Chapter Four

The ground trembles as the giant runs heavy footed on the ground he pushes branches out of his way as he searches for Marguerite and Veronica.

They hide underneath a giant lily, holding onto the stork for support.

VERONICA: We'll make a run for the tree as soon as he turns around.

A T-Rex roars in the distance and the giant turns to see where it is. They take this opportunity to make their getaway; they reach the tree and hurry inside as the giant walks over to it.

GIANT: You won't get away! I promise.

He pulls the tree out of the ground revealing the underground hideout, he reaches down to grab Veronica, she takes a torch off the wall and burns his finger, he withdraws his hand and curls it up into a fist.

Veronica runs into the tunnel where Peter and the other prisoners start shouting.

"Let us out" "Please open the door"

PETER: Don't let him take us!

Veronica looks at the padlock, Marguerite runs into the tunnel with Micheal's sword.

MARGUERITE: Need a hand?

She takes the sword from Marguerite and repeatedly slashes the padlock with it. The giant starts to put his foot through tunnel causing the roof to cave in.

Peter shakes the door.

PETER: Hurry!

VERONICA: Hold on, I'm doing the best I can.

She hits the padlock a few more times and it brakes, she opens the door and six men in the same attire as Micheal walk out.

PETER: Thank you, we owe you both a debt of gratitude...You saved our lives.

The roof caves in right in front of them and the giant reaches into the tunnel.

MARGUERITE: Care to return the favour?

They back up against the wall, he picks up Marguerite, Veronica stabs his foot with the sword but it has no effect.

VERONICA: (Shouts) let her go!

GIANT: I promised I wouldn't let you get away.

MARGUERITE: You promised her too but I don't see you trying to bite her head off...It's perfectly all right to break a promise! I won't think any worse of you!

She thumps his hand and tries to pry his fingers loose.

MARGUERITE: I won't taste nice, I'll just give you indigestion!

While the giants attention is directed at Marguerite, Peter and his menrun outside into the jungle. And then they hear a commanding voice.

"Put her down!"

* * * * * *

Jake stops walking as he fidgets with the ropes that binds his hands, Karla prods him in the back with the rifle.

KARLA: Stop again and I'll shoot you.

He continues to walk and trips on a rock.

JAKE: If you wanted to shoot me, you'd have done it already.

KARLA: If I'd had my way I would have.

She prods him again harder this time as he slows down.

JAKE: It's dishonourable to shoot someone in the back.

KARLA: Don't worry, when I shoot you, I'll aim for you're head that way you can see the bullet as it comes towards you.

JAKE: (Sarcastic) nice!

KARLA: Isn't it.

They stop by a tree as Simmerlee catches up to them.

JAKE: What will you do with me once we reach the treehouse?

KARLA: You won't get that far...If you do, tomorrow we'll take you to a nice village where torture and death is the punishment for murder.

JAKE: I didn't murder anyone!

KARLA: They won't know that.

SUMMERLEE: We're losing light we should set up camp.

KARLA: Whatever you say...I'll collect some wood for the fire, watch him.

Jake sits by a tree and leans against it.

JAKE: I'm not going anywhere.

She walks off into the trees while Jake watches Summerlee.

* * * * * *

Micheal stands beside the giant breathing heavily.

MICHEAL: (To the giant) did you really have to make this mess...And put her down, she's not one of them.

VERONICA: Whose them?

The giant puts Marguerite back on the ground.

MARGUERITE: That's enough to make anyone air sick.

MICHEAL: They are the Yamutei.

VERONICA: Never heard of them.

MICHEAL: They are not of you're time...They have escaped and now you must help us get them back.

MARGUERITE: We! You're friend here tried to kill us! Why the hell should we help you?

MICHEAL: The Yamutei will come back with an army and kill us...

VERONICA: At least you two have something in common.

MICHEAL: When my men and I arrived here they were a dying tribe, or so we thought. We fed and clothed them, they earned our trust then they sold us as food.

MARGUERITE: Peter said the same thing about you.

MICHEAL: They feed the giants with people from other tribes in return the Yamutei are allowed to live.

VERONICA: There are more giants?

GIANT: They are from my tribe.

MARGUERITE: So why aren't you with them?

He hangs his head in shame.

VERONICA: Why?

He blushes and turns away.

GIANT: I'm, I uh...I a uh, vegetarian.

Marguerite bursts out laughing.

MARGUERITE: Now I've heard everything...A vegetarian giant.

VERONICA: So why were you going to eat her?

GIANT: I was just trying to scare her.

VERONICA: You said the Yamutei would bring an army, of giants?

Micheal nods.

MARGUERITE: Oh great!

* * * * * *

Roxton, Malone and Challanger walk out of the cave having found nothing, Roxton kicks a stone into the wall in frustration.

ROXTON: Where the hell are they?

MALONE: Maybe their at the treehouse.

ROXTON: There are no prints in that direction so unless they flew they should be here!

CHALLANGER: We can make camp and continue searching in the morning.

ROXTON: No, they could be out there, hurt.

CHALLANGER: Roxton, think...If we walk around here, at night we'll be the ones that're hurt...Maybe worse.

MALONE: We can set out first thing...We're all worried about them Roxton.

ROXTON: First thing.

Malone and Challanger nod as they walk back into the cave.

* * * * * *

Karla walks back to the camp carrying the wood, she drops it on the floor and looks around for Summerlee and Jake.

KARLA: Professor...Jake!

JAKE: Hello sweetheart.

She turns and aims the rifle at Jake, he has Summerlee in front of him with the rope from his hands around Summerlee's neck.

JAKE: Amazing what a sharp twig will do.

KARLA: Let him go.

JAKE: Put down the rifle.

KARLA: I will, a soon as you let him go.

JAKE: And if I do, what will stop you from shooting me?

KARLA: I obviously didn't damage you're brain when I hit you over the head...Shame.

JAKE: Put it down!

SUMMERLEE: Don't do it!

JAKE: Shut up old man.

SUMMERLEE: I beg you're pardon!

JAKE: Are you deaf old man?

KARLA: No, he just has more guts than I do.

She throws the rifle on the floor, he pushes Summerlee out of the way and walks towards Karla.

JAKE: You and I need to talk.

Summerlee hears the bushes behind them rattling.

SUMMERLEE: Excuse me.

JAKE: Shut up.

SUMMERLEE: You really should know...

JAKE: I said...

He turns around as the raptor attacks, Summerlee grabs the rifle and shoots at it. He and Karla run.

KARLA: Wait! Wait the picture!

SUMMERLEE: We'll come back for it, hurry!

They run futher from the camp, they hear gunshots and Jakes scream echo in their ears.

* * * * * *

Malone sits on watch near the entrance to the cave, he sits in silence listening to the noises on the plateau, the sound the trees make when the wind blows through the leaves, a T-Rex in the distance, the sound of some animals feet as it scurries on the jungle floor. He thinks about Veronica hoping that she'll be all right and deep down knowing she'll be back soon unharmed and his worries will be gone and wondering if when she does come back he'll be able to bite the bullet and tell her how he feels.

* * * * * *

Morning seems to come quickly and by the time Summerlee and Karla rise the sun is high in the sky, shining brightly on the plateau.

KARLA: You could almost believe this place is perfect.

SUMMERLEE: It almost is.

KARLA: How long 'til we reach the treehouse?

SUMMERLEE: An hour at most.

KARLA: Then lets get going now and we might get there sooner.

SUMMERLEE: There is something I neglected to tell you.

KARLA: What is it?

SUMMERLEE: Don't look so worried, it's good news.

KARLA: What!

SUMMERLEE: You have a cousin here on the plateau.

She starts smiling for the first time since early yesterday.

KARLA: I have a cousin! Why didn't you tell me?

SUMMERLEE: I didn't want to overwhelm you with lots of news all at once.

She hugs Summerlee.

KARLA: My brother would've loved this.

* * * * * *

Micheal shakes Marguerite awake, she stands up and looks around yawning.

MARGUERITE: What is it?

Before he can respond the ground shakesand rumbles, trees sway and quake. Marguerite, Veronica and Micheal steady themselves against an overgrown tree.

MICHEAL: We have company!

They look trough the trees and watch as a crowd of giants led by the Yamutei make their way towards them.

* * * * * *

As they had agreed last night Roxton, Malone and Challanger had set out early that morning, they stop after a few hours travel to fill their canteens and drink from the ice cold stream.

"Help me"

The voice comes again louder this time and Jake falls through the bushes a deep bloody gash in his leg and arm. He falls to the floor.

CHALLANGER: Dear God!

Challanger kneels beside the fallen man and checks his pulse.

MALONE: Is he dead?

CHALLANGER: Alive, barely. We need to get him back to the treehouse.

As Challanger and Malone help him to his feet the Layton's photo falls out of his pocket and Roxton picks it up and shows it to the others.

ROXTON: Who the hell is he?

To be continued...

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