They had changed into the new clothes when Jakum had left, and had waited
for dark to come. Something that had taken a long time, but had finally
arrived. The meals they were given were measly scraps of bread and reptile
meat of an unknown source. To take the worries off their mind, they started
a debate on whether the meat was raptor, T-Rex, or some herbivorous
dinosaur.
The debate had just about reached the edge of unbelievable logic when sound of the lock turning was heard. Veronica stood up, helping Ned to do the same.
Jakum's tense face peeped around the door, dimly illuminated by the torches in the passageway. He had an oddly shaped hat, which was awkwardly positioned on his head.
'The change is early. Quick, we have to hurry.'
The three made their slow, cautious way out of the cell block. They made it out into the open with relative ease, and they heard someone, Pip most likely, at the opposite side of the camp yelling about how raptors were just sighted near the camp.
They were halfway to the edge of the jungle when there was a shout and the alarm blared.
'We've been found!' The realization hit Veronica like a weight in her stomach.
'Run,' Malone gave her a shove and she ran, Jakum alongside her.
When she reached the rocks bordering the trees, she glanced back.
'NED!' she screamed when she saw that he was running in the other direction, diverting attention away from her by hurling stones at the traders. She was about to race back when she felt Jakum's strong arms wrap around her waist and lift her off her feet.
'Jakum, get her away! GO!'
Malone's orders rang in his ears as he stumbled into the forest with a struggling, distraught Veronica.
Malone saw them disappear into the forest when a man tackled him to the ground. He hit the sandy floor hard, and the pain in his ribs flared. The man backhanded him violently. He felt his lip bleed freely.
The kicks rained down anew, as did the fists. He just curled up, still too weak to defend himself. One thing was all that mattered; that Veronica got away safe.
The abuse seemed to last forever, but it stopped, eventually. He was hauled up to his feet and his arms were twisted behind his back. He saw Ranch approach him through his good eye. He braced himself for the inevitable.
Ranch stopped in front of the young man, taking in his bloody appearance.
'You asked for this, boy,' he sneered before landing a blow in his stomach. Ned doubled over in pain, but was pulled upright again.
'You want to know what the Boss does to rebels like you?' He cracked the pistol-butt across the young man's kneecap. Malone cried out as he went down, earning a slap and a rough pull again.
'Let's just put it this way: You'll beg for death by the time he's done with you.' The other traders laughed as Malone tried to register the words through the pain.
'You have fun now.' Ranch said evilly as he watched him being dragged towards the chambers.
The debate had just about reached the edge of unbelievable logic when sound of the lock turning was heard. Veronica stood up, helping Ned to do the same.
Jakum's tense face peeped around the door, dimly illuminated by the torches in the passageway. He had an oddly shaped hat, which was awkwardly positioned on his head.
'The change is early. Quick, we have to hurry.'
The three made their slow, cautious way out of the cell block. They made it out into the open with relative ease, and they heard someone, Pip most likely, at the opposite side of the camp yelling about how raptors were just sighted near the camp.
They were halfway to the edge of the jungle when there was a shout and the alarm blared.
'We've been found!' The realization hit Veronica like a weight in her stomach.
'Run,' Malone gave her a shove and she ran, Jakum alongside her.
When she reached the rocks bordering the trees, she glanced back.
'NED!' she screamed when she saw that he was running in the other direction, diverting attention away from her by hurling stones at the traders. She was about to race back when she felt Jakum's strong arms wrap around her waist and lift her off her feet.
'Jakum, get her away! GO!'
Malone's orders rang in his ears as he stumbled into the forest with a struggling, distraught Veronica.
Malone saw them disappear into the forest when a man tackled him to the ground. He hit the sandy floor hard, and the pain in his ribs flared. The man backhanded him violently. He felt his lip bleed freely.
The kicks rained down anew, as did the fists. He just curled up, still too weak to defend himself. One thing was all that mattered; that Veronica got away safe.
The abuse seemed to last forever, but it stopped, eventually. He was hauled up to his feet and his arms were twisted behind his back. He saw Ranch approach him through his good eye. He braced himself for the inevitable.
Ranch stopped in front of the young man, taking in his bloody appearance.
'You asked for this, boy,' he sneered before landing a blow in his stomach. Ned doubled over in pain, but was pulled upright again.
'You want to know what the Boss does to rebels like you?' He cracked the pistol-butt across the young man's kneecap. Malone cried out as he went down, earning a slap and a rough pull again.
'Let's just put it this way: You'll beg for death by the time he's done with you.' The other traders laughed as Malone tried to register the words through the pain.
'You have fun now.' Ranch said evilly as he watched him being dragged towards the chambers.