Theo didn't let off the gas as the car sped through the streets and then skidded to a stop right in front of Parrish Mansion.
"Is it still there?", Theo asked.
Alan just got out.
"You're quite a driver Theo.", he said as he headed toward the house.
"You kids okay?", Theo asked as he unbuckled himself.
Judy and Peter just nodded as they got out of their seats and followed Theo inside the mansion behind Alan. Alan was soon heading to the attic and Theo looked alarmed.
"Jumanji.", he said quietly.
Judy and Peter didn't say anything, but followed anyway. Once up there, Theo found Alan going through some clothes that Theo guessed were Alan's late father's before he felt like he should explain what was going on.
"Alan, there's something you need to know.", he said.
Just as Alan started turning, Judy and Peter showed up with Jumanji folded up.
"Alan.", Judy spoke.
The moment Alan's eyes met Jumanji, he instantly stood up and hurried to back away from it like it was a poisonous snake about to strike at any second.
"Keep that thing away from me!", he told Judy as he was now heading down the stairs to the second floor.
Theo just followed him with the kids right behind him.
"When are you going to help us play?", Judy protested as she and Peter followed Theo who was closer to Alan, "We've got to hurry. Our aunt's gonna be home soon."
"Well good.", Alan answered over his shoulder, "You can inform her that she's the ex-owner of this house. I hope you realize, with my parents gone, this home belongs to me."
Theo felt his blood boil.
"Mr. Parrish, if I may voice a point that I-"
He didn't get to finish cause Alan had gone into the bathroom not even bothering to listen to what Theo had been saying and shut the door behind him and locking it. Still, Theo was still feeling more than a bit peeved.
"Now I do take offense Alan, I do."
There came no reply as the sound of a toilet flushing came from behind the door. Judy had come up to Theo's side just as annoyed with Peter and spoke a complaint as well.
"What do you think those monkeys are gonna do to the ecosystem around here?", she asked only to hear the shower running and Alan singing which she didn't like and started banging on the door, "Hello?"
Theo sighed.
"Just great.", he grumbled as he started walking away from the door, "I help a jungle shaman in training protect his home and now that whole world is now a-"
"Jungle shaman?", Judy asked as she and Peter were now looking Theo's way confused, "What are you talking about?"
Theo sighed.
"It's… kind of a long story.", he admitted before looking at the door and then back to the kids, "And since Alan might be a while, I think I should explain about that game you just discovered."
/
By the time, Theo had finished talking, the kids only looked more confused than before as Jumanji laid opened before the three of them.
"So this here is the Amulet of Africa?", Judy asked tapping the glass circle in the game's middle making sure she got everything.
"Yeah.", Theo answered, "It contains powerful magic that draws from the jungle itself."
"And this Jumanji used it to save his village from an evil man?", Peter asked a bit frightened.
"Right again.", Theo told him, "Of course Jumanji was desperate at the time and probably wasn't thinking, but he did what he had to do."
Judy however looked at the tokens and was a bit interested.
"So, these tokens, they… they were like some jungle divine beasts helped establish the place Jumanji lived?", she questioned.
Theo looked a bit unnerved.
"Yeah. They represent what makes a jungle warrior or something like that. The rhino represents wisdom. The elephant is strength, the crocodile is loyalty, and the monkey is cleverness. The game was supposed to tell the story about how the settlement was established and with every move, the gamers think of a rhyme and the others have to guess what it is."
Judy looked awestruck.
"That explained why those things appeared.", she said.
"Well, that was new.", Theo answered, "Kind of a side effect to the magic of the amulet I would guess. I have to admit it was quite a spell to be cast for over… a long time ago."
Before the kids could ask anything else, the door to the bathroom opened and Alan stepped out looking freshened up with fresh clothes and with bits of paper on his face that told Theo that he had trouble shaving. At least his hair was shortened and it made him look nicer. Theo and the kids got to their feet though Theo looked a bit supportive.
"Well, you're looking better Alan."
"What happened to you?", Judy asked rather rude, "Shave with a piece of glass?"
Theo gave her a firm look, but said nothing as Alan spoke up with a tone that hinted he was annoyed at the remark.
"What happened to you? The Clampetts have a yard sale?", he retorted before turning to walk away, "What do you want? I've never shaved before."
As he headed downstairs, Theo just followed with the kids though Judy was a bit miffed still.
"Where are you going?", she asked.
Alan didn't answer, but Theo just rolled his eyes.
"Just my luck.", he said mostly to himself though he was sure that Alan might have heard him, "Alan, did you… hear anything that I told the kids?"
Alan looked over his shoulder to Theo and shrugged.
"Not a thing."
Theo's expression grew firm again.
"Alan, I think I should tell you something about-"
"I want nothing to do with that game.", Alan answered sharply, "I just want to be as far away from it as possible okay?"
Theo felt his blood boil again. Why couldn't Alan just leave the game where he had found it twenty-six years back? How could he get Alan to finish the game with Judy and Peter since he didn't read that part?
/
In the kitchen, Theo wasn't calming down as Alan was rummaging the mess the monkeys left and was in the middle of picking up an apple while holding a salad bowl before taking a bite out of the side that wasn't already bit into. Judy and Peter had come as well though Judy was trying to keep calm.
"How about Peter and I play and you just watch with Theo?", she suggested.
"No thanks.", Alan answered, "I've seen it."
"As have I.", Theo countered hotly, "All the dangers, all the wildlife, and death-defying situations that happen on a daily basis, but do I complain?"
Alan and Judy both chose to ignore him as Judy tried again.
"So if you're not gonna help us, what are you gonna do?", she asked.
"I don't know.", Alan said as he stood up, "Pretty much pick up where I left off. I wonder if Mrs. Nedermyer's still teaching sixth grade."
"I doubt it.", Theo said quietly to himself.
Alan went to the fridge and opened the door only for a monkey to come out making him jump while Theo just flinched. The primate shivered for a moment and then ran past everyone, went out the door and was gone before anyone could react. Theo noticed Peter look like he was admitting defeat, but not without a say.
"Come on, he's not gonna help us.", Peter said, "He's afraid."
He turned to walk away and did for a couple steps before Alan's voice caught his ears.
"What did you say?"
Peter paused and turned back to him.
"You're afraid.", he said plainly, "It's okay to be afraid."
Alan scoffed a bit with a hint of laughter at Peter's words, but Theo had taken enough.
"Let's set it up in the living room."
Just as Theo had taken a step to the door, Alan bolted past the group and blocked it.
"No, you have no idea what you're getting yourselves into."
Now Theo was the one who was smiling, but Peter spoke before he did.
"Whatever it is, we'll handle it by ourselves.", he said back, "We don't need your help."
Peter started forward again, but Alan stopped him.
"I don't think so.", he said now speaking in a foreboding tone, "You think monkeys, mosquitos, and lions are bad? That's just the beginning. I've seen things you only see in your nightmares. Things you can't even imagine. Things you can't even see. Someone screams and you hear them eat. And you pray to God that you're not dessert. Afraid? You don't even know what afraid is. You won't last five minutes without me."
Theo's expression lightened a bit as he also lifted an eyebrow.
"So does that mean you're gonna help us?", Judy asked hesitantly.
Alan paused as if giving a warning.
"I'll watch. But I'm not afraid."
He then turned and walked out of the kitchen. Judy and Theo paused as they came to Peter's side.
"How did you do that?", Judy asked in awe.
"It's reverse psychology.", Peter answered, "Dad used to pull it on me all the time."
"Well played.", Theo added.
/
Back in the living room, Judy and Peter set up the game while Alan was busy securing the room as if preparing and Theo was standing nearby.
"Ready?", she asked Peter.
"Ready.", Peter answered.
Judy looked to Theo who didn't answer, but nodded as if he knew what she was going to ask before she turned to Alan.
"Alan, ready?"
"There is no ready.", Alan told her.
Judy then picked up the dice and rolled. Nothing happened. The crocodile token didn't budge, the amulet in the center of the game didn't light up, and no weirdness. Theo came over and looked a bit concerned.
"That's odd."
"I'll try it again.", Judy said.
She rolled again, but when they looked to the board again, still nothing happened.
"Alan, Theo, it's not working.", Judy stated.
Alan came over before Theo spoke up.
"It's not that Jumanji isn't working.", he said plainly, "It's the fact that it's not your turn to roll the dice."
"Yeah it is.", Judy protested, "I rolled first, then Peter twice cause he got doubles, so now it's my turn again."
Alan however didn't look like he agreed.
"No, look. Those two pieces are yours right?", he asked pointing out the crocodile and the monkey, "Who's the other pieces?"
He then paused as he touched the elephant token.
"The elephant was mine."
Theo suddenly looked like he was struck by lightning.
"Judy, you and Peter are continuing the game Alan started back in 1969.", he said in realization before turning to Alan, "You know what that means right?"
Alan looked like he was admitting defeat.
"It means I have to play right?"
"Bingo.", Theo said as plainly as before.
Judy picked up the dice, but before she handed them over, Theo stopped her.
"It's not Alan's turn to roll either.", he told her.
"Who's turn is it?", Judy asked.
Theo looked Alan's way expectedly and Alan then spoke.
"Sarah Whittle."
Theo looked concerned. Looks like they had to go out and find her.
"Any idea where to start?", he asked.
Alan nodded.
/
A while later, the group arrived at a house that Alan seemed to recognize.
"This is where she used to live."
"This place gives me the creeps.", Peter said.
Still, the group went forward to the porch where Theo noticed a plaque near the door reading "Madam Serena Psychic Readings By Appointment Only". Alan however looked annoyed.
"I knew she married Billy Jessup and they're living in the trailer park."
Theo frowned.
"Hey, maybe she'll know where Sarah went."
"Of course she'll know where Sarah went.", Peter added, "She's a psychic."
"An excellent point.", Theo concluded before he knocked on the door a few times.
"I remember the porch being a lot bigger.", Alan commented.
"Hello?"
Theo tensed, but didn't hold back on answering, but Judy answered before he could.
"Um, can you help us?", Judy asked.
"Do you have an appointment?"
Theo frowned.
"Oh for Jumanji's sake, let's just got for it."
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly he was inside the house and behind a woman with her back turned to him.
"Madam.", he said pleasantly.
The woman turned and when she saw Theo, she yelped while unknowingly opening the door at the same time.
"How did you get in here?!", she asked rather frantic.
"I warped.", Theo told her while looking snide, "Name's Theo. Pleasure to meet you Sarah."
Sarah only turned to slam the door only for Alan to stop her.
"Sarah? Sarah Whittle?"
Sarah now looked blown away.
"What do you want?", she asked still shaken from seeing Theo.
"Twenty-six years ago, you played a game with a boy down the street.", Theo informed, "A game with drums."
Sarah turned to Theo as her eyes grew wide in awe and in confusion.
"How do you know that?", she asked him.
"Because I met him and he's standing on your porch.", Theo said plainly.
Sarah turned back to Alan while still looking blown away.
"Alan.", she said before she fell to the floor with a loud thud.
Peter looked surprised.
"You killed her."
Theo looked annoyed.
"She's not dead Peter. She's just fainted.", he stated before snapping his fingers and making Sarah float in the air gaining the other three's surprised look, "What? Now we don't have to drag her. Let's go."
"Magic mirrors, you able to teleport, and make people float?", Alan asked, "What are you?"