King Kong: Long May He Reign ✓

chαptєr єíght

"Packard!" James yells as he runs into the clearing. Lizzie at his heels and Marlow and Mason a few seconds behind.

Kong's burnt body lay behind them, unconscious. Lizzie couldn't believe Packard thought he could kill Kong. Kong was a king after all, and you don't just go and kill a king now do you. Charges laid around his body as James, Lizzie and Mason stood in front of Kong's body. Marlow crept up silently behind Slivko and Chapman and pulled to pistols to their heads.

"I asked you fellas nice the first time."

Everyone's guns were train on James, Lizzie and Mason. Lizzie moved her hand to her satchel and pulled the dagger she'd managed to make, into her hands.

"Don't do it." James had his bullets ready to fire in between Packard's eyes.

"We don't want to fight you Packard."

"This thing brought us down! It killed my men!"

"Kong was just defending his territory!"

"We are soldiers! We do the dirty work so our families and our country men don't have to be afraid! They shouldn't know a thing like this exists!"

"You've lost your mind" Lizzie chipped.

"Put that detonator down."

James' words did nothing to deter him. The colonel had officially gone off the deep end. Murder was in his eyes and not a shred of sanity remained in him. Packard fired up the detonator and was about to press the button...

"Stop!" Mason called out. "The world is bigger than this."

"Bitch please! Slivko! Get her outta there!" Slivko's resolve was fading and his shaking hands did nothing but prove the point. Fear was evident on his face along with reluctance. He was beginning to doubt his leader.

"You know it's the wrong thing to do son." Was all Marlow said to make him snap.

Slivko pointed his gun at Packard. "Put it down sir!"

Packard reached for his pistol.

"Packard!" All of Packard's men began to stand down.

"Come on! It's over."

The water in the river began to bubble. That all to familiar smell wafted to Lizzie's nostrils and the animals in the trees began calling out hysterically. Ants in particular.

Skull Crawler

Big one

Run....

The water burst into a huge wave as a new vent opened up beneath it. Everyone's eyes widened in fear. Guns lowered and the previous argument was forgotten about. A giant lizard climbed from the vents, dragging god knows how many centuries old bones with it.

"That's the big one"

"Fall back" James called out as the skull crawler eyed his prize. An unconscious Kong. A sitting duck. An easy target.

"Go!" Everyone ran for the bushes, escaping the deadly predator behind them.

As much as Lizzie valued her life, she valued James' just as much. So she hung back and waited for him to follow behind her. Being apart for 11 years had caused her a need to always be near him, make sure he was okay.

The skull crawler let out a hideous growl and slithered closer to the unmoving gorilla.

"Colonel." James reached out his hand. Despite the fact that Packard currently wanted to kill Kong and him, he still wouldn't leave him for dead. But that doesn't mean he's risking his life too. When Packard stayed silent and unmoving James abandoned him, rushing to Lizzie and both sprinting of into the trees.

Kong's eyes snapped open. Even if he was on the brink of death, he would still defend his island. He would die defending his island. Packard, still with fear etched onto his face, ignored the incoming skull crawler and once again fired up the detonator. The rising gorilla narrowed his eyes at the man who'd just tried to kill him. Kong lifted his fist and brought it down upon Packard, smashing him into smithereens and cutting off his last words.

"Die you motherfu-"

*~*~*

Lizzie turned around at the sound of fist meeting dirt, and was meet with what could be their saviour. Kong was up and turning to the skull crawler. She watched as the skull crawler leapt into the air and landed upon Kong who fell backwards on impact. The skull crawler scanned the tree line and saw Lizzie there frozen. An arm wrapped around Lizzie's waist and lifted her into the air and carrying her back into the trees.

"Kong's down! Let's go!" James told her.

Everyone ran through the trees until they reached the shallow banks of the river.

"This is the edge of the island. Liz, get up on those rocks and fire a flare. With any luck, Brooks will see it." James knew that Lizzie's best shot of surviving the skull crawler, was if she was no-where near it. He knew she could manage the rocks and he didn't want to risk her being the skull crawlers lunch, even if he ended up being eaten instead.

The growling and hissing of the beast was getting closer. Lizzie grabbed James' hand and looked back at the slowly approaching creature.

"We'll buy you time." Lizzie nodded and slowly backed away, beginning to climb the nearest mountain and scaling it with ease.

"This way." Everyone followed as James' began running again, Cole reluctantly following behind the group.

The skull crawler stomped noisily on the ground flattening trees under it's claws. It let out another screech before stomping onward.

Everyone followed behind James with the exception of Lizzie. She was already halfway up the mountain. They arrived at the shallows of the river again, this time closer to the meeting point. They all charged into the water, but Cole stayed on dry land. He dropped his gun on the floor and this caught the attention of Mills.

"Come on Cole man! We gotta fall back."

"Go live your life! Get outta here." Cole smirked slightly before turning and pulling two grenades from his belt. He turned to the skull crawler whilst Mills tried to desperately claw his was back to the shore. He'd lost so many friends the previous three days. Cole was his closest friend and one of the only few friends he had left.

Cole held the two grenades in his hands, silently begging the skull crawler to hurry up.

"Come on. Come on. Son of a bitch."

James and Mason managed to hold Mills still as he watched his friend offer himself up to the skull crawler. But that time was the only time the skull crawler decided not to eat someone. It spun it's tail round and attempted to flick Cole but he ducked just before he was whacked over the head. The skull crawler managed to slam the two grenades with his tail in a move that could only be done by a professional baseball player, where they exploded into the cliff.

Mills rushed to the shore and dragged Cole by his collar.

"You stupid son of a bitch."

*~*~*

Lizzie reached the top of the cliff and turned just in time to see the explosion.

And then she saw a rock smash into the skull crawler's jaw, with Kong on the delivering end of the throw.

"Kong, I've never been happier to see you..."