Chapter Three

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

* * * * * *

MARGUERITE: I'm open to any ideas.

CHALLANGER: Run.

MARGUERITE: Where? We're surrounded.

One of the Vantu grabs hold of Marguerite, the necklace drops out of her pocket the Vantu sees it and runs. She watches it and picks up the necklace.

She holds out the necklace as the Vantu walk towards her she stands in front of them.

VERONICA: Marguerite! What are you doing?

MARGUERITE: I have no idea.

Most of the Vantu run when they see the necklace, a few others stay and carrying on walking, Marguerite steps back.

VERONICA: Want to tell us what just happened?

MARGUERITE: I'll tell you once I find out myself.

Challanger shoots a Vantu who sneaks up on them from the side, Veronica looks back towards the cave.

VERONICA: We have company.

They look towards the cave and see the zombies.

MARGUERITE: Someone should teach those people how to use soap!

VERONICA: Be my guest.

The remaining Vantu stand together in front of Marguerite, Veronica and Challanger while the zombies slowly walk towards them from the right. A zombie stands in hole and falls over snapping its leg.

MARGUERITE: That looked painful!

They start shooting at the Vantu who retreat into the bushes watching. The zombies carry on walking.

CHALLANGER: What are they?

MARGUERITE: Disgusting!

The zombies spread out surrounding them, to the right they hear an explosion that sends three of the zombies falling to the floor and the Vantu running away.

The remaining undead start walking faster, they start shooting at them they go down but stand right back up again. One of them pushes Veronica to the ground, another grabs Challengers head while another has hold of a Vantu's spear and is headed for Marguerite. Veronica holds onto the zombies hand and twists it behind its back, the arm snaps off, it moans and stands up leaving Veronica holding onto the arm she throws it at the zombie hitting it in the face causing it to fall to the floor.

Challanger elbows his zombie, then hits it in the forehead with the butt of his gun the zombie falls to the floor and doesn't get up. Marguerite's zombie comes at her with a spear , she uses her spear to hit it in the stomach it doubles over, then tries to stab her with the spear another one comes up behind her with a sword, Marguerite finishes off the spear zombie then turns round as the other attacks when it falls down in front of her after being shot in the head.

MARGUERITE: Roxton!

ROXTON: Pleased to see me?

MARGUERITE: You have amazing timing.

Veronica and Challanger walk over to them as Malone also joins them.

ROXTON: I'll take that as a yes.

CHALLANGER: What's going on?

MALONE: We have a problem.

MARGUERITE: We can see that.

ROXTON: When we went into the cave we unleashed something, and I have no idea how to stop it.

MALONE: We!

VERONICA: We need to get back to the treehouse, it's not safe here.

ROXTON: There was a necklace, I think if we put it back in the cave these things will leave us alone.

CHALLANGER: What necklace?

Marguerite takes it out of her pocket.

MARGUERITE: Is this what your looking for?

MALONE: You found it?

MARGUERITE: Like I could miss it.Hold on some of the jewels are missing!

VERONICA: They must have fell out.

MARGUERITE: Emeralds do not just fall out, we have to find them.

CHALLANGER: How many are missing?

MARGUERITE: Does it matter? The point is some are missing.

ROXTON: How many?

She looks at them both annoyed.

MARGUERITE: Eight.

ROXTON: Call this a long shot but.How many of the 'zombies' did you kill?

VERONICA: Seven or eight?

MARGUERITE: Yes your right that is a long shot?

ROXTON: Maybe we should give it a little test just to see if Challengers right.

VERONICA: You want us to look for these zombies just to prove a point? Its too dangerous.

CHALLANGER: It might be the only way we can kill these things.

MALONE: Well I suppose the others will be at the cave.

MARGUERITE: We have to go back in there?

Roxton smiles at her.

ROXTON: Come on Marguerite, where's your sense of adventure?

MARGUERITE: At the treehouse with a glass of wine and a hot bubble bath.

The others start walking back towards the cave.

ROXTON: Well maybe if you help us I'll join you.

MARGUERITE: Join me in what? The wine or the bubble bath?

ROXTON: Both.

She laughs and starts walking.

MARGUERITE: In your dreams Roxton.

He follows her seconds after.

* * * * * *

For the second time in two days they were in the cave.

MARGUERITE: What a shame theres no one here.

She turns to walk away when four zombies walk through the corridor trapping them in the cave. Roxton pulls her back, the zombies walk towards her trying to grab the necklace.

VERONICA: Marguerite just give it to them.

Malone grabs it and puts it back on the throne, nothing happens.

MARGUERITE: Oh yeah that helped.

He keeps hold of the necklace.

CHALLANEGR: Try breaking the jewels.

MARGUERITE: Don't you dare.

She tries to grab the necklace off him, he steps back and falls onto the throne. The throne starts moving.

MARGUERITE: What did you do?

MALONE: Me!

They step back into a corner of the cave, the zombies have stopped near the exit, everything is quiet.

VERONICA: I don't like this.

The throne crumbles to the floor only the back remaining sticking out of the floor like a huge tombstone. The soil starts moving around, they aim their weapons ready to fire. A huge man rises out of the floor, his head almost touching the top of the cave.

ROXTON: I take it this is the leader.

The leader takes a step towards them he picks up a huge spear and points it at them. It takes another step towards them they shoot it in the head but nothing happens. The other zombies start walking forward, they shoot three of them in the head and they fall to the, floor. Malone drops the necklace and unknowingly steps on the last emerald, the others look at him.

MALONE: Sorry!

VERONICA: Look it worked.

The last zombie falls to the floor when its emerald is crushed, the indentation in its head disapears. The leader laughs and mumbles.

LEADER: Your turn.

CHALLANGER: Is there another stone left?

MALONE: There all gone.

LEADER: I'm invincible!

ROXTON: On the spear, look.

They look to the spear and see a huge emerald.

MARGUERITE: How the hell did I miss that?

MALONE: How do we get the stone?

Marguerite looks at him.

MARGUERITE: Emerald.

VERONICA: It doesn't matter what it is, how do we get off him?

They look at Marguerite.

MARGUERITE: Charming! My feminine charms don't work on dead guys.

They move towards the tunnel, the leader watching them all the time.

ROXTON: Surround him...On my count grab the spear.

They slowly spread out and surround the leader, he stops and turns around on the spot unable to keep track of all of them.

ROXTON: 1...2...3

Veronica throws her knife into the leaders arm causing the spear to slip from his hand as he moves to pick it up the others open fire on him, he loses his balance and falls to the floor as Challanger and Malone move to retrieve the spear the leader trips them up with his leg. He picks up a tombstone ready to throw it on top of them, Roxton grabs the spear but can't pry the emerald out, the leader regains his balance and grabs the emerald out of the spear he moves to put the emerald inside the indentation on his head. Marguerite shoots at the emerald smashing it into a thousand pieces, the leader screams in pain and holds onto his head the indentation slowly disappears and he falls to the floor silent.

MARGUERITE: That was the bueatifullest jewel I'll ever see and I shoot it to pieces.

ROXTON: At least now you'll live to see another emerald.

She sighs and walks out slowly followed by the others.

* * * * * *

Back at the treehouse everyone is sat around the table talking and laughing. Marguerite walks to the balcony and stands looking out across the plateau, Roxton gets up from the table and watches her for a few moments before walking onto the balcony to join her, he stands a few cm away from her.

ROXTON: Penny for your thoughts.

She turns to him and smiles.

MARGUERITE: I didn't notice you there.

He stands next to her and leans on the balcony.

ROXTON: See anything interesting?

MARGUERITE: Over there? No. Over here, maybe.

She faces him.

ROXTON: What happened to the bubble bath?

MARGUERITE: Well, I thought about it then I decided its not as much fun when your alone.

ROXTON: Are you asking me to join you?

MARGUERITE: No, I'm telling you.

Suddenly Roxton tapped her on the shoulder and she woke up with a start almost falling out of the chair she was asleep in.

ROXTON: I think you'd be more comfertable in your bed.

She smiled sleepily at him.

MARGUERITE: I just had a great dream.

ROXTON: About what?

MARGUERITE: You...

She realised what she was about to say as Roxton started smiling.

MARGUERITE: You don't want to know.How long was I asleep?

ROXTON: An hour or so must be after all that happened today.

She gets up and walks to her room closing the door, Minutes later she's asleep again not seeing Tithia walk out of her room, she giggled.

TITHIA: This is going to be fun.

Then as always she disappeared......