CHAPTER NINE
Hours later Roxton, Veronica, Malone and Challanger finally pick up Marguerite's trail…After losing in twice already, a Marguerite had done they followed the stream the difference being they have no idea where it will eventually lead them.
Veronica kneels near a clearing and takes a closer look at the footprints.
VERONICA: She's with someone else.
ROXTON: What!
MALONE: Maybe she found the shaman.
Roxton looks at a different set of footprints.
ROXTON: They're headed east, we're about two hours behind them.
VERONICA: They must be moving slow.
ROXTON: If we hurry up we'll reach her by nightfall.
Little do they know their closer to Marguerite than they think, she'd carried on forward towards the shaman's hut then doubled back when she realised she'd left her rifle by the body and she was heading into headhunter territory. Now she's around twenty minutes away from the worried explorers.
* * * * * *
Marguerite walks forward in as straight a line as she can walk, she looks ahead of her to see which direction she's headed in she focuses on a large tree in front of her and makes a beeline for it as she gets closer she notices there's two of the exact same tree, she looks around and sees there's two of everything. She closes her eyes and opens them five seconds later and he vision momentarily comes back the tree becomes a blur to her and she sits down
in the grass.
MARGUERITE: This is useless! A complete waste of time!
A voice in her head tells her to 'get up and carry on walking' but she shakes her head.
MARGUERITE: I can't.
They voice in her head speaks again 'there's nothing you can't do'.
Marguerite steadies herself on a tree branch and looks forward.
MARGUERITE: Well if you insist.
Despite the recurring double vision she carries on walking forward not sure where she's going but walking somewhere nonetheless.
* * * * * *
Challanger is surveying the area he's searching when a few metres ahead of him he sees a hand in the grass.
CHALLANGER: I've found something!
At his shout the others immediately come running over to him, he looks at the body then sees the raptor.
CHALLANGER: It's not Marguerite…Thank God.
ROXTON: But she was here she's left her bloody rifle!
MALONE: Why would she do that?
VERONICA: She's not thinking straight.
ROXTON: What if there was another raptor!
CHALLANGER: John calm down please, you're over reacting.
ROXTON: Damn right, Marguerite could be out there wounded and we're standing here doing nothing about it!
MALONE: We'll find her.
VERONICA: Maybe sooner than you think.
Malone looks at her with a questioning look, he follows her gaze to see a bedraggled figure walking slowly towards them.
ROXTON: Marguerite!
He runs towards her shouting her name, she looks up at him not registering at first who he is, he catches her before she falls to her knees and he cradles her in his arms.
MARGUERITE: The shaman…He's dead…a raptor--
ROXTON: Ssh I know, don't worry everything's going to be fine.
MARGUERITE: No it's not.
The others stand in front of them.
MALONE: How do we finish the chant without the shaman?
MARGUERITE: He left instructions.
Challanger takes the piece of scrunched up paper out of her hand and looks at it.
CHALLANGER: What does it say.
Malone looks over his shoulder to look at the paper.
MALONE: What language is this?
MARGUERITE: It says how…to do the chant…The talisman is in his hut…In a chest…The chant is on the paper.
MALONE: I thought only a Maena shaman could say the chant.
ROXTON: And that's whose going to do it.
VERONICA: How? They're both dead.
Roxton helps Marguerite to her feet.
ROXTON: So we bring one of them back.
Challanger thinks for a second.
CHALLANGER: The ouji board is at the treehouse we don't have enough time to go back and get it.
ROXTON: We don't need I'm sure this shaman has something we can use in it's place.
MALONE: What if he doesn't?
Roxton doesn't say anything but starts off towards the shaman's hut.
* * * * * *
By the time the explorers found and reached the hut night fall had already set in, they sat now in the small darkened room around a small square table so low down they have to sit cross legged on the floor. The only light comes from the few candles in the room, Marguerite lies down on a small makeshift bed of fern and leaves in the corner of the room, in the middle of the table is the talisman.
VERONICA: We just have to complete the chant that should be enough.
MALONE: How do we translate the chant? Marguerite isn't awake to read it.
Roxton turns to look at Marguerite asleep on the 'bed' her face showing the pain she's feeling she grips a piece of wood causing her knuckles to turn white, outside heavy rain bangs on the roof like stones, they hear thunder in the distance.
MALONE: Of course I knew we were missing something, this wouldn't be right without thunder.
VERONICA: This is making my skin crawl as it is.
ROXTON: Well we've done this before…Sort of.
CHALLANGER: Yes and we brought forth a spirit.
ROXTON: You can back out any time you want George but I'm not giving up on her.
CHALLANGER: I'm staying right here, I'll help you of course but it doesn't mean I have to like your plan.
MALONE: Well that's understandable.
CHALLANGER: Okay everybody hold hands…You'll have to wake Marguerite she needs to do this to.
Roxton gently rouses Marguerite from her sleep, she pushes him away at first then slowly opens her eyes, they see there red and blood shot.
ROXTON: You can rest once this is over.
MARGUERITE: I can't--
VERONICA: Yes you can!
She takes one of Marguerite's hands and looks at her reassuringly, Roxton takes her other hand.
ROXTON: Stay awake just a little longer.
VERONICA: How do we start this?
CHALLANGER: I--
Before he can say anything else a cool chill spreads throughout the room.
VERONICA: Here we go again.
They feel an icy chill pass through each of them and they shudder, Roxton suddenly stands up and picks up Marguerite and lies her on the 'bed'. Challanger opens one eye and looks around.
CHALLANGER: Roxton what are you doing?
Roxton grabs the talisman off the table and holds it over Marguerite, he kneels before her and raises the talisman above him he begins chanting softly.
CHALLANGER: That's not Roxton the shaman's channelling through him.
He presses the talisman against her stomach and the metal begins to glow deep yellow in colour, Marguerite with her eyes still closed grabs hold of her stomach in obvious pain the talisman starts to smoke.
MARGUERITE: Stop…Please!
'Roxton' suddenly stops chanting.
ROXTON: I can't do this, he's killing her!
CHALLANGER: He's curing her John.
He suddenly begins chanting again when they candles blow out and an icy wind blows through the hut, the door bangs open startling them, Malone goes to the door to shut it and looks out.
MALONE: We've got trouble.
Veronica joins him and they see the mountain chief and his warriors standing in a circle around the hut.
VERONICA: They just don't give up!
Marguerite suddenly screams in pain and a mist appears above her, Challanger puts a bottle of a dark red liquid on the table, they hear an in human voice screaming at them, the voice echo's all around the room.
VERONICA: Alura's out stayed her welcome.
The mist swirls near the ceiling and seems to look at each of the explorers a black gap opens near the top of the mist and two red slits above that.
MALONE: That's the weirdest baby I've ever seen.
VERONICA: It needs to feed.
Challanger picks Marguerite up and runs outside the mist following behind them, the chief stands in front of them raising his spear above his head and cheers, 'Roxton' comes out of the hut holding the glowing talisman the mist stops inches from Marguerite and moves to look at 'Roxton' it speeds forwards towards him screeching Alura appears before it screaming no, the mist passes through her and she falls to the ground the mist becomes more solid and it takes on a red glow. 'Roxton' holds the talisman in front of him and chants again, the mist realising the danger back away almost in fear. The chief runs forward pointing the spear at Roxton trying to protect the mist which passes through him as he tries to get by. The mist becomes a solid form almost human apart from its colour, despite it's size its still strong and it grabs 'Roxton' by the wrist and twists. Challanger runs into the hut and comes out with the red bottle.
VERONICA: Challanger she's not breathing! She's got a high fever.
He puts the bottle to her lips and makes her swallow the liquid.
MALONE: Nothings happening.
'Roxton' presses the glowing talisman against the form where its heart would be it staggers back suddenly wheezing and gasping for breath. The shaman releases Roxton as Marguerite begins to open her eyes, Veronica helps her sit up Roxton looks up at Marguerite and their eyes meet.
ROXTON: Marguerite?
She turns her attention to the form as it falls backwards onto the floor, the talisman embedded in its chest it screams out in agony.
MARGUERITE: No.
Roxton walks towards Marguerite as the form bursts into flames then disappears, a wisp of smoke the only trace that anything was ever there.
Roxton takes Marguerite by the hand and helps her up.
ROXTON: How are you feeling?
MARGUERITE: Just take me home.
He nods solemnly and holding onto her to steady her when she walks and despite the darkness they make their way home.
* * * * * *
THREE DAYS LATER
Roxton watches Marguerite as she sits motionless on the balcony sipping her coffee, Challanger looks at him on the way to his lab.
CHALLANGER: Give her some Roxton.
He leaves Marguerite and Roxton alone and Roxton walks to the balcony and stands next to her.
ROXTON: You should be resting you're not over your fever yet.
MARGUERITE: I'm as good as new.
ROXTON: I need to go to the Zanga village later for supplies, do you feel like coming?
MARGUERITE: Not this time.
He nods and turns away from her.
MARGUERITE: John?
He looks at her.
MARGUERITE: Thank you.
ROXTON: For what?
MARGUERITE: For saving my life.
ROXTON: I didn't just do because I had to, I couldn't stand by and watch you slip away from…Us.
She smiles at him.
MARGUERITE: Well thank you, I suppose you would say I owe you.
Roxton grins.
ROXTON: Oh I know.
MARGUERITE: And what would you have in mind Lord Roxton?
ROXTON: Quite a few things actually.
She watches as he walks to the elevator then turns back to looking out across the plateau, Roxton stops and looks at her as she touches her stomach both knowing they'd never forget what had happened but also knowing almost losing each other had brought them closer than ever.
*THE END*