THE DIRT WITHIN

CHAPTER-I

As the sun dipped below the horizon casting a golden glow across the forest, twilight painted the sky with vibrant colours creating an artistic canvas of nature.  

A hushed stillness settled over the trees in The Amazon jungle, but as beautiful as it appeared, it was also dangerous. 

A giant centipede rested on a tree, consuming a spider after a lengthy battle, inserting its claws into the abdomen of its prey. Dried leaves lay on the ground as night approached. A green Anaconda moved smoothly towards the heart of the jungle, where the Acai tribe resided. 

The campfire's smoke billowed in the atmosphere. the snake passed by this area every night. The chief of the tribe would regale the children with stories while women prepared meals, the men had gone for a hunt, they would reach the campsite before nightfall but it was something strange today. 

The full moon graced the sky. The Acai tribe's men were returning from their hunt. They were already late to reach their settlement, unable to find anything, with a look of disappointment on their faces. 

A distant rumble of an engine echoed through the jungle. The men heard it and followed the sound which grew louder as they neared it. They aimed their spears towards the source and it came from the roadside, the only part of the jungle designed for vehicle passage. 

 A group of vehicles traversed the jungle, leaving deep tyres tracks in the mud. The men steadied themselves, such sightings were not uncommon in the jungle. The wolf howl resonated as the night deepened. 

The chief added another log to the campfire to keep it burning. Children sat on the ground, listening intently as he began to narrate a story. "Once upon a time in the jungle… "

A gunshot pierced the jungle's silence. A procession of white Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 vehicles approached, leaving the tribal people terrified. Women shielded their children. 

The tribe's chief went to confront them. The cars slowed and a few men exited the lead vehicle, forcing the chief to his knees at gunpoint.

The women and children, along with the chief were taken hostage. There were only five vehicles, the front three departed, leaving the other two behind to destroy the camp. 

The men in the two cars decided to park them at the side. Each car carried five men. As one of them stepped out and touched the ground, a spear swiftly pierced his neck, spraying blood into the air. He glimpses tribal men, dressed in attire made of leaves, before his vision blurred. He managed to fire some gunshots before succumbing. 

The men from the lead car rushed towards the tribal warriors, brandishing MP5s loaded with bullets. The tribesmen charged as well leading to a fierce battle. 

The men advanced, firing bullets and some tribesmen fell, while others continued to attack. Gunshots echoed in the jungle. 

A tribesmen reached one of the men, striking his gun to prevent him more. The tribesman thrust his spear into the man's abdomen and lifted him. They both met their demise as the man managed to pull the trigger, shooting the tribesman in the forehead. 

The battle concluded, and the tribal people had lost, their lifeless bodies lying on the ground with blood seeping from their wounds. The men had lost one of their own. Some of them set the tents ablaze, while others planted flags around the base as a symbol of their conquest.

In the midst of a lively party with clinking glasses, his phone rang. He excused himself and entered a secluded chamber, answering the call calmly. "We have captured the base, we are good to go" the voice on the other end stated. "Good, I'll inform him" he replied before ending the call.