The snake was starting to recover and slowly moved over to where Lesedi was sitting cross-legged, still clutching the nut in his pocket. Lesedi wasn\u2019t sure if this was a good or a bad thing. He had learnt not to be too afraid of snakes, and he knew you needed to understand them and not make them feel intimidated or make any sudden moves around them. He wasn\u2019t too sure of this snake, though. He didn\u2019t know if it belonged to Bosula\u2019s store of evil creatures or if it had been dragged into this whole disaster unwittingly. The snake slithered up next to him and put its head gently on his knee. Lesedi shuddered slightly but remained still, keeping one eye on the snake and the other eye on Kgatwe scrambling up the wall. He could just see a tiny silhouetted movement as the gecko got closer to what he hoped would be a way out. Slowly he relaxed as the snake lay quietly with its head still on his knee like his dog Ntsa did at home. He almost felt like patting it but wondered if that would be an appropriate thing to do to a snake. Then they heard a noise coming from the direction of the iron grid window. Lesedi stiffened and so did the snake. He could see a faint glow appearing from behind the grid and could hear footsteps coming down a hollow passageway. One set of footsteps sounded very loud and definite while the others scuttled along next to them. Lesedi guessed that it must be Bosula and his guards. The snake suddenly uncurled itself and lifted half its body into the air. Its hood came out and it swayed menacingly in front of Lesedi as if it were about to strike him. Lesedi\u2019s initial reaction was fear, thinking that this was indeed one of Bosula\u2019s creatures and now that its master was here it was going to attack. But then it lowered its hood and Lesedi could see it was trying to tell him something. It was play acting and Lesedi should do the same! Lesedi quickly shoved the nut further down into his pocket and then cowered down, his hands over his head while the snake swayed above him, its hood fully open again. <\/p>\n
Bosula\u2019s face appeared at the grid, the chameleons slightly behind him holding flaming torches. The effect of the flickering light on their hideous faces was very unnerving and Lesedi, peeping out from between his fingers, didn\u2019t need to pretend to be afraid. <\/p>\n
\u201cAaah, so I see our snake is back to normal!\u201d boomed Bosula. \u201cGot rid of the lump in its throat, did it? Good, now it can be of some use again.\u201d Bosula grabbed one of the torches and held it high to get a better view. Shadows flickered and danced eerily around the pit.
\n\u201cSo, you sniveling little wretch, your tongue any looser?\u201d <\/p>\n
Lesedi stared at Bosula. He shook his head, not trusting himself to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cHmmm\u2026still a little on the dumb side I see. Well, never mind, the scorpions will be back soon. I believe they found someone up in the passageway so they were a little delayed dealing with him.\u201d Bosula cackled softly to himself.<\/p>\n
Lesedi\u2019s heart sank. Lorato! What had happened? Had he been caught in the passageway on his way back to help them? Lesedi was more worried about the old man than he was about his own chances of escape, which at this stage were looking very slim. The chameleon tongues flicked through the grid, making Lesedi jump back in fright. <\/p>\n
Bosula laughed a hollow, unnerving sort of laugh. \u201cLeave him. It won\u2019t be much longer and he will tell us what we want to know. Let us go and have our lunch.\u201d Bosula started moving off. \u201cNo food for him until he tells us what we want to know,\u201d he shot over his shoulder.<\/p>\n
Lesedi wasn\u2019t too sure whether that was a good thing or not. He didn\u2019t think he wanted any of their food if it made your breath smell as bad as Bosula but he was starting to feel extremely hungry and a little weak. He could hear Bosula stomping down the passage with the chameleons scrabbling behind him, the eerie light slowly disappearing. The snake relaxed and curled up next to Lesedi again. He stroked its head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, snake,\u201d he said. \u201cAt least we have one friend in this dreadful place. I hope nothing terrible has happened to Lorato, and where on earth is Kgatwe?\u201d Suddenly as if in answer to his question there was a plop next to him and Kgatwe jumped up onto his other knee. He took one look at the snake and jumped straight off again. Lesedi felt him running up his back and onto his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2026what\u2019s the snake doing?\u201d he gasped and Lesedi could feel him trembling in fright.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d said Lesedi, laughing, \u201cthis snake is our friend. He just helped me fool Bosula.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t know about snakes being friends,\u201d muttered Kgatwe. \u201cMaybe he thinks we\u2019re a better bet than Bosula at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop being so cynical,\u201d said Lesedi. \u201cTell me what you found out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the way out, and the cart is up there!\u201d explained Kgatwe excitedly, forgetting about the snake for the moment. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe cart!? How did it get there? Is Lorato there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d said Kgatwe and Lesedi\u2019s heart sank. \u201cI looked around but I couldn\u2019t see him. This hole is close to the scorpion entrance, so he might have gone back there to look for us.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cOH NO!\u201d cried Lesedi, feeling the panic rising up in him. \u201cBosula was here and he said they had found someone in the passage!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho had found someone?\u201d Kgatwe had forgotten about the scorpions in his excitement.<\/p>\n
\u201cTHE SCORPIONS!\u201d shouted Lesedi, forgetting to be quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh!\u201d said Kgatwe in a small voice. \u201cWhat\u2019s that noise?\u201d he added, putting his head on one side. <\/p>\n
There was a thumping and bumping coming from the shoot. Something or someone else was about to join them from the cave. Lesedi grabbed the snake and Kgatwe and pulled them out of the way just in time as Lorato landed on the floor in front of them. Lesedi ran over to him in distress, thinking that the old man would never be able to survive treatment like this. Lorato had his eyes closed tight and seemed to be in some kind of trance. <\/p>\n
\u201cGrandfather?\u201d he said in a small voice, fearing the worst. <\/p>\n
Lorato opened his eyes and grinned up at him. \u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u201d He laughed. \u201cI had to put myself into a relaxed trance so that I didn\u2019t break any bones coming down that shoot. Body\u2019s not as strong as it used to be.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d said Lesedi and Kgatwe together. Lesedi grabbed his grandfather\u2019s hand and held on tight. Somehow just his very presence made him feel better even though the odds were against them. \u201cWhat about the scorpions?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d said Lorato, sitting up and dusting himself off. He leaned against the side of the pit. He looked tired. \u201cWhen I left you I got out of the scorpion passage and then tried to work out a way to let Mary and James know that we needed them to bring the cart.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWell, it\u2019s there,\u201d said Kgatwe. \u201cHow did you do it?\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a flock of quelea flying by and I managed to persuade them to take a message over the trees.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cOh!\u201d said Lesedi, not fully comprehending how he had done this. He knew that quelea were very small birds that flew in flocks of hundreds and sometimes even thousands, but how one got them to take messages to donkeys he wasn\u2019t sure.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the scorpions? How did you escape the scorpions? Bosula said they found someone in the passage and I thought you were dead!\u201d Lesedi could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. He had been so brave, but now that his grandfather was here he just wanted to cry. <\/p>\n
Lorato stroked his arm. \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I thought the scorpions might pitch up at some stage, so when the cart came I dug out one of my old herbal remedies against scorpions and rubbed it all over myself.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cHow does it work?\u201d asked Kgatwe, making a mental note to rub himself in whatever it was next time he ventured out. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt disorientates them,\u201d said Lorato. \u201cWhen they smell it they run around in circles and start stinging each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if it worked why are you here then?\u201d asked Lesedi, still hanging onto Lorato\u2019s hand, terrified he might evaporate. <\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I got down the hole and into the passageway above the main cave. I was very worried because I couldn\u2019t find you two. So I peered over into the cave and whap! This chameleon creature grabbed me and I just had time to relax myself when he dumped me down that shoot, and here I am! So what\u2019s been happening to you two? Besides making friends with snake here.\u201d He laughed. The snake had curled itself protectively around Lesedi, its head back on his knee.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found the nut and there\u2019s this bright sto\u2026\u201d Lesedi started excitedly before Lorato quickly put a hand over his mouth, muffling his words.<\/p>\n
\u201cSsshhh!\u201d said Lorato. \u201cWe don\u2019t know if anyone is listening to us.\u201d Lesedi nodded wide-eyed and Lorato took his hand away. \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful news, though,\u201d he said softly. \u201cNow we must work out how to get out of here. Have you any idea of where we are in relation to the outside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Kgatwe scrambled onto Lesedi\u2019s shoulder. \u201cWe\u2019re very close to the scorpion entrance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood,\u201d said Lorato. \u201cThat is where the cart is\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know,\u201d said Lesedi. \u201cKgatwe has been up there. There is another entrance above us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, if Kgatwe can get up there he can get the twine ladder from the cart and lower it down to us.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cTwine ladder!\u201d said Kgatwe excitedly. He was already scrambling across the floor to climb the wall. Suddenly he stopped. \u201cI didn\u2019t see any twine ladder in the cart.\u201d The excitement was going out of his voice. \u201cAre you sure you brought it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s in the sixth drawer,\u201d said Lorato.<\/p>\n