Island Of The Cryptids

8

The rain was going to start falling soon, and Hadden knew it. He had to get back relatively quickly, before he was caught in a torrential downpour. The vines whipped at him in the wind, slashing his shirt and cutting his face. He crouched low to the ground to avoid the swinging vines and toppling branches.

He picked up his pace. The wind was blowing very hard now, causing some of the trees to careen in different directions. He heard the faint pitter-patter of raindrops slapping the canopy.

He thought he heard someone shouting. The speech was over before he could deduce what direction it was coming from, however. He kept walking through the underbrush.

***

Misty felt Carlin's comforting arm constrict around her waist. A warm, fuzzy feeling bubbled inside of her, and she leaned her head over to Carlin's shoulder. She could feel a faint mist of rain brush against her face, and she wrapped her cardigan further around her to warm her up.

"It's quite dark," Carlin commented. "Cold, too."

"I can see that," Misty replied. Carlin's hand caressed her thigh, and she didn't mind it.

"Hopefully this pathway leads somewhere," he said. "It's far too late to turn back now."

"What are you plans, mister?" she giggled. Carlin smiled.

"I just want to explore, darling. I'm a curious person. I love finding out the mysteries of life. I love places like this. Where it's cloaked in mystery."

"Cloaked in mystery?" Misty questioned. Carlin nodded.

"Don't you get that feeling of uneasiness here? Kind of creepy, right?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'm scared. I wish my husband were here." Carlin smiled.

"No you don't."

Misty would have reacted to the comment, but she chose to ignore it to savor the moment. As a child, she was raised by two mothers who practically spoiled her. She learned so much from both of them, about herself, even. She discovered that she had many attractive qualities about her that made her lovable, and she adored the attention. She was showered with gifts and affection, and she was too smart to turn them down.

She was nearing thirty, and had already had two husbands. Technically only one, but her wedding with her current fiance was only two weeks away.

It wasn't necessarily that she didn't like any of the guys, it's just that she was didn't want to get attached. It was better off if she didn't keep so many connections. They would share their one night together, she would be happy, and then she would move on. It was a game to her, just as analyzing people was a game to Carlin. Nothing really mattered except herself. She understood it was selfish, but it was too easy to pull off. They would always come crawling back after she left them, no matter whose fault it was. She enjoyed it.

"I can tell you're a lot like me," Carlin said. Rain was now cascading down, soaking the two. Misty ignored his remark and said:

"Should we turn back?"

"I would say yes, but there's some kind of structure up ahead. Plus, I'd rather not go back to those idiots. I'd rather be here with you." Misty smiled at what Carlin said, and the two of them increased pace into a jog to outrun the rain and get further ahead.

Sitting in the center of a muddy watershed was a circular concrete building with sloped sides. The entrance was dug into the ground, and the windows were curved in shape, but blown out, leaving a hole in the wall. Atop the building was a radar tower. It reached high into the sky, rusted and teetering, groaning a metallic screech as the wind and rain battered it. Leafy vines wove a web along the sides of it, and draped down onto the top of the structure.