Chapter 7

"You little rat!" I curse as I shoot about half a dozen bullets at him.

But only one hits him in his wrist. He drops the knife and kneels over in pain.

"I—" Before Zip can say anything, I shout "Don't say anything"

Pierre falls down back into the pit and I push my legs into the wall, gaining leverage and jumping towards a platform.

As soon as I step on it, the platform crumbles. Before it can fall down, I take a fleeting jump towards the top floor and drag myself over, panting.

"That was crap" I mutter onto the headphones as I breathe in.

"You're damn right" Zip says smoothly, although I can hear the hint of a chuckle in his voice.

"Mademoiselle, you'll be damned to hell" DuPont screams from beneath.

"Right now, looks to me like you're the one who's damned to hell" I shout, grinning.

Now to get the prize.

The crystal vase glistens before my eyes.

"Lara, only 15 minutes left for the curse to act"

"I'm working on it!"

I take another running jump at the platform on which the pedestal is situated.

My hands grip the vase and I pull out the stopper without reading the Hieroglyphs on the pedestal.

One gulp. Two.

Three.

I feel the strength returning to my body, my skin regains color and I feel exhilarated.

But nothing happens to my leg. It still aches like shit.

"Lara… How do you feel?" Zip asks.

I look at the hieroglyphs on the pedestal and draw a slight gasp.

" Here lies the last gift of Xamballa to the world."

"That can't be all." Zip mutters. "I know… Something isn't right" I whisper to him.

No price to pay for drinking the blessing?

I look around . And then I realize.

"Zip…There's no way out…"

"The way back is blocked by debris…

Drops of sweat trickle down my forehead as I rack my brain for solutions. Just then, I see a pool of water on the other side of the pedestal. I pull out a grenade from my, pull the pin and throw it towards the pedestal, jumping towards the crumbling remains of the upper floor just as the grenade explodes. The hot ash clings to my skin as I make my way towards the collapsed wall. Water is gushing through the hole created by my grenade.

"I hope you can swim, Pierre" I shout to him as I jump into the current, swimming upwards towards the light. The weeds stick to my skin and boots. Quickly, I remove my backpack; looking for a knife. But in the haste, one of the pin of the grenade comes loose. My heartbeat rising in fear, I throw it downwards and try to pull the weeds away. As fast as I can, I swim upwards, trying not to panic. Just as I reach the surface, I feel the blast.

It sends me flailing onto the river bank. My throat aches as I swallow the water of the river. My foot is simply agony. "Zip…" I groan

"The copter's coming, Lara"

"Thank God…" I breathe.

He's correct as the helicopter lands right next to me in another fifteen or twenty minutes and I make my way over to it and collapse on the seat.

I played with my life today.

But aren't there worse games to play?