The attack came suddenly. The wind turned its vengeance upon them as sticks and branches shattered through the air. The bivouacs flapped wildly before they snapped their rope ties and pegs. The canvases whipped dangerously around them before being taken into the sky and lost into the night. The fire leapt perilously up into the air; the embers streaked across the forest canopy and flung in all directions, its flames violently fighting against the wind which swirled furiously around it. The Earthmen held onto each other; forced to cover their faces from the dust and debris. Then the wind died as suddenly as it leapt upon them and the sounds quickly faded into the distance as the gale stopped its search. The night was followed by silence. Even the trees ceased to groan.
The fire briefly died down after the calm; threatening to go out but then it erupted in the stillness. Shayne released himself from Rae’s grip, she held onto him and Jameson who in turn was gripped to another Starborn. Shayne was troubled that the winds passed through the forest much more rapidly than they had come. He sat back down, resting on the large log which seemed the only thing untouched.
Without thinking he flicked open his wristcom, but was greeted by a blank screen. Frustrated he shut the thing and looked deep into the crackling flames. The others too sat down. Javier managed to salvage some packs that had been scattered; using them to rest on. A feeling of unease grew as the forest appeared to be closing in around them once again, the trees loomed higher and they appeared to press in on them, and for the first time Shayne wished that Kíe’arathorne was accompanying them.
As the night wore on and the wood pile dwindled, Shayne felt sleep seize him. The others were also fighting the fatigue; the fear of being watched the only thing keeping them awake. Shayne had no way of telling the time, long nights were always deceiving. He raised his eyes to look at the few stars above. He sat back and observed each of them, wondering for the first time where Earth lay. He thought it was ironic that as a Star Born Child he would never explore the vastness of space. He was destined for one planet; the only planet he would ever know. Iraqius might be his home, but it definitely was not the centre of his thoughts for he longed for the stars, especially now that he was facing fear for the first time, it may be somewhat weaker than that of his companions, but it was still unpleasant.
Shayne felt his head drifting; he pulled himself up straight and rubbed his eyes and beard trying to fight sleep, but they felt so heavy. He closed his eyes for a second; thinking of his duties, of his research barely started and of Kíe’arathrone, possibly the only real friend he had. His thoughts drifted again to Earth, wondering about it. He had an image form in his mind. It was extremely vague and if he thought about it too hard it would loosen its grip and fade. He realised that it was a memory from before his Starborn infection. Curiously he explored it. He felt there was something fundamentally wrong with this memory; it did not fit right with what he was taught. He was outdoors, surrounded by a forest, the Australian bushland. It was quiet and serene, it made him feel good. He stood in a green garden with mowed grass meeting the forests boundary. Behind him he saw an old mud-brick and wooden homestead; smoke drifted lazily from one of its chimneys. He could smell eucalyptus; both from the forest and burning in the fireplace. Shayne felt himself relax with the memory but something felt wrong, painfully wrong and it pulled him from the memory as he recalled his lessons. Earth forests were restricted places; most no longer had old growth trees, they are a renewed attempt to bring Earth back to some level of nature. They certainly did not have homes hidden within them. The planet was pretty much one massive city; spread across the continents, separated by sand and scrub deserts. This memory, his first real one was wrong somehow, but he knew it was real. He thought about his records. He was based at a Melbourne university before he came here, RMIT he recalled. He lived in the city; in a skyrise apartment. He realised that this was what was wrong. His recorded history was falsified.
Shayne shot up in revelation. All desire of sleep shattered by his train of thoughts. His discovery though was soon thrust from his mind by the presence of a hooded stranger stooped by the fire before him; the figure of an old man just sitting there, staring into the flames. Shayne froze with a fear that shock ignites. The others were asleep around the fire’s warmth, while the stranger sat between them; looking deep into the dying flames. His face was hidden and he held out old, almost withered hands to the flames, rotating them for warmth. Shayne’s training suddenly kicked in and he instantly rose to his feet, drawing his handgun, but the old man did not react.
‘Who are you? What are you doing here?’ he demanded in the Kadalian language. His harsh voice startled the others out of sleep. They backed up in shock at their visitor and joined Shayne with their weapons pointed towards him, but the figure did not heed them, nothing about him registered that he even saw them. Shayne stood dazed for a moment; he then moved a little closer.
‘What are you doing?’ Rae hissed at him but Shayne ignored her. He bent over to try and see the man’s face, but it was shaded in darkness. ‘Hey?’ Shayne sounded but still the man made no acknowledgement. ‘Hello,’ he repeated in the common language. He came yet closer.
With a quick and fluid motion the hooded man suddenly stood up, it caused Shayne recoil at the unexpectedness. He stood still, bent low over a knotted walking stick. In an odd movement he turned and slowly walk away from the fire. He paused near a tree, the side of his robes flowed and swayed and seemed to merge into their surroundings. Shayne stepped around to him; he placed his weapon back in its holster. Javier also slowly came to his side though he let Shayne lead; too afraid to do anything else. He had his rifle pointed at the stranger, but gradually lowered it in wonder. The old man then walked further ahead, stopping a few paces ahead of them. Shayne became intrigued and followed him, when he got close enough the old man continued on, steadily moving into the darkness. Javier reached out with his hand to stop the Starborn Officer. Shayne took a few more steps closer, careful to remain in the fire’s light. From there he watched the old man walk deeper into the depths of the forest; the black robes merging into the darkness. The old man came to a halt on the edge of their vision. He turned to face Shayne; his eyes flickered unnaturally in the strained light before he faded into the night. Shayne did not know what to think but he was beginning to realise why they said no one ever returned from Endaran. Both backed into the safety of the firelight. The other two watched them with wide eyes, wanting to ask but not knowing what to say.
Javier placed the last of the wood on top of the flames. With the help of four men they pushed the large log into the flames, ‘That should definitely last until morning,’ he told them and secretly hoped that the threatening forest also heard. They all settled themselves back around the fire. Most looked out into the night; straining their eyes to see if anything or anyone else came from the darkness. Shayne eventually lay down; exhausted from the constant threats. The forest continued to haunt him but he could not resist the ensuring fatigue and eventually he drifted off.
***
What are you doing? A small voice echoed in his head. It is not time yet, many images flooded into his mind and a sense of anxiety flooded them. The black fox ran before him, he tried to follow it but his legs did not want to move; they felt heavy and he kept falling to the ground. Hurry we must go! The fox pleaded before she ran out of view. Shayne called for the creature to stop but it had already disappeared. He kept running ahead but he could not see anything; a fog rolled over him but still he did not stop.
After running for some time he turned about him in desperation, hoping to see the small black creature. A sound of laughter then rung through the air and the old hooded man was suddenly before him with eyes that shone with their own light. He raised his hand and Shayne suddenly felt something grip his feet and wrap itself up along his legs where he was pulled down to the ground. He looked at his feet and saw that the roots of the trees were entwined around him and a deep voice echoed from the frail figure. ‘You better hurry!’ he
said. ‘You do not want to be late,’ he then faded away leaving Shayne to fight the trees that were crowding in around him.
‘Wait!’ Shane called out, ‘Don’t leave me — WAIT!’ but the trees had enclosed him and were winding themselves more tightly causing him to gasp for air.
***
With the screams of their own voices everyone suddenly awoke. Even some of the damaged Starborns cried out; though they did not know what it was that made them scream. The sounds of their voices quickly faded into nothing as the silence of the forest surrounded them. Shayne’s own chest pondered painfully. He looked down at his free legs, which were clasped so tightly in his dream that they burned with pain. He then looked about him, a faint startled sound escaped from his mouth; a fog had moved in as they had slept and it was so thick that the trees and ferns a few meters away were difficult to make out. The morning light broke through, but the mist made it painfully bright and there was no way to tell which direction it shone.
‘What’s going on?’ Jameson cowered, no longer trying to conceal his terror. His voice sounded strangely distant as the fog muffled it, causing the stillness of the forest to wrap even tighter around them.
‘I don’t know,’ Javier said, ‘but I say we get the hell out of here as fast as possible.’
‘Agreed,’ they picked up the remains of their scattered belongings. The few packs they found they gave to the SB soldiers. They then began to make their way back the way they came, following the slightly sloping ground.
‘Wait!’ Shayne’s voice sounded urgently before they could take a few steps. Shayne meanwhile looked carefully around him; his eyes scanning the area.
‘What is it?’ Rae came to his side. Her voice quivered slightly.
‘This isn’t where we set up our camp,’ Shayne again looked about him; examining the shape and size of the moss covered trees. Javier also looked around, a new fear settling over him. He pointed to a skinny forked tree.
‘There,’ he called. ‘I recognise that one!’
‘No,’ Shayne spoke calmly, his soft voice barely audible with the dampening fog. ‘It has a third branch, see?’ he pointed to the misty view of another branch. ‘There were no such trees before.’ The Special Force officer gulped, but Javier tried his best to remain calm.
‘We pick a direction and we follow as straight as possible.’
‘Which direction though?’ Rae asked. ‘We could be walking deeper in!’
‘Who has a compass?’ Shayne called. His was in his pack, which was blown away by the wind. The others stared at him dumbfounded, Shayne sighed before explaining, ‘there was a magnetic anomaly in the forest. If we walked the opposite direction, it’ll take us away.’
Hope spread over their faces as Javier pulled a small compass from his pocket, letting it fall from his hands as he dangled it from the string, a weak smile upon his face. They all crowded in around him as he held it level, but it seemed to drift aimlessly around. He tapped it a few times with no effect.
‘It seems to point in that direction,’ Rae pointed hopefully.
‘No,’ Javier shook his head in despair. ‘It’s lost its magnetism; it’s just floating around.’ He then gave it a shake and held it out again. It was now pointing in a slightly different direction, wobbling about. He let his hand fall and let out a long sigh of anguish.
‘Or, we’re already in the anomaly’s centre,’ Shayne commented as he looked around. ‘Our only choices are to stay put and wait for the fog to lift, or to pick a direction and start walking.’
‘I’m not staying here,’ Jameson affirmed as he shook his head, his eyes wide and serious.
‘And I don’t think this is a natural fog,’ Shayne added. Everyone would have mocked that comment a few days earlier, but now they all looked hopeless and afraid, accepting that something was out there and it was far from the scientific and rational upbringing they all had.
They voted upon a direction which looked neutral. It did not slope downwards or climb up. They began to walk, leaving the fire smouldering behind them.
‘Remember,’ Javier turned to everyone, talking louder to try and break the eerie silence that seemed to dampen their words. ‘Always keep the person in front of you and the person behind you in view. Make sure no one loses each other’s sight. If you can’t see them call out and stop!’ Javier took the lead, followed by Rae, Shayne, Jameson and then the other Starborns.
The fog seemed to move as a creature: it searched and wound around them, it reached out for them, in places it grew thick and seemed to roll around the party as they walked deeper into the forest and then it would retreat. Often they were forced to bunch up until they were almost touching; so thick was the fog that assailed them, other times they were able to spread out further, but they always remained close; too afraid to move too far away from each other. Shayne continued to move forward. His own steps difficult to hear; he tried to step exactly where Rae had and constantly checked to see if Jameson was still behind him.
Once again the fog crowded them. Though he felt fear Shayne was also curious. He watched as something swirled and made its way around one of his arms, so thick you could not see through it, it then faded off into the mist. Other swirls came; pushing around them and twirling through them. Shayne would stretch out a hand and try and grasp one and it would in turn dance around his hand and off into the mist.
The fog steadily grew thicker and thicker until Jameson cried out in panic, ‘We gotta go back!’
Everyone stopped. Shayne turned to face him; the man was almost touching him but his features were obscured. ‘Please Captain, please can we go back?’ he cried as Rae and Javier felt their way to him, they all huddled in a circle.
‘We’re being dominated by our own fears,’ Rae tried to convince herself as much as the soldier. ‘We’re better than that. We’re not superstitious, we don’t believe in demons. You’re letting their legends get the better of you.’
‘I’m not so sure,’ Javier said, his figure barely visible in the mist. ‘It’s ok to believe in a detached supreme being, but when it comes to something more than that we’re sceptical? There is nothing natural about this.’
‘And I say you’re creating hysteria,’ Rae responded. ‘There’s an explanation to everything,’ she turned to Shayne seeking his help but he just looked darkly at her. ‘There has to be.’
‘The Starborn is rational and neutral,’ Javier said seeing her movement. ‘Perhaps he sees an explanation for this event?’
‘If there is one, I don’t see it,’ Shayne replied. ‘There could be a link between the electrical failure and the other things. I’m strongly inclined that way, but I don’t see how.’
‘It’s not safe,’ Jameson half sobbed. ‘Something is very wrong here, I can feel it!’ his comments made the others shiver.
‘We have to keep going!’ Javier urged. ‘If we tie each other together, we won’t have to worry about losing anyone in the fog. We can keep going; as far as we can!’ They all agreed and proceeded to tie each other with various strands they salvaged from the camp. Once they were tethered and checked each other’s knots they continued on.
The mist never wavered, it always it seemed to follow them; letting up only slightly in places, and beyond what they thought was possible it seemed to grow thicker in other places; so much so that Shayne struggled to see his own hands. He held onto the rope in front of himself and relied on the tension caused by Javier, who often moved only by feel, to guide them. Shayne also made sure that Jameson kept the line taut. A few times he or someone else stumbled pulling on the ropes, but they gradually made their way along.
They tried to keep communicating, with those in front shouting when spotting a tree or rock, but everyone’s voices were so faint and distant that it was hard to believe they were only separated by a few metres. Their ability to see was so impaired that they were unable to know if they were walking in a straight line or around in circles, but they continued on regardless, knowing it was the only thing they cou
ld do.
‘What was that?’ Rae cried out.
‘What?’ Jameson suddenly stopped, causing Shayne to stumble. The soldier looked around in fear, gripping tightly to his gun.
‘I saw something run past me.’
‘I can barely see my damn feet,’ Javier snapped. ‘You must be imagi—’
‘There!’ Jameson cried. ‘I saw something too!’ Pointing his gun out into the mist; Shayne caught a glimpse of the gun’s barrel sweeping passed him.
‘Lower your weapon Lieutenant!’ Shayne growled. ‘Before you kill someone!’ Just then Shayne also saw it. It was a dark streak that rushed passed him. It was so fast; like an animal. He grew still; listening but they could hear nothing.
‘Ok,’ Javier called out, but his voice broke, ‘gather in. Come together. We can make a circle.’ They slowly made their way to him, but then Jameson’s terrified voice called out repeatedly.
‘My rope, my rope, my rope!’
Shayne could still feel the tension on his link, ‘What are you talking about?’
‘The SB’s they’re —’ He broke off a second, ‘—the rope is cut!’ he cried and pushed into Shayne who grabbed him firmly and pulled him into their huddle. He held onto the other end of the line and Shayne could just see it in the fog; it was frayed and severed as if something sharp had cut through.
‘Starborn report!’ Shayne cried out, his voice barely carrying the distance. They heard nothing. Javier called out in his deeper and louder Spanish accent.
‘Starborn report! Rank and File!’ They strained their ears but were rewarded with nothing. Rae came close to Shayne so that they were touching. Jameson also came closer, his automatic rifle pointed into the mist. Suddenly they heard screaming but they could not tell the direction, it seemed to come from all around them. Shayne lifted his gun and pointed it into the mist with the rest following his lead.
The Book of Ominiue: Starborn Page 43
