< Back
Chapter 7
Guashino, Andrew, Wanda and Kelly set out to look for the soldiers, or find Taushenjoonga and protect him.
They walked for a while in silence.
Wanda was lingering at the back of the group picking as many of the native plants as possible.
About an hour passed.
Suddenly, Guashino yelped and ran over to something hidden in the undergrowth.
Andrew ran to see.
Guashino was cradling a giant snake’s head in his hands.
It had been shot several times.
“Pollyanna.” Whispered Guashino.
The snake was breathing.
Taushenjoonga did not like the visitors. So far, all they did was shoot him, yell about blowing up his territory, and make several attempts to kill him and the other creatures in his territory. But these visitors were different.
The other visitors were wild, vicious and had no respect for life. But these ones seemed to be honestly concerned for the long, scaly one.
They offered it food. One even went down to a stream to get water.
He silently crept down from the branches.
Wanda was stroking the giant snake, trying to reassure it, when she yelled in fright.
Guashino and everyone else came running back.
“What’s wrong?” Gasped Andrew. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Taushenjoonga staring at him.
“Get down!” Yelped Guashino.
“No eye contact! No sudden movements!”
Taushenjoonga leaned closer to Kelly, sniffing her all over. Kelly’s face scrunched up when she smelt the giant predator’s terrible breath.
Andrew lunged forward to try and grab Kelly, and yank her away from Taushenjoonga.
The monster growled at him, and fixed him with a stare. Andrew stayed in his spot.
Kelly slowly lifted up her hand to Taushenjoonga‘s nose.
Andrew screamed internally as his daughter reached up and began patting the nose of the creature that had tried to kill them on more than one occasion.
Taushenjoonga leaned closer. He almost seemed to purr.
But Taushenjoonga was confused. Why did these visitors show submission, respect, and even affection to him if the others only wanted him dead?
Taushenjoonga‘s train of thought was shattered by a loud explosion.
He roared in fury as he leapt back up into the forest canopy and leapt from tree to tree toward the source of the sound.
“KELLY!!!” Raged Andrew.
“WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!”
Kelly looked at him with a stare.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!! GOING UP TO A WILD, MAD CREATURE AND POKING IT ON THE NOSE!! DON’T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!”
Kelly reached up and poked her father on the nose.
Chapter 8
Guashino, Kelly, Wanda and Andrew hurried through the forest. Guashino had his bow drawn, and at every noise he snapped his head in the direction.
They came to the clearing. It was the same place where they had first met Guashino, and when Kelly barged Taushenjoonga off into the ravine. Taushenjoonga was growling ferociously at the commander, who was smiling quite smugly. His men were at a dynamite detonator.
He waited until Taushenjoonga was right at the edge of the ravine. “DETONATE!!” He bellowed. The edge of the ravine exploded, and Taushenjoonga was sent tumbling down into the ravine, only to be caught by the vines again. “FIRE!!!” Roared the commander again. All the soldiers began firing and shooting at Taushenjoonga, who roared furiously. Most bullets missed, while some found their mark and burrowed deep into Taushenjoonga‘s flesh. Poor Taushenjoonga bellowed in pain. The soldiers then lit several fuses of dynamite, and threw them down. They exploded mid air, snapping the vines that Taushenjoonga was holding onto. Taushenjoonga howled as he fell out of sight. There was so much smoke and dust nobody could see a thing.
When the dust and smoke finally cleared,
Taushenjoonga was gone.
It was a quick, clever and fearsome plot meant to kill.
Guashino drew his bow and began madly shooting at the soldiers, who opened fire with their guns.
For Andrew, the following events seemed to happen in slow motion. A soldier fired. The bullet flew out of the barrel of the gun, mercilessly flying straight towards…
A small boulder, missing Andrew by a good 2 meters. But then the bullet ricocheted straight off the rock, burrowing deep into Andrew left leg. Andrew yelled in agony and clutched his leg as it folded beneath him, sending him falling down onto the ground.
In his unbearable pain, he heard somebody shout, “Wheee! I hit somebody!”
Before he was dragged away by Guashino.
Andrew awoke back in one of the treehouses of Guashino’s village. He moaned as the pain of his leg being moved rippled through his body.
Guashino was standing over him.
He stuck three fingers in his face.
“How many fingers am I holding up?” He asked hurriedly.
“Um, four?” Replied Andrew, still delirious.
“Maths isn’t your strong suit, then.” Muttered Guashino.
He poked Andrew in the leg where he got shot.
Andrew yelped, but then stopped.
“Hey, wow, it doesn’t hurt that much.”
Guashino nodded.
“Mm. I rubbed some of our healing cream on it. Wanda also took out the bullet while you’re asleep.”
Andrew rubbed his head and tried to sit up.
“You’ll be alright. The bullet didn’t go in too deep.”
Just then, Kelly burst into the room. “Um, guys! We got company!”
Guashino swore in a native language and began to help Andrew up.
“Quickquickquick, we gotta GO, GO, GO!!” Shouted Wanda from outside.
Andrew eventually, with Guashino’s help, made it down the ladder and onto the ground.
They were just about to rush for freedom, but something cold and metal pressed against their head. It was a gun.
“Well, well, well.” Said The Commander.
“Fancy seeing you again.” He sneered as he ordered his men.
“Tie them up.” He barked. But before they could do that, a downpour of arrows flew from above. The villagers were fighting back! But the commander was quick to respond. He aimed his gun and fired at a rope bridge. The rope bridge collapsed, sending the people hurtling down onto the ground. Some clung onto the rope bridge, and some stayed where they were, but most ran off into the forest.
There were a series of short, sharp CRACKS and then several bodies slumped to the ground.
Oh.
Kelly screamed and looked away.
“STAY STILL AND SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!!” Yelled the commander, not sure if he was yelling and them or the locals.
Guashino was not going to give up without a fight. While the commander was busy shooting his people, with his hands tied behind his back, he rubbed the ropes against his belt, feeling around for something. Finally, he found it. It was a sharp blade, made from a particularly vicious looking claw. He had forgotten exactly where the claw came from, possibly one of the giant eagles that flew around up in the mountains. He rubbed the rope against the blade, and eventually it was cut in half and dropped off. He struggled and kicked free of the soldiers holding him, and lunged over to the commander, who was now busy rounding up his village.
“LET THEM GO!!” He screamed as he crash-tackled the commander to the ground.
The commander landed on the ground with a pitiful yelp.
But before Guashino could do anything further, he was lifted up and put in a headlock by one of the soldiers.
Guashino, Andrew, Wanda and Kelly set out to look for the soldiers, or find Taushenjoonga and protect him.
They walked for a while in silence.
Wanda was lingering at the back of the group picking as many of the native plants as possible.
About an hour passed.
Suddenly, Guashino yelped and ran over to something hidden in the undergrowth.
Andrew ran to see.
Guashino was cradling a giant snake’s head in his hands.
It had been shot several times.
“Pollyanna.” Whispered Guashino.
The snake was breathing.
Taushenjoonga did not like the visitors. So far, all they did was shoot him, yell about blowing up his territory, and make several attempts to kill him and the other creatures in his territory. But these visitors were different.
The other visitors were wild, vicious and had no respect for life. But these ones seemed to be honestly concerned for the long, scaly one.
They offered it food. One even went down to a stream to get water.
He silently crept down from the branches.
Wanda was stroking the giant snake, trying to reassure it, when she yelled in fright.
Guashino and everyone else came running back.
“What’s wrong?” Gasped Andrew. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Taushenjoonga staring at him.
“Get down!” Yelped Guashino.
“No eye contact! No sudden movements!”
Taushenjoonga leaned closer to Kelly, sniffing her all over. Kelly’s face scrunched up when she smelt the giant predator’s terrible breath.
Andrew lunged forward to try and grab Kelly, and yank her away from Taushenjoonga.
The monster growled at him, and fixed him with a stare. Andrew stayed in his spot.
Kelly slowly lifted up her hand to Taushenjoonga‘s nose.
Andrew screamed internally as his daughter reached up and began patting the nose of the creature that had tried to kill them on more than one occasion.
Taushenjoonga leaned closer. He almost seemed to purr.
But Taushenjoonga was confused. Why did these visitors show submission, respect, and even affection to him if the others only wanted him dead?
Taushenjoonga‘s train of thought was shattered by a loud explosion.
He roared in fury as he leapt back up into the forest canopy and leapt from tree to tree toward the source of the sound.
“KELLY!!!” Raged Andrew.
“WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!”
Kelly looked at him with a stare.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!! GOING UP TO A WILD, MAD CREATURE AND POKING IT ON THE NOSE!! DON’T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!”
Kelly reached up and poked her father on the nose.
Chapter 8
Guashino, Kelly, Wanda and Andrew hurried through the forest. Guashino had his bow drawn, and at every noise he snapped his head in the direction.
They came to the clearing. It was the same place where they had first met Guashino, and when Kelly barged Taushenjoonga off into the ravine. Taushenjoonga was growling ferociously at the commander, who was smiling quite smugly. His men were at a dynamite detonator.
He waited until Taushenjoonga was right at the edge of the ravine. “DETONATE!!” He bellowed. The edge of the ravine exploded, and Taushenjoonga was sent tumbling down into the ravine, only to be caught by the vines again. “FIRE!!!” Roared the commander again. All the soldiers began firing and shooting at Taushenjoonga, who roared furiously. Most bullets missed, while some found their mark and burrowed deep into Taushenjoonga‘s flesh. Poor Taushenjoonga bellowed in pain. The soldiers then lit several fuses of dynamite, and threw them down. They exploded mid air, snapping the vines that Taushenjoonga was holding onto. Taushenjoonga howled as he fell out of sight. There was so much smoke and dust nobody could see a thing.
When the dust and smoke finally cleared,
Taushenjoonga was gone.
It was a quick, clever and fearsome plot meant to kill.
Guashino drew his bow and began madly shooting at the soldiers, who opened fire with their guns.
For Andrew, the following events seemed to happen in slow motion. A soldier fired. The bullet flew out of the barrel of the gun, mercilessly flying straight towards…
A small boulder, missing Andrew by a good 2 meters. But then the bullet ricocheted straight off the rock, burrowing deep into Andrew left leg. Andrew yelled in agony and clutched his leg as it folded beneath him, sending him falling down onto the ground.
In his unbearable pain, he heard somebody shout, “Wheee! I hit somebody!”
Before he was dragged away by Guashino.
Andrew awoke back in one of the treehouses of Guashino’s village. He moaned as the pain of his leg being moved rippled through his body.
Guashino was standing over him.
He stuck three fingers in his face.
“How many fingers am I holding up?” He asked hurriedly.
“Um, four?” Replied Andrew, still delirious.
“Maths isn’t your strong suit, then.” Muttered Guashino.
He poked Andrew in the leg where he got shot.
Andrew yelped, but then stopped.
“Hey, wow, it doesn’t hurt that much.”
Guashino nodded.
“Mm. I rubbed some of our healing cream on it. Wanda also took out the bullet while you’re asleep.”
Andrew rubbed his head and tried to sit up.
“You’ll be alright. The bullet didn’t go in too deep.”
Just then, Kelly burst into the room. “Um, guys! We got company!”
Guashino swore in a native language and began to help Andrew up.
“Quickquickquick, we gotta GO, GO, GO!!” Shouted Wanda from outside.
Andrew eventually, with Guashino’s help, made it down the ladder and onto the ground.
They were just about to rush for freedom, but something cold and metal pressed against their head. It was a gun.
“Well, well, well.” Said The Commander.
“Fancy seeing you again.” He sneered as he ordered his men.
“Tie them up.” He barked. But before they could do that, a downpour of arrows flew from above. The villagers were fighting back! But the commander was quick to respond. He aimed his gun and fired at a rope bridge. The rope bridge collapsed, sending the people hurtling down onto the ground. Some clung onto the rope bridge, and some stayed where they were, but most ran off into the forest.
There were a series of short, sharp CRACKS and then several bodies slumped to the ground.
Oh.
Kelly screamed and looked away.
“STAY STILL AND SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!!” Yelled the commander, not sure if he was yelling and them or the locals.
Guashino was not going to give up without a fight. While the commander was busy shooting his people, with his hands tied behind his back, he rubbed the ropes against his belt, feeling around for something. Finally, he found it. It was a sharp blade, made from a particularly vicious looking claw. He had forgotten exactly where the claw came from, possibly one of the giant eagles that flew around up in the mountains. He rubbed the rope against the blade, and eventually it was cut in half and dropped off. He struggled and kicked free of the soldiers holding him, and lunged over to the commander, who was now busy rounding up his village.
“LET THEM GO!!” He screamed as he crash-tackled the commander to the ground.
The commander landed on the ground with a pitiful yelp.
But before Guashino could do anything further, he was lifted up and put in a headlock by one of the soldiers.