Chapter
8 ‘The Secret Tree’ Page 30
A few moments later the Myrite
guards arrived at the very spot Tommy and the others had just been. One of the Velociraptors sniffed the air.
“They’ve been here,” it growled.
They began their search of the
surrounding area. Soon one of them came
across a few broken branches.
“They went this way!” it said with
an evil smile. “The hunt begins!”
The dinosaurs faded from sight. In the distance a horn sounded. The dinosaurs reappeared. They would have to abandon the hunt... for
now.
To the boy’s surprise, Bonta had not
take them back to the cave. Instead she
led them through the jungle to a gigantic tree. It was dark as they climbed the vine ladder which hung down the
side of the tree. Bonta took a couple
of crystals out of her bag. She handed
one to Typhoo and kept the other for herself.
The warm glow guiding their way.
The boys were curious to where the ladder led and soon found out as they
climbed up through a hidden trap door and onto a wooden platform. Once everyone was safely inside, Typhoo
pulled the ladder up and closed the door.
Bonta and Typhoo placed their
crystals in holders located on a couple branches. The inside, reminded Tommy and Jason of a tree house. There was very little in the way of
furnishings except for a few grass mats and a baskets of berries in the
corner. The platform was completely
hidden from the outside world by the trees thick and spiky foliage. The plan was to hide here until Kypou and
Harpi could join them after the two dinosaurs finished causing the rock
diversion back at the pit.
Tommy sat heavily down on one of the
mats. His head was throbbing. Several times on the journey he’d suddenly
forgot who he was and where he was going.
He rubbed his head. Jason sat
down beside him.
“So what happened to your face?” he
asked with concern.
Before Tommy could answer a piercing
pain shot through his head. Tommy
screwed up his eyes with agony. Jason
grabbed his brother’s arm.
“Tommy what’s wrong?” he asked.
Tommy looked into the eyes of the
stranger beside him.
“Who are you? he said quietly. “Where am I?”
Jason looked at the dinosaurs, his
eyes full of worry. He looked back at
Tommy.
“Tommy!” he gasped. “What did they do to you?”
Another pain rocketed through
Tommy’s head.
“Jason,” he said softly.
Jason put his arm around Tommy’s
shoulder.
“It’s okay. I’m here.
Everything’s going to be alright,” he said.
His attacks were getting worse. Tommy felt like his head was being torn
apart from the inside.
Bonta took a good look at the mark
on Tommy’s face. She had seen it
before. Tommy had been taken by the
Great Stone.
“Jason,” Tommy whispered. “I don’t feel good.” He began to sway back and forth.
“What’s wrong with him!” Jason asked
Bonta as he steadied Tommy.
“He’s been taken by the Great
Stone,” she told him.
“What’s that suppose to mean,”
snapped Jason. “Sorry,” he added. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Bonta explained. “Lerix, the Myrite’s leader, is said to have
a piece of the Great Stone. Once it
touches the skin of another, it steals their power. I don’t know what will happen if the stone touches someone like
you.” But from what she could see, the
Great Stone was slowly stealing away Tommy’s life.
“Well, how...” Jason tried to choke
back his tears. “How do you know that’s
what happened to Tommy?”
“I’ve seen this mark on the skin of
one of my kind. It is how they steal our powers. The poor thing had been killed then discarded in the jungle by
the Myrites.”
Jason was beginning to panic. Tommy was sweating and passing in and out of
consciousness. Jason took off Tommy’s
backpack and laid him down on the platform.
“Your a healer, right?... You... you
can help him. Can’t you?” said Jason.
Bonta sighed. She didn’t know. The Great Stone was powerful and certainly more powerful than she
was. But one look into Jason’s big blue
wet eyes, Bonta knew what she must do.
“I will try,” she told him.
Peko hugged her.
“Will Tommy be okay?” he asked.
Bonta stroked his head.
“We’ll see,” she said softly. “Typhoo I’ll need your help.”