Savage Lands

by Andy Briggs

  As if fueled by her emotions the cavern shook again with a constant rumble. Massive chunks of rock—some the size of houses—fell from above, obliterating everything they struck. Robbie felt as if he was trapped in a meteor storm.

  A car-sized chunk splashed down close to the boat, sending a wave that bucked the raft. Idra lost her balance and fell backward into the water, as did the Mbuti man, who pulled at Jane as he flailed for a handhold.

  At that precise moment, a familiar challenge pierced the air. Goyad sprung through the mist, his white fur covered in blood. He landed forcibly on Tarzan. As the two titans battled, nobody saw the white shape swirling beneath the water, drawn toward the swimmers.

  19

  Jane struggled to tread water. The water was intensely cold and she fought for breath as the chill gripped her. She was a confident swimmer, but the current was already tiring her out. However, she thought she could use her new circumstance to persuade Robbie.

  “You get on the boat before me or I’m staying right here!”

  She had expected him to argue, to tell her not to be so silly. Instead, he stared dumbly at the water. The Mbuti porter and Idra were swimming hard against the current, struggling to get back to the boat. Clark leaned over the side to reach for Idra as she was the nearest.

  Then Jane saw what had stupefied Robbie, and she couldn’t quite believe it herself. A pale shark fin rose from the water, zeroing in on the swimmers. One moment the Mbuti man was swimming, the next he vanished below the water without a whimper. Jane expected to see a fountain of blood, but there was nothing.

  “Shark!” Robbie finally managed to say. “What the … ?”

  Idra looked frantically around as Clark hauled her from the water.

  “I got ya, darlin’,” Clark assured her, just as the head of an albino bull shark erupted from the water like a torpedo. Its jaws perfectly encircled Idra’s legs, clamping down hard. This time there was a lot of blood as she screamed with agony. She was yanked from Clark’s grip and dragged below the surface.

  Jane couldn’t take her eyes off the macabre spectacle unfolding just yards away. She knew that she was next. The cold water felt like icy pins digging into her skin and she began hyperventilating, barely able to stay afloat, but too frightened to try and make it to the boat.

  • • •

  Tarzan was still very weak as he wrestled Goyad to the floor, pummeling the wound he had inflicted with his knife. The ape showed no signs of weakness despite the many injuries he had sustained. He was driven by pure insanity and hatred, determined to kill Tarzan, no matter what the cost.

  The Targarni’s jaws bit into Tarzan’s shoulder. Tarzan tensed, absorbing the pain as his other hand grabbed a rock that he used to smash into Goyad’s skull repeatedly until the ape let go. Both fighters rolled aside, dazed.

  Tarzan had only fought so close to death once before. That had been a long time ago, when he faced the lioness Sabor. He had only defeated her by using his blade and rope, but now he was weaponless.

  No, not weaponless. His injuries were numbing his mind. He focused, his hand falling to the vine rope coiled at his waist. He pulled it free and cracked the rope tip at Goyad.

  The ape hissed, the vine reminding him of the cruel whip Queen La used to lash her subjects into submission. The ground shook furiously as more of the cavern disintegrated, and Tarzan could feel intense heat as the wall of magma, hidden by steam, oozed toward them.

  Tarzan threw the lasso, but Goyad had been expecting the move and darted aside. Just as Tarzan had planned.

  The lasso had been a distraction, and the ape had now positioned himself exactly where Tarzan wanted him. With lightning speed Tarzan sprang for the ape, planting both feet into Goyad’s chest.

  The ape was catapulted backward at speed. He crumpled to the ground, but refused to stay down. With the last of his strength he pulled himself upright and hissed furiously—just as a huge chunk of rock slammed down, obliterating him.

  Tarzan retrieved his lasso and ran for the raft. He had expected it to be halfway down the river by now, but was surprised to see it hadn’t moved. The rocks had wedged it yards away from the bank. He saw the pale shark shoot through the water, and then saw Jane, shivering as she used the last of her energy to stay afloat.

  A further explosion tore through the cavern as the earthquake rose in might. The entire underground city was falling apart. The colossal crashing sound and sudden rush of air told Tarzan they would all be buried alive if they didn’t leave immediately.

  He picked up Robbie, who started to protest as Tarzan took a running jump toward the raft. He landed perfectly in the center and dumped Robbie to the floor. Their momentum freed the raft from the rocks and the strong current caught it, twisting it around as they were suddenly pulled away from Jane.

  “JANE!” Clark yelled, stretching precariously over the edge of the boat, extending the one remaining oar.

  Tarzan hauled Clark back into the boat as the shark made a spirited attempt to break the surface where Clark had been hanging over. He threw his lasso with precision, and it looped around Jane’s shoulders. She clung on to it with numb hands as Tarzan pulled. It was a gamble—the shark could easily go for the bait—but Tarzan was counting on chunks of rock falling from the roof to scare it away.

  The surface of the water became unsettled as rock fell down with increasing fury. A pale fin broke the surface, zeroing in on Jane. With a grunt of effort, Tarzan yanked the rope, bringing Jane just within reach. He leaned as far as he could over the edge of the raft, ignoring the shouts from the others as the boat started to list under his weight. The fin was too close… .

  Tarzan’s fingers found Jane’s arm and he hauled her aboard so quickly they both tumbled back into the boat, making it rock precariously as the shark swam underneath. Another slab of roof splashed down close by, forcing Clark to row for their lives.

  Robbie and Tarzan checked on Jane—she was in shock, but all her limbs were attached. They looked up and saw the pitch-black cave mouth looming ahead, coming closer with increasing speed as the raft caught the whitewater current and was sucked deeper underground.

  Greystoke had wedged himself in the prow and now used Idra’s flashlight to illuminate the void. Even with the powerful light all they could see was spitting whitewater as the passage angled sharply downward. The stalactites lining the cave’s mouth resembled teeth, and they all shared a feeling of being consumed by the earth.

  Caught in the monstrous current, the raft hurtled through the tunnel at an insane speed. Jagged rocks sped past, mere inches away, caught in the glare of Greystoke’s flashlight. Clark tried to use the paddle as a rudder but it was a futile gesture. The paddle was best used to push the boat away from the wall when it got too close. It took both hands, so Clark buried his foot into one of the straps on the floor—it was the only thing keeping him on board.

  Jane, Robbie, and Tarzan clung on for dear life, with Ramón stowed between them. Robbie’s flashlight provided extra illumination, but aside from the wall rushing past, all he could see was the wild grin on Tarzan’s face. He was actually enjoying the rollercoaster ride.

  The tunnel twisted and turned like a piece of knotted string. Some bends were so severe that the raft rolled halfway up the wall, caught in the frothing maelstrom splashing icy water all over them. Greystoke had stopped yelling in terror when he swallowed so much water he began to choke.

  As if the echoing roar of the river wasn’t enough to deafen them, the rumble of the volcano rose in pitch. With it the swell of water increased, pushing the raft closer to the rock above.

  Holding on for his life with numb hands, Robbie glanced behind and saw a frothing wall of water fill the tunnel behind them, pushed on by the eruption. The raft was riding just ahead of it. He didn’t want to imagine what horrors were swimming inside the wall of water… .

  “HOLD ON!” shouted Greystoke
suddenly.

  Robbie turned back in time to see a stone column in their path. The raft caught a glancing blow, the rigid hull bouncing off and twisting around like a waltzer. Everybody was thrown to the side, their movement increasing the rate of spin. Robbie’s flashlight strobed through a series of images: the wall of water pushing them from behind, the tunnel wall just feet away, the steep dip of the tunnel ahead.

  The next drop was so sharp that the raft flew out of the water, the prow crashing into the roof. Greystoke slid back along the slick rubber and Tarzan’s hand shot out to stop his cousin from falling out.

  The raft did a belly flop back into the steep flume and their speed increased before the tunnel bent back to near horizontal so suddenly that the raft was completely submerged.

  The raft was designed to float even if swamped so its positive buoyancy shot it back to the surface like a cork popping from a bottle. Robbie tried to breathe, but the water in his lungs made him retch. The world around him was a confused blur. But then the darkness gave way to blinding light as they emerged outside. Everybody had adjusted to the subterranean gloom so well that even with the sun blocked by the volcanic plume, they couldn’t open their eyes—which was just as well.

  The subterranean river ejected almost two hundred feet above a river as it poured from a gorge wall. It would normally plummet straight down into a steep picturesque valley, but the increased water flow curved the waterfall farther out over the river below. The raft spun as it was shot out. No longer carried by the water, the raft offered some air resistance. But the occupants were still falling fast.

  The rushing air was not deafening enough to drown out the multiple screams of those on board. The gorge walls raced passed dangerously close and the raft prevented anybody from seeing the ground rush up to greet them. It was like tumbling through a nightmare.

  The raft splashed down into the river with a jarring thud. A massive wave erupted beneath it and everybody was flung into the water. Robbie was submerged in a confusing swirl of bubbles. He kicked his legs and headed for what he hoped was the right direction. He broke the surface and sucked in the tropical air.

  Robbie could hardly believe they were alive and outside. Euphoria coursed through him until he was laughing uncontrollably. Everybody else surfaced and swam for the raft, which had flipped over but provided a convenient float between the steep gorge walls. Even Tarzan was bellowing with laughter, and the others fought their hysteria. Pieces of debris from Opar floated around them, but just served to make them laugh harder.

  Only the supersonic boom from the volcano brought them crashing back to reality. The gorge cut around the side of the volcano, but it was so close they could feel the shockwave resound down the canyon as the top of the volcano erupted. A fountain of lava spewed vertically up before splashing down the side of the cone. The top tier of jungle burst into flames as the lava swamped it, rolling down beyond their field of view.

  Water from multiple falls continued to surge from the honeycomb gorge walls. It must have been a beautiful sight to behold on a normal day, but now, as the sky turned almost midnight black, it was sinister.

  Another boom rattled the land as the volcano fountained again, higher this time, the lava glowing with intensity as it spattered down. The multiple waterfalls suddenly eased as billowing clouds of steam poured from the tunnels.

  Robbie was getting uneasy. “I think we better get a lot farther away.”

  “Help me flip this over,” said Clark, who picked up on Robbie’s trepidation. He tried lifting the raft, but in the water it was too cumbersome.

  Then the steam clouds turned red and glowing lava spewed from the gorge tunnels in a curtain of fire. The water hissed as the lava-falls cascaded into the river, creating more massive clouds of steam.

  Everybody started scrambling to turn the raft, but they couldn’t raise it. Tarzan delivered a powerful punch, which succeeded in flipping the boat over. They all quickly clambered on board, rowing with their hands as chunks of the gorge wall began crumpling away behind them, issuing more lava. It was only a matter of time before one entire side of the gorge collapsed.

  The air tasted sulphurous as a third explosion pounded the landscape. Soft flakes began to fall. For a moment, Robbie was confused and thought it was snowing. Jane held out her hand and saw that they were flakes of gray ash, which crumbled to powder in her palm.

  “Faster!” shouted Clark, before he burst into a coughing fit as he inhaled the ash. He splashed his face to prevent the ash from clinging to him.

  The gray blizzard increased as they furiously paddled around a bend. This stretch of water took them out of the ash cloud’s path and they were able to breathe easily once again. Where the gorge had towered on both sides of the river before, one side now lowered offering a wide pebbled beach that led into the jungle.

  Robbie paddled for all he was worth, but suspected their rapid progress was due to Tarzan’s contribution. They abandoned the raft the moment it crunched on the stones and then sat down to catch their breath. Even Tarzan looked exhausted. Nobody had the energy to move, even when the gorge wall on the opposite bank, upriver from them, gave way spectacularly and countless tons of rock cascaded into the gorge, blocking it. Magma swiftly oozed from the new opening in the ruined gorge wall, sending spectacular lava falls into the river. Water hissed angrily where the two met, sending up plumes of steam.

  Jane tried to stand from the boulder on which she sat, but her legs trembled from the effort and she collapsed back down. Silent glances were exchanged as they all ran through the day’s events.

  Ramón broke the silence as he stood uneasily and extended his hand to Tarzan. “Gracias. Thank you.”

  Tarzan stared at the hand, unaccustomed to the gesture. Ramón was unsure if he had offended the ape-man, until Jane giggled.

  “That’s not Tarzan’s way.”

  Ramón nodded uncertainly and went to pat Tarzan on the shoulder—but hesitated. He withdrew his hand and simply repeated his thanks. Tarzan nodded once. He didn’t need thanks.

  Jane met Greystoke’s vacant gaze. “So? Was it worth it?”

  Greystoke wore a hangdog expression and licked his lips, looking away. Jane switched her accusing glance to Clark.

  “I had some of them gems … inches away …” Clark recalled dreamily. “A fortune …” He levelly met Jane’s gaze. “But I walked away.” He looked as if he regretted that decision. “But thanks for comin’ for us.” He included Tarzan and Robbie with a simple wave of the hand.

  “You’d have done the same for me,” said Jane with a smile.

  Clark pretended to frown. “I think I did that already on a couple o’ occasions.”

  Tarzan stood and stepped toward the river. He watched in amazement as the water suddenly receded. It was choked upstream until nothing remained other than a wide strip of mud littered with decaying tree trunks, fragments of the gantry that had once been in the Opar mine, and hundreds of madly thrashing fish. Against the background of the raging volcano, it was an otherworldly image.

  Jane shrieked as she was yanked off the rock and dragged backward into the bushes, clutching her throat. Everybody looked around in surprise, too stunned to react as Queen La stepped from the jungle holding one end of her whip, the other end wrapped tightly around Jane’s neck. Her mouth hovered close to Jane’s exposed throat, her remaining fangs threatening to puncture the skin.

  Insanity danced in her eyes. Like the others, she was soaking wet, with gray ashes clinging to her pale skin. She was weak, her bejeweled robed was torn, burned, and dirtier than ever, but dozens of precious gems still clung to it. The others could only guess at the ordeal she’d just undertaken to escape from the collapsing cavern.

  “You destroyed Queen La’s kingdom!” she hissed accusingly. “You upset the Fire God and brought death to us all.”

  Tarzan strode forward with a murderous expression on his face
. Queen La hissed like a feral cat.

  “Come closer and her throat will be torn!”

  “Release her,” commanded Tarzan.

  Queen La circled around Tarzan, ensuring the entire group was within view. She stood out in the emptied riverbed, which gave her the advantage of more space.

  She stabbed a finger at Tarzan. “You brought this upon Opar! You angered the gods! So you will pay with your life!”

  Robbie tensed, ready to use the last of his strength to charge Queen La. He felt Clark’s hand on his shoulder, restraining him.

  “You won’t make it,” whispered Clark. “She’ll have Jane’s throat out in a flash.”

  The stand off was bolstering Queen La’s confidence and she leered at Tarzan. “Kneel before your queen.”

  Tarzan flinched and remained motionless. Robbie hoped Tarzan didn’t value his pride over Jane’s life.

  “Kneel!” hissed La with venom. “You killed the Targarni. You will replace them. Queen La will tame the beast.”

  Tarzan was unmoved. “I am Tarzan. I am Lord of Jungle.” He thudded a fist across his chest. “And Tarzan kneels for no one.”

  Queen La hissed, thin lips curling back across her jagged teeth as she drew Jane closer, angling her head to reveal more slender neck. Jane struggled, pulling away, but La was too strong.

  Jane’s move was a feint. As she yanked away, Queen La pulled her nearer—then Jane suddenly threw all her weight in the direction she was being pulled, violently headbutting the mad queen. Queen La didn’t expect the move and was thrown off balance, dropping the whip.

  Jane dropped and rolled away as Tarzan pounced through the air before Queen La could move. They fell back into the mud. Tarzan grappled for the woman, but the slick mud made it easy for her to slip from his grasp. She punched Tarzan across the face, then held him back with one trembling arm. Such strength from the wiry woman should have been impossible, but she held her own with Tarzan as they traded blows.