Snap hung on tightly to the weak branch that grew out of the side of the cliff. He stared down, wincing in fear at the sight of the jagged rocks below. It was worse when he saw more boulders go down this way. They pounded on the edge right above him, and he knew the volcano was trying to knock him over still. The boulders would fall and the rocks down below...they were so sharp the boulders were sliced in half.
He wished he had been able to move faster. He wished he had found a way off of the ice wall before it poured out over the edge. Right next to him, he could see the shimmering white stream as it continued to flow downwards, covering the landscape below. Snap, at the last second, managed to grab a lonely branch growing out the side. The roots wouldn't hold for much longer, and he would need a way to get out of here, and fast.
But how was he going to get up from this? The boulders were still coming. He didn't know how long the volcano was going to keep this up. Then a dark realization settled in. The volcano must know that he was hanging onto the branch, like somehow it could still 'see' him, and it was either trying to finish him off...or it was wasting his time so he wouldn't be able to save his friends. Or, likely, both.
Snap looked around in desperation. He stared in fear as the branch was giving way even more. Snap pressed his feet against the wall, careful not to aggravate his injuries more. He attempted to pull himself up, but the branch started to break and he fell down. He whimpered as he looked down below where his grave might end up being. The realization started to settle in, that this might be where he'll breathe his last. He might of failed to save his friends after all, and that made him shed a few tears.
He had tried so hard to save Rudy, Penny, Rapsheeba, and Blocky. He had endured all this danger, managed to escape some terrifying deathtraps, and now here he was, dangling over the edge of a cliff on a weak branch with no way out. None that he could immediately see anyway. And he knew it was just a matter of time before the branch would break and he'd fall down to his death. He didn't know how he was going to get out of this one.
He couldn't believe that it would all be over right now, when he had only one more game left to play. Just one more... He was so close... Being struck down on the second to the last game was more heart wrenching to him than it would have been in an earlier game. It hurt more to die here than, say, game three or four, because he had endured so much, and he was getting so close to saving his friends, or at least very least, seeing them again. But the thought of dying here, and never seeing them again, it was very depressing. Especially since he hadn't seen Rudy and Penny since that one meeting they had with Skrawl...
Snap wondered how far Skrawl had gotten to figuring everything out. He wondered if he took notice of the games.. Oh yes he must have seen them, the deathtraps that were sprung. No doubt he was aware of the lava and fire on the golf course, the little bots shooting lasers, the sinkhole that appeared out of nowhere... He wasn't sure if Skrawl could do anything to help, but maybe, after all this is over, if he ended up failing, maybe Skrawl could take over and try to stop Draow and Bardot. The jellybean did have a lot more people working for them than Bardot and Draow did, or at least that's what Snap was hoping.
Snap could only hope that Bardot hadn't tried anything against Skrawl. He might very well know that he was investigating. Snap wasn't sure if Skrawl did anything that Bardot didn't like. He hadn't been able to get in contact with the jellybean for days. He may have made great strides in finding out what's going on. Maybe he was able to talk to someone who, somehow, witnessed Draow or Bardot somewhere. Maybe he even got their location.
It was a bit comforting for Snap to know that, if he failed, there would be others who would try to stop Draow and Bardot. Yet, he hoped that it wouldn't come to that. He didn't want others to put their lives on the line to stop these guys. He hoped that, somehow, he would be the one to bring them down. He didn't want others to suffer from this.
He glared at the branch he was holding onto. Yes, he would find a way out of here. Yeah, he was tired, thirsty, and hungry, and he was in pain from his injuries. But there was one thing Bardot couldn't shatter. And that was his hope. He would do whatever it takes to find them and save them. And he knew Bardot knew that very well. He was so close...and soon, Snap would face the monster himself. And when he did, he would make Bardot pay. Oh how he would make him pay...
Snap looked at the white stream again. He stared down as it filled the gorge below. It formed an icy landscape practically hugging the sharp rocks. There was a lot of ice too, and he noticed it was traveling through the gorge itself. One thing he took notice of...it wasn't being sliced up by the rocks. Maybe the ice was just too hard and slippery for the rocks. Strange, but that was what he was witnessing.
Snap thought for a moment. He did need a way to get out of here, and climbing back up wasn't working. He needed another way, and the ice wall was right next to him. If he gathered enough strength, he could throw himself back on the ice wall and slide down... It would be like skiing almost, but instead it would be for his life. One slip up, and he would be a goner...
Having no other choice, that is exactly what he did.
Snap began to swing on the branch. He pushed himself forward and back. He didn't have a lot of strength left, he realized, and he knew this might use up what little remained. But he had no choice. He continued to swing himself back and forth. And when he believed he had enough strength stored up, he knew he had to take a chance. If he missed his jump, he would fall to his death... Gathering up as much courage as he could, Snap let go.
He sailed through the air and hit the side of the ice wall. He started to slip down towards the jagged rocks below. He let out a scream, realizing he might have miscalculated his jump. In desperation, he hung onto the ice wall as he started sliding down along its side. He found it hard to get a grip and he found himself sliding at astonishing speed down to the jagged rocks where the ice had flowed through. He could see an exceptionally sharp rock in his path, and if he didn't move, he would be sliced in half.
Kicking his legs and struggling to pull himself up, Snap managed to get back on top of the ice wall just as he came up to the jagged rock. He howled in pain as he felt it graze his back. He was thrust into the ice face first. He groaned as he rubbed his injured face, feeling a little blood dripping down the corner of his mouth. He looked over and his eyes widened at what he saw.
Up ahead, multiple sharp rocks seemed to grow out of the ice. The ice had formed around these, creating what looked like an obstacle course, only much more dangerous than a real one. And at the moment, he was sliding right for another jagged rock. He did manage to move out of the way, but just barely, and that was just one of many he would have to dodge.
There was little traction on the ice. He would constantly slip and fall. He aggravated his injuries a few times doing this. Yet he had no choice. He couldn't just lay there and get hit. He soon found it easier going on all fours, like how he did...or rather his body did, when he and that bull switched minds. Putting equal pressure on all four limbs helped distribute the weight more equally and made his injuries a little easier to bear as a whole.
As the rocks came, he moved from left to right, whichever way he needed to dodge. It would have been quite fun and exciting if his life wasn't on the line. The slippery ice still made it hard to stand up, even on all fours, most of the time. And there were a few times where he slipped and fell, hitting his chin hard on the ice. He got grazed by a few more sharp rocks, and he cried out as his side injury was reopened and he got a new gash on his left arm. Deep cuts, causing blood to pour out profusely, and he wouldn't doubt they'd get infected.
The ice wall made some twists and turns up ahead, and he was reminded of the tunnel he fell through. And when the ice wall did a loop in the air, his eyes widened in horror. Unable to stop himself, he slid over the lip. There wasn't enough force to go all the way and, in the middle of it, he fell down and landed on his back, hard. He let out a groan of pain as he continued to slide down further. The force of the impact nearly knocked him unconscious and, for a few precious seconds, he wasn't completely aware of his surroundings.
He looked around, his eyes halfway closed. His vision was blurred for a moment. Then, soon, everything came into focus. Groaning, he lifted up his head and saw he was headed towards a sharp, jagged rock. The mugginess in his head slowly cleared and he gasped in horror. He shifted his body to the side and managed to dodge, but only just barely. He shivered as he realized just how close he was to being sliced in half.
This ice 'ride' continued on for a few minutes before he finally saw something different. The ice wall had eventually turned abruptly, moving along the edge of the canyons before going off in a new direction. And, having no choice, Snap went along for the rest of this hell of a ride.
Then, finally, at the end, the ice wall curved upwards slightly. It was almost like a slide, only this slide didn't have any soft sand or shredded tires to land safely on. Snap's eyes widened for a moment and then he shut them, preparing for the inevitable. Seconds later, he felt his body being flung in the air. He flew up pretty high and, only for a second, did he dare to open his eyes.
Even in just that moment, he recognized where he was. He had been taken to the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. He was sailing over the trees and the exotic foliage. And soon, due to gravity, he was coming crashing down. He let out a scream and braced himself for impact.
And when he came, he howled in pain. He crashed against the top of a tree. The branches cut into his body, creating small bleeding marks. He fell down, slamming against branch after branch. Then finally he fell out of the tree and landed on the ground. He slammed into the ground onto his shoulders, upside down. He let out a groan and laid there, trying to bear the pain that swelled through his body right now.
There was no way he would ever want to go through something like that again. The fall aggravated his injuries, and right now, he was frozen in pain. Even just a little move would cause him to groan in agony. Looking next to him, he could see a card, one that he knew that Bardot had left for him.
After a few minutes of trying to ride out the pain, Snap started to move a little. Each move made him hiss in pain, but slowly, surely, he managed to get his whole body on the ground, and then right himself up. He turned to the card, the one that he knew would lead him to the final game. He let that sink in for a moment. There was just...one more game left to play.
His whole body ached. He couldn't help but wonder if he would even survive the last game. He was thirsty... Well he was in the jungle and there was a river nearby. He could get a drink here...provided this is the location of the final game. He glared at the card and started to read it.
It said:
"Pride can kill the best of us
Slamming with the force of a bus
Someone new who came
Your friend's ego was hard to tame
What you saw as beauty, he saw as competition
Your support of the new made his anger come into fruition
But in the land of the wild
Even he had to admit his temper was a bit much for a child"
Snap was thankful that he didn't take long to figure out this riddle. He was surprised he knew it quickly. But the talk of competition, of egos, there was one incident he could recall where Rudy did act this way. It wasn't one of his best moments, and he had moved from the incident. Snap didn't blame him, though. After all, he was only ten years old when this happened.
By the end of the riddle, Snap recalled the incident where Rudy's little cousin Sophie had gotten into ChalkZone. Rudy had been trying to get her out of ChalkZone before his aunt and mother noticed she was gone. Rudy was very worried about her and thought she was going to get hurt.
But despite his fears, he also seemed to have a bit of an attitude problem. Whenever he referred to the toddler's drawings as 'art', Rudy got really upset. It was clear to Snap that Rudy was somehow jealous of his little cousin. It might have been because he was so used to others praising his work, that when attention was given to someone else, he felt wronged. It was such a silly thing to believe and Rudy had come to terms with that not long after the incident.
Snap thought about the line 'land of the wild', and realized it had to have been talking about the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle...which he was currently in. He was surprised. Usually the notes were left in places further away from the next game. Unless the note was referring to a specific part of this jungle. It was huge and there were multiple places he could go. Maybe the note was referring to where Rudy and Sophie had first entered the jungle.
He looked around. If that were the case, then he had a bit of a ways to go to the next game. He had to get moving now. He didn't have a lot of time left to save his friends. He got up to his feet. He took a few steps, wobbling from the pain he was in. He did manage to find yet another walking stick for him to use. The stick made it easier for him to walk a little faster. He headed in the direction where he remembered Rudy and Sophie being in at the very start of their little rendevous with the jungle.
He did manage to find a small stream. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. He knelt down and put his hands on the water. Cupping some of it in his hands, he drank some of it. The thought of it being tainted did cross his mind, but if Bardot really wanted to face him in the end, he had doubts he would poison him when he was so close to facing him. He knew Bardot really wanted to fight him, and would rather keep him alive.
He was hungry, but there was nothing he could do about that. He settled with the water. After he drank a little, feeling a little more hydrated, he started to press on. He didn't get much energy from the water, but at least now there was a little less chance of him fainting when he went to face Draow and Bardot. And after he beat them, he and his friends could start to recover.
Trying to steer clear of the wild inhabitants wasn't easy. He almost had a few run ins with some of the more vicious locals. But luckily, they seemed preoccupied with something else. He felt a little safer as he trudged through..until he heard the sound of teeth gnashing on bone. His eyes flew open. The reason the beasts weren't going after him..was because they had found other victims.
Snap's heart started to race. He knew it couldn't be Rudy or Penny, but what if these were the remains of Blocky and Rapsheeba? He soon pushed those thoughts out of his head. He couldn't jump to conclusions like that. Still, these beasts...they could be eating the remains of discarded victims Bardot had killed. How many zoners had he murdered? He might have killed a lot more, and he didn't know about it. Bardot may have been keeping it a secret this whole time.
Snap soon came to the right spot. He could see the note sticking out of the ground, among a group of thorny flowers. He reached down, wincing as the thorns cut into his hand. Just like Bardot to make the last note the hardest one to get. He managed to yank it out, but not before getting a few thorns stuck in his hand. After carefully removing the thorns from his hand, he started to read the note.
"Well you finally made it. This is the final game. And by the end, you will be shown the way to your friends. The object of the game here is jump rope, but with a twist. The rope is a snake, and it has an appetite for little zoners like yourself. Be careful; it is relentless in its attacks."
Snap's eyes widened at this. More running... He was still exhausted from having to outrun the volcano. His legs were hurting. The pain in his leg was getting worse. He didn't know how fast he could carry himself with the walking stick. And, despite having drank not too long ago, his throat was a little dry. His lungs were still burning a little from all the running he was doing. And now the last game, of course Bardot wouldn't make things easy for him. Now he was going to be pursued by something that wanted to eat him. And, chances are, the snake was going to be a lot faster than him.
Snap stiffened at the sound of hissing. He looked over above him. Staring down at him with glowing yellow eyes was a snake. It had a very long body. Thickly muscled and yet still thin. The scales shined, flatted smoothly against its body. It opened up his mouth a little and he could see the hideous, sharp teeth. Its dark puple tongue flickered in and out as it started him hungrily. He could see part of its body was hanging low and he guessed this was the part he had to jump over to save himself.
The snake opened its jaws and let out a loud hiss. It pulled its head back and struck down. Snap screamed and dodged to the left. The snake's jaws clamped against the ground, tearing off grass and dirt and lifted it up. It shook its head from side to side and spat out the dirt, a disgusted look on its face. It turned its attention back to Snap and tried to bite him again. Snap turned and ran away, the snake in hot pursuit.
As Snap ran, trying whatever he could to keep the snake from biting him, including running zigzag to disorient it, he noticed that the snake moved along the trees, like it was a part of it. And it moved along smoothly. It was pretty impressive, the way this snake managed to go from tree to tree without much of a problem. Snap would admire that if he wasn't about to be eaten by the snake. Once in a while, the hanging part of the snake would strike down at him, forcing him to jump.
Jumping was pretty painful. Each time he did, and he hit the ground, he almost tumbled onto his knees in agony. The jumps were aggravating his injuries more, especially the burn on his foot. No matter how hard he tried, the burned portion of his foot would still bang against the ground, causing him to howl in pain. He managed to press on, but it was hard to block out the throbbing pain he was feeling. He looked behind him, and realized the snake was catching up. Another snap of the jaws, and Snap could feel part of his scarf being torn off. He was yanked back and he fell onto the ground.
The snake moved around, blocking his way out. In a mini coil, Snap looked up in fear as the snake hissed loudly again. It opened its jaws so wide, Snap could see down its throat. It struck forward. Snap jumped out of the way, barely missing being hit. The snake bit down on its self and it let out a shriek of pain. This did gave Snap a little time to get a little further ahead. But that wouldn't last as the snake came upon him again. It swung its body at him again, and he jumped, grunting in pain as he landed back down.
Snap looked up ahead. He was reaching a part of the jungle where the foliage was really thick. His eyes widened. Would he be able to make it? It wasn't going to be easy running through that place with the walking stick he was using. He could easily get tangled up in the vines and the branches that interlocked with each other. And there was no other way he could go, not without risking getting caught by the snake.
Then he realized that maybe..maybe this could work to his advantage. As he jumped a few more times as the snake struck out against him, he formulated a plan in his head. Since the snake was so eager to bite into him, it would continue to follow him no matter where he went. Maybe he could...
He didn't have time to think as he entered the thick foliage. Just like he thought, he wasn't able to move as fast. But then, neither could the snake. Its body no longer able to hang over and strike out, just the snake's head came through. It moved with some difficulty through the branches and vines, trying in vain to get at him. Snap had a hard time going through himself. A few times, his stick would get caught and he'd have to dislodge it. And more than once, he had a close call where the snake almost slammed his jaws around him.
The thick foliage went on for a while. Snap dodged left and right as he made his way through, trying to keep to the thickest parts of this patch of plants. He moved upwards in different places and, just like he hoped, the snake kept trying to get at him. If he could just make it through a few more times, he might be able to succeed in what he was trying to accomplish.
Up ahead, he could see the end of the foliage. And when he looked back at the snake, he could see what the effect he wanted was taking place. With the snake constantly following him, matching Snap's zigzagging moves without hesitation, it was beginning to tie itself in knots in the foliage, in a manner of speaking. It was becoming tangled in the brush and, eventually, it would no longer be able to follow him.
Snap reached the small opening. He dove out. He cried out in pain as he found himself tumbling down a small hill. He rolled across the ground, crying out in pain as his injuries slammed against the harsh, rocky patches of ground. He landed on his injured side and froze there in pain for a few seconds. He forced himself to open his tear-filled eyes and looked back towards the snake.
The head popped out and lashed out towards him. Snap screamed and scrambled to get back. The snake snapped his burned foot and started to pull him up into the air. It shook him a few times before tossing him into the ground. Snap laid there in agony as the snake coiled back and prepared to strike. Unable to move, Snap closed his eyes and looked away, waiting for the blow.
But it never came. Confused, Snap opened his eyes and looked. And that's when he realized his plan really had worked.
The snake was struggling to get at him. It slammed its jaws shut several times, missing him only by inches. But it could never get much closer. It turned its head towards the bushes and hissed angrily at it. It started to bite the branches and vines and tore them away in an attempt to free itself. Knowing that the snake could be done with this in a short time frame, Snap got up to his feet and started to make his way in the opposite direction, keeping himself a little steady with his walking stick.
Snap ran as fast as he could, wincing and crying out in pain. His injuries were getting worse, and already he was thirsty again. He wanted to try to find something else to drink, but he had no time for that. He didn't know how long the snake would be distracted.
Suddenly he stopped, frozen in his tracks. He had reached a part of the jungle he did not recognize in any way. It was still the Mumbo Jumbo Jungle. He could tell from the style of the drawings. But this area was unfamiliar to him. He looked around, walking slowly, taking in the sights. He didn't know if he had reached the right area or not. He didn't see a card, at least not yet. But if that was the last game, would there even be a card to find?
Then he came across something unexpected. A large rock face, in a style kinda similar to the gola monster he and Penny were swallowed up by once. But this time, the head was shaped more like a rhino's. It looked sinister...foreboding. He shivered as the eyes looked like they were staring right down at him. This place gave him scary vibes, and that was when he realized something.
Could this be the place?
It didn't take long for him to find his answer. A small note on the ground with not many words written on it. He picked it up and read it. It only had three words.
"You are here."
Snap let that sink in for a moment. He looked up at the rhino-like structure. He shivered in its presence. It definitely looked and felt like a place that Bardot would have taken his friends. The realization that he, after all this time, had finally made it, swept through him. If he weren't in so much pain and so filled with worry right now, he'd be smiling. He had managed to beat the odds and now, at last, he was here.
Snap headed towards the rhino shaped entrance. He pushed against the thick vines, managing to squeeze by them. And as he entered, he was immediately greeted with tunnels and darkness, barely lit by the torches. Although he had made it, he realized he needed to find out where his friends were being held. But how would he find them in this place? He had no idea where he needed to go.
Snap wandered down the tunnels, randomnly picking which direction to go. He couldn't see any markings on the walls, at least nothing all that meaningful to him. He kept his eyes and ears open, trying to find any signs of his friends. He tried to hear anything, a moan, some indication that they were alive and waiting for him. But so far, there was nothing but silence. He couldn't even hear the growls or chuckles from his enemies, whom he knew were expecting him here.
This place was dark and twisted, and it wasn't like it had a creepy design similar to Mr. Cosmo's. This place managed to be creepy all on its own simply with the way it was laid out and the way it looked. He had no idea how big this place really was, and he had no idea how far he'd have to walk before he found anyone. He had a feeling he was going to get lost unless he found a map of some kind. But knowing Bardot, he wasn't going to be so lucky.
After a few minutes of walking, he came down to a lower area with three different tunnels to take. He took the one on the far left and headed down that way. As he walked down, he could hear the splashing of water, which made him shudder. It didn't help that the splashing was accompanied by some sparks of electricity. And soon, after he walked for a few minutes, he came into a long tunnel with cells on both sides. Snap's eyes widened in horror as he saw just how many of them there were. There had to be at least twenty in this room.
He moved quickly through the tunnel, his mind filled with apprehension as he looked around nervously at the cells. Just looking at them reminded him so much of Mr. Cosmo. He could picture himself in each of these cells, on the ground in agony. He didn't want to be here... He moved out of the tunnel as fast as he could, and soon came to a two way path. This time, he took the path to the right.
And as he entered, he heard could hear moans and crying. He thought at first they were his friends, but they didn't sound like them. They sounded..different. Curious, he continued down, wondering who else had been captured by Bardot. He soon came upon a door. It seemed almost out of place; he hadn't spotted any other doors in this network of caves so far. He put his hand on the door and, slowly, opened it.
His eyes widened at what he saw.
There, hanging on the walls, were four adult humans. Four that he recognized immediately. Rudy's parents...Penny's mom...and Terry Bouffant. They were chained against the wall by their arms, secured over their heads. All of them had injuries on them, covered in cuts and bruises and their clothes were slightly torn. The parents looked like they had been crying for some time.
His arrival in the room prompted the adults to see him. The parents, at first, reacted in fear. They looked at him with wide eyes and struggled a little against their chains.
"No! Stay back!" Mrs. Tabootie shouted. "I'm warning you!"
"Not another one!" Mrs. Sanchez joined in.
Snap put his hands out in front of him and took a few steps back. "Whoa there! I'm not going to hurt you!"
"Yeah right..." Mr. Tabootie said bitterly. "Every one of you zoners we came across had tried to attack us!"
Before Snap could say anything, Terry spoke up.
"Cool it, you guys." Terry said. She looked down at Snap. She had a small smile on her face. Rather than a scheming one like Snap was used to, it was a smile that clearly showed happiness. Relief that he was there. And seeing the condition she was in, Snap wasn't that surprised. "That's Snap White. He's friends with Rudy and Penny. He's not one of the bad guys. You can trust him."
Snap was a little surprised that Terry was defending him like that. But then, given the situation she was in, he knew that she knew it was best to tell the truth. She was in danger as well, and, at the moment, he was their only chance at getting free. He looked up at their chains and winced. Could he even remove them?
The parents calmed down a little. They still looked at him suspiciously. They never took their eyes off him, making Snap feel a little uncomfortable. He tried his best not to show his nervousness, afraid that it might send off the wrong signals. He would have asked how they came here, but he had a pretty good idea. Terry must have took them here to find Rudy and Penny, and they got captured by Draow. That was pretty evident, given what he was seeing here.
He would have asked them where Rudy and Penny were, but it was unlikely that they would know. And even if they did, he wasn't sure if they would have told him. From the sound of it, they had not yet met a friendly zoner and, after seeing them in this condition, he could see why they would be wary of him.
"Hey, Snap. Do you think you can get us down?" Terry asked. She pulled on her chains. "Maybe find the key or something."
"Finding the key would be the better option. There's no way I can pull those chains out." Snap took note of the metal chains holding the adults to the wall. "I will free you guys later. First, I need to find Rudy and Penny. There's..." His eyes watered as the realization started to come to him. "..there's only two hours left to save them..."
Although she still looked distrustful of him, Mrs. Sanchez said, "They're..not in the greatest condition..." Her voice was filled with sadness.
"Did Bardot tell you?" Snap asked, turning his head towards her.
Mrs. Sanchez shook her head. "No. He didn't tell us. He showed us." With that, she made a gesture with her head, motioning for Snap to turn around.
When he did, he was appalled at what he saw. Bardot had pushed in a television set that showed both Rudy and Penny. Seeing their injuries, watching them struggle in pain, it made Snap's heart clench. This was...this was worse than he had imagined. And how sick could Bardot have to be to show the parents this? What a low, disgusting blow...to taunt them like this... Anger burned inside of Snap as his hands shook in anger.
Snap headed towards the door. He stopped and looked behind. Everyone but Terry still looked at him with suspicion. He didn't complain. Right now, it didn't matter if the parents trusted him or not. He had to find Rudy and Penny. The adults would be fine for now. At the moment, all the focus was on him and his friends. They would be spared for now, and they hadn't suffered nearly as many dangerous injuries. He can come back for them later.
He had finally arrived at this place. He didn't know where his friends were, but he would find them. Eventually, if he walked around this place enough, if he moved fast enough, he would find them, and then he would make Draow and Bardot pay for what they have done. He had defeated the games, and now it was time for the 'boss battles', so to speak. They weren't going to be able to keep him down.
"I am going to find Rudy and Penny." Snap said before he left the room. As he spoke, there was a clear indication of determination in it. "I will save them. I promise you..I will save them. And I will get you out of here." He paused for a moment. He looked back and gave them what could be described as a heroic smile. "And I will make sure Bardot and Draow never hurts them, or you, ever again."
As Snap walked out of the door, the adults looked on after him. The parents looked at each other. They still weren't sure, but there was a sense of hope returning to their faces. Snap's words had started to sink a little. They knew that Snap, as much as they weren't sure what to think about him, regardless of him being Rudy's drawing, was their only hope now.
Giving a small smile, Terry said in a soft voice, "If I know you Snap, and I do... I know you will succeed."