Project Far Reach

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Eddy stumbled and fell at Sister Andrea's feet. She couldn't help but chuckle. He looked up. It was quite obvious that he was exhausted, but he had held true and filled the container with pecans. Their was still the look of a wounded man in his eyes, until she got rid of it he would be no used to her.

For a moment she felt bad about what she would have to do to him, but she shook it off. It was for his own good. "All right well, nicely done. You have done everything asked of you so far, but there is still more work to be done, alright?"

"Alright." He didn't really have a choice. Besides, he wasn't going to let these people make him look weak just because he was from the city.

Andrea stared back at him, looking perhaps slightly impressed. "Good. Now follow me." She turned abruptly and started walking towards the jungle again.

Eddy picked up the containers and charged after her. Once they were in the jungle it was especially hard to keep up with her. How his life had come to such extremes was beyond him. Eventually they passed through the ruff jungle and entered a large swampy clearing. Massive trees were spaced out broadly. Probably only one tree per three football fields.

He couldn't help but admire the beauty of the place. The air smelt amazing; like an early morning fishing trip; like wild life. It was something reminiscent of deep in his past. Something primevil. Smells are analyzed by the old factory region of the brain. It is one of the most ancient areas of the brain and also the strongest link to memory.

The smells of the fresh air penetrated his every core. It was as if he had lived his entire life for this moment. At last he was home. He stood up straight for a moment. It was as though a heavy weight had been lifted from him shoulders. He closed his eyes and breathed in the air. He could almost taste the water. Smiling, he dredged on after Andrea, who was a hundred yards in front of him by then.

After she had walk about a half a mile into the spring swamps she turned around to make sure her disciple was following. She was surprised how close he was behind her. He was trekking with renewed vigor. Satisfied, she pushed onward even faster. She already knew that the better he did, the harder she would have to push him.

Noon turned into afternoon. The pair had been walking side-by-side for quite sometime now. Andrea had always loved coming here. The place brought back memories for her also. It was not long after she first arrived in Brazil Brother Jason had brought her here.

She was just a girl. It was day of her thirteenth birthday. Of all the monks, Jason took to her like glue. He was like her father. When the other girls would try to pick on her he would take up for her. He had even saved her life once, when she had ran away.

She had managed to hitch hike and walk over a hundred miles away from the monastery. Eventually she reached an uninhabited wasteland of clear-cut rain forest and even managed to get herself lost. Hungry, thirsty, and disoriented, she happened to come across the path of a population of feral dogs. The dogs had apparently been living wild for generations.

By the time she realized the dogs were in the area they were already on her trail. She manage to take shelter in an abandon shack just as it was getting dark. It was the longest night of her life. The dogs howled fiercely for the better half of the night, clawing at the door. She feared they would get in by breaking the door down and then it would be all over.

Eventually she fell asleep, fading into tormented dreams. Her mother. Her father. To her horror she relived their passing. Then she dreamed that the dogs somehow got in. They hovered over her bed while she lay asleep, drooling at the smell of her flesh. Then they devoured her. She awoke, startled, then looked outside.