Adventures at the Earth’s Core

Adventures in the Lost World

Episode 1

Atawna and the Lost World

Chapter 5 Abducted

Lin Yao was feeling quite pleased with herself. True, her carelessness with the raft had gotten her and her brother into this pickle in the first place, but she had not been a liability after that. She had climbed up the cliff without assistance. She had found the papayas, and she had set up the camp. Well, actually, she had only gathered the firewood after James had built the shelter. But she had managed to get a fire going with just one match, and while collecting wood she had come across a mango bush and collected a few of the riper fruits. It was quite possible that James would not be successful in his hunting expedition and the two papayas they had left and the mangoes would see them through. Perhaps tomorrow they would make better time. The sooner they got back to base camp the better. She knew her mother. It was unlikely that she would sit around waiting for her lost children to show up. She was probably searching for them right now. She wondered what her reception would be like when she got back. She had never seen her mother really angry and had no wish to. She sighed and moved behind the fire. It wasn’t at all cold, but the insects were beginning to swarm. She expected that James would return any minute now.

Grual had never seen anything like her. She was much taller than any woman of his tribe, and when she moved she did so with the grace of a panther. She was dressed very strangely, most of her body covered with tan cloth. Her waist length hair rippled like water as she moved and her eyes flashed green as they caught the firelight. He knew when he saw her that he just had to have her. This one he would not take back to be sacrificed. This one he would keep for himself.

However, he had no intention of being foolish. She might be a woman of power. Such creatures were dangerous beyond imagining and it would be wise to take no chances. He moved back deeper into the foliage, ignoring the insects that were biting and sucking at his flesh and reached into the leather pouch at his waist. It was the only thing he wore other than a loincloth and he was very careful about how he stuck his fingers into it. He pulled out several small darts. Carefully, he examined them. It was most important to select the right one. Too much poison and his victim would die. Too little and she might be able to loose her powers on him.

He finally found the one he wanted and fitted it to his blowpipe. Then he got down on his belly and wriggled forward. He wanted to make the shot right. It would be sacrilege to damage so exquisite a creature. He did not want the dart to strike her in the eye. Finally, he was close enough. He raised the blowpipe, took a deep breath and put it to his lips.

Lin Yao started a little when she heard the shot. Then she relaxed. James must have found something to shoot at. She hoped that it was something she would approve of. She did not fancy eating monkey or parrot. Then there was a second shot. She frowned. James was wasting ammunition. Two more shots in quick succession had her moving out of the shelter. James was in trouble. There could be no other explanation for firing that many shots. They didn’t have ammunition to waste and only dire circumstances would have prompted her brother to use so many rounds. There were three more shots in quick succession. That was an entire clip. Lin Yao waited no longer, she headed toward the sound of the shooting at a trot.

“Ahh!” Something stung her neck. She reached up to brush the insect away and stumbled to her knees. Suddenly she felt very woozy. Her fingers brushed her neck and touched something strange. There seemed to be something jutting from her flesh, just below her ear. Closing her fingers on it, she wrenched it free. She was having trouble focusing her eyes, but in her fingers was a tiny dart. Its needle tip was smeared with a dark substance. “Poison,” she thought calmly. “I’ve been poisoned.” She tossed the dart away and struggled to her feet. “James,” she thought, “I’ve got to reach James.”

She was unaware of the movement behind her until her assailant was upon her. He did not hit her, he merely forced her to her knees and then pushed her flat. Lin Yao gasped as a heavy weight settled upon her. Dimly she realized that someone was sitting on her. Twisting her body, she tried to get up, but her movements were sluggish and uncoordinated. Panic surged through her as her right arm was pulled behind her back and she felt the touch or rope on her wrist. The rush of adrenaline almost fought off the effects of the poison. She wrenched her arm free and almost broke loose from the grip of her captor, but his weight pinned her down. Try as she might, she could not buck him off. Her arm was seized again, and this time she was not able to break free.

Tough strands of rope were looped about her wrist and drawn tight. Then her left arm was grabbed and pulled into the small of her back next to her right. Within seconds both of her wrists were lashed together. Then the weight on her back shifted and another length of rope was tied to her right ankle and then to her left. But these ropes were not tightened. They were left loose to act as a tether. Her attacker got off her and she was pulled to her feet. She swayed uncertainly, still feeling the effects of the poison. For the first time she saw her captor.

Her eyes widened. The man facing her was of only medium height, standing no taller than she was, but he was powerfully muscled with broad shoulders a deep chest and bulging biceps. He wore almost no clothing other than a loincloth. A necklace of human teeth encircled his neck and matching gold bands decorated each arm above the elbow. His face was tattooed with some sort of pattern she did not recognize. Similar abstract markings covered most of his shoulders and arms. He carried a long bladed knife in a leather sheath at his waist. Tucked into his loincloth on the other side was the Bowie James had given her. But most unusual, was the fact that in the heart of Africa, she faced a man who was clearly a member of the white race. His dark eyes studied her. She did not like the way he seemed to inspect her. It was almost as if she was on display and he was checking her over for defects.

Grual surveyed his prize. The loud popping sounds he had heard just before he had shot his dart had almost made him miss her. He had no idea what had made the sounds, but he did not intend to linger to find out. Up close the girl was even more beautiful than she was at a distance. Her dark hair, now somewhat disheveled due to her struggles, shone like polished ebony in the firelight. Her face was a perfect oval and her jade green eyes were deep pools. A tiny perfect nose set above ruby lips, and a strong chin completed a picture of womanly wonder. He licked his lips. He had captured her. She was his to do with as he wanted. It would not be like the last time when he had fought his way into the heart the enemy encampment, taking several wounds, only to be denied any of the fruits of victory. He had personally captured half a dozen virgins, binding their wrists and stringing them together. But they had been taken from him and sacrificed to Jehk, the God of Blood. He had particularly liked one of them. He remembered how she had screamed when the knife cut into her. He had not even been considered for a share in the female booty he had captured. He was not of pure enough blood.

But this time it would be different. He would take this female and plunder her right here. Then they would not be able to deny him his right to a wife. He would impregnate her and she would bear him fine strong children. Perhaps even some with green eyes. He would be the envy of the other warriors. However, he dared not stay longer in this part of the forest. He knew of a secluded spot a short distance away where they would not be disturbed. There he would take this sweet virgin and make her his.

He prodded the girl ahead of him. He had no doubt of her virginity. Even without checking, her innocence was plain. She was a young goddess. What else could she be but a virgin? They came to a fork in the trail and he turned her in the right direction. The touch of her body beneath her strange clothing warmed his hands, exciting him. Soon she would be his. He licked his lips once more.

They were almost there now. It was a small cave he had discovered while hunting. He had covered its entrance with thorns to keep out wild animals. Inside was a comfortable bed of leaves. It was a perfect place to consummate his union with his new bride. He stopped and moved the thorns out of the way. Inside it was dark, but within a few minutes he had a small fire burning. The smoke swept up and out of a crack in the ceiling of the cave. Replacing the bushes, he reached out and forced the strange beauty to her knees. Beneath his loincloth his member stirred. It was time to take possession of his prize.

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