| IN THE CAPTIVITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES Sunrays ran through the leaves of high trees and fall into the window of Marguerite’s room in treehouse. She stretched herself sweetly and opened her eyes. It was a very bright and warm morning and Marguerite has a very good mood, as usually. She feels that that day will be great. That feeling has no any reasons but sometimes it seems frightful. When Marguerite left her room everybody except Veronica were having breakfast. - Where has Veronica gone? – Asked Marguerite. - She has gone to jungle to look for some fruits and may be new road. – Answered Challenger. – I hope she will be succeeding in it. - Year, I hope it too. – Marguerite smiled ironically. - Have you had a good mood today? – Wondered Roxton. - Almost as usually. – She smiled. - Devil! Where have I been in such moments? Or you change your mood when I appear? It would be very interesting! What do you think about this, Challenger? - Well, I think Miss Krux has an allergy on you, Roxton. I have met several cases of such situation. - Very funny! – Marguerite was angry. – Roxton, if you don’t know me at all it doesn’t mean that I change my mood with you appearance! She wanted to add something but Summerly interrupted her. - Well, friends, - he said more loudly than it was needed. – I think you will agree with me if I say that we have more essential things than your argues. - Sure. – Agreed Roxton rapidly. – I hope Veronica will find something knew. - Yes, I think we must follow her. Thus we will have more opportunities to find a way from plateau. – Marguerite stood up and took her gun. Roxton, Malone and Challenger followed her. They left treehouse and Summerly in it. As usually Summerly began his scientific researches. He always made his researches while others were hunting, or fishing, or looking for the way home. Now he began to read one of books of Veronica’s father. When travelers reached a little field Roxton advised to break up in couples. Thus would be easier to achieve any result in their search. - I think, Challenger and Malone must go together and I will go with Miss Krux. – He looked at Marguerite. – Will you? - Why not? – She smiled a little and went to the side he showed. He followed her with a sly grin on his face. They went to the southwest and Challenger and Malone went to the west. - Marguerite< what will you do if we find way home? - Well, at first I will… - she thought for a moment. – I don’t know. I think I will do everything at the same time. – She laughed. – Good dreams! - Don’t you believe that we’ll find the way home? - Of course I believe, especially several last months. - Marguerite smiled ironically. – Sometimes that situation seems to be hopeless. I mean this plateau is too huge and the way home may be everywhere. For discovering the whole plateau we may need months, may be years. - I think you exaggerate. – He grinned. – I considered you are more optimistic. - I left my optimism the day when we entered the plateau. - Stop! – Suddenly cried Roxton. - What happened? – She whispered, but didn’t hear or see around. - Nothing, but there is an open wide field in front of us. - And what so? – Marguerite pretended that she didn’t understand what he meant. - It’s too dangerous to go there. Marguerite made several steps forward and turned to Roxton. - It’s o’kay, Roxton! What can happen here? It’s just an open field and nothing more. - Hope, you’re right. – He said, but nevertheless he stayed under the trees. – Come here, Marguerite. She shook her head and turned away. - I want to stay here. I feel a freedom under the open sky. – She looked at him through her shoulder. – Do you understand me? - Yes, in some cases. But there are a lot of differences between freedom and danger for me. Suddenly the air filled with a repulsive smell. High in the sky appeared pterodactyls. And they saw Marguerite standing almost in the middle of the field. - Run, Marguerite! Run! – Shouted Roxton. She ran, holding her hat on her head and compressing the gun in her hand. Roxton began to shoot in ugly creatures, but they were too close to Marguerite and he was afraid of shooting her. Marguerite tried to run faster but the gun was too heavy and she was too far from Roxton. She ran and ran but whistling noise came closer to her. She felt their breath on her back. Roxton shot in the air to make the pterodactyls flew away. The next moment strong clawly paws caught Marguerite and vast creature flew up in the sky. - Roxto-o-o-on! He heard only Marguerite’s desperate scream but he didn’t see her. Pterodactyl had very powerful wings therefore he disappeared in horizon in a few seconds. Marguerite dropped her gun at the first moment because pterodactyl caught her arms and hurt them. She felt a pain in her body. And Roxton… How could he let that ugly creature fly away?! Pterodactyl threw Marguerite in his nest on the top of a high sheer rock. Oh, it had a very disgusting smell! Marguerite had such fillings as if she felt down from 3-m height and also she felt that she broke her right leg. It was the worst thing happened that day. ™ * * * ˜ - What happened, Roxton? Where is Marguerite? – Asked Veronica when Roxton appeared in the treehouse alone and began to look for something. - I said to her not to go in the field, but she didn’t listen to me, as usual. – His words didn’t explain anything and everybody looked at him with a great surprise. - What had happened? – Asked Challenger loudly. - Marguerite and I went along the jungle and then we found a wide-open field. Marguerite went out in it though I ordered to stay under the trees. And suddenly pterodactyls appeared. One of them caught Marguerite in his paws and flew away with her. I shot in him bus I was afraid of shooting her. Roxton’s words made a big impression on everyone. They were ready to hear anything but not this. - And what are you going to do now? How can you help Marguerite? - Well, I came back to take mountaineering equipment and I’m going to take Marguerite off that disgusting creature’s nest. - How can you know where is she? – Interested Veronica. – Did you see where pterodactyl flew? Or he left you his address and phone number? - No, as I remember, but all us know where all the pterodactyls live – in the west part of the plateau. I’m about to go there and to rescue Marguerite. - We are going with you. – Declared Challenger. - Thank you, but it is my blame, not yours’. - No, it’s not your blame. – Malone tried to calm Roxton down. – It could happen with anybody. - But it had happened with me but not with anybody else. And I mast save Marguerite not you. - O’kay, if you want… Roxton reached the west part of the plateau in a record time, taking into account that he had to bring heavy gun and mountaineering equipment. During his way he noticed that he worried about Marguerite more then usually. He had a very strange feeling and he knew that he would kill everybody who would try to hurt her. He found himself in front of a big high Rocky Mountains and had no thoughts how he could reach the top. Marguerite was siting in the middle of the nest trying not to move a lot because every movement was very painful. She felt herself as if she had jumped from the 100-m height on the rocks. She had nothing to do except praying about rescue. But she had no hope. And how happy she was when she saw Roxton’s head near the nest. At that moment she wanted to run to him and to kiss. But her leg didn’t let Marguerite do it. - How are you? – Asked Roxton transferring his breath. - And what do you think? – Asked she in answer. - I see you’re o’kay. Your sense of humor is in its place. – He got into the nest. – Stand up and let’s disappear from here till your little friend comes back. - I can’t. - What do you mean saying ‘I can’t’? You can’t stand up or you don’t want to escape? -The first variant. – Marguerite looked at Roxton entreatly. – My leg… I think I’d broken it. Roxton set near by her. - I’m afraid you are right. - And what will we do? Without answering Roxton got her in his hands. She looked at him tenderly. - Are you all right? – Whispered he. - Sure. – She approached him and smiled. – I knew that day will be the best. - Why do you think so? Is it because of your broken leg? - No, because of it. Marguerite kissed Roxton with all passion and tender she had. He held her carefully in his hands trying not hurt her leg. But she didn’t noticed anything except his lips on her lips. - Marguerite, I have a suggestion that you would like! – He looked at her attentively. - You think so? – She murmured. - Yes, after everything that we have gone through I think you’ll agree spend a couple of months in my country house. Without dinosaurs, without Challenger and Sammerly. Only you and me. What do you think about it? - It will be great! – She embraced him strongly. – Though I thought you’re a traveler, but now… - I’m an innate traveler but I want to be with you during the whole life. I want to know that you never let me go. - I won’t. – She promised. Roxton easily took Marguerite down from the rock. All the way they were hanging on the rope he prayed that pterodactyl wouldn’t come back. And God heard him. Their descend was easy and quick. Everything was all right… Except Marguerite’s leg. They had reached treehouse by morning. Roxton hadn’t sleep during the whole night but Marguerite had slept a little in his hands. She had a wonderful dream – Roxton and she were together far from these jungle, on a sunny beach. They were laughing and joking. And on the sunset Roxton asked her to marry him. It was so wonderful, so marvelous. She was really happy. Naturally, she agreed. And then he kissed her… She awoke in her bed with a happy smile on her face and with a music in her soul. Now she understood that strange feeling the last morning. Her life changed forever. THE END! |
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