Dark Island Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 19

Hours have passed since we’ve left the beach, trekking through the jungle. We had climbed over thick undergrowth and had ducked over ferns in silence. I led the way, showing off my leadership skills, hoping they’d forgot about my earlier 'freaking out scene' with the spiders scenario. I’d prove to them I was still a tough man, even if I were just a normal modern day man back at home.
“Whoa. Look!” Harold stopped short and pointed up. I peered at the high canopy of trees rising above out heads. With 'sunset' nearing, the little sunlight still present broke through the thick leaves, plunging the jungle into a land of shadows. I squirted, trying to figure out what he wanted me to see.
“What?”
Harold turned, his brow furrowed. “Look closer.”
It had better not be spiders. Goosebumps rose along my arms. I glanced in the direction he pointed, but nothing jumped out at me. The leaves were pale green and fern-like, nothing unusual. Then my gaze fell on the bubbly bark. I dipped a finger in the sticky goo. It felt smooth like honey, cold to the touch. “Oh...you mean the brown stuff?”
“It looks like they’re coated in maple syrup or something.” Ronnie leaned toward the tree, sticking out his tongue.” Hmm. Should I give it a lick?”
Smirking, Harold gripped his arm.” Don’t you dare!”
“So no dipping coconut in fondue?” I asked him with a smirk.
He shot me a grin. I ran my hand over the oily, wax-like substance. It had the color and consistency of chocolate. Rubbing my fingers together, I breathed in the earthly smell of pine, I hurried to wipe my hands on a leaf, but the 'stuff' stuck to my skin like glue. “Dammit! Okay, so maybe this is one dessert that would even make a buzzard puke.”  We all burst out in laughter. Harold stared upward, his brows once again knitted together in concentration. I was intrigued by all his knowledge of science and nature. I was glad he knew his stuff. If it weren’t for Harold, we’d all be dead by now.
“This looks like a Jurassic conifer I studied back in the day when I was at university,” said Harold.
Ronnie shrugged. “Who cares?”
“You don’t get it, do you?” Harold stared at him. “This tree- it’s been extinct for hundreds of years. How can you be so bored and nonchalant about it when you’re standing in front of something that shouldn’t exist- at least not here and not now?” he shook his head and shot me a questioning glare, the same expression he always gave me when he was about to give up arguing with Ronnie’s logic.
“So what kind of place could be home to the oldest species of trees in the world?” I rubbed my sticky hands on my shorts. Unbidden images of deserted beaches, wild animals, and no civilization for miles and miles came to mind. I shuddered.
“This place is really freaking me out. It gets weirder and weirder by the minute. What’s next?”
Ronnie grinned. “Elves?”
“Maybe this group of trees survived extinction,” said Harold, ignoring Ronnie’s comment. “It has happened before. Back in the nineties, I think. However, it is still really, really odd.
“Hey, Harold, do you know girls pay more attention to guys who-let’s say- don’t spend all their time learning about...” Ronnie cleared his throat. “...uh, prehistoric trees?”
I shook my head at Ronnie’s shallow remark.
“Girls appreciate brains too.” Countered Harold.
“So, whatcha waiting for, buddy?” said Ronnie, slapping Harold on the back.
“I’m not like you. I don’t want all females within a fifty mile radius to faint as soon as they get a whiff of my pheromones.”
Ronnie laughed. “It’s not the pheromones. It’s my haircut.”
He shook his shoulder. “C’mon, bro! Give me a better answer than that.”
Harold shrugged. “Don’t know. The right girl maybe?”
“All right guys,” said Ronnie, wiping the sweat off his face. We will have to make camp here. It is almost dark and we cannot go explore in the night. This will be a perfect resting place.” I said putting down my backpack next to one of the trees. Ronnie and Harold went out to search for wood to make a fire.
I sat down next to the tree and gazed at my leg. Removing the piece of cloth I bounded it with I noticed the wound had started to look a little bit infectious. I pulled my bag closer, started rummaging through it. “Found it,” I said when I pulled out a bottle of water, boiled earlier by the beach. I poured some water over my leg, trying to clean it.
Ronnie and Harold returned moments later with some wood.
“How’s your leg, Jack?” asked Ronnie curiously.
“It’s okay, just I little itch. But I’ll live.” I said bounding the cloth back over my leg.
Harold stomped off to start the fire. After a few moments, we were all lying down trying to get some sleep. A few minutes later, I sat back up. “I’m just to shaken up to sleep,” I moaned. The footprints from the beach was still in my head, along with all the questions regarding them. What was it? Why did it gaze in our direction? What did it want?
“Look, if it will make you feel better, we can take turns keeping watch,” said Harold soothingly.
Ronnie grumbled, but everyone nodded in agreement. The thought seemingly calmed me down. Blackness embraced me as I closed my eyes.