGER: We should be meeting Marguerite and Veronica soon...We should join the elders then leave.

MALONE: Good idea, I don't want to be in this place longer than I need to be.

* * * * * *

Marguerite walks back towards the village, while Veronica is still near the stream. When she walks into the village she sees three men on horseback in front of a group of women.

WARRIOR #1: Stand in line.

Corintha runs out of the hut after ordering Adula to stay inside.

CORINTHA: Leave us alone.

WARRIOR #2: Stay out of this old woman.

CORINTHA: I have a name.

WARRIOR #2: Yes, woman.

Elder #1 holds her back but she starts struggling.

Warrior #2 takes out his sword and puts it to her neck.

WARRIOR: One more word and I'll...

Marguerite sneaks up behind him and aims the gun at his head.

MARGUERITE: And you'll what?

WARRIOR #2: A woman has no business holding a weapon.

Warrior #1 takes out his sword.

MARGUERITE: Put it down or I'll shoot him.

WARRIOR #1: He's expendable, he dies we'll get another man to replace him.

MARGUERITE: Your men really are self-centered.

While Marguerite and warrior #1 are talking, warrior #2 takes out a dagger. Corintha sees this but doesn't say anything. Warrior #2 turns around and knocks the gun out of Marguerite's hand.

WARRIOR #2: Not so touch without a gun are you?

She moves to retrieve the gun but Warrior #2 puts the tip of his sword to her neck and forces her to stand up.

MARGUERITE: (To Corintha) You can beat them.

CORINTHA: Rather a stranger than one of my girls.

Veronica enters the village holding the knife she goes to knock the sword from Warrior #1's hand.

WARRIOR #2: Do it and I kill her.

MARGUERITE: You'll kill us anyway.

Warrior #2 goes to hit her with the butt of his sword.

MARGUERITE: Do it and she'll kill you anyway.

He takes some rope from his belt and ties her hands, warrior #1 does the same with Veronica.

WARRIOR #2: (Whispers) This is going to be fun.

They tie the end of the rope to each of the horses saddles and leave the village with Marguerite and Veronica.

To be continued...