Sorry it's been a while my friends – exam week was upon me. Thanks for the
nice reviews for Ancient History if you've been reading it – if not why?
Christ – is it chapter 16 already? Anyways - keep reviewing, it makes the
work worthwhile! By the way, I don't think that this chapter is up to much,
but I'm easing myself back into the flow of writing.
Joining Forces
Chapter 16 – Anger Management
"HILARY!" An angry female voice rang like a gunshot through the richly adorned walls of Croft Manor. Having sat sobbing on the floor for all of ten seconds she gave herself a mental kick in the arse and got to her feet telling herself: 'You're Lara Croft! Go do what you do best and kick seven shades of –'
"HILARY!" Once more she bellowed. Mr Hilary ran into the living room.
"Lara, Lara, what's the matter?" He asked.
"Ah, Hily. I need a fast horse, ready tacked. I am leaving for the armoury. Stress relief." She added, seeing his puzzled expression. Her butler's glance slid across the floor to the shattered glass. He raised an eyebrow. "Don't even bother asking."
Lara felt herself rising and falling in fluid motion with the beast below her. Up, down, up, down again and again. It relaxed her. Unfortunately it didn't quite relieve the built up tension and stress she was feeling at that time. That was why there was a shotgun balanced on her right shoulder.
A few hundred yards ahead a target swung out from the lofty branches of the wood that covered a third of the manor's grounds. It was about six inches in diameter and coloured with black and white rings. Sticking her arm out the gun swung round (a trick it had taken her years to perfect) finishing with her pulling the trigger at precisely the right moment. A loud bang echoed along the thin path she was riding on and the target disintegrated. One down, fourteen to go. Again and again with utmost precision Lara downed the targets. It took her ten minutes.
She slid, snake-like, out of the leather saddle and handed over the reins to the stable boy next to her. She patted the beast's sleek chestnut fur and pulled off her riding gloves. When she returned to the front of her manor, Bryce was hovering by the door.
"Yes Bryce? I assume you have a good reason to be standing in the doorway?" He said nothing. Lara squeezed past him and her riding boots made a small noise on the tiled hall.
"Lara!" He finally called after her.
"What?" She turned and asked.
"Mr. Trent ran away. He and his stuff have both gone." His words swung her around and hit her in the face.
"What? Everything? No, not everything." Before Bryce could ask what she meant she had sprinted the length of the hall and was starting to climb the stairs. Lara tore along the hall and threw herself through her bedroom door. She looked around quickly and saw that nothing had been disturbed. Lara sighed and regained her breath. Then she spotted something that made her swear. On the cream carpet leading to her closet was a single, tiny speck of red.
Joining Forces
Chapter 16 – Anger Management
"HILARY!" An angry female voice rang like a gunshot through the richly adorned walls of Croft Manor. Having sat sobbing on the floor for all of ten seconds she gave herself a mental kick in the arse and got to her feet telling herself: 'You're Lara Croft! Go do what you do best and kick seven shades of –'
"HILARY!" Once more she bellowed. Mr Hilary ran into the living room.
"Lara, Lara, what's the matter?" He asked.
"Ah, Hily. I need a fast horse, ready tacked. I am leaving for the armoury. Stress relief." She added, seeing his puzzled expression. Her butler's glance slid across the floor to the shattered glass. He raised an eyebrow. "Don't even bother asking."
Lara felt herself rising and falling in fluid motion with the beast below her. Up, down, up, down again and again. It relaxed her. Unfortunately it didn't quite relieve the built up tension and stress she was feeling at that time. That was why there was a shotgun balanced on her right shoulder.
A few hundred yards ahead a target swung out from the lofty branches of the wood that covered a third of the manor's grounds. It was about six inches in diameter and coloured with black and white rings. Sticking her arm out the gun swung round (a trick it had taken her years to perfect) finishing with her pulling the trigger at precisely the right moment. A loud bang echoed along the thin path she was riding on and the target disintegrated. One down, fourteen to go. Again and again with utmost precision Lara downed the targets. It took her ten minutes.
She slid, snake-like, out of the leather saddle and handed over the reins to the stable boy next to her. She patted the beast's sleek chestnut fur and pulled off her riding gloves. When she returned to the front of her manor, Bryce was hovering by the door.
"Yes Bryce? I assume you have a good reason to be standing in the doorway?" He said nothing. Lara squeezed past him and her riding boots made a small noise on the tiled hall.
"Lara!" He finally called after her.
"What?" She turned and asked.
"Mr. Trent ran away. He and his stuff have both gone." His words swung her around and hit her in the face.
"What? Everything? No, not everything." Before Bryce could ask what she meant she had sprinted the length of the hall and was starting to climb the stairs. Lara tore along the hall and threw herself through her bedroom door. She looked around quickly and saw that nothing had been disturbed. Lara sighed and regained her breath. Then she spotted something that made her swear. On the cream carpet leading to her closet was a single, tiny speck of red.