Dark Island Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 30

The thumping sound of drums got louder as we closed in on the direction from which it came.
“Hold up.” Said Joe. “Do you smell that?”
I came to a holt. I sniffed at the air as I peered around and up towards the night sky.
“Smoke!” I said. “It’s over there.” I pointed towards the thin line of smoke heading up, merging with the darkness of the sky.
“It's not far from here either,” said Ronnie as he stared in the direction of the smoke.
We silently made our way through the vegetation until we reached the last line of bushes, just across the blazing fire.
I peered through the branches, trying to get a better look at the scene in front of us.
“It’s a bunch of people dancing around a fire,” I said softly. “They look similar to the ones we encountered a while back…the Asmats.”
“Yes it’s them,” said Joe. “They do this every time before a sacrifice to start the ceremony.” He said, gazing at the scenario.
Ronnie nudged my shoulder. “Hey guys, look over there,” said Ronnie, pointing at a flat rock surface covered with bloodstains. “This is probably where they do the sacrifices. And by the looks of it, there were already two victims.”
“This is just sick man. How can people do such a thing? This is just messed up. “said Ronnie.
Two Asmats stopped dancing, and walked into the jungle from behind the stone altar. It was just seconds later when they returned with another victim. They dragged the half unconscious man to the blood stained altar, took off the piece of material, which they used to cover his face. And placed him on the altar.
The two Asmats then started to speak in an unfamiliar language with their arms flaying up and down , as if they were worshipping.
Ronnie suddenly jumped up. His face pale and his body shivering.
“No! We have to do something!”
“Why Ronnie?” What’s wrong?” I asked.
““It'shim, Jack! It's Harold!” he yelled back. “We have to do something!”
Joe grabbed hold of Ronnie as he tried to run towards the altar, pushing him down to the ground.
“Ronnie, no! It's too late,” said Joe, fighting him down.
“Get off me Joe! We have to help him!”
One of the Asmats pulled out a shiv, glanced at it, and in a split second; slits Harold’s throat.
“Oh fuck I think they know where here,” said Joe
I couldn’t believe what just happened. Fear ran through my body as I stood motionless, helpless, and unable to move or speak. Harold is gone. How could I allow this? How could I let this happen? He is dead…gone…and I did nothing.
Seconds later, the air in front of us started to move, fluttering back and forth, up and down, like swirling dust. The sky lid up, followed by black smoke. The air sizzled and popped with electrical sparks.
Two enormous creatures appeared a few feet in front of us from behind the shadows, causing the Asmats to scatter back into the jungle. The arms, the legs, the head. The movement. They were human-like. The faceless sinister bodies of the two beings; semi-sparkled with small crystals within.
“That’s them!” shouted Joe from behind. “The Sky-watchers!”
Joe pulled out his machete and charged towards them without hesitation.
“This is for my people that you’ve killed!” He yelled.
With a tremendous force, one of the Sky-watchers picked him up and hurled him through the air; landing next to the altar, unconscious.
Adrenaline floods my system, it pumps and beats like it's trying to escape. I think my heart will explode and my eyes are wide with fear. My body wants to either run fast for the safety of the hills or to fight, but instead I remain where I am. Lets face it, there is really only one thing I can do: pray we don’t get killed. My adrenaline surges so fast I almost vomit, I can taste saliva thickening in my throat and beads of sweat trickling down my brow. At some point, I will have to move, and I will have to fight with what I have. And all I have is a revolver. I yanked the .38 from my pocket and aimed it at one of them, firing two shots to the chest. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw it advance despite being hit. The creature took a long stride and batted me with an arm. The blow knocked me off of my feet, sending me several meters across the ground floor. I regained my consciousness seconds later upon landing. If it wasn’t for this bush, I’d be dead. I thought to myself. I frantically scrambled away, trying to figure out my next move. My body was injured but because of the adrenaline rush, I didn’t notice it at first, only that my body became more numb than usual.
One Sky-watcher coolly walked up to Ronnie, who was standing motionless in front of the tree. The sparkles and crystals, moved across its body. It was the most awesome creature, with slight muscles protruding all over. Ronnie grabbed a piece of wood next to him on the ground. He furiously lashed at the Sky-watcher. However, it had no effect. It towered over him. Snatched his wooden weapon and whacked him across his temple with it. Ronnie fell down in a puddle of his own blood, moaning in excruciating pain.
“Ronnie!” I shouted. “You son of a bitch! You will pay for that!” I continued, trying to get to my feet.
The Sky-watcher turned and leaped fifteen feet in the air and landed on the ground in front of me. The being stood still for a second, watching me with his featureless face. Fear filled my body as I gazed at him. I then swayed my .38 into his direction, firing another two shots into his chest. The bullets had no effect; it was like throwing stones into wet cement. Everything was being absorbed.
It casually walked forward, closing in on me. His body started to glow and vanished. Invisible. Gone. The air was shifting.
I scanned the landscape, not knowing where it had gone. No luck it was gone.
My eye caught the second Sky-watcher; he was slowly making his way towards Joe’s unconscious body next to the altar.
“Joe! Get up!” I screamed in agony. In the corner of my eye, I see Ronnie charging towards him.
The being turned around as he heard the noise of running footsteps.
Instinctively, Ronnie lunged a fist at the creature’s chest, but something unexpected happened- his fist did not hit and bounce back. Instead, it went through its chest. The chest solidified with half of Ronnie’s arm stuck inside. He wailed in pain and desperately tried to pull it out. The harder he pulled, the harder the clumps of flesh on the chest cemented. Then the chest solidified to concrete around his forearm. Ronnie lunged another fist at its face. It bounced right back. The being grabbed the half –arm still outside and twisted it in a circle. The Sky-watcher gave it another hard wrench, and the arm cracked in half. Half of the arm was dangling on the creature’s chest with strings of reddish-flesh hanging loose.
Ronnie cried in pain. The Sky-watcher then started draining the life force out of Ronnie. He crumbled to the ground, motionless. He was dead.
“Ronnie!” I cried aloud. I forced myself up from the ground.
“Joe! Get up man! I need you!” I yelled.
I scanned the ground, looking for my gun. There it is. I said to myself.
I fired a shot at the being’s neck this time. The being tottered back and sneered sinisterly. It collapsed on its back with a loud thud. I moved closer to him. The creature was trying to lift itself off the ground. Its naked body glowed with brightness.
I hovered over him, but it disappeared. The air rippled where it once laid. It was gone. I fired another two shots, and then total confusion set in. The bullets did not hit the ground as it should have, but it was hitting something between the ground and myself. An invisible object. I realized that the creature was lying flat on the ground. Invisible and probably in pain. An earsplitting scream rippled across the whole area.