I looked at my watch, 8 minutes had passed since everyone left.
From above something caught my eye. It looked like an open topped UFO. Inside I could see the Unknowns. Here we go I thought.
The craft landed about 10 feet away from me. I watched as they all jumped out and walked towards me.
I opened up the shoulder bag. I saw Ms Martini's eyes dart towards it like a viper.
"What's that, some sort of surprise for us?" She said.
"Come any closer and find out." I saw the big one Jack hammer give a growl at me. But Ms Martini raised her hand. "Not yet. Let him talk."
I backed slowly away. I knew the graveyard was just behind me. "Just keep your distances and we can work this all out."
"Where are you going little man?" The Queen of the Shadows hissed at me.
I then threw a punch into the mouth of the Phlegmonster. It gagged and clutched its throat, I didn't stick round to see what would happen, instead I turned and made a bolt for the graveyard. I leapt the wall in a single bound.
Behind me I could hear them all shouting. In front of me I saw the first of the catacombs. One of them must lead down to the smugglers' rooms I thought.
My plan was to get everyone nice and close before I pressed the grenade button. I needed to be sure it'd be just me and them lost forever in time.
The first door was locked. A small spike bomb went whizzing past my head. Lord Ha Ha was almost a good shot. I ran to the next.
Locked. I gave a curse and kicked it. My plan was hopeless. What was I thinking of to rely on something that happened 200 years before? It was a bloody stupid plan.
I ran on not sure where I was heading. Things had gone quiet. But I daren't look back.
Then hope shined down on me in the form of a sewage outlet pipe. I jumped down into the gully and scrambled in. Behind me as I sloshed through the muck I could hear Jack Hammer ripping the pipe apart.
Then I hear Ms Martini call down. "Oh Mr Darknight we got a surprise for you."
I waited in the dark sure it was a trap.
"I'm sorry Darknight I thought I could..." it was Firefly he had snuck back and they had caught him.
Ms Martini's voice called out again. "Come out and we'll let him go. Stay down there and we'll throw bits of him into the pipe."
I came out holding the grenade. "Anyone moves and we'll all go up." I scream. "Now let him go."
Jack Hammer had him in a painful head lock. "No chance, get rid of that thing whatever it is first."
Lord Ha Ha stepped forward. "Oh give it to me please. I wanna see how it works."
I took a step back and held on tight to the grenade. "I mean it, let him go."
"Right no more Ms nice guy. Let's take him 100 feet up and throw him out. How's that for a let him go Darknight?" Ms Martini shouted.
The whole group and Firefly who was still in a headlock moved as one and jumped back into the craft. The craft shot up. I had no chance. No choice at all I had failed. I put the grenade down, raised my hands and stepped back.
The thought of the kid being killed froze my blood. It was over, I had lost.
The craft came down. I could see the Jack Hammer thug had let go of the kid and was messing up his hair like it was all some kind of stupid joke. The kid's face was bright red as he gasped for breath. My stomach turned thinking what would happen next.
What did happen next even after all these years still leaves me speechless. Of all that I have written this following account was the hardest. There isn't a day that passes that I don't think about it.
As the craft almost landed the kid made his move. Jack hammer tried to grab him but he was down on the floor grabbing the grenade. Ms Martini screamed to get away. But the kid had other plans, he jumped back on the craft with a back flip that would make any circus trapeze artist proud.
He landed perfectly back in the craft. The Queen of Shadows tried to chop his head off but he ducked and pulled a small lever that he must have known took the craft up. It shot up high into the sky and he did the bravest thing I ever saw.
He pressed the button on the grenade.
There was an instant exposition of blue mist. It then froze and began to pulse with lightning. This lasted a full minute before it then faded and blew away on the winds.
I stood there for I don't know how long crying my eyes out. My boy was gone.
He more than anyone else knew the secret to life.