The Fourth Man

The Scripture Of Code Eighty-Six

The Scripture Of Code Eighty-Six

The shout had sounded from a woman, and as the five boys sprinted out of the underfloor grave they found it had belonged to daisy.

"They took Jellah," she sobbed "They ran off into the forest."

"They?" asked Exo tentatively

"Four men as far as I could see.

Graham bounded down the stairs and landed next to them

"Are we alright?"

"Yeah, but Jellah-"

"I know, where were you lot when they escaped out the entrance?"

"Sorry," said Nerpato "But we found a grave over there."

"It's ok," Graham soothed "They all had guns, you would have been mowed down anyway. I'm surprised you didn't hear the gunfire; they killed Cairn, Freida, and Kahn, bullet wounds all over their torsos."

"I'm so sorry," Nerpato started

"It's ok," sighed Graham "We've got to put our lives on the line to find these ruthless killers and figure out what they want."

"And where they've taken Jellah," Daisy wailed. She looked like a fierce strong woman, but she had broken down now into hysterical sobs.

Krill and Qwasi joined them from upstairs

"We gave them a decent burial as best we could," Qwasi said solemnly "But there's no use wasting time bringing them out, we could be chasing their killers."

"I agree," said Graham "But we should head back to camp first, before we go running off aimlessly into the forest."

"Graham, I found this," said Krill, holding up an aged sheet of parchment "One of the attackers snatched it while he was in here, then dropped it at the top of the stairs."

"What is it?"

"The scripture of Code Eighty-Six."

"Maybe they aren't the only ones looking for answers."

Back at the camp they found Allan still tending to the fire, they quickly recited what had happened after he looked confused at the lack of people returning.

"Always said this island is bloody dangerous," he muttered, pottering around the fire.

He walked off and left Graham, Krill, Qwasi, Daisy and the boys sat together.

"Let's see what it says then," Exo indicated at the parchment

"Code Eighty-Six?" asked Graham "Suppose you boys won't know, here I'll read it out." he took a sip from a water canteen and un-scrolled the parchment out in front of him.

"This is the personal account of 'The First Man' cataloguing the events of 1786, what shall now be known as Code Eighty-Six. I have hidden away from the three islands and all their inhabitants as mother and father instructed all those years ago before the silent war, hidden away until they came back. The people needed me, but I did not know, for I was hidden, it took a man to find me, and he told me of the raging war. The Dark Things had returned, the fearsome and almighty powerful beasts were killing all those in Farland, only I could stop them. I did, I cast them down to the fiery depths of hell. I was crowned a hero, someone said I was the first real man the world had seen; I was The First Man. But I knew one day The Dark Things would return; so I went back into hiding, on my secret island, alongside a specially chosen bride. Alone I can have my one and only son, and although his mother is destined to die in childbirth - for that is my curse - I will raise him as The Second Man, before I have to pass on my powers and responsibilities, as I must, eventually, move on."

"Now that," exclaimed Nerpato "Is one hell of a story!"

"You can see why people are so scared at the mention of it," Jonathan said seriously.

"It's a dark patch of history," said Graham "And it's very real, let's pray it doesn't happen again."

"Well it could be too late for wishful thinking like that," said Jonathan

"What? Why?" asked Graham

"My dad told me he heard something, said it was something to do with Code Eighty-Six and that he had to get the Fourth Man. Then he died suddenly; drowned. Well, it seems pretty clear to me; it must have been a Dark Thing."