Terror In The Mist (The Island In The Mist Book 3)

by C. G. Mosley

  “Where is she?” he asked her with desperation in his voice.

  She licked her lips and turned her head to look further into the darkness of the cave. “T-they go b-back and forth through there,” she said weakly. She gently raised her arm and pointed past the fountain.

  Jonathon had never been past the pool of water in the cave and he’d never really given it much thought. Obviously, there had to be another chamber where the Troodon pack’s actual den was located. As he squinted his eyes and tried to see beyond the veil of darkness, Harley suddenly prodded him with something. He looked down and realized she was trying to give him a flashlight.

  “Alright,” he said leaning down to whisper in her ear. “I’m going to go after Charlie but I will be back for you as soon as possible.”

  She smiled at him. Her breathing was labored and the longer he stared at her, the more worried he got. He took the light from her and pushed a few dangling strands of brown hair out of her face. He knew she was a warrior and he also figured if he’d sustained whatever injury she was now suffering from, he probably wouldn’t be able to hang in there as well as she was.

  “You better be here when I get back,” he said, smiling. “Don’t head to the beach without me or I’ll never make it back.”

  She nodded slowly and then rested her head against the rock wall. Jonathon then rose and turned to face the unknown dangers that lurked beyond the darkness ahead of him. He flicked the flashlight on and the bright beam revealed a narrow passageway. With soft steps and the flamethrower readied to unleash hell, he entered the passageway. He estimated the walls were around six feet wide when he entered, but as the floor began to slope downward, the gap narrowed to three. As the beam of light continued to show him the way, the passageway abruptly ended and Jonathon found himself in a much larger chamber than the one that housed the fountain of youth. The walls seemed to form a circle and it reminded him of a small amphitheater.

  As he shined the light around the chamber, he noticed various tunnels that apparently led even further into the cave. The tunnels, however, were much smaller…too small for him to stand up in. If he had to, he could crawl through them but it would be a tight fit with the tank for the flamethrower on his back. It was disheartening when he realized there was no sign of Charlie in the chamber. Not only because he still had no idea where she was, but also because he was seriously beginning to think he’d have to crawl through a tunnel—and if he did, which one?

  Jonathon took a deep breath as he contemplated what to do. Time was still not on his side and he had to make a decision quickly. He began walking toward the tunnel straight ahead of him. When got nearly halfway there, he took a step and felt the stone floor disappear beneath his foot. He tried desperately to fall backwards, but unfortunately, his other foot slipped on loose rock. With no idea of what he was falling into—or how far he would fall—Jonathon instinctively tried to fall sideways as he reached for anything available to grab onto. His hand found nothing, and seconds later, he tumbled downward.

  Fortunately, the rocky ground was sloped and Jonathon managed to roll and slide into the strange pit instead of falling. Once he reached the bottom, the ground seemed to turn sandy. The flashlight had escaped his grasp and Jonathon immediately scrambled to find it. In his mind’s eye, he could see multiple Troodons emerging from the walls and closing in around him. The thought made him panic and he grew more frantic. As he searched and clawed his way along the sandy ground, his right hand found something unexpected. It felt like a leg—a human leg. The leg was smooth and cool to the touch. Jonathon felt his way up the leg and as he made his way up to the person’s head, he came to the conclusion he’d found Charlie.

  She was unconscious and the coolness of her skin troubled him. For a brief moment, he feared that she was dead, but once he placed an ear near her nose, he was relieved to hear her breathing. With the flashlight still lost, he sat down and pulled her over and onto his lap.

  “Charlie,” he whispered. “Charlie, I need you to wake up.”

  He shook her gently and she began to groan softly.

  “That’s it,” he said as he strained his eyes to see anything in the blackness around them. “Wake up. We’ve got to get out of here.”

  Charlie continued to groan and she turned her head slightly. It was as if she was trying to emerge from a very deep sleep. Jonathon lightly slapped her face and shook her again.

  “Wh-what?” she muttered groggily.

  Jonathon smiled and hugged her tightly to him. He kissed the top of her head. “That’s it,” he said. “Wake up.”

  Still very much aware of the impending danger around them, without further hesitation, Jonathon pulled Charlie to her feet. She wobbled a moment and leaned heavily against him.

  “Can you walk?” he asked.

  She swallowed hard and slowly nodded. “Yes,” she said. “But I haven’t been able to find a way out.”

  Still blinded by darkness, Jonathon felt the wall closest to them and realized it was impossible to climb. The slope he’d slid down was narrow and it occurred to him that it was probably the only way in or out.

  “I found the way in,” he replied. “There is an incline somewhere in that direction,” he added, pointing—though he knew she couldn’t see him.

  “I’ll follow you,” she said as she clutched his shirt.

  “Alright, hold on tight,” he said as he began to move.

  He’d taken only four steps when suddenly an eerie sound startled him. Somewhere to their left, a low growl was heard. Jonathon stopped in his tracks and though his heart rate began to increase, the flamethrower in his hands comforted him.

  “It’s one of them,” Charlie said, her voice quaking.

  Jonathon stood completely still a long moment, doing his best to control his breathing and stay calm. He kept the flamethrower pointed in the direction where he’d heard the growling and contemplated what his next move would be. Just as he was about to take another step forward, he heard another sound. This time, it was the guttural barking noise the Troodons seemed to make when they were communicating. It definitely sounded to Jonathon as if the animals maybe had their own sort of language as Silas had described to him.

  “They’re everywhere,” Charlie said as she heard the sound too.

  “Stay close to me,” Jonathon replied. He held the flamethrower tightly in his hands and moved a finger to the trigger that would unleash death ahead of them. He could hear eerie breathing all around them and could sense a sinister presence closing in like a vice. “Alright, this is going to get nasty,” he muttered to Charlie.

  Before she even had a chance to reply, he squeezed the trigger and an angry burst of flame exploded from the end of the nozzle. The resulting orange light immediately illuminated the pit in which Jonathon and Charlie had found themselves. All around them, there were at least twenty-five Troodons lurking along the pit walls, stalking them in the darkness, and waiting for their moment to pounce. The flame had clearly frightened them and Jonathon looked on as three Troodons directly in front of them became engulfed in fire.

  The burning dinosaurs wailed and shrieked pitifully as the remaining Troodons began barking furiously and hissing toward Jonathon. All of them had teeth bared and seemed to agree in unison that their moment to kill had arrived. Jonathon sensed the danger and instinctively began throwing flame to his left and continued the rotation until he’d engulfed every Troodon in the pit into a fiery blaze. The high-pitched screaming of the burning animals around them was sickening. When Jonathon would be able to take the time to reflect, he was sure he’d be able to feel pity for the vicious creatures. But in the moment, all he wanted was to get out alive.

  Chapter 27

  Hardcastle’s pace had slowed considerably. He’d practically kept one eye on the terrain ahead of him, and one eye on the raptors that moved roughly sixty yards away and parallel to him. Though he was grateful, Hardcastle was very puzzled that they had not noticed him and also that there had been no sign of any ot
her raptors in the vicinity. He continued onward until he finally began to hear the surf ahead of him. Before he reached the beach, Hardcastle decided that he’d stay hidden away in the shadows at the edge of the jungle until help arrived. He figured it would be unwise to trounce out onto the sandy beach where he’d be vulnerable to the nearby Velociraptors. The thought made him again glance over to see what the raptors that had been alongside him were doing. When he did so, he instantly felt his jaw drop and he again stopped dead in his tracks. Suddenly, there weren’t just two Velociraptors there, but six…and they were all feeding on something on the ground.

  ***

  Jonathon was practically pushed up the sloped incline by Charlie Nelson as the screaming Troodons continued to burn and die in the pit behind them. The flaming dinosaurs supplied plenty of light and visibility had improved significantly for Jonathon. As he made his way back in the direction of where he’d left Harley, he caught a glimpse of both his and Charlie’s tall shadows dancing on the cave wall ahead of them. As he followed the shadows upward, he was surprised at exactly how tall the cave ceiling was. He estimated it had to be at least one hundred feet high and he could clearly see that it was peppered with clusters of large bats. The sight made him shiver as he entered the narrow passageway that led back into the large chamber where the fountain was located.

  The incline seemed to be steeper than he remembered and his legs began to ache. Jonathon quickly realized it wasn’t the incline so much as it was Charlie clinging tightly to his shirt and weighing him down. He resisted the urge to tell her to let go because it was the only way he knew for sure she was still with him. Once they’d made their way out of the passage, Jonathon made a beeline straight for the crevice in the wall where he’d left Harley.

  “Harley,” he whispered. “Harley, are you there?”

  There was no answer. He turned toward Charlie and said, “She was right here before a few minutes before I found you. I’ll watch the passageway if you’ll get down low and check the crevice. I can’t see her at all.”

  Charlie nodded and knelt down as Jonathon turned and readied the flamethrower for more destruction if needed. She felt nothing, and eventually got down on her hands and knees to make absolutely sure.

  “She’s not here,” she said frantically.

  Jonathon sighed deeply and cursed under his breath. Beads of sweat rolled out from under his hat, down his forehead, and dripped off his nose and chin. As he stood there, wondering what to do, he glanced over his shoulder at the passageway behind him. The sounds of dying dinosaurs continued to echo from the pit but their numbers were far fewer. Jonathon turned his attention back toward the mouth of the cave and just as he was beginning to accept the possibility he’d have to go on with only Charlie, he spotted a silhouette step into the frame of the cave’s exit.

  He clearly heard Charlie gasp when she spotted it too. The Troodon that stood between them and their freedom was far larger than the others. It stood nearly two feet taller and the feathering on top of its skull was a deeper shade of red—almost purple. The dinosaur’s teeth were bared and a silver strand of saliva dripped from its chin. The creature turned its head sideways and snarled loudly at Jonathon. At the animal’s feet was an unconscious woman—Harley.

  “It’s the one we call Mother,” Charlie whispered from just behind him. “She’s the leader of the pack—and the most intelligent animal I’ve ever known.”

  “And I just killed most, if not all, of her pack,” Jonathon said, trying to stay calm.

  Charlie swallowed, unsure what to say.

  As Jonathon stared at the angry Troodon, he said, “Alright, here is how this is going to go down. Clearly, she only wants me, and I don’t intend on going quietly. When it all begins, you get out of here.”

  She clutched his arm tightly. “I can’t just leave you here,” she snapped at him. Though she was afraid, he could sense remarkable bravery too.

  “You can,” he replied with a smile, “and you will. Do you think you can get Harley out of here?”

  Charlie bit her lip as she began to accept that she was not going to change his mind. “I’ll find a way,” she answered. Reluctantly, she released his arm.

  “Alright,” he said, taking a moment to adjust his hat. “Move into that crevice and no matter what happens, don’t try to help me. Your focus should be on getting yourself and Harley to the beach. Glenn Hardcastle will be waiting on you there.”

  Charlie stared at him and considered arguing but ultimately knew it would only prolong the inevitable. With great reluctance, she backed away toward the crevice. Jonathon stepped toward the center of the cave and in front of the fountain. The flamethrower was still clutched so tightly in his hands that his knuckles were white.

  “I’m here,” he said, looking at the terrifying prehistoric reptile in front of him. “I’m the one you want.”

  The large Troodon stared at him curiously but remained right where she stood. Had it not been for Harley lying at the animal’s feet, Jonathon could’ve easily lit the beast on fire and lived to fight another day. He locked eyes with the Troodon and for a long moment, he waited to see if the creature would move away from Harley so he’d be able to kill it. Mother just continued to stare at him. There was a coldness in her eyes that made him very uneasy. It also angered him.

  “What are you waiting for?” he yelled. The dinosaur blinked once and continued to snarl angrily but otherwise remained right where she stood.

  Jonathon tightened his jaw and glanced over at Charlie. She was still tucked away nervously in the crevice, waiting for her moment to scramble after Harley. With frustration mounting, Jonathon began to approach the Troodon.

  “Come on,” he shouted. “Come and get me!” He casually released his grip from the flamethrower and spread both his arms outward. As soon as he did so, the Troodon lurched forward and snapped its jaws.

  The movement startled Jonathon and he immediately snatched the flamethrower back into his grasp and moved his finger toward the trigger. The dinosaur responded by immediately pulling back and again planted itself behind Harley. Suddenly, Jonathon understood.

  She’s not going to move as long as this thing is in my hands, he thought, looking at the weapon in his grip.

  “Alright,” he said, glancing back up at Mother. “I get it now.” He then allowed the nozzle to drop to the ground. Jonathon then reached for his sternum and unbuckled the leather strap that held the metal tank in place on his back. It fell and clanged loudly on the stone floor behind him. At that moment, the Troodon stepped over Harley and began approaching him. Jonathon began taking a step back and as he did so, he glanced over at Charlie. He gestured for her to get Harley and his eyes reminded her to leave without looking back. She stayed put for a moment staring at him, clearly struggling with what she had reluctantly agreed to do.

  “I’ll be fine,” Jonathon said finally with a smile. “Get Harley and get out of here…she only wants me.”

  Without further hesitation, Charlie nodded and began to slowly move out of the crevice. She kept close to the cave wall and the Troodon didn’t so much as glance in her direction. Mother was watching Jonathon, and he was staring right back at her. He could see the intent in her eyes and it was obvious that she knew he was responsible for killing all of the other Troodons in the pit. She wanted him dead…she wanted to taste his flesh.

  Jonathon continued to step backward, and momentarily allowed his eyes to look past the Troodon. Charlie had briskly moved to Harley and was now dragging her toward the bright daylight outside the cave. The Troodon kept her eyes locked onto Jonathon and it was clear that she cared about nothing else but killing him. Jonathon allowed himself a moment to breathe a sigh of relief as he knew that no matter what happened now, he’d at least given Charlie and Harley a chance to get off the island.

  The large Troodon snarled again as if she was trying to get Jonathon’s attention back on his impending doom. He continued to walk backward and a sinking feeling began to overcome him as he
began to understand that he was now getting further and further away from the exit of the cave. Finally, he took another step back and his foot caught a rock ledge. He nearly toppled backward, but managed to regain his balance. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that his foot had caught the rock wall of the fountain. Despite the dire situation he now found himself in, Jonathon still felt a deep temptation to take a drink of the attractive blue water.

  He turned back to see where Mother was just in time to see the angry Troodon open her mouth and leap for him. Jonathon instinctively rolled out of the way just in the nick of time. Mother sailed past where he’d been standing and fell into the fountain. Jonathon knew that if he was going to make it out, now was his best shot in doing so. He immediately scrambled to his feet and prepared to run out of the cave as quickly as his legs could carry him. Unfortunately, Mother was faster. In almost one fluid motion, she’d crashed into the water, rolled back onto her feet, and then used her powerful legs to propel back into Jonathon’s path.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said awestruck.

  The dinosaur snapped at him and released a sinister growl in response. Jonathon glanced over to where he’d dropped the flamethrower. It was only twenty feet away and in his mind’s eye, he could see himself making a beeline for it, snatching the weapon up, and torching the Troodon just as she got to him. Mother seemingly sensed what he was planning and wasted no time with another attack. She lunged for Jonathon and again, he managed to dodge her advance. This time, however, Mother was ready. As he dove out of the way, the Troodon spun in response and slapped him hard with her powerful tail. Jonathon took the blow in his ribs and immediately felt all of the air rush from his lungs. The handgun that had been in the back of his pants was jarred loose and clattered away from him, lost in the darkness.