A Hero's Journey

As a child London had always loved to listen to her father’s stories. For as long as she could remember wanted to be an archeologist like her father.
Now, London was on her way to Africa to find a gem called the ruby of Abioye. The ruby are belonged to an ancient underground civilization that was ruled by a king with the name of Abioye. It was said that the ruby could heal the sick. By the words of her father the people were killed off by a flood. But, no one really knows.
London glanced at her cellphone as she exited the plane, and into the airport. The air was filled with sounds of excitements people greeted each other. She stepped onto a moving metal sidewalk as she checked her cellphone for messages from Mark Taylor; a colleague of hers.

She shouldered her travel bag, and responded to one of her messages. Mark was waiting for her outside.
Outside was sunny, and humid. She glanced around for Mark. To her right, she saw a copper shinned women and child. The women was trying to calm the child down from the heat of the sun. To her left, she saw a reunited couple smile, and laugh; which made her smile.

“London!” someone shouted

London glanced over in the direction of the voice. It was a milky white man in his mid- twenties. He ware cargo shorts, and a grey T-shirt. It was Mark. She approached him with a smile.

“Hi Mark,” London said “good to see you,”
“Long time no see,” replied Mark. He opened the door of the yellow taxi. “Shall we?”

She took a sent as Mark closed the door behind him. The taxi pulled smoothly out of the airport.
The ride was very long. In 2 hour, the car was driving by miles and miles of greenery. The car stopped in front of grassy area with a hill.
Mark paid the driver, and London followed him up the hill. At the top of the hill, London saw campsite. It was small. It composed of three people sitting in front of a fire.

“Hey,” said Mark as he strolled up to them
“Good to see you,” a women said as she stood to meet him
“How’s it going?” asked a man as he patted Mark’s back
“Where are my manners?” Mark told himself, then glanced in his friend’s direction “Everyone this is London. She just stated three month ago. London these are Lucas, Stella and our guide, Elijah,”

London smile at them.

She glanced up at a beautiful pink and orange sky. A dark skinned, Elijah offered a wooden bowl full of stew that was cooking in a pot over the fire. She smiled a thanks, and took a poon full. She inhaled the food, and gave the bowl back to Elijah.
She listened to Stella, Lucas and Mark talking at the Zuberi tribe, and dangerous group called the Black Mamba.
The Black Mamba is a ruthless group that steal artifacts and sell them on the black market. They probably will go after the Zuberi tribe for the ancient ruby of Abioye they found decades back.

“London,” said Stella softly “let’s get to sleep. We have a long journey tomorrow. You can bunk with me,”
“All right,” London agreed

The next morning was bright cool with a long journey ahead about half a day. The day dragged on as they walked through the jungle. When they entered the village it was like nothing she has ever seen before. The people were like a small community; unlike London’s home town. She admired them. She sae children of all ages playing together. The younger ones didn’t wear any clothes unlike the older kids. The older girl ware bright colored dresses that covered their knees, and the boys ware what looked like skirts. The men and women wore the same, but

longer.
London glanced up at the houses. They looked circler with sticks, mud and dry glass. The five of them approached a house much like the other, but bigger. She figured that the village’s leader lived here.
Inside looked almost empty. Blanket s were rolled up to the right of the room. Three flat-bed like objects were packed to the side wall. London saw three men looking intensely at them as if wondering why we were here. A middle aged man possibly the chief sat in front of the room. Beside him were two boys no older than 16 and 18 years age sat on either side of the chief. She guessed were his sons.

“Chief,” said Elijah respectfully to the man
“Chief,” said the others after Elijah

The Chief nodded. Elijah sat cross- legged in front of the chief, and the other followed.

“What has brought you here,” said the chief
“Chief, we have a proposal?” asked Mark
“We were like to search your land for the ruby of Abioye,” said Mark

The chief paused.

“Why do you want the ruby?” the chief demanded
“Sir, we would like to teach the history of the ruby,” Lucas explained
“Father!” You can’t let them take what’s ours,” yelled the oldest son
“Lodi!” yelled the chief. The chief softened his face. “This ruby has brought pain to our village,”

London heard the sound of a shot, and people screamed. The chief, his sons, and five team members left the house, and faced the dangerous outside.
Outside five men with guns were shooting villagers, and demanded to see the chief. Some villages fought the men with spear, which wasn’t a fair fight.

“Tell me where the cave is?” a tall man demanded
“We will do no such thing,” said Lodi

The tall man probably the leader of the group smiled as he shot Lodi in the chest. The chief ran to his son. The five men grabbed a hostage, and painted a gun on their head.

“I’ll ask you one more time,” said the leader frustrated “where is the cave!”
“We’ll very tell,” said a villager
“I’ll show you where to cave is,” said the youngest son “please don’t hurt anyone,”
“How brave,” said one of the men
“Toca!” screamed the chief to the youngest son

Toca couldn’t get a glimpse of his father one of the men grabbed him before he could. Each man took Toca, and a teammate. Elijah stayed by the chief and Lodi’s side as London and the others were pushed in to the jungle.
The air felt more humid and moisture as the afternoon they walked through. London was on the break of tears as a gun pocked at her back. She was so scared. Tears started to run down her cheeks as she heard sounds. The sounds were as if someone on something was coming for them. They grew as a … monkey ran out from the long leaves on the ground. London’s heart slowed as relief calmed her. When do monkey’s run on the ground? She thought. She felt someone or something’s eyes on her as they passed. London glanced up as a tiger leaped down from a tree. She screamed as a gun fired. The tiger fell on top of her. Toca, and the others pulled the tiger off of her. Lucas helped her up. She felt a throb on the back of her head when she hit the ground. The men kept them moving, and London was developing a headache. She tried to ignore it.
2 hour later, they came a waterfall. It looked calm and peaceful. Even though she was scared out of her mind the waterfall gave her a little hope. She even forget about her headache.

“The cave is just passed this waterfall,” Toca said
“Good,” said one of the men “go and get it,”

London was pushed forward under the waterfall. The cave was black as coal. She was afraid that the men would kill them after they obtained the ruby. The men pushed each of them inside the cave. She wondered why they were not going into the as well. She thought maybe there’s traps set, and they wanted us to trigger them.
As they walked the cave grow darker and darker. There was any traps; which was good. She kept close to Toca and Lucas’ voices as they talked to her. She wondered why she didn’t hear Mark and Stella‘s voices. Where are they she thought? London saw a light up a head. She followed it into a large room with the ruby on a pedestal. The light was the sun as it shone on the ruby. This is too easy she thought.
She glanced around thinking that Mark and Stella’s disappearance was suspicious. London looked over at Lucas over by the ruby. She decided to look up at a square shape hole to the right of the wall. She saw Mark with a gun.
The world around started to slow as Mark’s gun fired on Lucas. London heard a shot as Lucas fell on the ground. She saw Mark run off, and heard Toca scream. She turned as she saw Toca crumple to the ground. Stella smiled as she knocked London out.

“London,” called a voice “wake up,”

London obeyed the voice, and her eye fluttered opened. Her eyes focus on Lucas holding his right arm. She winced as pain ran though body into her head. The memories flooded back into her mind all at once. She remembered that Mark and Stella were playing her for a fool. In shock, London remembered that Mark had shot Lucas. She ripped a piece of her shirt, and tied it on Lucas’ right arm.

“Thank you,” said Lucas “They took Toca,”
“What?” London said in surprise “let’s go,”

London didn’t need to look at the pedestal to know that the ruby was taken. She led the way back into the darkness. Toca was going to be their guide if he like it or not.
In that moment, anger swelled up inside her. She considered Mark a friend as well as a colleague, and Stella she didn’t know very well so she couldn’t say. Now she was reconsidering it. She hoped the police would find them, and would the okay.
Once out of the cave they headed for the waterfall. To London’s surprise the five men, and the two trader were arrested by the police. She saw Elijah smiling at her; which made her smile as well. London’s wish was granted. Soon, after she remembered that Lucas need to treat his injury.

“Lucas is shot!” she cried
“Come the village is the closes,” said Elijah as his smile melted and he guided them back to the village.

London glanced at the ruby of Abioye in a glass box at the museum in Africa. Her head still hurt, and wrapped with bandages from the village.
The village people couldn’t handle to ruby close by.

They thought the ruby was cursed, and happily gave the ruby to her. Lucas was alright. Unfortunately, Toca’s older brother, Lodi died. Elijah is still a guide, but he’s picking his clients more carefully. It turned out, Mark and Stella were a part of the Black Mamba after all. They and the other five men are severing time in prison. She shook her head in disguised she didn’t want to think about her former colleague. He head stared to throb. But she didn’t care her former teammates were going to sell the ruby of Abioye illegally on the black market; which made her bitter. London pushed the bitterness aside. The police were looking for the other Black Mamba members. London smiled. That’s good to hear she

thought.