“Awesome. New ruins?” Ayla asked.
“Yes, but more than that…a possible explanation to what may have happened,” the doctor said in what seemed like a tease. “What I think I stumbled upon that day is a settlement by people who were hiding from something. When I entered the area, I could tell. I could sense it, despite the overgrowth, that something was there. The first thing I found was a flat wall overgrown with vines that covered it up like a thick curtain. I pushed them back and saw these amazing hieroglyphs that tell an interesting story.
“For the sake of reference, I named the author Kaelan. What I gleaned from the hieroglyphs tells what happened. I found drawings in an underground cavern that supported what I think I understand from the hieroglyphs. At one time he was a prisoner. It appears that Tulum attacked Muyil--”
“That is a city to the south?” Ayla asked while pushing another limb out of the way.
“Yes! It seems that Kaelan was taken captive and brought to Tulum. As it was in the Mayan culture, the prominent prisoners taken during a war were sacrificed to the gods. So, I assume that he was in some role of leadership, but I can’t be certain. He describes being painted in blue and taken from a cage to the temple. They were performing the typical ritual sacrifice of pulling out the heart and decapitating the body. Somehow Kaelan escaped, and it appears that he ran to the beach where he apparently ran into…Kukulkan or Quetzalcoatl, who was walking out of the sea and was apparently headed to Tulum.”
“Kukulkan…really? Which form? Was it the tall caucasian with white hair and blue eyes or the half man half serpent one? Don’t tell me you found evidence that an ancient false god destroyed the Maya?” John said flashing an angry look at the doctor.
“There is more to it than just that. What I interpret is that he, Kalean, escaped and ran to the sea. He saw, on the beach, a white man, with long white hair and blue eyes. It seems that out of fear he ran back into the woods, got away from his captors, and climbed up a tree just within eyesight of the city. His drawings then show Kukulkan, Quetzalcoatl or this white man, ascending to the top of the temple and striking down the rulers of Tulum. That’s where it gets hard for me to figure out and the reason why you are here.”
“Okay, there’s more? I’m not quite sure what you need from us,” Ayla said while trudging forward.
“You’re an expert at reading hieroglyphs. You have studied the Maya, Incas, Aztecs and on and on. I need you to confirm what I think I am seeing.”
“Eh…what do you think you are seeing?” Ayla asked pausing to look back at him.
“A possible invasion from the sea. Only, it wasn’t Cortés or the Spanish. In fact, the population may have been severely depleted by the time he showed up here,” Smith noted with certainty.
“If not Cortés…who?” Ayla asked unsure of where the doctor was going.
He looked at John and then back to Ayla, “This sounds crazy, but his writing depicts a force that quite literally came out of the sea…with what looks like flying ships. These ships look like they gathered up the natives and took them…or at least a bunch of them.”
“Are you freaking kidding me? Are you sure you didn’t find a Mayan comic book? Really…aliens? Maybe Stan Lee got lost and was camping out here. Got inspired and jotted down some ideas for his comic books,” John said with a wrinkled brow and elevated voice.
“Stop acting like a bloody egg! You volunteered to come,” Ayla said confronting John. “Well, I know in 2013 the Mexican government held a press conference and revealed a number of Mayan era artifacts found over eighty years ago that depicted images looking very similar to what you are describing. Very difficult to explain exactly what the images are.”
Carlos smiled and gave an audible chuckle that was meant for John to hear. He hoped to irritate him and guessed that his ego would again fire up his tongue. He had little patience for the man.
“No, he is right. Everyone gets tired of hearing these crazy people who fantasize about aliens coming to earth and interacting with the Egyptians and other cultures. I can understand your reaction, John. In fact, just three weeks ago I would have reacted the same way. To answer your question, I’m not just relying on the writing of the Mayans. We found a place on this site where a Spanish account of the incident was etched in stone. This seems to be a recollection of an event, ‘They came from the sea. White man, blue eyes. He smites the king and his body rolled down the temple. The people began to worship him. Flying vessels came from the sea and took the people.’ Obviously, I am paraphrasing.”
“I thought this happened pre-Cortés? Where did the Spaniard come from?” John asked with a bit less vitriol in his tone.
“Are you familiar with the story of the Valdivia?” Dr. Smith asked.
“Yes, it was a Spanish ship that sank somewhere between the Yucatan coast and Jamaica in 1511. About 18 people drifted for almost two weeks and came ashore just south of Cancun. They were captured, some may have been eaten, and others were put in cages. Several escaped into the woods, and one, after eight years of captivity by Aquincuz of Xamanzana, would survive long enough to be saved by Cortés and help with the Mayan conquest. For some reason, I can’t recall the name of the Spaniard. But there was a second survivor that escaped to Chetumal in the north and married the daughter of Nachan Can. So, you think one of them witnessed this, escaped, and wrote it down? I don’t really think either of these men would have been anywhere near Tulum after almost being slaughtered and eaten there,” Ayla said while continuing to push through the trail.
“Again, from the evidence that we can find, we are pretty certain that it is the writings of Jeronimo de Aguilar. The story of the Valdivia shipwreck, just like the one you described, is also etched on the walls as well. He may have been a prisoner when whatever happened took place. This may be how he escaped. This doesn’t mean that he wasn’t in Xamanzana at a later date, but I am almost positive that he was here for a while before being taken into slavery,” Dr. Smith said.
“So, he escaped and lived with the people that ate other Valdivia survivors and took him prisoner? That doesn’t compute,” John grunted.
“Well, the people that escaped and survived were slaves and captives of some capacity. I don’t believe they were people of great wealth and importance and I don’t believe they ate anyone.”
“So, the aliens were very particular about who they took?” Ayla’s expression suggested that she was considering the possibility, “that’s a bit interesting.”
“Well, maybe if they were taking them somewhere in space, they would need to be in a certain condition…body fat, well-nourished or whatever to survive the trip,” John noted with a bit of sarcasm.
“We really don’t know what happened. I’m wondering if maybe I am reading something wrong...something you can point out. Some of the hieroglyphs make no sense to me because I have never seen them before,” Smith noted.
The discussion faded off and everyone was left with their thoughts on the matter. It was obvious that they had arrived when several small tents, portable lights, and an ice chest came into view. The tents were put up in areas where the ground was flat, and vegetation was the least dense. The jungle was as lush and tropical, as it had been on the hike, which made the notion of stumbling on the site by accident akin to finding the needle in a haystack if not for the narrow trail.
“Well, this is home sweet home for the night,” Dr. Smith announced. He opened an ice chest with beverages and offered everyone a drink and the opportunity to relax after the long hike.
“So, where is it?” Ayla asked after drinking a bottle of water. “Bit knackered but I don’t need much of a break, I’m kind of ready to see everything. Let’s have a look.”
Dr. Smith, tired from the walk, stood slowly and moved away from his chair. Ayla followed him twenty yards from the campsite down a second overgrown path. At first, she wondered what it was that made Smith believe that he had found something. Then she began to notice papaya and avocado trees in a peculiar abundance sugge
sting possible cultivation. She noticed this prior to finding the campsite but had yet to consider an explanation especially since she was geographically unaware of where she was in relation to the final destination. Ayla pushed through several palm fronds that were obstructing the path and saw Dr. Smith waiting for her in a large open area.
A noise to the left drew her attention and she stepped back. She watched as the head of a five-foot long, grey faced iguana popped up and paused on a rock looking at her. Ayla walked past the doctor to an area where the trail abruptly ended at the edge of a cliff. She estimated it to be over a hundred feet to the lower elevation. Down in the valley, a small stream cut its way through the landscape and disappeared out of sight toward the beach. A majestic quetzal flew across the valley in front of her. “This is a beautiful spot. I think I could live here…if not for the mosquitos and jaguars.”
She turned to face Doctor Smith. He reached out and pulled back a thick curtain of hanging vines heavily covered in dark green leaves. The vines stopped an inch above the ground. He pushed them to his right and paused. The wall of hieroglyphs came into view, “We didn’t remove the vines yet because I am not sure that anyone needs to see this. If my interpretation is the same as yours, I am not sure the world is ready for what may have happened here, and I would rather leave all of this unknown.”
Dr. Smith held the vines back. Ayla read the seven-foot-high tables from left to right and top to bottom then moved to the second table. Ayla read out loud as she attempted to piece together the information. Just as Dr. Smith had noted, some of the text did not seem familiar.
“I can’t put my finger on some of these. It’s like there was no way to describe some of the things he saw, so he made up or just drew what he saw. This looks like a flying machine of some kind. This, over here,” she pointed to the last table, “this is an oval with a large V cutting through the center of it. I have no idea what that is. This…I have honestly never seen before.”
“I have,” he seemed to pause treading carefully on his thoughts, “seen something that gives me a cause to be concerned.”
“What?” she asked somewhat apprehensive when he seemed to pull back on his statement.
“I need to go back to camp for a second. I want to grab a couple of flashlights. It’s getting dark and I want to show you something else.”
“Great. I have one on me. I’ll work on these glyphs until you get back,” Ayla replied then turned back to the wall of stone.
Smith walked off and Ayla pushed the vines back and continued to concentrate on the symbol. Near the area of the cliff, she heard a sound of what seemed to be a large falling section of rock. She was certain that it was not another iguana. Inexplicably a pungent odor filled the air around her. It seemed comparable to the scent of a feral hog. The hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. Ayla started to call out to the doctor, her instincts directed her to take cover. To the right of the edge of the stone wall, behind the hanging vines was a narrow opening. She slid sideways into the crack and let the vines fall back into place providing a covering.
Just as the vines covered her, the sound from the cliff area became louder, then suddenly stopped. Ayla couldn’t resist attempting to peak out to see what kind of animal had startled her. If it was a jaguar or panther it would smell her and know exactly where she was. She desperately needed to figure out how to escape. By the time anyone got to her, the injuries could be life-threatening.
She cautiously pushed a small opening in the vines and nearly gasped at what she saw. A figure that was easily taller than an average man stood facing her direction. The silhouette seemed humanoid, but its arms were so long that its hands were down by the knees. In its right three-fingered hand was an object that she assumed was a weapon, although she couldn’t identify it. The being took a step closer. A small ray of the setting sun pierced the canopy of the jungle and illuminated the head of what she realized was something unequivocally alien. The head was round and was made up of small irregularly shaped fist-sized sections of bone. On its face were two large eyes shaped similar to a human’s with deep v-shaped pupils and irises with the appearance of green marble. She could see what looked like a third eye near the back of the head. On the side of the face just below the eyes were two holes that were too small to aid in breathing, but the use was uncertain. Numerous quarter shaped spots peppered the head and resembled the tympanum on a frog that was used for hearing.
The creature moved down the trail in front of her toward the camp and stopped a few feet away. She peeked again and confirmed that a second pair of eyes were on the back of the head. When she attempted to identify the weapon, she noticed the symbol that was on the wall. The oval with the large V was also branded on the inside of what would be the wrist area. The impression appeared like a scar and didn’t seem to be natural. The feet were large and elongated. The leg was centered in the foot with three toes to the front and two to the back.
The being looked toward her, then took off down the trail into the camp. The jungle was full of the horrific sounds of men yelling. Several shots were fired and were followed by blood-curdling screams. It sounded as if the woods were being torn apart.
She heard the palm fronds push back as Carlos ran from the camp. His face was coated in absolute terror and desperation. Just as Ayla started to push the vines apart and let him hide with her, a creature pushed into the opening on the trail. This one was smaller than the first. Ayla noticed the same symbol branded on the inside of its wrist.
The creature paused and stared at Carlos as he frantically searched for an escape. The creature put its weapon on the ground as if to suggest that it was going to give Carlos a fighting chance. Without hesitation, Carlos leaped off the ledge and started climbing down the cliff area. The creature let out a low growl, ran, and jumped off the cliff. Within a few seconds, it lunged back up to the trail with Carlos in hand screaming for help. The creature walked back toward the camp where the screams and commotion continued.
Ayla struggled to maintain her composure and keep her presence secret. Do they know I am here? Will they come looking for me? Did the creature smell me or see me watching him? What were they doing to the men at the camp? Her mind was in overdrive. She needed to settle herself down enough to collect her thoughts. Ayla reached up while trying to stop her hands from shaking and slowly pushed a small opening in the vines, then cautiously peeked out across the open area looking for a better place to hide and possibly defend herself. Perhaps it was a false sense of hope, or even worse, a trap, but she looked down and noticed that the creature had not retrieved its weapon after snagging Carlos and she desperately wanted to get it.
Something by the rocks about a hundred feet away was waving at her. Ayla blinked and wondered if she was hallucinating. It looked like a Mayan man in ancient garb. Ayla could tell that the native was frantically waving for her to come over. She took a deep breath and slid slowly out from the vines. Ayla reached down, grabbed the weapon and as stealthily as she could, ran to the spot where the Mayan had directed her, only he was no longer visible.
Between two sections of rock, there was a hole in the ground that was not visible from the trail. She moved toward it, but a noise made her turn and look back. It was one of the creatures. Judging by the size, it was the first one. With a device that looked like an electrified whip, the alien viciously swung at the area where Ayla was previously hiding. With every blow, there was a bright flash of white light. Sections of burning vines and rock flew into the surrounding area and fell to the ground. There was no doubt, all along it had known that she was there. The second creature came out of the woods. It looked on the ground where the weapon should have been. Agitation was evident as it looked around.
Ayla felt two hands grab her ankles and forcefully jerk her into the hole. In the blink of an eye, she was shrouded by an impenetrable darkness. A new fear, one of the unknown both above and below the Earth’s surface was nearly paralyzing. Who or what drug her into the hole? Was it the Mayan man, or
something else? The mind began to play tricks. Her lungs started to burn, and a subtly visible web of stars began to shoot into the darkness. Ayla knew that she was hyperventilating and forced the calming down of her overzealous lungs. It was imperative that she found a way to slow down her heart rate.
She focused on the gun, or gun-like device, which was still in her left hand despite the impact with the ground. There was no practical sense in having a weapon if you didn’t know how to use it. Ayla pondered this and lightly ran her hands over the device. She quickly realized that there was no way to figure out how it worked without light. Turning on the flashlight would certainly alert the aliens to the underground location.
Ayla could hear running water in the distance. Despite being near the opening, she could not feel any walls around her. The underground area seemed quite open and large, but there was no way that she was going to use her flashlight to find out. It seemed like a great place for snakes. This added to her anxiety.
The creatures sounded like they were communicating by using toned clicking noises. The sound of feet and legs pushing through the vegetation grew louder. One of them was undoubtedly anxious to find its weapon. With no other options, Ayla pushed away the paralyzing fear and felt her way deeper into the cavern despite the unknown. She wondered where the man was that directed her to the hole. Did he pull her in? Moving water from an underground stream could be heard, but there were no sounds of anything scurrying around and no one had tried to get her attention since entering what she assumed was the cavern the doctor was talking about. Repeatedly she fought the temptation to call out to the Mayan man or look around with the flashlight.
She waited quietly until the early morning to search for a way out of the cavern. All through the night, she expected the Mayan man to show himself, but he never did. The jungle, with the exception of birds and a light wind rustling the leaves on the trees, it was quiet and had been for the past few hours. Ayla could see a tiny beam of the morning sun pierce the darkness and begin to reveal the hidden underground world. She could no longer resist turning on the flashlight for a second to see the darker areas of the large cavern. Hours had passed since being pulled through the opening by an unknown and yet unseen person. Any light would have been painful at this moment, but one-thousand lumens lit up the cavern. After a few minutes of blinking and wiping of tears the eyes adjusted. She was alone. It was like the man was a spirit that had vanished into thin air.
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