The Dragoneer Manual

Chapter 6 - True Sight

NOVEMBER

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Rory trudged through the forest. The trees were thick and heavy around her, and night was beginning to fall. Behind her, she heard the sound of tiny nails scratching down a tree trunk. She spun around, but whatever creature made the noise was faster than she was. Holding her breath, she continued walking down the path, adjusting the small backpack on her shoulders.

It only contained three objects: a pen, the Dragoneer Manual II, and a hunk of black obsidian rock. A flash of fur scurried right across her path, too fast for her to make out its shape. She stopped and narrowed her eyes. Slowly, she knelt down and slipped her backpack off, removing the chunk of obsidian and placing it on the ground before her.

Rory sat back on her haunches, clutching the manual between her hands. Softly, the book began to shimmer and vibrate in her hands. It was so subtle it could have been her mind playing tricks on her. But Rory stayed frozen, waiting, making sure to keep her breath calm and even.

It wasn't long before the creature emerged from behind a tree. It crept close to the floor, its belly almost touching the ground. For all intents and purposes, it looked like a wild fox. But Rory knew it had to be something different. There are no foxes in the Galapagos.

Its orange fur looked soft and flawless, but she didn't dare reach out her hand to touch it. When it was close to the rock, the fox straightened up on all fours. Its long, thin legs had black fur on them that looked like elegant socks.

The fox was concentrating intently on the rock, rotating its head back and forth as if its ears were satellite dishes. Then it opened its mouth... so wide it looked unnatural. So wide it was almost disturbing. It continued opening it wider until it looked like its jaw would unhinge. Its eyes turned a deep, shiny black, mirroring the obsidian rock, and with a screech that echoed through the forest, the fox bit down on the rock and swallowed it whole.

Rory stood by watching, only a few inches away from the creature, and tried to keep her heart rate under control. The fox's entire body shook for a moment, and then its deep black eyes looked straight into Rory's. She held its gaze.

Within a few seconds the color came back to its eyes and the fox looked like an ordinary animal. It chirped happily and ran over to Rory like a dog. She let herself run her hands over its body and it turned over, belly up, and seemed to giggle as she scratched it. Then it got up and bounded away, looking back at Rory every couple of steps.

Rory stood and took off after it, her sneakers pounding against the sticks and leaves layering the ground. It continued to run, though low hanging branches, erratic zigzags through the jungle, and over logs. Rory realized with a fright that if she lost it now, all of this would be for nothing. When they reached a clearing the fox suddenly stopped in front of a large tree.

The tree was massive, with thick, ancient looking bark and roots that curved up through the ground like a sea monster. With a high pitched giggle, the fox climbed up the tree trunk, over a hole in its bark and looked back at Rory, hanging upside down. It scratched at the bark of the tree trunk a few times, and then jumped off the tree, scurrying deep into the forest. Within seconds, it was completely out of view.

Rory paused and took in what had happened. She felt nervous excitement pump through her heart. She was getting closer. She could feel it. Either that or she was losing her mind.

She stepped up to the massive tree and tried to stare down into the hole in its bark, but it was pitch black inside. The thought of sticking her arm into a dark hole barely wider than her wrist made her stomach turn over. But having come all this way, she couldn't afford to hesitate now. With a surge of bravery, she plunged her hand in. The bottom of the hole felt mostly like dried sticks and bark.