Benny, Leo, Johnny, and Rae Meet King Kong Ch. 7

Chapter 7

*Meanwhile, Ann awakens from her faint, only to find herself on a dead tree top. She looks around and about, when she screams at the sight of a giant meat-eating dinosaur entering the glade. A bipedal carnivore with a massive skull balanced by a long, heavy tail complete with small forelimbs boring two clawed digits. It was a Tyrannosaurus Rex, one of the largest carnivores that ever lived, and when it saw Ann, it comes towards her as she shrieks. Her screams alerting the remaining team members of their presence, including Kong's, who rushes towards her aid*

Rae: Hey! I know those screams anywhere!

Benny: It's Ann!

Leo: She's in trouble!

*Just as the T-Rex had the girl in it's jaws, it stops when it finally sees Kong standing face-to-face with the vicious beast. The gorilla leaps onto the dinosaur's back, biting it's jaws with his fangs as the T-Rex struggles to shake him loose. Kong is shook loose and barely manages to block the carnivore's jaws, which latched tightly on Kong's right arm. But using it's strength, Kong pried the jaws loose and swung his fists wildly while maintaining distance from the predator's snapping jaws. Seeking his spot, Kong tackles the T-Rex by it's legs and forces the beast onto the ground, Kong beating the beast before it has a chance to get up. Relying on it's legs, the T-Rex successfully pushed Kong off and the ape lands on it's back, while Ann watches the fight with a look of worry and horror. Kong manages to recover quickly, tumbling the beast onto the ground and squeezing it's body to cut off the oxygen from it's body. The beasts end up moving about and bumping into the tree Ann's on, causing it to fall and now Ann was stuck against one of the branches as the fight continues. At last, after a long back-and-forth fight, Kong grabs the T-Rex by it's jaws and forces it's mouth wide open while Ann cringes in disgust. The beast's strength causes the T-Rex to bleed from the mouth, which was literally getting split in half due to Kong's superior arm strength. The dinosaur all of a sudden stops struggling and Kong tests the jaws to see if there's still life in it. But the damage was already done and Kong beats his chest victoriously*

*When the struggle was over, Kong looks down at Ann, interested and pleased. The girl under the tree screams as she sees Kong looking down at her. Regardless, Kong takes hold of the tree, lifting it up, and with Ann freed, he picks her up with his hand even as she looks fearfully at him. Still the interest doesn't stray from his eyes, as he carries her off back apparently to his home in the jungle*

Leo: *listening from the cave* Well, Ann's still alive. That's the good news.

Rae: But what about the others below?

Benny: *looks down* Something tells me they won't be able to climb back up in time, Kong might already be miles ahead with Ann if we wait any longer. *sighs* Looks like it's up to us to save her now.

Driscoll: Right. Come on. *grabs a vine and climbs out of the cave*

*As the four proceed to climb back up the vine, a familiar shout draws their attention from the other end as Denham appears*

Denham: Fellas! Jack Driscoll! Hey, Jack!

Leo: *turns around* Mr. Denham!

Driscoll: Didn't get you, huh?

Denham: No, I got to cover same as you. Think we're safe now?

Leo: There's only a few of us alive to save Miss Darrow.

Rae: And most of our friends are still trapped down in that ravine!

Denham: Well, I can't get across now.

Driscoll: We don't want you to; you gotta land back and get some more bombs.

Denham: Why you wouldn't be following that beast alone!

Benny: He won't be alone, Denham. Leo, Rae, and I will follow Driscoll and cover the beast's trail while it's still good.

Driscoll: Maybe we'll get a chance to sneak her away, but if we don't we'll figure out a way to signal you where he's taken her.

Leo: *looks down* Hey, Johnny! If you can hear me, listen up! We're going on ahead to follow that big ape! You and the others go back with Mr. Denham and re-supply until we get back!

Johnny: *from down below* Okay, Leo! We can deal with that!

Kairel: *calls out* Be careful, Leo!

Heath: *calls out* Hey… Hey, Benny! You up there, right? Look, if you and your buds don't make it and all, especially with Rae with ya, there's something I must say. If this is the last time we talk, I want you to know… I hate your guts! I've always hated you and I hope you never make it out of there alive!

Benny: *calls down* Hey Dag, would you smack Heath for me?

Teresa: *calls back* No worries, Daddy... Allow me... HI-YAH!!!

*The sound of a harsh punch to the gut could be heard, followed by a gasp of air apparently from Heath Lynx. Benny has a look of satisfaction even if he can barely see that happening from below*

Dagnino: *calls up* We got this under control, Benny. Just make sure to come back with the girl in one piece! We'll be waiting by the gate… Provided the natives don't turn us into barbeque.

Benny: Okay, Dag, we promise.

Driscoll: *to Denham* Get going now -- and don't get yourself killed if you see Englehorn.

Denham: *starts into the shrubbery - waves back* Okay, Jack. Good luck, fellas.

Leo: See you later… Maybe. *follows the others*

Denham: *looks down the ravine* Okay, you guys, just sit tight while I throw you down some vines! *runs back into the jungle*

Bruma: Oh, thank goodness. I'd hate to spend another minute with those creatures we encountered.

Panthy: I'd hate to spend a minute wondering if our friends will make it back.

Xiro: Don't worry, girls. Benny and his pals are pros, they'll bring Ann back… I hope.

*As Denham helps pull their teammates up, Benny and the others have already made their way through the jungle in search for Kong. They hear the sound of ape noises and realizes they weren't too far behind. They come across a fallen Dinosaur on the Glades, as they barely get a glimpse of Kong before he fades through the trees. What they see next grosses out the group a bit: The Tyrannosaurus Rex, seemingly dead, as the vultures begin to feed on him*

Rae: *pause* Is it…dead?

Leo: Almost, by the way he's breathing.

Benny: *goes for a closer look* He's bleeding from the mouth, jaws are fractured, and he appears to be paralyzed from the neck to the bottom… Surprisingly, this Kong, even with all it's strength, kept it alive long enough just so it can suffer.

Rae: But… Why?

Leo: I don't know, but it might be worse if it finally wants Ann for dessert. Come on, before we lose him.

Benny: Right, Leo.

*Together, the four follow the Ape, as it makes it way through the jungle, carrying a fearful Ann in his clutches. Luckily for them, Kong's trail wasn't hard to miss as they followed the debris of broken trees and pulled vines. So long as they stuck to the trail, they would hope they'd find the beast and Ann*

*Sometime later, it was nightfall along the Great Gate, as sailors stand guard. Englehorn, and several others have rounded up Denham and the survivors of the rescue expedition. They all sit on the ground, torn, disheveled, still panting, but very much alive… If not petrified*

Denham: -- I tell you, Skipper, that Kong is the biggest thing in the world. Why he shook my friends and those men off the log like they were flies.

Dagnino: Well, we did manage to survive --

Johnny: *interrupts* Barely.

Dagnino: *to Johnny* Shut up, Johnny. *to the skipper* But we lost a great many men trying to get the girl back.

Panthy: Benny and the others are still searching, but we don't know when they'll be back.

Englehorn: All those men lost. It's incredible.

Teresa: But like Dag said. So long as Benny and the others live, they said they'd signal us once Ann's recovered.

Englehorn: *groans* We'll never see either of them again.

Heath: *crossing his arms, sarcastically* They will be missed.

Sailor 1: Don't give up, skipper, there's still a chance for them.

Denham: We'll have to wait for daylight, then we'll bridge the ravine. Where's that other case of bombs?

Sailor 2: Here, sir.

Englehorn: This--this monster you've seen, you think your bombs will stop him.

Johnny: Well, they were 'pretty' strong to take out a whole dinosaur.

Denham: If we can get near enough to use 'em, you bet they'll stop him.

Bruma: By the way, have you had any trouble with the natives?

Englehorn: Yes, right after you left.

Denham: What happened?

Englehorn: We fired a couple volleys over their heads, and they took to their huts like scared rabbits.

Panthy: Gunpowder's something new in their lives?

Englehorn: They're terrified.

Xiro: Well, I guess the natives won't be too much of a problem… At least for now, anyway.

Denham: *to Briggs* Briggs, get up on the wall and keep your eyes peeled. We'll start at dawn, whether we get a signal for Driscoll or not.

Briggs: Yes, sir.

Teresa: *looks to the gate* Daddy… Be safe.