Island Of The Cryptids

11

The Explorer galloped along the path, spewing a triangular stream of mud behind it as it sped over the mushy hills created by the rain. Tucker was anxious, practically on the edge of his seat. He despised this jungle. Absolutely hated it, hated the stories he heard, the creepy atmosphere, he just wanted to be sitting safe and sound on the plane, with everybody on board, the doors locked and the windows shut.

Manuel and Kaeli sat in the back, fiddling with their hands. None of them spoke, despite the energy of their conversation earlier.

The Explorer hit a bump, and the car rattled. Black shadows of trees zoomed past in a blur of blackness, looking like sinister feather dusters with their luscious fanning canopies. Rain still pounded the windshield, and the wipers squealed in distress as they rocked back and forth violently to squander the water.

"Alright guys," Tucker said, his voice parched and nervous. "When we get back, Captain Philip will be waiting for you. I want you to go inside, get comfortable, and stay put. I'll be back within the hour with the rest of the group."

"You got it," Manuel said.

Kaeli was almost sure that she liked the young, goofy surgeon. He was somewhat creepy at times, but he had a charm to him that was unmatchable. He took pride in his conversations, and the people he spoke to. He also had a somewhat jumpy manner, and was shy, ironically. She looked at him, and waited for him to notice. Tucker spun the car on a hard left, turning onto the runway. She saw the distant lights of the plane cabin, welcoming them back.

Tucker noticed something was odd. He not only saw it, but felt it. A queasy feeling grumbled in his gut, and his throat burned. He slowly crawled the car to a stop in front of the plane. Philip was lying in front of the headlights, writhing in a pool of blood.

"What the fuck!" Tucker shouted as he leaped out of the

car. Manuel and Kaeli followed suit. They jogged up behind him, then quickly flung themselves to the ground next to Philip. His eyes were wide and bleary. Three, deep gashes cut across his torso, revealing his ribs and organs. His arms and legs were cut too, sliced open by jagged, ripped cuts, almost as if something had stabbed him with sharp spikes and then shook them back and forth. Blood gushed out, forming a sloppy, watery puddle on the runway.

"I'm a doctor, Tucker, I can help him," Manuel said. Philip breathed in sharp sputters.

"It came so fast out of nowhere," Philip stammered. Kaeli rushed inside, presumably to grab a first aid kit.

"What did?" Manuel asked, using the sleeves of his shirt to attempt to hinder some of the bleeding. Tucker leaned over, mouth open, in shock.

"Tucker knows, oh God," Philip said. Manuel shot a glance at Tucker. Kaeli ran down the steps with a vinyl bag in hand. Philip rocked back and forth, and Manuel held his sleeve against his chest.

"It's gonna get us all," Philip sputtered. "It's gonna get us..." Those were Philip's last words before he lay back in a soupy pool of his own blood and died, his hazel eyes glassy and staring up into the stormy night sky.

"What was he talking about?" Kaeli asked, nervous. Her eyes fell on Tucker, who was equally as stunned. He shook his head, speechless. Manuel stood up, drenched in water and blood.

"I really don't know what he was talking about," Tucker said truthfully. "I have an idea but..."

"But what?"

"It's- No. It's not what happened, there's no way. Listen, just..." Tucker was now jumping all over the place. He shook his head multiple times, biting his finger.

"Look," he said after long last. "I have to get everyone else back to safety. Hopefully I'll be back in time to take care of everything. Get back on board. Stay inside. Then when I get back, the second we get a clear sky we are taking off and getting out of here. Do you understand?"

The two nodded. Tucker swiped back his hair with his hand and then walked over to the ground next to the steps. Lying there was one of the pilot guns. He picked it up, brushed it off with his pant leg, then pocketed it.

"I'll be back," he confirmed, then ran over to the car, practically throwing himself in. He immediately stomped on the accelerator, reversed towards the pathway, then spun the car around to face it. He floored it down the dirt road, and the lights bounced up and down as he went.

"What do you think could have done this?" Kaeli asked.

"To be honest," Manuel said. "I don't want to find out."