The Flight To Adventure

Chapter 8 A little exploring

The four children came out of the shed and gazed at the towering mountains.None of the children had seen such mountains before.Clouds hung about half way upto two or three of them and their tops came into view now and again, when the clouds parted.
" It's a very lonely kind of place." Said Jack" I bet there are all kind of strange birds here but I have seen only one or two so far.It's funny that those two men knew exactly where to land in this lonely valley, that smooth patch of grass  certainly makes a perfect landing ground.It looks as if they have been here before.But why should they come here.There doesn't seem anything here to come to.There's no hotel, not even a cottage as far as I can see."
" Oh you never know there might be any." Said Charles" Hey look at that dragon.I have never seen one like that before.It's a kind of a lizard except that it is way more cute"
The lizard ran by his legs, the boy bent down and picked it up.
" Oh put it down Charles"cried out Clara" It's such a horrible little creature"
" I think it's super cute" exclaimed Charles, while taking the lizard near his sister.
Clara gave a scream and pushed it away.The other two stared at it with interest.
"Open your hand and see if it will stay with you Charles" said Jack .
" Ofcourse, it will stay" sad Charles, who always seemed to cast a spell on any creature he picked up.He opened his hand and let the creature lie on his palm.It made no attempt to escape.
" See, it wants to stay with me" said Charles" and so it shall. I will name you dragon because you resemble one alot."
" Now it shall live in your pocket for God knows how long.I shall not come near you much than .I think you are an awful boy." Cried out Clara scaredly.
" Don't let's squable now." Said Jack " We have way more bigger things to worry about than a lizard."
"Well, let's start exploring the valley.As we will have to stay here, till we are rescued." Said Charles.
"Rescued"yelled Clara" How is anyone gonna rescue us if they havn't even the foggiest idea that where we are?Don't be silly Charles."
" You know we will have to be awfully careful that we don't get lost. This valley and the mountains are extremely similar.We must stick together, so that we don't get lost." Said Jenny.
"Yes we must" said jack" but we must be able get back here always at any cost because our luggage is all here.Atleast we have shelter here and rugs to lie on. If only we had enough food.Those biscuits and choclates won't last that long. "
Your compass will come in jolly handy Jack and your field glasses too" said Charles" Why don't we guys set off now, do some exploring and come back to this shed as a headquaters"
" Yes but let's cover up these suitacases and rugs with something, so that even if the men do come here, they do not see them." Advised Clara.
" They won't" said Charles" Why would they possibly want to snoop around in an old burnt down shed. We can leave everything as it is."
"So long as we keep away from that direction we will be all right" said Jack " Come on let's take this path, It really looks as if it was once a proper path from this place to somewhere else"
" We would better notch the trees here and there, as we go, in this way we will be able to come back at our headquaters easliy." Said Charles.
So Jack and Charles took their knives out.They made a cut on every 5th or 6th tree they came across, until they came across a flower strewn grassy hillside.
"Isn't it lovely" said Jenny, looking at the carpet of flowers, " I have never seen such bright colours before"
"Shall we be seen out of this bare patch?" Asked Clara.Charles and Jack looked down into the valley.They had been climbing up for a long time now .
"There's the plane" said Jack" Isn't that one of the man walking over to it.Lie down flat everyone."
They all lied down flat, promptly.Jack had his field glasses on. He hurriedly placed them on his eyes.He could now see clearly that the man was the one called James.He had a white face, rather dirty black oily hair and a thick moustache.He went into the plane.
" He's gone back inside the plane. Wonder if he's gonna go back again .Will he leave the other man behind? He hasn't started up the engine yet."
After a minute or two the man came back again, carrying something, though Jack could not see what it was. He walked off in the direction of the smoke. There was a thicket of trees nearby and soon the man dissapeared from sight.
"He has gone back to his place. He took something from the plane, though I could not see what it was clearly." Explained Jack to the others" We must now go on in another direction. If we can see the man than most certainely he might be able to see us too, if he see's in this direction."
So, They started walking in another direction. Soon they came across a dangerous ledge but crossed it couragely, reaching a hillside from where they got a magnificent view of the valley .
It was completely deserted, not even a cow or sheep was to be seen.A little higher up was a building that had been a farm house before.But now only some remians of stone walls and fences were left.Everything else was in ruins.
"Another ruin" said Jack in awe." What has been happening in this valley? I simply can't undertand this.Why are all the houses burned down like this? I'm beggining to think there isn't a soul here, besides ourselves and those two men."
" I think you are right" said Charles" not even a single soul can be seen here and there.There's no smoke to be seen anywhere, not even a domestic animal.But what I can't understand it that why none has come from the surrounding valley to rebuild the houses back again or to graze their cattle on this marvellous grass."
" Perhaps there is something wrong about this valley. I don't like the feel of it very much." Said Jenny.
They sat down in the warm sun.All of them feeling terribely hungry all of a sudden.
   Clara unexpectedly pulled out some biscuits and choclate from the bag she was carrying.
" I guessed we would be hungry soon.So I brought  half of the biscuits and choclates we had, with me" she explained.
Everyone took a piece and began to munch in delight.Lili pecked a piece of choclate from Jack'a finger.
" Give that back Lili, where are your manners?" Asked the boy.
"Down the well, down the well" yelled Lili and cracked into her laughter.
They were all thirsty after the little treat.
"  I wish we could have something to drink, I'm quite thirsty now"said Jenny.
"Thirsty , thirsty, down the well" yelled Lili.
  "Allright, you thirsty bird, find us a well of water if you are really that thirsty or stop mimickring and yelling thirsty and well." Said Jack.
"Would it  be save to have a nap? I'm suddenly feeling very sleepy" said Clara.
" Well only a little one i guess" said Charles" I think we are a bit safe up here, I don't think the men will come here"
"You know , I think I can hear water somewhere" said Jenny as she laid flat on the ground" listen well everyone"
So they all listened.Certainly they could hear something odd, that was not the blowing of the wind.what could it be? It didn't sound like the gurgling of spring.
"Lets go and see" said everyone excitedly.
So they all went in the direction of the curious sounds.They climbed a bit higher and came across a stony pathway.The sound was much louder now.
" Once we round this corner. We will know what is the source of the noise" said Jack.
They turned around the corner and all of them stood in awe gazing at the source of the noise.
It was a watwrfalll!! But what a great one it fell from a great hight, fine spray of cold water showered everywhere.It wetted their faces as they stood near it.
"What a wonderfull sight. I have never seen such a big and beautiful one in my life and the sound it makes, I almost have to shout, isn't this wonderfull." Yelled Jenny.
The children could not see where it ended far below.The water sparkled here and there and rainbows shimmered. They licked the water droplets from their faces.
"I am drinking the spray" yelled an excited Jenny" look everyone there is a puddle made in that rock by continious spray."
The drank some water from the puddle . It was cold and crystal clear.
They watched the waterfall for some time." I could watch this magnificient sight all day" said Clara.
" We will come back again tommorow.but I think it will be better if we make it back to the shed now. It's clear now that none can help us here" said Charles.