The Deathly Quest

Chapter 8

Ashley watched as the skin of the sausages swelled and sizzled in the pan. Then she flipped the dozen or so eggs in the other pan. There were a lot of mouths to be fed.

"Ola granny! Is the breakfast ready?" typical David asked as he emerged from his camp.

"Yep! Just about to serve," Ashley said.

Firenze had a serious look on his face which meant "no-nonsense".

"Listen up people!" Firenze called for attention.

"Aww let us at least have breakfast!" David protested clutching his stomach.

Ignoring David, Firenze continued, "Today we have a LOT of important work to do. About twenty snakes have to be captured today. So estimating roughly we will get 13.5 litres of venom. That will be a good start. We have to make it up to at least a 100 litres in a single week. So buckle up and eat your breakfast quickly."

"What? This is insane! We are purely scientific people and we have been sent to catch snakes? They should have sent snake charmers or something! I don't really see the point of this mission OR where it is going!" Susan said.

"I only take orders from John, nothing is in my hands!" Firenze said.

Everyone seemed dismayed. TWENTY SNAKES! Was he out of his mind? And goodness knows how many more to attain 100 litres? One had caused so much hassle and a broken leg! What would this lead to? Twenty broken legs? Why there weren't even that many to spare!

They all got ready for their third day's mission absorbed in morbid thoughts. 

"It's time to make teams!" Firenze announced.

"Paul and Dan, you guys together will head towards North, where majority of snakes are found and where we caught one last time." Firenze said.

"But can't Dan and "I" be together?" Suzan interrupted.

" No! Fate doesn't seem to want that." With that Firenze smiled slyly.

"Or maybe just our leader," Suzan huffed and tucked a bang behind her ear.

"Suzan and Andrew, Ashley and David and that leaves me and Daisey!" Firenze quicly paired everyone up.

"What? You think I'd go with that book worm?" Suzan asked raising her eyebrows.

"Yes or you can go alone," Firenze said exasperated with her behaviour.

The thought of going alone quietened Suzan down.

"Lets go now. Each group in different direction," Firenze said.

"Wait! Come here all of you!" David said solemnly.

All eight of them gathered around. David placed his hands on the nearest of his team mates that was Paul and Daisey. 

"I want you all to know that if we... if we die today, I forgive you all," David said pronouncing each word slowly and compassionately.

Nobody spoke, it was so silent that the gentle swaying of leaves seemed loud.

Then David broke into laughter, cracking up so hard that he had to clutch on Ashley for support.

"Why did we bother stopping?" Dan said, disgusted and they all agreed and left.

David was still on the ground laughing when Ashley said, "Buck up! We gotta get a move on!"

"But... but wasn't that so funny? Everyone stood there holding on to my every word and then I laughed! Shouldn't have laughed right?" David asked.

"In my opinion, you should never laugh," Ashley said with a hint of a smile.

"Aww shucks! Life would be so dry and boring then," David said.

"That's how it is," Ashley said quietly.

"Well then I am here to lighten it up," David declared.

They both slung on their rucksacks. It was time to go.

                                                        X________________________________X

I watched them all leave. It was time to jump into action.

"Boys," I shouted then I motioned for them to do what was planned.

"OK you three," I pointed a few out.

"Go and get hold of all the snake venom there is. And the rest of you go get hold of anything valuable and carry out the rest of the plane."

In a matter of few minutes our work here was done.

Flames were sky-high and the tents burned up sending ashes and soot everywhere. All their possessions were engulfed in a cloud of smoke and fire. They burned away swiftly. All their records, mapping of snake sites and all other crucial data for their mission was now with us. All their latest equipment and EVERYTHING is now under us.

"We have left them crippled!" I declared happily to my men, "Congratulations."

Surely their mission will crumble to pieces now. While my master Zero's will flourish. Only one mission could flourish and I would give my life to ensure that it was my master's mission that flourished. One had to go down and that would be Firenze.

                                                X____________________________X

Yo everyone! Updated like after more than four months! Well I was busy with O levels! 

Feb= tests

March=mocks

April= re-mocks+ coaching mocks+ preparation for CIEs

May= CIEs! And how hectic everything was. We thought everything was over but then..

June= re-examination!

So now that I have justified why I haven't updated for so long, do give this a read and yeah VOTE! Even if you don't like it ;)