Chapter 4 Scene 6

The castaways are looking at the map when Stefi's ears perk up.

"Did you hear something?" she asks.

Mike is the only other one who might have. "Quiet," he instructs. "Maybe it was bats, or maybe something else."

There is a faint "Anyone there?" from the direction of the ten-meter high ledge. They scramble over to the base, and shouting. "We're here!"

Up in the chamber, the native children hear the castaways' voices.

"They are down there!" exclaims Yadifo.

"We have to tie our ropes to this stalagmite," states Otanve.

Rogula tosses a rock into the hole, and they hear it bounce a few times before hitting a level surface. "Sounds like a slope about five meters long. Some of us have to go down but some of us should stay up here until we know what it's like."

As the oldest, Pelubo immediately declares, "I'll go."

"Let me go," says Bukela, holding her bow.

"That should be enough to start," says Rogula.

Once the ropes are ready, Pelubo climbs down and finds the passage resembles a slide. "It's okay, Bukela, you can come down."

Bukela does, and they walk carefully down the passage, lit only by their torches.

"Anyone there?" Pelubo calls out again.

The voice is louder, and Tom yells, "We're down here, and watch out for the cliff!" Tom stands back away from the base of the cliff so he can make eye contact without the rescuers getting too close to the edge.

Holding their torches in front of them, Pelubo and Bukela creep closer to the castaways until they can see Tom's torch.

"Are you all right?" asks Pelubo.

"What happened?" asks Bukela a second later.

Tom answers, "We're okay, but there was a cave-in and we're trapped. That ledge is about ten meters high."

"We got ropes, and the others are here," answers Pelubo. We'll be back in a minute."

Pelubo and Bukela return to the slide with the news.

"They are down there, ten meters below the edge of a cliff," Pelubo explains. We can pull them up with the ropes, but I think we need all of us."

"And bring the crab trap!" exclaims Bukela. "The net will be great for holding onto."

Rogula, Otanve, Gopumbi, and Yadifo come down the sloping passage with all the liana except the piece still tied to the stalagmite. They tie the vines together, and then the crab trap to the end. Here there are no convenient stalagmites to tie the rope to, so they will have to all hold on and pull. They approach the cliff and throw the crab trap over the edge.

"Is that long enough?" asks Rogula.

"Yes, we can reach it," confirms Tom. "Stefi, you're the lightest so you go up first. I'll catch you if you fall."

"I won't fall." Stefi is adamant. She grabs the crab trap and plants her feet on a rope at the bottom of the net. The natives pull her up easily.

Amy is next. With Stefi providing a little help, and Mike and Tom lifting her onto their shoulders so the kids don't have to pull her as far, they get her up the face of the cliff.

"Don't forget the food!" reminds Nicole.

"And the statue and rarities," adds John.

"And the map," adds Mike.

Nicole is the next one up, and then Tom, who does the climbing himself after telling the ones above to just hold the rope steady. Then comes John, and last Mike, carrying the statue and rarities in some bags.

"Excellent job," commends Mike.

"We still have to climb up through a hole to get to this big chamber," notes Gopumbi.

They make their way up the slanting passage and into the big chamber.

Quest 47 complete!

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