As the truck continued to drive to town, Theo noticed more fur growing on Peter's face and his nose started altering also. He felt a pang of guilt as he looked at the surrounding landscape.
"Theo?"
Theo was brought out of his thoughts as he noticed Judy looking his way worried and curious at the same time.
"You said back home that an evil man caused Jumanji to cast a spell that made the game?"
Theo raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
Sarah looked a bit surprised.
"You're saying that Van Pelt and you met before?", she asked.
Theo looked guilty.
"Unfortunately I did. He was a mercenary out to find the Amulet of Africa that was in the care of the clan that Jumanji lived with so long ago."
Sarah now looked more shocked.
"Wait, back up. You're saying that this game was once a person?!"
Theo shrugged.
"Yeah, he really was."
Sarah clearly looked like she didn't believe him, but luckily the ride was ending as the driver parked the truck and the group got out. Theo was just happy he had a break from going too far into details about himself.
"Thanks for the lift.", he said to the driver.
"Yes, thank you.", Sarah added.
As they approached the street, they noticed people running around, grabbing things and acting like it was the end of the world.
"What's going on?", Judy asked as she observed.
"Apparently, there's a sale happening.", Sarah answered, but Theo could tell that she didn't know.
Just as they got to the street's curb, Theo saw a motorcycle speeding towards them!
"Incoming!", he yelped making the group pause.
The motorcycle sped past, but it was enough for them to see a trio of monkeys riding it as it continued on.
"You just saw three monkeys go by on a motorcycle, didn't you?", Sarah asked looking Judy's way.
"Yes.", Judy confirmed.
"Smart girl.", Theo said as he led the group across the street.
A bit later, they were at a banking machine, but the screen said "Temporarily Out of Service". So much for getting money to bail Alan out from it.
"Well, maybe we can bail him out with a check.", Sarah suggested.
"Thanks."
The four turned to see Van Pelt standing before them with Jumanji tucked under his arm and sneering menacingly.
"Tell that sniveling coward from me, if he wants…"
He was cut off cause a crash went off making him turn just in time to see a crowd of people panicking between him and the group. Peter somehow managed to get through and get the game from the hunter before rushing towards the back of the crowd.
"Boy!", he called out.
/
Theo rushed to catch up with Peter as the hunter was right on their heels, but once they got out into the open, they saw a stampede coming down the street and crushing all that was before it. The very same one from the mansion!
"Peter, get out of the-"
He turned to see Peter duck into a gray car that had been abandoned and Theo returned his look toward the stampede as it came thundering toward him. Whatever bravery he had failed him and he got out of the way enough for him to get to safety while still seeing the gray car take the blunt of the stampede as elephants ran over it crushing the top followed by rhinos which made Theo tense.
"Peter, please hang on.", he prayed.
Luckily, the stampede had gone through, but the car Peter was hiding in looked really banged up. What made Theo's nerve tense again was the fact Van Pelt was marching toward the car and he tried to get to it also, but unfortunately he slipped on a piece of newspaper in the street and fell on his back with a thud.
"Oh, that hurts.", he groaned.
As he tried to get to his feet, he saw Van Pelt moving away, but Peter's voice cried out which grabbed his attention.
"Help me!", he screamed, "Get me out of here!"
Theo headed over with Judy and Sarah meeting him there. Luckily, Peter wasn't hurt, but he was wedged in pretty hard.
"Peter, grab my arm.", Theo instructed as he reached in.
Peter did so and Judy came to help also. Eventually they got Peter free and then they gave chase to Van Pelt.
"Guys, we can't let Van Pelt know we're following him.", Theo whispered, "He could blow our heads off if he even smells us on his boot's heels."
That information was enough to make Judy and Peter flinch in fright, but they knew they had to get the game back if they were going to finish it. And Theo knew it too.
"Stay close and keep quiet.", he instructed.
The four followed Van Pelt until they came to a large store called "Sir Sav-a-lot" where the hunter strode in like he owned the place while people were clearly ransacking the place like they were out on the street where the stampede had gone through.
"This isn't going to be easy.", he commented.
The group entered the store where people left and right grabbed things off the shelves and still panicking. While keeping an eye out for Van Pelt, they looked for the game and finally saw it on the counter.
"There it is.", Judy said.
"Wait here.", Sarah instructed as she started out to grab the game.
"Sarah, wait.", Theo said grabbing the woman's arm making her pause, "I'll do it."
He walked past her and once he got close to the counter, he tried to grab the game quickly, but then Van Pelt came up like a scary jack-in-the-box and grabbed his arm tightly while looking intense.
"Gotcha Sonny Jim.", he glared.
Theo was scared, but tried not to look it.
"Van Pelt, I know this is a bit much, but you haven't lost your touch."
"Don't try to deter me.", the hunter warned, "When Alan hears of you and his woman's predicament, he'll come."
"Well, sorry to disappoint you Van Pelt, but he doesn't know we're here.", Theo said trying to break Van Pelt's grip, "Guess your plans already ruined and I should get going."
Van Pelt shot some gunshots into the ceiling making Sarah who had been sneaking up behind Theo pause and Theo to flinch as people not far off screamed and fled.
"Don't move or I'll blow your blinking brains out!", Van Pelt yelled.
"Yep, you've not lost your touch.", Theo commented.
"Call the cops.", a woman screamed in the distance.
/
Theo saw out of the corner of his eye Peter coming towards them, but luckily Van Pelt's attention was on him.
"That should do the trick, don't you think?", the hunter asked cruelly.
"I'm sure it did.", Theo answered.
Theo heard Peter make a sound and then Van Pelt flinched as his grip on Theo lessened and Sarah was able to get him free. Judy came up to the counter, grabbed a price gun and fired it at Van Pelt's face.
"Price check!", she called.
With the hunter temporarily blinded, Theo dashed off with Sarah with Judy and Peter going off.
"Split up!", Theo called out.
He and Sarah dashed past some mannequins whose heads exploded as Van Pelt took aim and fired. Soon, they came to a cart full of stuff and Sarah put the game in and started pushing. Theo noticed Peter dragging a canoe from a hunting display and got curious about what he was doing, but was brought out of his thoughts as a shelf beside him broke from a gunshot and he kept running.
"Judy!", Sarah called out as she gave the cart a hard shove.
Theo saw Judy slip out of an aisle and take the cart while still running. Theo then saw Peter with some scuba tanks, but another gunshot made him flinch and fall down. He barely had time to see his leg twisted in ropes as Van Pelt came up to him, but paused.
"Don't go anywhere.", he sneered before he headed out again to pursue the others.
Theo had to act fast if he was going to help and quickly got to trying to undo the ropes on his leg. After a bit, he managed to do so and started heading off until he almost collided into Judy as they passed a flower aisle, but halted when they saw Van Pelt. Unfortunately, Judy gasped and drew Van Pelt's attention making the hunter head their way. Judy ran, but before Theo could, he saw Van Pelt slip and slide for a while which made him temporarily forget his fear before he then heard a loud sound of rushing air as a canoe with the scuba tanks tied to it came by, scooped Van Pelt off his feet and rocketing away while Theo heard the hunter screaming.
"Wow, Van Pelt screams like a girl.", Theo thought to himself.
Theo met up with Peter as Judy and Sarah came up as well.
"Here's the game.", Judy said handing it over.
"Well done everyone, but we should go now.", Theo urged.
"Good idea.", Sarah agreed.
As they ran, Theo caught sight of the tire display and recalled the exit being near them.
"We can save time if we cut through here."
The group hurried down the aisle, but then the sound of a gunshot made them turn to see Van Pelt firing. As they turned, the tire display came undone and tires were rolling towards them.
"Back up!", Theo yelped over Judy screaming.
As fast as the group ran, the tires were faster and soon, all four were on the floor in heaps as Van Pelt strode up to them. Sarah and Judy had gotten out, but Judy gasped and gripped Sarah with Theo getting in front of them to protect them.
"Stop your cringing.", Van Pelt sneered, "I could've shot you at any moment."
Theo raised an eyebrow. Van Pelt had an opportunity to finish him, but why didn't he? And when he appeared at the mansion, why didn't he shoot Theo first since he remembered him?
"Then why didn't you?", Sarah asked.
"You didn't roll the dice.", Van Pelt shot back, "Alan did."
Theo suddenly looked alarmed. If Van Pelt killed Alan, then he'd come after Theo next. It may have been a theory, but Theo was certain it was the case.
"You really think Alan is on his way here?", Theo asked cautiously.
"He should be here any moment.", Van Pelt said slyly, "Though I expected you to be more dead than alive considering how old you must be Theo."
Theo frowned.
"I hope you still have a heart Van Pelt, because one day, I plan to drive a rhino's horn through it."
/
Van Pelt was about to say something as he cocked his gun, but a deafening crash made him pause. Another crash made him and Theo turn to the paint can shelves that suddenly started to sway forward.
"Oh dear.", Theo commented as he ducked out of the way.
Van Pelt only observed in shock as the entire wall of paint cans came down on him and buried him. Now that the danger was subdued, Sarah came forward and picked up the game from among the paint cans.
"Sarah!"
Theo jolted as he saw Alan come through a gap from the other side of the aisle.
"Wow, you made it Alan.", Theo said looking impressed.
Alan however was more focused on the others.
"Are you alright?", he asked, "Is everyone alright?"
"Yes.", Sarah answered him.
"We're alright.", Judy put in.
Theo then remembered Peter who hadn't come up from the tires and Alan had noticed too.
"Where's Peter?"
"I'm here."
Alan and Theo both saw Peter make his way out and seeing his monkey like face, Alan knew the game was the cause of it.
"Oh great."
Theo gave Alan a knowing look as the group left the store and started heading back to the mansion.
"You seem disappointed."
Alan's expression hardened, but Theo wasn't bothered.
"Alan, you and I know Peter just-"
"He shouldn't have done what he did!", Alan snapped, "He shouldn't have!"
Theo raised an eyebrow.
"So you knew as well. But unlike you, I'm not that disappointed."
Alan couldn't piece together why Theo was so calm after this, but his expression didn't show it.
"You know, it might help soothe the child's fragile emotions if you try to make amends."
Alan looked Theo's way firmly again.
"What are you, Dr. Phil?"
Theo now looked firm.
"You used to claim that your father never understood you and you were scared most of your life. And now with Peter, you're in the same position as your father was with you. Are you going to make the same forceful acts you father used or are you going to do the opposite?"
Alan pondered and it seemed Theo's words got to him.
"All right.", he said handing the game to Sarah.
As Sarah and Judy got a few feet away, Alan and Theo let Peter come up to them although Peter looked pretty down.
"I warned you about this, Peter. No, you wanted to play the game."
Theo gave Alan a glare as Peter then whimpered. That told Alan that he had to make amends and it wasn't helping. He sighed and got in front of Peter looking apologetic.
"Hey, hey, hey. I'm sorry. Twenty-six years, buried in the deepest, darkest jungle, and I still became my father. It's okay. Come here. I'm sorry."
As Alan and Peter shared a hug, Theo looked amused.
"Hey, it's all right. Remember what you told me?", Alan asked as he and Peter parted, "It's all right to be afraid."
"It's not that.", Peter said more steadily and shaking his head.
Theo looked behind the boy and suddenly knew.
"I got him.", he said rolling his eyes, "You ready Peter?"
Peter nodded a bit nervously and Theo twirled a finger in the air. In the time it took to blink, a full monkey's tail burst through the seat of the boy's pants as he flinched from the slight pain. A while later, they had arrived back at the mansion.
"Don't you worry.", Alan assured Peter as the group came up to the door, "We'll have you back to your old self in no time flat. Cause we're gonna go in, together, we're gonna sit down and we're gonna finish that game no matter… what."
Theo had opened the door and the group noticed thick vines, leaves and trees everywhere. Clearly the work of the living vines from earlier, but Theo and Alan had a familiar feeling.
"Suddenly, I feel right at home.", Alan commented.
"We better finish that game.", Theo added, "Or I am so fired."