Chapter Two



MALONE: Are there anymore?

ROXTON: I don't want to stick around to find out.

They run, leaving the necklace fallen on the ground.

* * * * * *

MALONE: We can't keep running.

They stop and kneel behind some bushes.

ROXTON: Whatever was following us has gone.

MALONE: For now.

ROXTON: We'll rest here for now...I'll keep first watch.

Roxton leans back against the tree eyeing the surrounding area warily. Not to far away the undead watched.

* * * * * *

The next morning Marguerite was the first one to wake, she started packing for the trip and 20 minutes later Veronica joined her.

VERONICA: Maybe we should wait a little longer.

MARGUERITE: Yes and by the time we're ready to go it'll be too dark and we'll have to wait until tomorrow...Shouldn't you be getting ready?

VERONICA: Why are you so worried?

MARGUERITE: Why are you so calm? Malone's out there too, you know aren't you at least worried for him?

Veronica shifts around uncomfortably.

VERONICA: I'm just trying to be optimistic.

MARGUERITE: Wake Challanger we should get going.

* * * * * *

Roxton woke Malone, who jumped.

ROXTON: It's only me, we're leaving, now.

MALONE: What is it?

ROXTON: Whoever attacked us last night has a lot of friends and their here for revenge.

MALONE: Where are they?

ROXTON: 200 yards south of us.

Malone gets up. Something comes towards them slowly mumbling something.

MALONE: Can you hear what its saying.

ROXTON: Not much, it doesn't have a mouth...Look.

He looks to where Roxton is pointing, a decaying man rushes at them, it's clothes muddy and torn, Roxton shoots it between the eyes and it falls to the floor.

MALONE: Is it dead?

ROXTON: From the looks of it, it already was.

MALONE: How is that possible?

ROXTON: I don't know, a curse perhaps.

MALONE: Now we know why there was a taboo sign near the cave.

Roxton walks slowly towards it.

MALONE: What do you think your doing?

ROXTON: Getting a better look.

He kneels down beside it, on its forehead is an oval indentation. Roxton reaches into his pocket for the necklace when he finds it's gone he curses silently.

MALONE: What is it?

He cautiously moves towards Roxton.

MALONE: That's disgusting! Look at the forehead.

He indicates the indentation.

ROXTON: There was a necklace back at the cave, the stones would fit into there.

MALONE: Why are they here if the necklace is there?

ROXTON: The necklace isn't at the cave.

MALONE: Where is it?

ROXTON: Now, I don't know.

Realisation sets in for Malone.

MALONE: You took the necklace! I'd have expected that from Marguerite but...

ROXTON: The necklace was for Marguerite...We need to find it and put it back.

MALONE: What about them?

He nods towards the bushes where the undead are waiting.

ROXTON: I guess their along for the ride.

They stand and begin to retrace their steps. Knowing that all the while they were being watched.

* * * * * *

Meanwhile Marguerite, Veronica and Challanger had started walking, they had been walking for the last hour in a circle or so it seemed to everyone but Challanger who insisted they were headed in the right direction.

MARGUERITE: We've already passed here four times.

CHALLANGER: Roxton and Malone gave me the directions, this is the right way.

MARGUERITE: And heaven forbid that you could possibly be wrong.

CHALLANGER: I'm following the map.

MARGUERITE: Do you have it the right way?

CHALLANEGR: Of course I do.

MARGUERITE: In that case you obviously aren't reading it properly.

VERONICA: Sssh, hear that?

MARGUERITE: What?

VERONICA: Over there...Vantu.

CHALLANGER: We're out of their territory.

MARGUERITE: Unless they were tracking Roxton and Malone.

VERONICA: If the Vantu are still there Roxton and Malone must still be here.

MARGUERITE: But in trouble.

One of the Vantu turns round and points his spear in the direction of the explorers. They walk towards them. Marguerite and Challanger aim their guns and Veronica takes out her knife. The Vantu suddenly charge towards the bushes, They shoot at them and Veronica throws her knife at one who tries to sneak up behind them.

CHALLANGER: Is that all of them?

Veronica retrieves her knife.

VERONICA: I think so.

Marguerite gets up and walks forward.

MARGUERITE: Here it is.

She walks past the taboo sign, Veronica and Challanger follow her, and they walk into the cave.

MARGUERITE: (Shouts) Roxton, Roxton...Malone.

They walk deeper into the cave until they come to the tunnel.

CHALLANGER: They must still be in there.

Marguerite turns to him.

MARGUERITE: That's the way home?

They walk through the tunnel until they come to the end, now all the torches on the wall are lit, they eye the tombstones.

MARGUERITE: I hope they're not in there!

VERONICA: We're getting out of here.

CHALLANGER: What is this place?

He walks into the room.

VERONICA: Challanger...

CHALLANGER: Just a minute.

He ignores her and carries on walking.

MARGUERITE: As much as I hate to say this but...Maybe we should listen to her.

Veronica backs out of the cave followed by Marguerite.

CHALLANGER: Look at the throne.

Marguerite looks at him disgusted.

MARGUERITE: You call that a throne?

VERONICA: Challanger lets go.

He starts walking back to them when a hand reaches up through the ground and grabs hold of his ankle; he jumps back and falls to the floor. Marguerite shoots the hand with her gun and the hand goes back under the soil.

MARGUERITE: Now can we go?

Challanger backs away from the grave, looking at the room one last time they leave, the hand once again reaching for the surface.

Once outside in the daylight they breathe a sigh of relief.

VERONICA: They weren't there, they must be on their way back to the treehouse.

MARGUERITE: You hope!

VERONICA: Marguerite if they were still there we'd have found something.

Marguerite starts walking.

MARGUERITE: I told you we should have come last night.

Veronica and Challanger start walking after her.

CHALLANGER: Do you know where you're going?

MARGUERITE: They can't have gone right cos there's a cliff, they can't have left cos there's Vantu so they must have gone straight ahead.

She carries on walking.

MARGUERITE: I thought you were supposed to know everything.

* * * * * *

Marguerite knelt down to look at something in the grass. Veronica comes up behind her.

VERONICA: What did you find?

MARGUERITE: A necklace...In the middle of a jungle.

She picks up the necklace and examines it.

VERONICA: It's beautiful.

MARGUERITE: Well at least we agree on something.

Challanger runs up to them.

CHALLANGER: We're being followed.

Marguerite pockets the necklace and stands up. They look around.

VERONICA: We're surrounded.

MARGUERITE: Oh this day just keeps getting better and better.

VERONICA: Stay together.

The Vantu slowly walk towards them, one throws a spear it hits a tree missing Challengers head by inches. Marguerite takes it out of the tree and holds onto it, Challanger looks at it.

MARGUERITE: It's better than nothing!

One of the Vantu sneaks up behind Challanger.

MARGUERITE: (To Challanger) duck.

He ducks and she throws the spear into the Vantu's stomach.

MARGUERITE: You can thank me later.

She picks up the spear as the other Vantu charge them from all sides. Placing them in a no win situation.

To be continued...