Onyx Treasure – Run Below the Pillar

Welcome back for week two of the Onyx Treasure adventure!

In case you missed last week, here’s a recap: You’re a cyborg treasure hunter who just found the onyx panther statue everyone’s been looking for. (It purportedly turns you into a panther if it’s charged in sunlight.) But one of the other treasure hunters, Blanchard, found you before you could escape the crumbling temple. Readers voted to run under the falling pillar to escape.

Thanks for joining in the adventure =) Let’s see what happens next.

Onyx Treasure – Run Below the Pillar

Blanchard is six foot three and square as a brick. Even with your mechanically enhanced strength, the idea of pushing past him seems ludicrous. Stone cracks again and the pillar slides a bit further against the ceiling. If you’re making a run for it, now is the time to move.

You wave at Blanchard and take off across the temple. Although you’re usually light-footed, the shuddering ground tosses you about. A powerful shudder makes you hit your knees.

That’s going to leave a bruise. Thankfully your metal leg barely registers the impact.

The slanted pillar groans. Shoving to your feet again, you keep going. Suddenly there’s a teeth-jarring screech like the stone pillar’s screaming. Then a gust of dusty air washes through the room just before something slams into your legs.

Stunned disbelief fills the temple as though even the stone can’t believe it caught you. The pillar now has you pinned, awkwardly, on your stomach with your left leg canted to the side and your mechanical leg totally obscured by the stone. There’s no pain, so your normal leg must be fine, but you’re not sure if your right mechanical leg is broken or just buried.

Leather boots appear in your peripheral. “All mighty, Lord!” Blanchard says. “What a mess!”

By reflex, you have your wrist crossbow out and aimed in less than a second. “Stay back.”

He raises his hands placatingly. “Trade me the figurine and I’ll pull ya free.”

You assess the situation. The crossbow isn’t a great deterrent. All Blanchard has to do is get behind you and he’d negate your aim since the pillar has you pinned. So why didn’t he approach from behind? Then you realize, even if he can get to you, the pillar’s burying your leg from the hips down, including your cargo pocket. Without your help, he can’t get to the figurine.

Buried from the hips down! Did the figurine break? Is my leg usable?

You push panic away. Blanchard doesn’t have a reputation for holding to his word. As soon as he gets the panther, he’ll probably leave you behind.

But what else can you do?

You could shoot him. The quarrel you have loaded isn’t meant to kill. It’s coated instead with a sedative that would knock him out for a couple of hours. That would give you time to maybe get free, but it’d be difficult without his help.

Do you…

Accept Blanchard’s help?

Or

Tranq Blanchard?

Leave a comment below with your vote and we’ll continue the adventure next week =)

Blessings,

Jennifer