“Wow!” I said.
His voice suddenly pierced the air as he pointed down at a footprint. “It has claws and three big toes that point inward.”
I had no idea what he meant, but I knew the claws didn’t sound good at all.
Mike’s eyes widened. “Should we whip out Casey’s cell phone and call animal control?”
“Ha ha,” said Jack. “Animal control couldn’t even begin to take on this thing.”
Biting my lip, I pondered what Jack was suggesting. First the dragonflies, then the spiders, and now there was some humongous chicken-elephant creature on the loose. If he was right, we would have no way to defend ourselves, and that wasn’t an uplifting thought.
“These prints are avian. How can a bird be this heavy?” Jack darted down the shoreline and examined the long line of unusual prints.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I decided it was time to be on guard and start taking things more seriously. We had no idea what we were up against, and it was best not to underestimate anything at this point. “Maybe the birds here are oversized, like the spiders we saw…and those dragonflies near the water. I’m sure a giant hungry bird could cause a lot of damage with its beak if it mistakes us for a nut.”
“Maybe it’s not a bird,” said Mike.
“At this point, it could be anything.”
“Up for a little adventure?” Mike’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Wanna follow the tracks and find out?”
“What, and be the other white meat?” For all I knew, we could be chasing some dangerous, elusive creature deep into the jungle. “Are you insane?”
“We all know the answer to that one, Casey.”
I smirked. Mike was such a daredevil, thriving on danger anytime the opportunity presented itself.
His face hardened into grim lines. “I’m more worried about not having a hunting permit.”
My eyebrows arched. “Seriously?” He was so full of it.
Mike burst out in laughter, and I couldn’t help but smile. He was only trying to ease our fears with humor and keep us both distracted. It worked, to a degree.
“Hey, check this out!” called Jack.
Careful not to step on the tracks, I darted over. He pointed at the zigzag pattern stretching as far as I could see.
“Its stride almost doubled here, and the tracks are now going in a straight line.” He paused as if to gather his thoughts before he continued. “And its three-toed feet are now pointing outward. It must’ve started running.”
“After prey?” I said.
“Yeah, ‘cause a thing this big wouldn’t run for jollies,” said Jack. “It’d conserve energy. And it wouldn’t be scared of anything either. I think it was definitely chasing something for its breakfast.” He shook his head and blew out a breath. “We need to face the fact that this thing could be a predator, which means—”
“This beach isn’t safe,” finished Mike in a grim tone.
I knelt down and placed my left hand inside one of the footprints. My long hair fell over my face. Stomach fluttering, I turned and met Jack’s eyes. “That’s a scary thought.”
His eyes grew wider. “I know. The worst-case scenario keeps running over and over in my mind.”
I recoiled. “What?”
“If we stay here, we’ll become a banquet, and I have no intention of becoming part of that thing’s midnight snack.”
A monkey squealed, jumped down from a tree, and disappeared into the wilderness.
I flinched and held my hand over my heart. I rose to my feet. “I’m getting the creeps, big time. C’mon! Let’s get out of this place.” I peered around, unsure of which way to turn.
“Whatever this place is,” whispered Jack.
Mike nodded. “Yeah, we definitely should cruise on out of here.”
A pair of squawking birds flew into the jungle. I noticed deep imprints that came out of the tropical vegetation, crossed, and then re-crossed. Hundreds of marks shone brightly in the sand. It must’ve been running around in circles, or... I froze, my mind unable to form the terrifying thought. My eyes widened, and my pulse raced out of control. No way! There’s more than one. And they seemed to frequent this place quite often, like a favorite hangout. I pointed. “Guys, look!”
Mike took a few steps forward, and then gazed back at me and Jack with a bewildered expression. “Think there’s a pack of wild animals running around here?”
“Either that, or they’re having a big ol’ square dance,” I said. I nudged Jack. “So, whatcha think?”
His gaze grew intense. “I bet we’re on its hunting ground.”
“Hunting ground?” Horror flooded through me. “I don’t believe this!”
Mike ran a hand through his hair. “Dude, I hate to say this, but I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”
Cliché, but true. In that instant, I realized how Dorothy must have felt when she opened her eyes in the middle of Oz, surrounded by things she couldn’t explain. “We need to find help and get off this island before it gets dark.”
Jack let out a long, slow breath. “Agreed. Spending the night would suck. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come down to that.”
I focused on the sounds of the jungle around me, swallowing hard as I let my gaze dart toward the thickets and bushes. The whatever-it-was could be hiding behind the thick trees, stalking us at that very moment. Another high-pitched screech made the hair on my neck stand on end. “How about switching to Plan B and following the river?”
“I never wanted to stick around this beach in the first place,” said Mike. “Help might be on the other side of this island.”
Jack nodded. “Okay. Sounds like a plan. Guess those fires were nothing but a big waste of time.”
I heaved a sigh. “Tell me about it.”
“All right, let’s move it then,” said Jack. “We need to get as far away from this place as possible.”
“One problem…” Mike glanced down and pointed at his bare feet and then at mine.
I gave Jack my best “puppy eyes”. “I’m so sorry. I know we need to get the heck out of here.”
Jack motioned for us to go. “Come on then.”
“Thanks, ‘cause stepping on swarms of fire ants the size of my cell phone might not feel too good,” I said, heading down the beach.
Mike tugged at my tank top as he caught up. “Wait a minute. I wore sandals, man. What does it feel like to get bitten by one of those things?”
“Like burning flames scorching your skin,” I said. “Hope you have a fire extinguisher handy.”
He flashed me his easygoing grin. I could never get tired of that movie star smile.
The suns beat down, hotter than before. Sweat trickled down my temples and forehead. I wiped my brow with the back of my hand. “You know, that river takes us deep into the rainforest. Think it’s safe with that two-legged monster running around?” I shuddered.
“I’ll protect you.” Mike looped his arm over my shoulder.
Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh, brother.”
“Listen, I don’t need your protection,” I said, flinging Mike’s arm off. “I’m not afraid of some giant rooster on the loose. And I’m definitely not some delicate flower. I’ve learned a lot in my karate class, and believe me, I can defend myself.” I smiled. “And you, too, Mr. Macho.”
Mike smirked as we hurried back around the bend. “I like my girls tough…” He pointed down at my painted toenails. “…but girly too.”
I smiled again, this time more widely. My fingernails and toenails matched perfectly with my carefully chosen outfit. I’d painted them turquoise, one of Mike’s favorite colors. “You love any color that reminds you of the beach or the ocean.”
He winked. “See? You do get me.”
“Yep, like nobody else.”
Jack scooped sand on one of the fires to smother it. A flash of yellow light sparkled, and then a large plume of black smoke rose high in the air.
I threw on my tennis shoes and hurried over
to help with the other fires. I nudged Mike to get his attention and whispered, “Why’s Jack even bothering with the fires? I think we have bigger problems…like maybe being eaten.”
“You know Nature Boy. He’s probably worried about setting a fire or something.” Mike dropped to one knee and slipped into his sandals.
Kicking up another flurry of sand, Jack squinted. “Okay, fires are out.”
“Well, then let’s blow this popsicle stand,” said Mike.
Jack gave him a playful slug on the arm. “Just remember, it’s not going to be your kind of adventure. We’re just trying to find a way home, not an opportunity to wrestle with twenty-foot flesh-eating crocodiles in piranha-, snake-, and electric eel-infested water.”
He smiled, his bright green eyes flashing with pride. As usual, Mike took any sort of comment that referred to his adventurous personality as a compliment. “Let’s cruise out of here.” With a last wink, he walked away, swinging his arms back and forth like he would do on any beach vacation, worries seemingly forgotten.
“The faster, the better.” I headed toward the jungle. Bright red flowers grew against the curtain of dark green foliage. I pushed through the vines, my heart thumping like a bass drum, desperately hoping we wouldn’t run into any more of those spiders…or even worse, whatever had been roaring in the crazy jungle or whatever had left those giant eerie footprints.
* * *
For the first hour of our trek through the jungle, we climbed over thick undergrowth and ducked under ferns in silence. I led the way, showing off my leadership skills, hoping they’d forget about my earlier screaming spider fiasco. I’d prove to them I was still tough, even if I had painted my toenails and shed my tomboy image.
“Whoa. Look!” Jack stopped short and pointed up.
I peered at the high canopy of trees rising above our heads. Little sunlight broke through the thick leaves, plunging the jungle into a land of shadows. I squinted, trying to figure out what he wanted me to see. “What?”
Jack turned, his brow furrowed. “Look closer.”
It had better not be spiders. Goosebumps rose along my arms. I glanced in the direction he pointed, but nothing jumped out at me. The leaves were pale green and fern-like—nothing unusual. But then my gaze fell on the bubbly bark. I dipped a finger in the sticky goo. It felt smooth like honey, cold to the touch. “Oh…you mean the brown stuff?”
“They’re coated in maple syrup or something.” Mike leaned toward the tree, sticking out his tongue. “Hmm. Should I give it a lick?”
Smirking, Jack gripped his arm. “Don’t you dare.”
“So, no dipping coconut in fondue?” I asked him.
He shot me a cute grin.
I ran my hand over the oily, wax-like substance. It had the color and consistency of chocolate. Rubbing my fingers together, I breathed in the earthy smell of pine. I hurried to wipe my hands on a leaf, but the goo stuck to my skin like glue. “Gross! Okay, so maybe this is one dessert that would even make a buzzard puke.”
We all burst out in laughter.
Jack stared upward, his brows once again knitted together in concentration. I loved it when that look came over his face. I was intrigued by his knowledge and passion for science and nature. I was glad he knew his stuff, and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be stranded with. If I weren’t with Jack, I’d have been a total mess by now. He was my rock.
“This looks like a Jurassic conifer we studied at school,” said Jack.
Mike shrugged. “Who cares?”
“You don’t get it, do you?” Jack stared at him. “This tree—it’s been extinct for two hundred million years. How can you be so bored and nonchalant about it when you’re standing in front of something that shouldn’t exist—at least not here and not now?” He shook his head and shot me a questioning glare, the same expression he always gave me when he was about to give up arguing with Mike’s logic.
“So what kind of place could be home to the oldest species of trees in the world?” I rubbed my sticky hands on my shorts. Unbidden images of deserted beaches, wild animals, and no civilization for miles and miles came to mind. I shuddered. “This place is really freaking me out. It gets weirder and weirder by the minute. What’s next?”
Mike grinned. “Elves?”
“Maybe this group of trees survived extinction,” said Jack, ignoring Mike’s comment. “It has happened before. Back in the nineties, I think. But it’s still really, really odd.”
“Hey, Jack, do you know girls pay more attention to guys who—let’s say—don’t spend all their time learning about…” Mike cleared his throat. “…uh, prehistoric trees?”
I shook my head, angry at Mike’s insensitive and shallow remark. With both hands on my hips, I glared at him. “You just think you’re the hottest guy on the planet, Mike, don’t cha? Well, take a back seat because Jack could easily pass for a model with his big white smile, wild, dark hair, and blue eyes.” Jack smiled as I continued.
“And lots of girls would be thrilled to go out with the hunky quarterback of the football team—and girls appreciate brains too.”
“So, whatcha waiting for, buddy?” said Mike, slapping Jack on the back.
“I’m not like you. I don’t want all females within a fifty-mile radius to faint as soon as they get a whiff of my pheromones.”
Mike laughed. “It’s not the pheromones. It’s my haircut.” He shook his shoulder. “C’mon, bro! Give me a better answer than that.”
Shrugging, Jack’s gaze lingered on my face. “Dunno. The right girl maybe?”
I smiled. Jack so had a crush on me. I could pick up on all the signs. I should just ask him, but now is not the time. The more I pondered, the more I was flattered. Jack was a hot guy who could get any girl he wanted. I knew countless girls with crushes on him.
“All right, guys,” said Mike, wiping the sweat off his face. “Let’s keep moving.”
* * *
Following the river, I stayed a few feet ahead of Mike and Jack. The path was overgrown, and I had difficulty treading through the dense thicket and high grass. The footsteps behind me quickened. I turned as Mike bumped into me.
His arm slid around my waist, steadying me before I stumbled. “My bad.” He gazed into my eyes and grinned.
I tingled at his touch and couldn’t wipe off my big, dumb grin. I knew “accidentally” bumping into me was his way of flirting, because I’d seen him do it with others. I didn’t mind though. He could flirt with me all day long if he wanted.
Spinning in a slow circle, Jack asked, “Hey, you guys smell that?”
“Yeah, bro.” Mike waved the air in front of him. “Whew! I told you to cut down on the cologne.”
Jack let out a low laugh.
I stopped and inhaled deeply. The air smelled sweet, like perfume. I lifted my head and let the soft breeze caress my skin as I watched a nearby blooming bush sway in the wind, but the scent wasn’t coming from that. I peeked ahead through the tangle of vegetation and saw a glimpse of heaven—an explosion of color painting the lush green grass. I felt laughter bubbling in the back of my throat. The scene reminded me of the poppy field in front of the Emerald City. “So when, exactly, were we carried by a tornado to the land of Oz?”
“I just hope none of us takes a long snooze,” said Jack, seemingly mirroring my thoughts.
Mike slapped his back. “No snoozes here, buddy.” He pointed at the beautiful sight. “Is that a Kodak moment or what?”
Jack pushed through the leafy vegetation. “It’s totally cool, man.”
Pushing low branches aside, I burst through toward the beckoning meadow. Swarms of red, blue, and orange butterflies danced above thousands of big, tulip-like blooms, stretching out as far as the eye could see. I gasped. I wanted nothing more than to try and paint every single flower and butterfly, to capture them on canvas. I debated between oils and watercolors, or maybe even painting with a palette knife. Yes. That would be perfect, creating wonderful texture and catching the light
in the most beautiful way. Distant bell-like sounds filled the air. I stood still for a moment and pulled my hair up over my ear. “Can you hear that? Sounds like wind chimes.”
Jack blinked. “Where the heck is it coming from?”
“It’s coming from everywhere,” said Mike.
“We must be near a village.” My heart fluttered as Jack’s eyes brightened. I sucked in a trembling breath. “Civilization. Maybe we could get our hands on a cell phone.” How I needed to hear my mom’s sweet voice.
“Or…” Mike paused like he always did, for dramatic effect. “…it could be a tribe of cannibals waiting for us with a giant cooking pot or witchdoctors hunting for heads to shrink.”
I reached for his hand and patted it. “Do you need one of my “stay positive” pep talks, mister?”
Mike squeezed my fingers and pasted a charming smile on his face. “Do you promise to rescue me when they roast me over a fire?”
“Maybe.”
He grinned.
Jack dropped to his knees in the vibrant garden. “The bell sounds are coming from the flowers. I’d swear to it!”
“What?” I asked, confusion flooding through me. “I don’t see how that’s possible.”
Eyes wide, mouth gaping, Mike gingerly touched a blue petal. “Dude, you’re right! That’s sooo awesome.”
“No, guys! It’s got to be a wind chime on someone’s porch,” I insisted, smiling at the prospect of other people nearby. My smile faded as soon as I put my ear close to a big, pink blossom. All dreams of finding a village were now crushed. No freaking way! It was coming from the flowers. Clear as day, I could hear the soft tinkling echoing from the bulb. “I don’t get it. How?”
Jack shook his head and rose to his feet. “I don’t know. How is any of the weird stuff in this place possible? It all violates the laws of science.”
I put an arm around his waist. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”
Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 4) Page 9
