Survivor Story - Kong: Skull Island (Captain James Conrad Love Story)

12. Out of the Wild

Luckily, the flamed trap led them through the dark forest and right to where Packard had set up his trap for Kong.

"Packard!" The four burst through the trees. "Don't do it!"

"I asked you fellas nice the first time," said Marlow, wielding his pistol and a knife.

"We don't need to fight here Packard. We don't want to-" James tried.

But the Colonel cut him off.  "This thing brought us down! It killed my men!"

"Kong was just defending his territory."

"We are soldiers! We do the dirty work so that our families and our countrymen don't have to be afraid. You should know that, Conrad. Did she convince you?" He nodded to Tilda. "I know who you are."

"You're paranoid, that's what you are. And I don't blame you. But we haven't got time to point fingers at one another here," she told him.

"You don't have to be afraid of Kong!" James cried. 

"They shouldn't even have to know a thing like that exists!"

"You've lost your mind. Put the detonator down," James ordered.

"You were dropping bombs for God's sake, what did you expect? For him to welcome us with open arms?" Tilda reminded. 

"I didn't expect to even find it."

"He thought  we were the threat-"

"It's the threat! I know a threat when I see one."

"He!"

"It!"

"And who of us is more experienced in the field of war?"

"Packard, this is ridiculous," cried James.

"It's bloody crazy!"

"Oh, yeah, there you go with that British facade you're trying so hard to keep up."

"Stop!" cried Mason. "The world is bigger than this."

"Bitch please! Slivko, get her out of here!"

"Don't speak to her like that. How dare you." Tilda stepped forward, rifle ready.

"How dare I?"

"Yes."

"I think how dare you, you filthy spy-"

"You don't speak to her that way." Philip emerged through the trees.

"Lance, the civilians," cried  James.

But Philip ignored him.  "Put it down." He stepped closer, rifle aimed right at Packard's head, causing the few remaining soldiers to, in turn, aim their weapons at him.

"Easy Lance," urged James.

"Oh, shut up!" snapped Philip, startling them. "If anyone gives the orders around here, it's going to be us." He then nodded to Tilda. "It's all yours."

"English, what's going on?" asked Mason.

Packard scoffed. "Oh, she ain't 'English'. Your friend here's a Russian."

A beat of collective silence followed his words.

"So what if I am?" Tilda broke it.  "Doesn't mean I'm a spy."

"Oh I think it does." Packard scoffed.  "Spies and monsters, shit." 

"We've had Soviets here the whole time?!" gawked Slivko. 

"Slivko, get her bag," the Colonel ordered. 

Tilda handed it over willingly.  "I have nothing to hide."

"Huh, we'll see about that. I've seen you scribbling away in that notebook of yours."

"Doing my job."

"Yeah, but which job is the question." He removed said notebook from her bag, and then another.

"Oh, this is new-"

"Oi! Hey, that's private!" she cried as he began rifling through her diary.

"And I thought you said you had nothing to hide. Huh," he chuckled. "Looks like someone has a crush." He looked to James.

"You think I'm trying to sabotage this expedition? Are you insane? I didn't know the whole story going into this, same as you."

"No, you are not the same as me." He shook his head.  "First monsters, now spies. This has turned out to be one hell of a mission."

"General," said Philip, addressing her. "Permission to take these soldiers prisoner?"

"Piss off!" she told him. 

He was clearly taken aback.  "You know your orders: report back to Moscow."

"I don't do that anymore."

"Tilda," said James.

"English," muttered Mason. Both were trying to express the same thing: What the hell is going on?

"That's it! Slivko, get them outta here! I don't care how you do it!" ordered Packard.

Still, Slivko hesitated, looking very conflicted. After all, this group had been his companions throughout their journey across the island, but he also held his responsibility to the army.

"You know it's the wrong thing to do, son," said Marlow, referring to the group as well as Kong.

"Slivko! That's an order!" snapped Packard. 

The young man turned so that his rifle was now pointed at Packard. "Put it down, Sir. The detonator, put it down."

Philip slammed his rifle into Slivko's shoulder, shoving him down.

"Hey!"

"Lance what are you doing?" demanded James.

"I'm following my orders," was his response. "Unlike you," he told Tilda.

"Well, I think we found your spy," she told Packard. "But if anyone gives orders, it'll be me.  I'm Marshal, or General, Marja Morenakova. I outrank all of you."  

A rumble cut them off then. Moments later, another skull crawler emerged, only this one was much larger than the other had been, with thicker skin and fully-developed fangs and claws. 

"That's the big one!"

(A couple of cliffhangers! Did some research on 1970s Soviet army ranks so hopefully I got it right!

Once again, thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))