Grounded On Juniper Island

Gorillas Gone Mad

 Coco jumped off the boulder, landing in front of Lior. He thundered his chest, warning the approaching to gorillas to stand back.

The volume in the cave was deafening as the opposing gorillas responded with howls. Their orange bodies flashed brighter as they approached Coco.

A semicircle formed around the lone gorilla. Coco's eyes darted back and forth, watching his peripheries closely. He and Dom sensed they were planning to ambush him at any second.

"Me want you to bring closer to me. We can escape together," said Hudson tugging at Dom's hand.

"It's going to be hard to get him over here Little Ukrthkai, we need a plan," said Dom who was still paying close attention to his beast.

"Perhaps I can trap them", said Jane stepping next to Dom.

"And I can break the ground underneath them," added in Oleg who stood side by side with Dom and Jane.

"Man, that all seem too dangerous," said Dom. He felt helpless as he watched the gorillas creep closer to Coco.

"Can we please hurry up and come with a plan? I really don't really want to end up pulverised in this dingy cave," said Lior. He delivered the words with strength but his friends knew there as an underlying fear beneath it.

"You do know you can join us up here mate? One bound and you're safe," said Oleg. He was surprised Lior hadn't thought of it earlier.

"Not without Coco." Lior wrapped his arms around the the beast's torso. His fingers struggled to reach its navel. The Bounder and the beast jumped backwards a few metres into the air and landed on the boulder next to Hudson. Lior sighed with relief, realising he had missed the sharpened jags of stalactites above them.

The gorillas turned their attention to Oleg. Their eyes focused on him as if they were beams of light ready to burn him. The bodies of the beasts grew even brighter to point where it looked like amber flames had consumed every inch of their skin.

"I have to get him," said Lior tightening his face.

"Bounder, the risk is too high man. I am not letting you go down there alone," said Dom furrowing his eyebrows at him. The expressions on his face told the tale of defeat.

"Who said we need to go down there?" said Jane. From the darkness behind them, a thick root shot its way to Oleg quickly wrapping around his chest.

"A bit tight," said Oleg with muffled breaths.

"I'm trying to save you." Her response was calm despite the howls and stomping of gorillas. Hudson leant on Jane as he pushed his palms against his ears.

The root gently swayed Oleg as it began to move into the air. The sight of the root venturing back to the boulder triggered the gorillas to sprint at Jane's creation.

It was a race between the six of them. They  ran towards him in the shape of an arrowhead. The brightness of the beasts gave Oleg no choice but to shield his face into a ball.

His friends watched on with dismay. Jane pressed her finger into her temple willing the root to move faster.

Sadly, the burliest of the beasts managed to reach the root. It clenched it with both hands, ripping out of the ground as if it was as light as a feather. Dust and debris exploded out of the ground, forming a dusty haze. Oleg sailed helplessly into the air, landing against the wall of cave with a crack.

Hudson and Lior looked away shocked as to what had happened. Dom shuddered fearing he had been broken in two, while Jane stood their frozen with water in her eyes. It felt like a piece of her had been torn from her soul.

"Oleg!" screamed Jane. She collapsed onto her knees. She pouted her bottom lip. The tears flowed uncontrollably and filled her nostrils with sorrowful mucus.

The gorilla was ecstatic. It rejoiced with a large roar and vicious pounds on its chest. The others gathered around and celebrated wildly too. Their excitement caused a stalactite to drop at the base of the boulder.

"Cursed creatures!" cried out Lior shaking his fist at the gorillas. His voice cracked as he said the words. I've let my mate down, he thought. A pang of guilt swam in his gut. He turned to Dom, leering at him for answers.

Dom scrunched up his mouth ashamed that he was perhaps the reason they were in this mess. He was fighting to keep his anger and regret from spilling over.

If only he had found a way out of here earlier.

If only he hadn't unveiled his revelations so suddenly.

If only he hadn't been stubborn and resentful towards the Bounders.

He felt broken, but like all wounds, they heal.

The sight of Oleg appearing from the darkness was the remedy that was needed.

However, it was strange.

The gorillas had vanished leaving no trace as to where they had gone to.

Oleg wasn't walking towards them, nor was he fully conscious. He was awake but his eyes rolled around as if he had just woken up from a nap. The boy was floating in the air, and behind him a short and plump figured lurked.

It was floating too and its eyes pulsated a deep shade of scarlet red.

"My oh my," the figure said. Its voice was reminiscent of nails being scrapped against a chalkboard. It felt so painful to Hudson, it started to give him a dull headache. "You have all come so far. Now let's see whether you make the right choice."

"Man, since when did we have a choice?" asked Dom projecting his voice with aggression.

"You only have one because I have given you one", replied the figure. A high pitch laugh bounced around in its closed mouth.

The sound brought a great sense of dread upon them all.