Samuel

Chapter 5

"Wake up dummy!" The figure called out, shaking Alm intensely.

The whoop whoop whoop sound increased in the distance, piercing the paradise with molested echoes. With parched, cracked lips, stuck to his gums exposing his teeth, Alm slowly opened his eyes. The glare of the sun against the sandy beach, pierced his vision. Licking his lips, he could still taste the blood remnants soaking his tongue. A soft moan escaped his mouth.

The whooping sound grew louder. Nearly a half-mile out, now. Alm, attempted to move his limbs. Heaviness swelled throughout them, feeling separated from his body. Numb from the recent battles, his disconnection to his form continued to alarm him as the figure appeared unnerved, nearby.

The aircraft circled around before hovering. The sand kicked and beat against Alm, lacerating his face and hands. Not making any cries of protest. Submissively taking the punishment, he could do anything else. Even something as simple as covering his face proved insurmountable. With no strength left and the remaining bioenergy of the island and surrounding reefs, now spent, exhausted, Alm's hunger swelled; a pervasive desire more intense than the regular pangs feeding on his spirit. Devouring the life essence of the island's vegetation, in the days after the battle, seemed to increase his appetite.

Palm trees laid askew, sitting as husks of their former selves. Once luscious leaves now stood poised dark brown with flecks of black. The rot taking hold, magnificently. A breeze gently brushed against a leaf. Brown fragments floated as dust on the wind. Hovering softly, they lingered a while before settling on the brown sandy beach caressing the bodies littering the sand, gently resting, settling.

Thousands of fish lay dead on the beach. Some, drifted in the water, bobbing up and down like a buoy. The remaining insects dared not touch them, lest the hungry force devoured them as well. Absorbing any energy, he could, to sustain himself, using the bio-essence to stave away the cognitive lapse, which loomed with his exhaustion, Alm secured his potential death.

Not accounting for the lack of life force when he initially began his ingestion. Weak now, barely alive, the three weeks Alm lay stranded on the island nearly decimated by the behemoth of a man. His understanding of his increased focus amongst the threat of death proved nothing to satiate his need for understanding.

Reevaluation of himself and his purpose enshrouded him. Many times, during the nights, when nothing but the sound of waves crashing, filled the dark, the soft glow of the stars illuminating him, Alm contemplated his existence. Craving his end, the man surrendered to his fate. Now at the hands of nature and time, he lay and waited. Surprisedly, the insipid figure relaxed his taunting until the quiet of night.

"Eh man, I was thinkin'." The figure said between deep drafts of his pipe. "Why don't ya jus swim?"

Callously glaring at the figure, Alm said through gritted teeth. "You know I can't swim."

Riotous laughter resounded from the figure as he said. "We. Eh, are so. Eh! Fucked!"

Now, sweet freedom presented itself as the chopper landed. Moments after, with a screech, the door slid open. Blinking away tears caused by the sand and dust, the brown dust fragments of leaves swirled around like billions of gnats. Looking up, to his surprise, a hooded figure bound by their hands and legs came from the shadows of the transport. Thrust out, they flew with their body bowed, skidding with an oomph, landing just inches from him.

"Looks like you win." said a deep, gruffly European accent, possibly Germanic from within the helicopter. "Enjoy your meal."

Stepping out slowly, the gentleman eyed the decrepit visage of the man laying pronate in the sand. Spending many moments, curiously and silently scanning Alm, a semblance of hope dissipated from his eyes. A light grimace spread over his face as one tasting bile in their throat. Replaced with a sneer, the man raised his head in distaste as he waited for the dying Alm to muster enough energy to devour the one offered to him.