1 Author's note: and hello once again, everybody! OMG . . . thank you
soooooo much for your kind reviews! I'm glad everyone likes the story so
far! And I'm sorry for being so late with updating my chapters . . . as
I've said many times, I am SO BUSY! Anyways . . . I've FINALLY managed to
finish chapter eight! Read and enjoy!
~Just a special thank you to Jaclyn, Evil Irish Eyes, and TLWROX for reading my story from the beginning and posting all your kind reviews. Thank you EVERYBODY! I love you guys! ON WITH THE STORY!
2
3 Chapter Eight-- The Dark Past Catches Up
Many weeks later. . . .
The baby inside of Marguerite began to grow. And as it grew, she grew as well. Her abdomen soon started to swell and enlarge. There came a time when she couldn't even fit into her regular clothing without ripping open a seam.
Veronica gladly offered Marguerite some of her mother's clothing that she had worn while she had been pregnant with Veronica. "I was born here on the plateau, remember?" Veronica asked, smiling kindly as she handed Marguerite a bundle of clothes.
Marguerite unfolded a clean white blouse, which was large around the middle area. "It looks so big," she said with a frown, envisioning herself in the blouse as time went on and the baby grew more, "but no matter." She suddenly turned to the blonde-haired woman and smiled gently. "It'll all be worth it in the end. Thank you, Veronica."
"Hey, no problem," Veronica said in a wide grin. She put a friendly hand on Marguerite's shoulder. "Everything will turn out for the best, Marguerite. You just wait and see."
Marguerite nodded. She put her hand on her swollen abdomen, and smiled once again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Little by little, the darkness in the sky began to grow. The sun drifted below the horizon, as the cold, eerie crescent moon rose up to take its place in the evening sky. The morning creatures were silenced, as the creatures of the night roamed about. Crickets, thousands of them, worked up their chirps in a song of night, which echoed across the plateau.
Meanwhile, Challenger was busy in his lab, working on a new experiment. Actually, he was constructing a small surprise for Marguerite and Roxton—a large, wooden crib for the baby. It would definitely prove useful for when the time came for the child to use it.
The music from the Blue Danube Waltz softly emerged from the phonograph that Challenger had set on his table to help ease his mind. As he happily hummed the tune, Veronica strode down the stairs and emerged into the lab. "Challenger," she called.
"Hmm?" Challenger suddenly turned around from his work. He had just finished sanding the headboard of the crib.
Veronica yawned. "Ned just went up to his room to get some sleep. Marguerite and Roxton did the same about half an hour ago. If you don't need help or if there's nothing else of importance to do . . . I think I'll go catch up on some sleep myself."
Challenger smiled. "You go right ahead, Veronica. It's been a busy couple of weeks, and you've done a lot in helping Marguerite. You deserve the extra rest."
Veronica beamed. "Thanks Challenger. Goodnight, then."
"Goodnight, Veronica."
As soon as Veronica headed back up towards her room, Challenger sighed and yawned himself. "I think I'll just finish sanding this headboard and retire as well," he said to no one in particular. He picked up a piece of sandpaper from the table.
In the meantime, someone was prowling around the treehouse. They crept quietly about, peering up into the windows. When all was clear, they smiled maliciously and silently moved towards the electric fence. . . .
Suddenly, a large spark ignited from outside of the treehouse. The music from the phonograph inside the lab died down and then stopped all together.
Challenger jumped as the spark flew up in the air. He had been looking out the window just as it happened. "My goodness!" he cried, and ran towards the window. He squinted as he peered down into the darkness.
A large cloud of smoke was hovering above the electric fence. Other than that, he saw nothing. It seemed as if something had come in contact with it and had somehow managed to shorten the circuit, which had cut off the electricity.
"Damn!" muttered Challenger, wondering what had come in contact with the fence. He sighed. "I suppose it was a good thing I didn't go to bed after all. We'll need electricity for the morning . . . I had better go fix it." He moved to grab a small lantern. He quickly lit the flame inside, grabbed a rife, and went for the elevator.
Suddenly, something inside him made him stop and wonder if going outside to fix the electricity was a very good idea, especially in the dark of night. I have to, he thought to himself, our defenses are now down, and anybody could just come up during the night. Besides, it won't take very long for me to fix. He suddenly chuckled, thinking of how Marguerite would react in the morning if she didn't have electricity. Never mess with a pregnant woman, Challenger thought.
So it was decided. He stepped into the elevator, carrying his lantern and rifle, and descended to the ground below.
Meanwhile, back inside the treehouse, Roxton tossed and turned in the bed he now shared with Marguerite. He breathed heavily and uneasily, as cold sweat dribbled down his forehead.
He was having another nightmare . . . a nightmare he had experienced a thousand times.
It was a few years back. Roxton was in Africa on a safari with his older brother, William. They had been chatting together when all of a sudden. . . .
A great black ape out of nowhere appeared on the scene, as if coming from nowhere. It snarled loudly and charged at William. "No!" screamed William, falling to the grassy ground as the ape attacked him violently, clawing, biting, snarling. . . .
"William!" screamed John. He bent down to grab his rife. "WILLIAM!
"JOHN!" cried William helplessly, as he struggled with the dangerous beast on top of him. "John, HELP ME! HELP!"
Roxton, in the state of being half-awake and half-asleep, stirred. Don't shoot, he thought. Don't shoot. You'll kill them both. For God's sake John, please, don't shoot. . . .
But he was in no control. Back in the dream, Roxton raised his rifle, aimed at the beast and his brother, pressed the trigger, and. . . .
BANG!!!!
"Nooooo!" cried Roxton, suddenly sitting up in his bed. His screaming awoke Marguerite. "John!" she cried, gazing at Roxton in wonder and concern. "John, what's going on?! Are you all right?" She placed her gentle hand on his face and looked into his eyes. "Please, tell me."
Roxton took in deep breaths. "William," he muttered, his eyes tearing up, "it was William. We were back in Africa, and the ape attacked him again. He was screaming for help, and I raised my rifle and I. . . ."
"John, shhhh," Marguerite whispered soothingly, "I'm here now, John. It's okay."
"No," Roxton said, shaking his head madly, "it'll never be okay."
"Oh, John."
Suddenly, Veronica burst into the bedroom. She was in some troubled state and kept carrying on about something. "Marguerite! John! Get up!" she screamed. Tears were streaming form her eyes.
"Veronica!" cried Marguerite, getting out of bed to help her. "Veronica . . . stop blabbering insanely!" She put her hands on her shoulders. "Veronica, what's wrong? What happened?"
Tears poured down Veronica's face. Her blue eyes were filled with agony, as she stared straight into Marguerite's face and said, "Challenger's been shot."
~Just a special thank you to Jaclyn, Evil Irish Eyes, and TLWROX for reading my story from the beginning and posting all your kind reviews. Thank you EVERYBODY! I love you guys! ON WITH THE STORY!
2
3 Chapter Eight-- The Dark Past Catches Up
Many weeks later. . . .
The baby inside of Marguerite began to grow. And as it grew, she grew as well. Her abdomen soon started to swell and enlarge. There came a time when she couldn't even fit into her regular clothing without ripping open a seam.
Veronica gladly offered Marguerite some of her mother's clothing that she had worn while she had been pregnant with Veronica. "I was born here on the plateau, remember?" Veronica asked, smiling kindly as she handed Marguerite a bundle of clothes.
Marguerite unfolded a clean white blouse, which was large around the middle area. "It looks so big," she said with a frown, envisioning herself in the blouse as time went on and the baby grew more, "but no matter." She suddenly turned to the blonde-haired woman and smiled gently. "It'll all be worth it in the end. Thank you, Veronica."
"Hey, no problem," Veronica said in a wide grin. She put a friendly hand on Marguerite's shoulder. "Everything will turn out for the best, Marguerite. You just wait and see."
Marguerite nodded. She put her hand on her swollen abdomen, and smiled once again.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Little by little, the darkness in the sky began to grow. The sun drifted below the horizon, as the cold, eerie crescent moon rose up to take its place in the evening sky. The morning creatures were silenced, as the creatures of the night roamed about. Crickets, thousands of them, worked up their chirps in a song of night, which echoed across the plateau.
Meanwhile, Challenger was busy in his lab, working on a new experiment. Actually, he was constructing a small surprise for Marguerite and Roxton—a large, wooden crib for the baby. It would definitely prove useful for when the time came for the child to use it.
The music from the Blue Danube Waltz softly emerged from the phonograph that Challenger had set on his table to help ease his mind. As he happily hummed the tune, Veronica strode down the stairs and emerged into the lab. "Challenger," she called.
"Hmm?" Challenger suddenly turned around from his work. He had just finished sanding the headboard of the crib.
Veronica yawned. "Ned just went up to his room to get some sleep. Marguerite and Roxton did the same about half an hour ago. If you don't need help or if there's nothing else of importance to do . . . I think I'll go catch up on some sleep myself."
Challenger smiled. "You go right ahead, Veronica. It's been a busy couple of weeks, and you've done a lot in helping Marguerite. You deserve the extra rest."
Veronica beamed. "Thanks Challenger. Goodnight, then."
"Goodnight, Veronica."
As soon as Veronica headed back up towards her room, Challenger sighed and yawned himself. "I think I'll just finish sanding this headboard and retire as well," he said to no one in particular. He picked up a piece of sandpaper from the table.
In the meantime, someone was prowling around the treehouse. They crept quietly about, peering up into the windows. When all was clear, they smiled maliciously and silently moved towards the electric fence. . . .
Suddenly, a large spark ignited from outside of the treehouse. The music from the phonograph inside the lab died down and then stopped all together.
Challenger jumped as the spark flew up in the air. He had been looking out the window just as it happened. "My goodness!" he cried, and ran towards the window. He squinted as he peered down into the darkness.
A large cloud of smoke was hovering above the electric fence. Other than that, he saw nothing. It seemed as if something had come in contact with it and had somehow managed to shorten the circuit, which had cut off the electricity.
"Damn!" muttered Challenger, wondering what had come in contact with the fence. He sighed. "I suppose it was a good thing I didn't go to bed after all. We'll need electricity for the morning . . . I had better go fix it." He moved to grab a small lantern. He quickly lit the flame inside, grabbed a rife, and went for the elevator.
Suddenly, something inside him made him stop and wonder if going outside to fix the electricity was a very good idea, especially in the dark of night. I have to, he thought to himself, our defenses are now down, and anybody could just come up during the night. Besides, it won't take very long for me to fix. He suddenly chuckled, thinking of how Marguerite would react in the morning if she didn't have electricity. Never mess with a pregnant woman, Challenger thought.
So it was decided. He stepped into the elevator, carrying his lantern and rifle, and descended to the ground below.
Meanwhile, back inside the treehouse, Roxton tossed and turned in the bed he now shared with Marguerite. He breathed heavily and uneasily, as cold sweat dribbled down his forehead.
He was having another nightmare . . . a nightmare he had experienced a thousand times.
It was a few years back. Roxton was in Africa on a safari with his older brother, William. They had been chatting together when all of a sudden. . . .
A great black ape out of nowhere appeared on the scene, as if coming from nowhere. It snarled loudly and charged at William. "No!" screamed William, falling to the grassy ground as the ape attacked him violently, clawing, biting, snarling. . . .
"William!" screamed John. He bent down to grab his rife. "WILLIAM!
"JOHN!" cried William helplessly, as he struggled with the dangerous beast on top of him. "John, HELP ME! HELP!"
Roxton, in the state of being half-awake and half-asleep, stirred. Don't shoot, he thought. Don't shoot. You'll kill them both. For God's sake John, please, don't shoot. . . .
But he was in no control. Back in the dream, Roxton raised his rifle, aimed at the beast and his brother, pressed the trigger, and. . . .
BANG!!!!
"Nooooo!" cried Roxton, suddenly sitting up in his bed. His screaming awoke Marguerite. "John!" she cried, gazing at Roxton in wonder and concern. "John, what's going on?! Are you all right?" She placed her gentle hand on his face and looked into his eyes. "Please, tell me."
Roxton took in deep breaths. "William," he muttered, his eyes tearing up, "it was William. We were back in Africa, and the ape attacked him again. He was screaming for help, and I raised my rifle and I. . . ."
"John, shhhh," Marguerite whispered soothingly, "I'm here now, John. It's okay."
"No," Roxton said, shaking his head madly, "it'll never be okay."
"Oh, John."
Suddenly, Veronica burst into the bedroom. She was in some troubled state and kept carrying on about something. "Marguerite! John! Get up!" she screamed. Tears were streaming form her eyes.
"Veronica!" cried Marguerite, getting out of bed to help her. "Veronica . . . stop blabbering insanely!" She put her hands on her shoulders. "Veronica, what's wrong? What happened?"
Tears poured down Veronica's face. Her blue eyes were filled with agony, as she stared straight into Marguerite's face and said, "Challenger's been shot."