Indiana Jones Adventure: "Temple of the Forbidden Eye"
by Scott SPACE ACE Oliverson
"This is yet another chapter in my fan-fic series. This time, it
features Charlie Barkin playing the role of Indiana Jones who discovers
an ancient temple that contains 3 magical gifts and a CURSE!"
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!...
Summer, 2000. A small, cluttered office in the Flea-Bite Club
dog-restaurant/casino in San Francisco. Charlie B. Barkin, carefully
unrolled an ancient map. Fierce serpant heads adorned the poles of the
scroll, and a glint of fire in their ruby eyes seemed to warn of danger.
Barkin noticed the coiled centurions and shuddered.
CHARLIE: Snakes, why did it have to be snakes! I hate them.
He was slowly tracing his paw-finger over the map's strange
pictographs and symbols, when his girlfriend/boss Sasha La'Flur entered
accompanied by his little brother & sidekick Itchy Itchiford.
SASHA: Charlie! We missed you at the opening of the new exbibit! The
artifacts from India were a smash, but I must say we could have used
those Sankara stones from Mayapore.
Charlie broke from his intense study only long enough to smirk.
CHARLIE: There are some things even I won't do for money. And obtaining
a magic sacred stone from a poor Indian village is one of them. Take a
look at this map, Itch. I found it in the ruins of a small village in
India at the edge of what they now call THE LOST DELTA. According to
local legend, (He continued) thousands of years ago a savage monsoon
created a flashflood that wiped out all evidence of civilization in the
area. But rumor has it that an ancient temple still stands somewhere
deep in the heart of the jungle. The locals are scared to death and
won't even talk about it. They just keep muttering something about the
GATES OF DOOM.
Itchy was clearly intrigued, almost curious.
ITCHY: Do they say anything about treasure, big brother? Because if
they do, the museum here at the Flea-Bite might be able to finance a
little exhibition.
Charlie pointed to the map's pictographs as he spoke.
CHARLIE: Maybe. I've almost cracked the code on this writing. It's
similar to the ancient system Belladonna, Killer & Carface found in
Nepal. According to this, a fierce deity called Mara possessed enormous
powers and forced the villagers to build an elaborate temple for him.
He promised that those who visited the temple on their own free will
would receive one of 3 magic gifts: Eternal Youth, Dazzling Wealth, or
the ability to see into the Future.
Moving the map closer to Sasha, Barkin outlined the temple
chambers for his boss.
CHARLIE: Here is a so-called Chamber Of Destiny, where Mara peered into
their hearts to find which gift they most desired. But there seems to
be a catch - something about the Eyes of Mara - I can't quite figure it
out. That part of the map is missing...Anna's right now trying to track
it down.
A knock on the door interruped his contemplation. Gerta, the
bartender & head chef who worked for Sasha rushed in with a letter and
package for Barkin. A smile spread across the german shepherd's face.
CHARLIE: Speak of heaven. It's from Annabelle. She says, (Begins to
read letter out loud for everyone to hear) Greetings my #1 earth-angel.
Here is the piece of the temple map you requested. Remember, fortune
shines of the pure of heart...and on he who has a heavenly boss in the
kingdom! A safe journey to you Charles...I will join you soon! Well,
Sasha, write that check. Looks like I'm going to India again.
Sasha agreed with one stipulation...
SASHA: This looks big, Charlie. I'm putting together an entire
archaeology team to excavate the area. They'll be there to back you up
in case you get into any trouble.
CHARLIE: (Sneers) Gee thanks. I feel safer already. OK, it's a deal,
but they'll have to catch up with me because I'm not waiting around for
slowpokes.
ITCHY: Have fun Charlie, and please be careful.
GERTA: Good luck in locating the secret temple and finding those
magical gifts.
SASHA: Yes, hopefully you will return with one of those gifts.
CHARLIE: I will do that, boss. (Agrees) See you when I get home. (Then
mimics the Terminator) I'LL BE BACK! (Then he was gone)
A month later, after an ocean crossing, a plane ride over the
Andes mountains (The very same mountains where the famous 16 survivors
of a plane crash survived being stranded in the frozen wilderness for 72
days in 1972 known as ALIVE "Miracle Of The Andes" which was then made
into a book, then a movie) a trip down crocodile-infested waters and
treacherous passage through an overgrown jungle, Charlie and his
angel-boss from heaven Annabelle stood surrounded by ruins of the fabled
temple. Statues of giant cobras guarded the entrance.
CHARLIE: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Sounds ominous.
ANNABELLE: Indeed, you go first Charles, I'll cover your back.
CHARLIE: Sounds OK to me Anna. That is if you want to go first, you
know the old saying...Ladies First, After You?
ANNABELLE: No thank you, not this time. I think it should be Boys
First, After You. (Gestures)
CHARLIE: Fine, have it your way, boss.
ANNABELLE: Whatever...NOT! (Then they both laugh out loud)
For the next two weeks, Charles and Anna carefully excavated the
labyrinthine passages of the temple. Gruesome boobytraps guarding the
inner chambers had been sprung by foolhardy looters. One skeleton lay
skewered in the SPIKE CHAMBER.
CHARLIE: Think he got the point?
ANNABELLE: (Not amused) Very funny. (Glares, frowns) This is no time to
stand and gawk at the sights. We have work to do!
CHARLIE: Hey, hey I was only joking. (Looks innocent)
ANNABELLE: Well, look who's laughing.
CHARLIE: Sorry...(Grins weakly, shrugs)
ANNABELLE: Appologies accepted my friend. Now, shall we continue?
CHARLIE: Yes mame, boss.
The two adventurer canines, one from heaven and one from earth
passed by numerous warnings that depicted laser beams shooting from the
eyes of the temple idol and visitors perishing in an array of unholy
tortures. Barkin brought his torch nearer the wall paintings.
CHARLIE: I've got it!
ANNABELLE: Got what? What is it?
CHARLIE: The eyes of the idol! That's the curse. Don't look into the
eyes of Mara!
ANNABELLE: Probably the ancient ones must have put it here as a warning.
Once we locate the Chamber Of Destiny, all we have to do is keep our
eyes averted. Maybe use a mirror to find our way.
CHARLIE: Right! Then, hopefully, we can make it out of the temple ALIVE
and with the magic treasure, that is if we find any inside here.
But the angel whippet didn't look too convinced, she sensed
something very wrong about the whole situation.
ANNABELLE: On second thought, most comforting. But I will await your
return Charles. You go ahead and hurry back, but BE CAREFUL!
CHARLIE: Your wish is my command. (Bows and salutes her)
ANNABELLE: And good luck in locating the treasures.
CHARLIE: Thank you. Oh, what would you like me to bring you? Dazzling
Wealth, Eternal Youth, or Future Knowledge?
ANNABELLE: I don't know...(Looks puzzled, confused) Why don't you
suprise me when you get back.
CHARLIE: You got a deal, boss. (Then he was gone)
Barkin entered the Chamber Of Destiny with eyes shielded. 3
doorways awaited just as the map had indicated. The FOUNTAIN OF ETERNAL
YOUTH, the CHAMBER OF EARTHLY RICHES, and the OBSERVATORY OF THE FUTURE.
As one of the doorways opened, an errie light moved into the chamber
and surrounded him with a sense of evil. He was no longer in control of
this expedition and was about to go where no canine has gone before and
lived to tell about it. And perhaps he shouldn't have. Tell about it,
that is. The news spread through the country like wildfire, and in the
wave of publicity that followed, tourists flocked to the remote jungle
area from all corners of the earth. Charlie tried to warn them that the
temple was a curse, that anyone who looked into the eyes of the idol
would never return ALIVE! Using a fleet of magical, refitted, heavenly
transport vehicles delivered from heaven at the request of her boss THE
CHIEF, Annabelle devised a safe way to move visitors through the temple
while allowing her #1 servant to continue with his work.
CHARLIE: Great! I ask for help, and they send me tourists?
ANNABELLE: So? (Gives angry look, paws folded) What's wrong with
escorting a few visitors through the temple while you're busy? No harm
in that, it will be like showing people around through a nature park.
CHARLIE: No harm? (Shocked) No harm! Look, Anna. There are powers at
work in this temple that even I don't understand yet. If any tourists
show up, play tourguide like you always do in heaven, get them through
the temple and get rid of them.
ANNABELLE: (Mimics Fat Albert) Hey, hey, hey! How dare you tell me what
to do, what not to do. (Now she looks real mad) I'm in charge here, in
case you didn't know that...You do your job, I do mine. Simple as that.
CHARLIE: OK, OK. I'm sorry, didn't mean to upset you boss. Fine, have
it your way.
ANNABELLE: Thank you Charles, I'm glad you agree with me. (Grins)
CHARLIE: Whatever...(Rolls eyes, throws up paws) Good grief.
ANNABELLE: Anything else you wish to share with me?
CHARLIE: Oh yeah, right, I almost forgot. Let me give you a piece of
advice.
ANNABELLE: And what's that? (Gives curious stare, arched eyebrows)
CHARLIE: Whatever you do, DON'T YOU DARE LOOK INTO THE
EYES OF MARA!
ANNABELLE: YES SIR! (Shouts back) I'll remember to warn my visitors
about the curse.
CHARLIE: So we have a deal then, right?
ANNABELLE: Deal! (And they shake paws on it) Now, let's get to work.
CHARLIE: Yes mame.
And so, the story ends...for now. What happens next? Only GOD,
the allmighty, the man upstairs knows!
END OF PART 1
Go to Part 2!
