Chapter 40 – A Hilarious Chase
The jungle was thick, humid, and loud with the calls of unseen creatures. While the group pushed forward through vines and roots, Kailani shot Sean a death glare.
"If I get eaten by some wild beast, it'll be 100 % your fault."
Sean threw us into this mess."
Sean threw his hands up.
"But I'm not to blame!"
Razan, walking a few steps behind, smirked at Sean.
"Spoiled kid, let me drop some ancient wisdom on you: never try to find logic in what women say. They're crazy. They'll get mad out of nowhere and hurl a stapler at your skull."
Charlie, comfortably riding piggyback on Razan's back without him even noticing she'd climbed up, reached down and yanked his ear hard.
"So we're crazy now? Did you hear that, Loona?"
Loona's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I heard. Looks like someone's tired of living."
Razan yelped.
"Wait—hold on! Since when are you on my back, Charlie?!"
Charlie grinned innocently.
"I jumped up when you were distracted. I was tired of walking, and you're strong, so you didn't even feel it."
Razan teased:
"That's because I'm used to carrying heavy loads."
Charlie immediately grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled.
"Who are you calling heavy?!"
Loona sighed, rubbing her temples.
"You two absolute idiots, be careful you don't get separated from the group with your stupid games."
Razan gave a thumbs-up.
"No worries, I'll stay glued to everyone so I don't get lost."
They started leaping from rock to rock across a shallow river while Razan thought to himself:
I know there's a part in the movie where they get chased by a super-dangerous animal. If I can just remember which path it is, we can avoid that trail and take a safer route.
At that moment Sean stopped to slather on sunscreen. Hank strolled up.
"SPF 100? Your skin really that delicate, princess?"
Sean rolled his eyes.
"Don't come crying to me when you're a lobster."
They kept moving. Hank chuckled and followed, then stepped on what he thought was a flat rock. It cracked under his boot, revealing a massive, leathery egg.
Razan, a few meters back, only had one thought:
Shit.
He tightened his grip on Charlie and whispered to Loona:
"Get ready to run at any second."
Loona glanced at the cracked egg and muttered:
"Shit…"
Hank lifted his foot, stared down, and froze.
"Nobody move. These aren't rocks… they're eggs."
Gabato's eyes lit up.
"Cool! Why don't we crack a few and make a giant omelet?"
Sean facepalmed.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
Gabato: Why not
Razan, grinning like a man who already knew the punchline:
"Because giant eggs mean giant angry momma. And right now we're standing on her babies."
Kailani scanned the area and pointed.
"Look at that thing!"
Everyone turned. A massive lizard, easily the size of a city bus, slept curled around the nest.
Hank groaned.
"Of course it's a lizard. I freaking hate lizards."
Razan looked genuinely disappointed.
"You know, I expected more for my first giant-monster chase. I was hoping for a T-Rex, a Spinosaurus, maybe King Kong or Godzilla… not a bus-size lizard."
Hank, Sean, and Gabato stared at him, speechless. Who on Earth thinks a monster trying to murder them isn't "cool enough"?
Loona cut in Ignore the idiot. We need to get out of here before that thing wakes up
Sean nodded quickly.
"She's right. Everyone move slowly. Lizards have incredible hearing. No noise, got it?"
Gabato saluted.
"Got it. Silent as a mouse."
Hank:
"Let's go. Nice and slow."
They tiptoed away from the nest. Razan whispered:
"I really don't wanna die here. Imagine the infernal jokes if my tombstone said 'died surrounded by giant eggs.' That's not very manly…"
Charlie tilted her head.
"Why isn't it manly?"
Before Razan could answer, Gabato tripped spectacularly and face-planted straight into another giant egg, cracking it wide open.
Razan:
"Shit."
The mother lizard's eyes snapped open.
Razan bolted forward, reached the group, and shouted:
"Guys, not to be rude, but mommy's awake!"
Hank looked and turned white.
"SHIT! RUN!"
Razan sprinted with Loona and Charlie.
"Everyone! If you don't wanna be lizard poop in the circle of life—RUN!"
Hank screamed:
"RUN, PEOPLE!"
Chaos erupted. Razan laughed maniacally while parkouring over rocks and logs, Loona and Charlie clinging to him.
"So this is what it's like to be chased by a giant monster! It's actually fun!"
Sean, panting and stumbling, yelled:
"Try saying that without parkour!"
Razan grinned and shouted back:
"Of course it's fun—my life isn't in danger like yours!"
Sean:
"Good to know!"
A terrified scream rang out. The lizard was gaining on Gabato and Kailani.
Sean spun around, grabbed a rock, and hurled it at the beast's head to save them—then immediately regretted it when the lizard turned its full attention to him.
From a high branch, Razan, Loona, and Charlie watched Sean sprinting in panic.
Loona:
"Why didn't you help?"
Razan:
"Not in the mood for more emotional baggage. I've got enough."
Charlie:
"Emotional baggage?"
Razan:
"Normal girl almost dies, random guy saves her—boom, instant interest. I'm not adding another problem to my list."
Loona smirked.
"So you didn't help because you didn't want her attention?"
Razan:
"Correct. I already have plenty."
He glanced down.
"Anyway, let's save Sean and the others before they exit this mortal plane."
Loona:
"Let's go."
Razan spotted Gabato flailing below, yanked him into the tree.
"Stay. We'll get the rest."
They leaped branch to branch.
Loona found Kailani, hauled her up.
Kailani, gasping:
"Where are Sean and Hank?"
Loona:
"Razan and Charlie went for them."
Razan and Charlie found Hank and Sean cornered against a cliff.
Just as Razan was about to jump in, a wild shout echoed. A massive tree trunk flew through the air, smacking the lizard square in the face. The beast wobbled, eyes spinning, and collapsed unconscious.
Razan, still in the tree, yelled down:
"You guys okay?"
Sean:
"Barely alive! Everyone else?"
Razan:
"Loona and Charlie saved them. They're good."
Laughter rang out. An old man stood triumphantly on a boulder.
"Don't just stand there—applaud!"
Razan stared.
"Buddy, you're gonna have to do better than that for applause."
Loona arrived with Gabato and Kailani.
Sean's eyes went wide.
"Grandpa!"
Razan hopped down.
"So this is the crazy old coot we were looking for. Gotta admit—he's impressive."
Sean rushed forward and hugged him.
"You saved us!"
Razan:
"Correction: he saved you and Hank from becoming lizard fertilizer."
Loona punched Razan's arm.
"Don't ruin the family moment, idiot!"
She turned to the group.
"Sorry, everyone. He's always like this."
Charlie giggled watching Razan get scolded.
Alexander chuckled.
"No harm done. He's right—I only saved my grandson."
He extended a hand to Hank.
"And you are…?"
Hank:
"Hank. His stepdad."
Razan watched the painfully awkward, overly polite handshake, thought this is peak cringe, tuned out as they started trading veiled jabs, looked up at the impossible sky, and smiled to himself:
So far this adventure is pretty damn awesome.