SHARING EMMA [18+]

27. Sense of Fear

|EMMA|

I grasped the stick tightly in my hand, the sound of it breaking filling the silence. "So, let me get this straight," I said, turning to Tomas with furrowed brows, putting aside the empty can of beer. "Every full moon, the people on this island lock themselves up in their houses?"

Ron's voice cut in, breaking the eerie stillness of the night. He leaned back, crossing his legs as he spoke. "It's not just this island. Many cultures and places around the world believe in such things," he said, his words floating on the cool breeze that rustled the leaves around us.

The sound of the crackling fire surrounded us, casting flickering shadows over our faces as we sat in a semicircle around it. Our tents loomed behind us, their shapes barely visible in the dark. Tomas had been regaling us with the island's history, but Finn suddenly interrupted him. His voice cut through the quiet night, laced with curiosity as he asked about the full moon Tomas had mentioned earlier. I too was intrigued and leaned in closer to hear the explanation.

Tomas chuckled and took a sip of his drink before replying. "The full moon, huh? It's been a superstition around here for as long as I can remember. The locals believe that during the full moon, the spirits of the island's past inhabitants come out to play. They roam around freely, looking for someone to possess. Legend has it that if you wander around during such an hour, you might be at risk of being taken over by one of these spirits."

Finn nodded along, his eyes wide with fascination. "That's crazy. Do you believe in that stuff, Tomas?" he asked.

Tomas shrugged. "I don't know if I believe it or not, but I do respect the tradition. I think it's important to honor the beliefs of the people who came before us."

I couldn't help but chime in. "I think it's kind of cool, honestly. It adds to the mystique of the island."

Ron nodded in agreement. "Definitely. It's like there's a whole other world out there that we can't see."

I couldn't help but notice how quiet Ryker had become. Ever since our argument a few minutes ago, he had withdrawn from the group and kept to himself. I glanced over and saw him leaning against the jeep, taking slow swigs of his beer while avoiding eye contact with anyone.

As I sat by the campfire, the crackling flames casting dancing shadows across my face, my phone buzzed to life in my pocket. I fished it out and saw that it was Carlos. With a quick apology to my companions, I rose to my feet and made my way to the edge of the shore, where the sound of lapping waves provided a soothing backdrop to our conversation.

"Hey," I said, my voice carrying over the gentle sound of the surf. "What's up?"

"Nothing much, was just wondering what are you up to. How's the tour? Did you like anything?" he asked.

Hearing Carlos's voice brought a sudden rush of warmth to my chest, and I couldn't help but spill everything that had happened to me that day, as if I had been dying to tell someone. The sights, sounds, and smells of the jungle were so overwhelming that I had to share them with someone I trusted.

But there was one thing I kept close to my chest, a strange encounter with a native woman who had been following me around all day. Her presence had been eerie, yet intriguing, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something important about her. But I didn't want to alarm Carlos, so I kept that to myself.

"Sounds like you're quite enjoying yourself," he said, teasing.

A grin spread across my face as I spoke to Carlos. "Yeah, I think I am enjoying myself quite a bit," I replied, feeling a warm sense of contentment spreading through me.