Vicious Memories

Chapter 3

"Hey," I hissed at Jessica. "Do you hear that?"

We'd been trekking through the jungle for the past twenty minutes. Trees flashed to our left and right, covered in ropy vines, ground vegetation shadowing each trunk like children around the legs of their parents. The sunlight battled its way through the dense foliage above our heads to marble the earth at our feet in inconsistent intervals.

Though the route we traveled wasn't entirely clear of obstacles, it was obviously no random path taken through the forest. Scott led us on a trail that was oft-traveled. Every once in a while the evidence of recently removed obstructions became visible in the form of hatchet marks on trees or half destroyed plants and bushes. The shadows started to grow long as the sun set to our left, which meant we were moving north.

"Hmm?" Jessica answered from behind me. I slowed for a few steps so she could catch up.

"There's a rustling in the trees," I said softly. "On our right. It's not natural."

A flash of alarm flew across her face quickly, then settled. She cocked her head to one side, one of her pigtails swinging over her shoulder. After a moment she frowned.

"The jungle makes weird noises sometimes. It can be disorienting. I've been here for a really long time and it still gets to me, especially if I'm alone."

A really long time?

"It's not jungle noises," I insisted. "It's new. Unnatural."

"Arun would have heard. He hears, like, everything."

"I'm telling you. Someone, or some very large animal, is out there."

Despite the ropes tying my hands behind my back, I felt an odd kinship toward group around me. Jessica had seen to that. And as long as we were together our fates were intertwined, which meant that I truly wasn't just trying to cause trouble.

My hackles rose, and where before I had only heard the occasional rustling of the wind, moan of branches, or odd birdsong, now there was something else entirely. It was the same instinct that had yelled at me down on the beach. Something stalked us, keeping pace. My gut told me so.

I tried to put this conviction into my face as I stared hard at Jessica.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Arun," she stage whispered. "Wait."

Walking two spots in front of me, Arun slowed but didn't turn.

"Patience is the companion of wisdom," I heard him mutter to himself. I almost laughed, but managed to reign it in. He turned, then spoke louder. "What is it this time?"

"Ollie heard something."

"Did he now?"

"Yes," I cut in. "To our right. Irregular rustling. Too loud. Someone is following us."

He sighed and put a hand up to his forehead. "The jungle makes noise sometimes, it can be—"

"Disorienting," I said. "I've heard. This isn't that."

"You're trying my patience. Be quiet or I'll have an excuse to gag you."

"And you're trying my patience," I said. "Just listen, would you?"

"I'm always listening, Stranger," he said, putting extra emphasis on the last word, making me wonder what he meant by it. "Now stop trying to slow us down."

"I heard something, too, Arun," Jessica said.

I could immediately tell she was lying for my benefit. She spoke firmly, like she had when she'd insisted we stop so I could regain my one retained memory. I got the feeling that it didn't happen very often.