Chapter 3

"I´ve never thought I would ever say this, but you´re as slow as a snail, Roxton."

"Seeing, that I´m the one who carried most of the packages, I´m not surprised, Marguerite. Next time, before I make such a generous offer I´ll think it through twice..."

"It´s shocking, how fast your chivalrous mood has disappeared. But how will you impress me without it?" Returned the black haired beauty.

"Why do you think I want to impress you?" responded the hunter.

"Just a feeling."

"Well, if I wanted to impress you, I would have done something else."

"Really?" She elegantly held up one eyebrow. "Such as!"

"You asked..." He murmured and bent his head to capture her lips when a movement was heard from the bushes and a man emerged crashing to the ground before their feet. Roxton stepped closer, but Marguerite held him back.

"John! Be careful, he might be dangerous!"

The hunter gently pushed his lady love back, and turned back to the man. Seeing that he didn´t move, he slowly bent down and turned him onto his back.

"I don´t think he is. He´s unconscious. Based on his clothes, he´s not from the plateau."

"John?"

"Yes, Marguerite?"

"Do you think, that the place he came from is the place where we came from too, and in this case..."

"We can find the way back with his help? I don´t know, but it's something to think about. You know what this means?" And he came face to face with her, with a meaningful look on his face. "That you´ll be carrying all the packages."
He grinned and dropped them before her feet, than turned back to prepare their new guest for the trip back to the treehouse.


Without a doubt, the foreigner was handsome . No, not only handsome but beautiful. Perfect cheekbones with a perfect chin and soft lips. He had curly hair, which fell lightly onto his broad shoulders. His bronze chest and upper body was in a harsh contrast to the pale white bedclothes. The man´s eyelids slowly opened revealing coal-black eyes . Charlotte touched Marguerite´s shoulder and both of them watched closely as he awoke.

"A brown haired and a black haired angel" He murmured. "Have I been so good, that I came to Heaven?"

The two women smiled, but couldn´t answer, because Lord Roxton stepped in.

"Wait till you know them better..."

"Roxton?" Challenger followed the hunter into the room. "He´s awake? What has he told you?"

"Nothing so far, because you didn´t let him. Here it is, Charlotte, please make him drink this!"

The girl took from Marguerite´s hand a cup of tea which she held to the stranger's lips. After some sips, he seemed to be more communicative. Richard appeared as the man drank the tea, and all of them waited for his story.

"Thank you. Now, I´m sure you´re an angel." He thanked her and sank back into his pillows. Charlotte blushed and to cover her nervousness, she left the room with the excuse of returning the cup to the kitchen.

"Well, sir, Can you tell us what happened to you?" The professor asked as he sat down on a chair next to the bed and took the man's wrist to examine his pulse.

"I´m curious why you´ve collapsed. I haven´t discovered any injury, but you have been asleep for hours. We´re afraid, you caught a foreign illness. But I see that everything is in order now."

"It must have been exhaustion, because I ran..."

"Should we know, why?" Asked Roxton.

"Why? Oh, because one of those monsters, big and blood thirsty... and..."

"Calm down, just calm down, we can imagine." smoothed Marguerite. "We have all had our fair share of running. Am I not right, Lord Roxton?"

Roxton only had time for a short grin when their guest asked:

"Excuse me, but where I am?"

The professor shortly summarized the situation and told him how they´ve found him. The man stared at Challenger as if he was out of his mind, but finally seemed to accept his words.

"My name is Giovanni Giacomo Ca... Castucci."

"Are you from Italy," asked Marguerite.

"Yes, I am. But I´ve traveled to many beautiful and exciting places. Last time my way led me to a little village in the Amazon mountains, where I found a cave. Shortly after entering I found out that it was not a cave, but a corridor. Through that corridor, I came here, but I didn´t like it. I wanted to turn back, but the village had disappeared, leaving a mud sea in its place. That´s how I became trapped here."

"Was this cave or corridor near a little stream?" Asked Roxton.

"As you say."

Marguerite and the professor exchanged a worried look, and the professor finally found his voice to say:

"The problem is Mr. Castucci, that according to our knowledge, that village only appears once a year. I´m sorry but you´ll have to wait until it reappears "

"Oh" He sighed, looking straight ahead for a few minutes. "I think that news does not improve my state." He added with a half smile.

"Well, you need to sleep some more," stated Marguerite. "Close your eyes. We´ll not bother you."

The others agreed with her and slowly left the room. Charlotte who had returned from the kitchen also was on her way out, when the man caught her hand.

"Angelina, "

"Please, sir," she shyly pulled her hand away, "My name is Charlotte."

"I´m afraid, I can´t change this bella Angelina" he smiled.

The girl acted like she didn´t hear his comment.

"Would you like more tea?"

"If it´s the only way to see you again..."

Charlotte nodded and hurried out. As she stepped out, she encountered Richard standing outside the door staring at her coldly. Neither of them said a word and after a brief moment which seemed like an eternity, they turned their heads and went their separate ways.


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