“I knew we were definitely entering the world of the rain forest, the lush jungle of mystery that only deepened and became more dangerous with each passing second. The river narrowed, and the air grew still with the dark pungent scents of the deep rain forest. I had recognized the signs. Soon, the river would be impossible to navigate. I had said to my partner then. They would be forced to abandon the boats and tramp through the forest on foot. Unlike many places in the rain forest where it was easy to walk because very little could live on the forest floor without too much light, this area was dense. I’d traveled extensively, but the smells and the stillness of this place was a thing I’d found nowhere else on earth. Unlike any of her previous visits, this time I felt a little claustrophobic.” Annabel was saying, recounting one of her trips to Emma. Been nodded along. He had been there too. The first they had met. He said.
“Yes, I swear the jungle was alive that day.” Ben said, chuckling. “Annabel had pointed to the strange way the branches dipped down and reached toward them as the boat passed. Everyone had turned to watch the bank closest to them as a great green wave built, following them. Every branch shivered, leaves unfolding and stretching out across the water as if seeking to stop their progress upriver. The first boat had passed unscathed, but the moment the second boat came close to the bank, the leaves reached for them. The stirring was eerie, as if the jungle had really come alive.”
Emma’s heart dropped. She’d seen the phenomenon many times before, in a book of course.
“Wow,” she added to the sudden murmur of conversation. “That was amazing.”
“It was creepy,” Mack said, stepping back away from his seat.
“That’s true though.” Annabel mentioned, “The porters and the guide stared at the reaching plants and trees and then turned to look directly at me. They whispered to each other.
The two boats had continued upstream, drawing closer to the mountain. Black caimans, giant dinosaurs of the past, sunned themselves on the banks, keeping a hungry eye on the small boats invading their space. Great clouds of black insects bit every inch of exposed skin and got caught in hair and even teeth, this time mosquitoes and other bloodsucking bugs. There was nothing to do but endure it. Below us, the dark waters had grown shallow, slowing progress, and twice, the boat ground to a halt and had to be cut free of the tangled reeds reaching out greedily to wrap about the underside of the motor and propeller. Each time the unexpected lurch sent everyone aboard sprawling across the deck.”
Miles picked himself up with an oath and staggered to the side of Emma. “This is ridiculous. Couldn’t you have found another way?”
Annabel shot him a tense look. “There was no easy way to the place.”
“True.” Ben agreed. “Do you remember almost falling into the water?” He asked Annabel who shrugged, and looked out the window. “Annabel had slipped farther toward the dark, reed-choked water, now boiling with frenzied piranha. There was no blood in the water so the turmoil made no sense. To our horror the fish began to leap out of the water, hundreds of them, narrow bodies and blunt heads shooting from the river like rockets, the triangular-shaped jaws with razor-sharp teeth snapping open and shut with terrible clacking sounds. Although the stories of piranha frenzies abounded, we knew attacks on people were quite rare. Some of us have swum in the water with them on several occasions. This bizarre behavior was extraordinary, as unnatural and unsettling. And just like that it seemed clear the piranha were bent on reaching Annabel. It was Jubal who caught Annabel and yanked her back away from the rail, practically throwing her into Gary. The guide and porters both stared at Annabel with a look that made me wish she had a concealed gun close at hand. Before anyone could speak, the boat nearly ran aground, and the two natives turned back to their work. A low branch overhead dipped down, and a snake dropped onto the deck with a thud right at Gary’s boots.
Pedro, the guide, turned back, catching up the machete that was always close. Before he could take a step, the viper did an abrupt spin and launched itself at Annabel. She stumbled back into me. Gary had yanked Annabel off her feet and twisted around, holding her in the air while Jubal shoved aside, yelling at the guide, hand up in the air. Pedro tossed the machete and in one smooth movement, Jubal slammed the sharpened blade across the neck of the viper, severing the head.”
“Wow…that’s huge.” Emma muttered, looking at Annabel, feeling more of the kindred spirit even though she didn’t know why that was so. She only knew that her friend was the object of attack of various strange things, just like her. Could it all be related?
“Nights were hell in the jungle. Right at sunset, the buzzing started. It wasn’t as if the insects were silent-they were producing a constant steady drone-but Riley could push the sound away. This was something altogether different-a soft, persistent noise, a low frequency that jangled every nerve in the body. I’d awakened to the strange noise the very first night we entered the rain forest.
Strangely, I couldn’t identify the low, irritating buzz, nor could I tell if it was outside or inside my head. I’d observed several others rubbing their temples as if their heads ached, and I feared that the same low frequency of whispers one couldn’t quite catch was invading insidiously, adding to the danger of our travel. During the day the whispers were gone, but the effects lingered.
My senses, since entering the rainforest, seemed to have blazed to life and were working overtime. I noticed every little suspicious glance. Jubal and Gary were armed to the teeth and I had been very envious of their weapons. The two moved in silence, kept to themselves and watched everyone. I had come to the conclusion that they knew a lot more about what was going on than they let on.” Annabel continued telling her story to a very interested Emma.
“But that wasn’t true, you know. We were just keep up a facade of confidence. Psychology stuff.” Gary started, a short smile on his face.