Free The Final Curtain by Deborah Abela Page B

Max’s head crunched into the ceiling. ‘Where did you get your licence from, a cereal box?’
    The driver stared straight ahead and said nothing.
    For a brief moment, a blinding white light filled the car.
    Max and Linden turned to see two beams of light threading their way along the track, gaining on them fast.
    â€˜What makes me think they’re not the welcoming committee,’ Linden said.
    The driver of the Aqua Buggy wore a black-brimmed hat pulled so low that his face lay hidden in shadow. He took one brief look in the rear-view mirror and pressed hard on the accelerator.
    Max gripped her armrest even tighter as she was churned around in the back seat like she’d fallen into a washing machine. Great walls of ancient tree trunks were only narrowly missed as he swept the steering wheel one way then the other. Any small miscalculation would mean certain death for them all.
    Ahead was a huge tree root snaking across the ground.
    Until they realised the snaking tree root was actually a snake.
    â€˜Anaconda!’ Linden cried.
    The Aqua Buggy swerved along the kinked and buckled track towards the snake. Max held on and closed her eyes.
    The driver’s hand crept towards a small red button on the dashboard marked ‘airborne’ and, within a micro-second, the Aqua Buggy sailed into the air above the snake before it came crashing down, front wheels sending a spray of mud over the vehicle.
    Max turned in time to see the anaconda dash into the forest, just as their pursuer slid into view.
    She frowned. The person in the other vehicle reminded her of someone she knew. The heavyfeatures, the look of pure malice on his face, the slightest hint of a grin as his eyes locked onto hers.
    Linden called out over the noise of the engine, ‘Something tells me this guy isn’t happy to see us.’
    â€˜I think I know him,’ Max called back.
    â€˜You know someone here in the Amazon?’
    They were hurled forward as the Aqua Buggy came to an abrupt stop. The road had ended at the edge of a plunging cliff. Max and Linden jumped out of the car to see remnants of a bridge protruding from the swirling waters of the river below.
    â€˜What do we do now?’ Max asked.
    â€˜About the cliff or about that?’
    The vehicle pursuing them skidded to a mud-slinging stop only metres away. The man with the malicious grin got out and stepped towards them like a hulking spider approaching the centre of its bug-filled web. He was a tall log of a man, with heavy features and limbs like miniature tree trunks.
    â€˜Kronch!’ Max recognised Blue’s assistant: the sausage fingers, the overstuffed arms, the Neanderthal plod and no neck. He pulled his trousers up over his bulging belly.
    She took one step towards him. ‘I guess younever know what animal you’re going to meet in the Amazon.’
    â€˜Careful, Max,’ Linden whispered.
    Kronch sniggered and pulled from his pocket what looked like a bulbous toy gun.
    â€˜And what are going to do with that, water-pistol us to death?’ Max folded her arms across her chest.
    A door opened on the Aqua Buggy. The driver stepped out wearing his black driving hat, still sitting low.
    â€˜And besides, there are three of us and only one of you.’
    Kronch kept moving forward.
    Max threw a look over her shoulder into the chasm behind them.
    â€˜Come on, big guy, give it your best.’
    Kronch aimed the gun at her and pressed the trigger. A rope arrowed into the air and snaked around Max in a firm, mummy-like hold. ‘Hey!’
    He walked to Linden.
    Max struggled and turned to their driver. ‘Do something.’
    Slowly, he lifted his hat and smiled.
    â€˜You,’ Max whispered.
    Mr Blue gave a brief nod. He and Kronchlatched onto Linden’s arms. ‘Say goodbye to your little friend. Your relationship has been lovely, I’m sure, pally and helpful, but even good things have to end sometime.’
    Max fought