For today’s challenge, I tried to get back into the mind of my nine year old self! When I was younger, I (poorly) wrote a Tomb Raider script; almost twenty years later, I read it out to my partner on our gaming podcast, The Vault, and hilarity ensued.
To listen to the episode and catch up on the so-called saga, click HERE. Funnily enough, it may actually help the stupidity below. To those who have been so kindly asking for more, I really hope this is on the same level as the previous instalment. I hope you all enjoy today’s post!
As I’ve been writing these, I’ve also been listening to both Nathan McCree and Peter Connelly’s incredible soundtracks. Each day, I’ll be posting the accompanying tracks that really helped me to get in the mindset of Ms. Croft and the environments.
Today’s track is ‘I Make My Own Luck’ from ‘The Dark Angel Symphony’ by Peter Connelly & Martin Iveson. To listen to the track, click HERE. To visit the shop, click HERE.
I could tell by the familiar fragrance of a Crème Egg that he was here.
‘Well, well, well – if it isn’t Blake Baker.’ I said with a raised eyebrow, cocking my gun and raising it to his gormless face. ‘Keep eating those and you’ll start to resemble one. I’m surprised you managed to find one of those here.’ I snarled, almost jealous of his snack. I felt positive I would have seen a glowing vending machine inside of a musty cave.
‘You know me – can’t go anywhere without a Crème Egg, bab.’ Blake shrugged.
‘Unfortunately, I do know you. Which begs the question as to why you’re here?’
‘I’ve left her. Natla’s been horrible to me one too many times, so I told her to stuff it.’
‘What does this have to do with me, exactly?’ I frowned.
‘I’ve come to help you, Lara.’ He shrugged, looking even thicker than he usually did. Especially as he’d gotten some of the filling of his chocolate treat on his once white shirt.
‘How so? I seem to be several steps ahead of you as it is.’ I lowered my weapon. It was pointless even threatening him in the first place.
‘This is where you’re mistaken, Ms. Croft.’ He smirked as he quickly unwrapped the foil from another egg and threw it into his wide open trap. How many did he have in his cargo pockets? ‘I know a lot more than you and Natla think I do…’
‘Go on,’ I rolled my eyes and took a seat on a nearby boulder. I couldn’t tell if it was the dull lighting in this cave or whether it was Blake’s droning tone that was causing my eyes to droop.
‘I’m a shapeshifter.’
‘What?’ I quizzed, knowing confusion was painted all over my face. I certainly felt the same.
‘A shapeshifter. Natla knew about the Sun God’s chain and when she’d made that call to Tikana, I knew something was up. I had to leave to warn you.’
‘But how did you know where to find me?’
Blake unzipped his trouser pocket and pulled out a third foil covered egg, holding it up as if it were an ancient artefact that the greatest archaeologists had been trying to unearth for centuries.
‘Something in the ingredients in these unlocks some sort of a psychic ability within me. They help me see clearer, they unravel paths that I cannot see myself. I knew you would be in this cave, looking for the inscriptions on the walls.’
‘A Crème Egg?’
‘Me Mom was the same.’ He nodded, tucking away the egg back into its designated pocket.
‘No offence, but the Baker family history isn’t something I think we really need to delve into right now. How the bloody hell is a Crème Egg going to get us to that chain?’ I said angrily, my voice ricocheting around the walls of the cave.
‘I quickly ate three and it led me to your visit to the Hawaiian Museum of Sea Wreaks. Whilst you were on your dive with Swordfana, I shape shifted into one of the security guards. Staff’s short there so I convinced Linda to take a break whilst you two were out and hacked the system.’ He looked at me solemnly. ‘He’s using you Lara – he’s using you to get back at me.’
‘I don’t understand, why would he?’
‘Dan is my long lost brother who’s been after the chain ever since we were young. He fled Selly Oak when we was nineteen, changed his name and came to Hawaii in search of it. His real name’s Dave.’
Blake paused, gathering his emotions as he appeared visibly upset.
‘That’s why I carry so many of these Crème Eggs; they help me but they’re Kryptonite to Dave. If we can get to him and give him one of these, he’ll confess. I know he’s close to finding that chain and god help us when he does-’
‘Why? What happens if he does?’ I was stunned. Not only was Blake’s family in rack and ruin, I had a feeling other things were about to be.
‘If he gets hold of that chain and it glows around the holy one’s neck, the world is theirs. They control the elements, life and death…’ he choked back the tears. ‘-And knowing our Dave he only wants it for one thing.’
I raised my eyebrows with a shrug, hoping a desperate Blake would continue.
‘-EVERYTHING.’
I gasped.
‘Only we can stop him.’ Blake shrugged. ‘Look, I understand that you might not be able to trust me after everything we’ve gone through over the years, but it’s all leading us here. Please?’
Blake extended his hand and I shook it.
‘Okay.’
He smiled and turned around; I followed with a frown and wiped my hand on my leg, freeing my glove of egg residue. Egg hunts on Easter Sundays at Croft Manor with Winston were due to become a thing of the past.
Victoria Pheasey 