“Thanks for letting me wear it,” I said, playing with the black cord, “but next time you’re trying to make friends with the local wildlife, tell me so I can stay home.”
He drew in a sharp breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call it over here. Jack said it was harmless.”
I shot Jack a glare and cleared my throat. “Yeah…about that…”
He gave me an apologetic look as he squeezed my hand. “I’m so sorry. I swear I’ll make it up to you.”
I gazed into his blue eyes. “Apology accepted.” I could never stay mad at him for long. Darn those big, blue eyes. They got me every time.
“Again, I’m sorry too,” said Mike.
I turned to face him. “Don’t even worry about it. Let’s focus all of our energy on getting to that city.”
Jack peered down at the scratches on my legs. “We better get those cleaned up ASAP.”
I brushed off a few strands of grass that were stuck to my leg. “With water? No way. I’m not about to face that river monster for a rematch.”
“You’re right. I’ve got another idea. I’ll be right back.” Jack darted off into the woods and soon returned, snapping a thick green leaf in his hands. He squeezed out a syrupy gel and rubbed it on my legs.
I flinched and closed my eyes. “Really, this isn’t necessary. I can take one for the team. How many bumps and bruises have I gotten by hanging out with you guys? Millions?”
Jack smiled. “Yep, and you’ve always held your own.”
“This isn’t any worse than the time I broke my ankle on that hike.” Jack had carried me back home for three long miles without one single complaint. He was such a saint.
I took a deep breath. “What is this sticky stuff anyway?”
“Aloe vera. It’ll kill germs and act like a natural herbal Band-Aid.”
Again, Jack knew his stuff. Without him, I’d probably would’ve accidentally used poison ivy. “Thanks for the first aid. You have any other advice, Doctor?”
Jack winked. “Sure. Next time you go on a hiking excursion, wear pants—especially if you plan on being chased through the prickly bushes by a dinosaur.” He grinned and helped me up.
I smiled as a breeze ruffled through his dark, messy hair.
“Let’s get outta here before that thing comes back,” said Mike.
I nodded, reaching for his hand. “Or brings back its friends for dinner.”
“Hey guys, it’s going to get dark soon,” said Jack. “We really need to set up camp. ‘Cause walking around the jungle at night with predators on the loose isn’t going to help us one tiny bit.”
I cringed. He was right, but the last thing I wanted to do was stay the night in this crazy place. “Okay. But first, let’s put some distance between us and these duck-billed dinos.”
Mike nodded. “Agreed.”
* * *
I stared into the roaring fire. Hopefully, it’d scare away any predators that could easily sneak into our camp under the cover of darkness. I also stunk to high heaven because in order to keep all man-eating spiders away, I was forced to lather up in Jack’s termite juice/insect repellent. But then again, he had lathered up in the gross stuff, too, which only meant one thing…we both reeked.
Mike agreed to take the first watch just in case some uninvited guests decided to join in on our slumber party. (the kind of slumber party with no pizza, no soda, no pajamas, and no sleeping bags) Mike had clambered up a tree and said that he’d keep a close eye on things.
Crickets, unfamiliar birds, nocturnal monkeys, and distant frogs sang unique melodies all around me. The heat from the crackling fire felt good on my face, but it didn’t stop the chills flooding through my body. I’d give anything to have my leather jacket right about now.
“You’re shivering,” said Jack. He dropped down next to me in the leafy vegetation where I had made my bed with monster-sized palm fronds.
I chuckled, trying to stay upbeat. “Me shivering? Just because I’m lying on the freezing, cold ground. Nope! No way.”
Jack wrapped a comforting arm around me. It felt awesome. He was so warm, so sweet, and so caring…just truly amazing.
“I guess I’ll just pretend like we’re camping under the stars next to a campfire,” I said.
He chuckled. “Got Smores?”
Those pretty blue eyes of his caught mine and we both burst out in laughter.
Things couldn’t get any worse, yet, Jack could still make me laugh. I curled up tightly next to him, absorbing all of his wonderful body heat. In this scary, crazy place I felt safe in his strong arms. “We’re going to get through this,” I whispered.
He gave me a squeeze. “Without a doubt.”
I nudged him. “Hey, what’s the first thing you’re going to do when we get back?”
“Order a hot, steaming pizza. How ‘bout you?”
“Take a hot, steaming shower.” I glanced up and met his gaze.
He tried not to burst out laughing which made him look absolutely adorable. “What? Not a fan of my gooey bug repellent?”
“Well, it did save our butts back with those huge spiders, but still, I’d rather spray a can of Off! any day.”
He laughed. “Me too. But don’t worry, we’ll be home before you know it.”
“Yeah, and then we’ll be laughing all about this little adventure.” I stared up at the patch of glittering stars shining through the towering trees.
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” asked Jack.
Jack never failed to notice the beauty in nature. It was one of the many things I loved about him. My finger trailed across the sky. “Yeah, they’re like diamonds in the sky. So breathtaking.” I tried to calm my nerves with the serene picture of the night sky. Maybe if I forgot about my problems and quit missing my parents for one minute, I might be able to drift off to sleep. “Well, I better get to bed. I have the next shift so Mike can get some sleep. Goodnight, Jack. I’ll wake you up when it’s your turn.”
“Okay.” He softly kissed my head. “Sweet dreams, Casey. And don’t you worry. We’ll be eating burgers by lunchtime tomorrow.”
I hoped so. “You betcha.”
Episode 3
It was a long night, but morning had finally arrived. Jack boiled water and we dined on ripe berries before continuing our journey toward the glass city. Not much of a breakfast, but it sure stopped my grumbling stomach.
Mike, Jack, and I moved fast through the thicket, still aiming for the city in the distance, but we limited our noise to the inevitable thuds of our feet. The roar of rushing water filled my ears as we followed the river. Eventually, we reached a large, thick tree filled with squawking tropical birds. I inched closer to get a better look, crushing a few twigs under my shoes. Most of the birds had red feathers, but I caught glimpses of orange, green, and blue as well.
I covered my head and ducked, startled by the swooping birds. In a rainbow of color and a choir of agitated chirps and squawks, they flew past me and rose into the sky like a giant red cloud. The rush of air from their beating wings caressed my cheeks. The shock from the dinosaur attack yesterday was still vivid in my memory, but I couldn’t help smiling as feathers floated down and landed on me.
Mike also ducked as the last stragglers rushed past us. “Whoa!”
“We spooked them,” I said.
Jack glanced around. “No, Casey. I’ve seen this in the rainforest when a predator approaches.”
Predator? I groaned and punched his shoulder. Does he have to be so calm and scientific about it? He should have been paralyzed with fear or breaking down in hysterics, because it was likely that predators in that place were not the typical lions-and-tigers-and-bears-oh-my! types of predators. I shuddered and let my gaze wander over the area, searching for hiding places. Now what?
Anxiously, I brushed away the ferns, leaves, and vines, stepping over fallen logs—ever alert for signs of danger—when I emerged into a large meadow with tall grass that was desperately in need of a mow. The chorus of cric
kets hummed all around me. Something buzzed past my ear and I flinched. Hopefully, it was only a fly or a bee. Sunflowers in full bloom, standing on dark green six-foot stalks, painted the rolling field in front of me. A sweet fragrance, like candy or sugar, blew all around. I let out a gasp as I walked through the sea of giant yellow and orange blossoms.
Wow! I’ve got to capture this on canvas. I’ll use subdued hues to bring out the rich vibrant colors of the sunflower heads. Two different tones of green will capture the leaves and stems perfect. And the golden highlights from the sunshine will be just fabulous. I smacked my forehead. It was time to bottle up the artist inside of me because I needed to stay on guard in this freaky place. Something scared those birds…
Jack took a few steps before abruptly stopping. “There’s no giant trees here for protection. We’ve got the stalks, but still, we’re out in the open—easy prey for a giant pterosaurs. I don’t like this one bit.”
Now he was talking my language. He was just as scared of a predator as I was. “Too bad this field doesn’t have a giant scarecrow to scare it away.”
Jack laughed as a breeze ruffled his hair. “Yeah, tell me about it.”
“You two are worried about a giant lizard bird plucking us up from the sky?” asked Mike. “I’m more worried about a pack of velociraptors attacking us in this tall grass. You saw Jurassic Park 2, right?” He paused. “Remember that one line? ‘Don’t go into the long grass’?”
I gave his arm a yank. “We have to keep following the river, so we have no choice but to cut through this overgrown meadow. The faster we walk, the faster we’ll get to the other side.”
“She’s right,” said Jack, pushing aside hairy stalks.
Mike sighed. “I’m just trying to warn you guys the same way that hunter from India tried to warn the other hunters. But no, they refused to listen, just like you two. And what happened to them? They were eaten by ferocious raptors.”
I tried to put on a brave smile and pretend like his words didn’t bother me one tiny bit, but movie or not, Mike brought up a good point. On this island, anything was possible, and we had to stay on guard. “Just keep your eyes peeled, okay, Mike? We all will.” He nodded, and I briskly walked ahead, the wet grass soaking my shoes and ankles.
As if by instinct, I scanned the area, unsure of what I was even searching for. My gaze shifted upward to something strange in the blue sky: bright, metallic, and silver. For a split second, my mind pondered the possibilities. Some kind of bright, shimmering bird? It was too big for that, but I didn’t know what else it could be—and big was becoming the norm wherever we were. I squeezed my eyes into thin lines and lifted my palm to shield them from the burning suns.
Mike tilted his head, as if straining to listen. “What’s that humming sound?”
“I have no idea, but it kind of sounds like bees,” said Jack.
Craning my neck, I gaped at silver discs skimming the towering treetops, heading directly toward me. Was I hallucinating? “Guys!” I tugged at their sleeves. “Check it out.”
Mike’s gaze shot up. “Whoa! Those things are the size of a house!”
Jack took a few steps backward, stammering, “Are those—”
“UFOs?” I finished for him. I grabbed Mike’s and Jack’s hands and dragged them underneath a tangle of giant sunflower plants. Granted, it wasn’t the best place to hide, but it wasn’t like we had much choice. We crouched low in the high grass and peeked through the large, bristly leaves.
The first UFO passed over my head, then the second, and then the third…and they kept coming and coming. There had to be hundreds stretching out into the distance. They flew in a straight line, in perfect formation, never changing speed or altitude. On the bottom of each craft, rings of lights changed color in a slow, synchronized sequence. The spherical objects produced no clouds of exhaust or smoke of any kind.
How is this even possible? UFOs don’t exist. Those people who claim to see them out on the desert highways and stuff always sound like nutcases. Wait…does that make me a nutcase too? I blinked several times.
I shaded my eyes against the glare reflected off the fleet of shiny discs drifting by, 300 feet overhead. I couldn’t pry my gaze from them. I felt my skin prickle. “What in the world?”
“You know, after fighting off prehistoric animals, UFOs don’t seem so far-fetched,” said Mike breaking through my thoughts.
“Only in your world, buddy,” whispered Jack.
I motioned upward. “You know we’re staring at a supermarket tabloid headline, right? So yeah, I’d say this is pretty far-fetched. Although, I do see your point.”
“You know, it looks like an army of Goodyear blimps,” said Mike, nudging me “Doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, if you take a magic wand and turn them galactic.”
Mike shook my shoulder. “Hey, let’s flag ’em down and get their attention.”
“I don’t like that idea one bit. Let’s go,” I said.
“No,” said Mike. “Wait a sec.”
I thought maybe I should run, but I wasn’t about to leave Mike’s and Jack’s sides.
“What are they?” asked Jack.
My pulse drummed in my ears. “I think we’re looking at a fleet of spacecraft controlled by our government…or maybe the Russians, Japanese, or Chinese? What else could it be?”
“Aliens,” said Mike.
A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about little green men with big black eyes. I knew people lived their whole lives searching for such a unique moment. Why did I have to experience one when I had never actually joined in the alien-craze? I knew I needed to come back to my senses, and I convinced myself that all we were seeing were sophisticated military airplanes.
Mike shrugged. “I dunno, but seeing is believing, and you can’t deny the proof floating above your head. I wish I had my camera! But then again, who’d believe me? They’d just say I photoshopped it.”
Jack’s gaze didn’t leave the ships. “I wish I could explain them away as stellar bodies, weather balloons, airplanes, or clouds…but I can’t. There’s no way I can even wrap my head around this.”
If Jack—the one with explanations for everything—was stumped, I knew something was definitely going on. The one thing I did know was that those crafts were piloted by someone—or something—and I wondered if the pilots were friendly.
As much as I didn’t want to see the ships, I even dreaded more the possibility of meeting whoever was flying them. “It has military written all over it. I bet it’s top secret. You know what they do to people who see stuff like this? They disappear.”
Jack met my gaze. There was no need for words. His wide eyes conveyed the message perfectly.
I nodded. “Yeah, let’s keep low and get outta here. Hanging around is a dumb idea. Remember the duckbilled dinosaur incident?”
One of the discs dropped out of formation and hovered even closer above us. Brilliant red, blue, green, and yellow lights raced around its rim. A sudden wind grabbed at my clothing and whipped across my skin. Flowers shook and wobbled. Dirt swirled. Panic fluttered in my stomach. “We’ve seen way too much. And they know it!” I searched for an escape route and took a few steps back, my long hair flying wildly about my face.
“Back into the jungle!” said Jack.
“No!” I yelled, sprinting. “The forest is way closer.” I cast a nervous glance over my shoulder. Jack followed right on my heels, but Mike didn’t move. He still stood beneath the UFO with his head tilted all the way back, as if he was in some kind of weird trance. “Mike, move your butt. NOW!” I stopped and turned, waiting for a reaction from him, but none came. I frowned. What’s wrong with him? He can’t be that mesmerized…or stupid.
A kaleidoscope of light flashed on Mike’s face as he stared up.
I whistled and shouted, “Jack, stop! Mike’s not coming. We can’t leave him.”
Jack turned and tore back through the field, annoyance marking his features. I ran over to Mike, yanking his arm. He st
ood dumbstruck, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging. If I wasn’t so scared, I would have rolled my eyes at him. Why can’t he just run like any other sane human being?
“Mike, let’s go, right now!” Jack jerked his other arm.
Loud clicking sounds emanated from the bottom of the ship, like a bicycle being pedaled backward. A metallic door on the bottom slid open. As much as I hoped it was the Welcome Committee with homemade cookies and milk, I was rather certain that wasn’t going to be the case. I clutched Mike’s hand and blinked against the churning dust that stung my face and eyes. My heart pounded, and I had no idea what to expect. I thought I should run, but leaving Mike behind wasn’t an option. “C’mon Mike!” I chanted over and over again, pulling at him, but he didn’t move from the spot.
“Oh, man…this can’t be good,” I whispered.
A red beam suddenly zapped the ground just inches from our feet, as if Zeus himself was throwing his trademark lightning bolts around.
Mike snapped back into reality and screamed, “RUN!” He pulled me along as he raced toward the forest, and Jack grabbed my other hand.
A second beam of light whirled past me, and mushroom clouds of dirt flew up around me. Heat scorched my legs, and a pungent, acrid smell assaulted my nostrils.
“Step on it!” I yelled.
* * *
Inside the Glass City
Red alert lights flashed on and off as alarms blared inside the control room. The large screen in front of General Ashtar changed focus from the UFOs over the city to three teenagers running toward the forest. “Thorn, are you seeing this?”
Thorn shook his bald, pear-shaped head. “Indeed. Where did they come from?”
“I have no idea, but the enemy’s closing in fast. Zoom in on them.”
“All scans indicate that they are humans from the surface,” said Thorn.
The general watched on his view screen. A grin twisted his lips. “Hmm…then I have the perfect plan for them. Save them from the rebels and get them out of that wildlife preserve before they’re torn to pieces…and then bring them to me.”
Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 4) Page 15
