𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 | 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢

𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐄𝐲𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫

Matt wandered for a while, but managed to catch up with Spencer, Martha, and Alex at the base of the statue. Although he needed to warn them, he was out of breath and found himself unable to form the words he desperately needed to say. It turned out that he didn't have to.

Van Pelt stepped into the clearing with a gun pointed at Bethany's temple. "Give me the jewel or your friend dies."

"Don't give it to him!" Bethany shouted

"Quiet!" Van Pelt instructed and adjusted his grip on the gun to make her flinch.

"Stop!" Matt shouted as he caught his breath. "Take me instead, okay?"

Van Pelt frowned. "Give me the jewel."

"I can't do that," Spencer replied.

"Five." Van Pelt began to count down. "Four."

"I can't give you the jewel," Spencer repeated.

"Three."

"Spencer," Matt pleaded.

"Two!"

"Because I don't have it!" Spencer shouted.

Matt looked over at him confused, and only grew more confused as Fridge and Roni burst into the clearing on the back of an elephant.

Fridge waved the jewel around in the air. "Zoology, bitch!"

Van Pelt whistled and his jaguars charged the elephant; however, they were no match as the elephant easily overpowered them. Seeing that they were beaten, the rest of the wild cats ran off. In a moment of frustration, Van Pelt aimed his pistol at Fridge, but Bethany didn't allow him to get a clear shot as she bit his hand. Spooked, the elephant entered a frenzy and flung the jewel halfway up the mountainside.

"Douchebag!" Bethany exclaimed as she stomped on Van Pelt's foot and slammed her head against his face. "You suck!"

Both Matt and Alex quickly rushed to her aid. Martha and Spencer barely had time to avoid the elephant that stampeded toward them. They glanced at one another with the same thought.

"Elephant."

"Begin the climb."

Van Pelt shoved Bethany to the ground, pulled back the trigger of his pistol, and prepared to fire. Alex tackled him to the ground as the shot went off. "Leave her alone!"

Although Alex held his ground for a moment, Van Pelt tossed him aside like he was nothing more than an inconvenience.

Matt balled his hands into a pair of fists and sprinted toward Van Pelt. He swung his hand, but just as he was about to make contact, he involuntarily stopped and his hands fell to his sides. Van Pelt pushed him backward with a single hand and Matt fell backward down the hill.

"Damn it," he swore under his breath and hit the ground.

As Van Pelt continued walking up the hill, Matt realized that they'd done all they could and it was up to Spencer and Martha now.

Matt walked back down the hill, but froze at what he saw. His heartbeat quickened and he slid to his knees as he skidded to a halt after sprinting down the rest of the hill.

Bethany's eyes fluttered as she looked up and smiled softly at Matt. "Hey, Mattie."

"Hey," he struggled to keep his voice from cracking, "You're gonna be alright. Okay?"

"How's Alex?"

A pit formed in his gut, but he flushed out the petty feeling of jealousy and checked his shoulder to see Alex's form slumped up against a nearby tree. He looked down at his wrist. Two lines remained.

Roni's breathing was heavy as she stopped beside Matt, but she failed to hide her gasp as she saw the bullet wound embedded in Bethany's chest.

"I need you to check on Alex," Matt instructed, but quickly changed his mind, "Actually I need you to get some moss. Send Fridge to check on Alex."

Roni didn't argue. Instead, she ran off without need for second instruction.

"Hang on," Matt pleaded as he applied pressure to the wound, "Please, hang on."

Roni returned no more than a minute later and handed him less than a handful of moss. "That's all that I could find."

Matt nodded his head and took the moss, internally praying that it wasn't too late. He pressed the moss up against the wound and again applied pressure.

"Looks like botany came in handy," Roni quietly noted as she pointed out the fading line on Matt's wrist.

As the line completely disappeared, he grew lightheaded and swore that he was going to black-out. He laid his head against the ground to rest a moment. However, the next thing he knew, Matt was being hoisted to his feet by Roni and Alex.

"Spencer did it," Roni pointed toward the sky.

The group cheered, but quickly grew confused as nothing happened. It was Bethany who came to the realization, and Matt swore that he'd never been happier to see her in his entire life. "Call out its name."

Matt looked around and in unison each of them shouted at the top of their lungs. "Jumanji!"

The jewel glowed a brilliant green hue before a wave of light was expelled from the statue. If that wasn't a sign that the curse was broken, he wasn't sure what was.