"We're here to help you."
"Oh..."
When Spencer, Martha, Bethany, and Fridge get stuck in a video game as adventuring avatars, they have to venture through the jungle and join forces with a well-accomplished archaeologist to end a curse and save the...
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The boy led them deeper into the bazaar to a more covered area, and then inside a tent. All that was inside was a table in the very centre, on which sat a single basket covered with a lid.
The boy turned serious. "What you need is in the basket. One wrong move, you're in a casket. Trust one another, never blink. The missing piece is not what you think. Good luck mighty hero!" he concluded, once again becoming cheerful and addressing Spencer. "Jumanji needs-"
"Needs him, yeah we know, we got it," Vera cut him off. "Thanks kid, you can run along now." And the boy did just that.
Now the five turned to face the basket. "So, uh, what do you think's inside?"
"I don't know..."
"Well, I think this is a Bravestone thing," Fridge decided.
"Why would it be a Bravestone thing?!" cried Spencer in protest.
"Cause you heard him, you're the 'mighty hero.' Now get."
Hesitantly, Spencer gave in and approached the basket. They all jumped when the drumming started again, seemingly from overhead.
"I don't want to do this!" Spencer cried.
"Just go!"
Still hesitant but realizing he really had no choice, Spencer cautiously approached the basket. Then, taking a deep breath, he lifted the lid...
Nothing happend.
"Oh," he said, breathing a sigh of relief. "It's empty-"
But he spoke too soon as right then, a large snake poked its head out, hissing, jaws wide and fangs bared.
"SNAKE!" shrieked Vera, leaping back.
"Black Mamba!" yelled Fridge, pointing at the creature. Bethany and Martha responded by shrieking too.
Spencer slammed the lid back down onto the basket, sealing it and holding it closed.
"The black mamba. A quarter miligram of its venom is enough to kill an adult," Fridge informed them. Then he shook his head in pure disbelief. "How do I know this?!"
"Okay, 'trust one another and never blink'..." Spencer recited the verse, trying to figure it out.
"What does that have to do with a snake?!"
"You guys!" gasped Bethany with realization. "I think it's a staring contest!"
"What?!"
"Think about it: never blink."
"I think she's right," Spencer agreed. The basket was shaking in his hands - no doubt the snake had become angry with being trapped. "Okay, who's good at staring and not blinking?"
There was a moment before Bethany declared, "I'm amazing at it."
"Beth, this is your moment," said a still-shaken Martha. Vera was frozen and said nothing.
Bethany lowered herself down so that she was kneeling before the basket and so that she would be eye-level with the snake. She took a deep breath, composing herself.
"Just tell me when," Spencer said, concern clear in his voice.
"Okay - now."
Slowly, he lifted the lid. The snake rose out of the basket and locked eyes with Bethany. They held gazes. Then, without any warning, it lunged forward, hissing. This broke the staring contest. Then, it shot out of the basket, snapping its venomous jaws at Vera, who still stood frozen.
Luckily, Spencer acted quickly and reached out, grabbing the snake before it could get her. Now he held it, its face just inches from hers.
"Okay, now what?!" he cried, the snake wriggling in his grasp.
"We've got to de-fang it!" cried Fridge with certainty.
"We what?!"
"De-fang it-" Fridge reached forward and promptly snapped off the snake's fangs with no trouble.
Spencer let the snake go. There was a moment of stunned silence.
"I guess it wasn't a staring contest..."
(Haha, love that moment ;) Oh my gosh thank you so much for the 1000+ reads you guys! :D that's so amazing! Thank you so much for your continued support! :))
