by Michael Cole
"He's a little misguided, Eric. That's all."
"I'm telling you, he is dangerous. If he wants to quit, Chris could probably take him back and join us later. In the meantime, I had Chris take his gun while he was sleeping so as to remove the bullets. He'll never know it's empty unless he pulls the trigger."
"What if he's attacked by a wild animal and needs to protect himself?"
"You still care for him, don't you?"
"Not in the way you think, but even with everything that has transpired, I can't just turn my back on him."
Eric took Catalina's hand in his. She found his nearness disconcerting. Something deep within her stirred an emotion she had never felt before. She leaned against him, putting her head on his shoulder. They sat that way in silence, content. Finally, she removed her hand from his. "I guess its time for me to turn in. Again, I can't thank you enough for saving my life."
With the moment broken, Eric laughed good-naturedly. "Think nothing of it. It's all in a day's work." As she turned to leave, he touched her arm tenderly. "You don't have to worry, Catalina. You can rely on me."
CHAPTER 22
As Catalina crawled into her tent, she couldn't get Eric out of her mind. She saw him as the antithesis of Phillip, whose inferior qualities had finally surfaced. Eric seemed to be a man who believed in living life to the fullest, his passion for adventure and zest for life contagious. He created rules for the benefit of others while Phillip was much more self-serving. Even though Catalina believed she was the only person Phillip had ever cared for, she now realized how his emotional scars had damaged and influenced his character. She also recognized that he basically didn't trust or feel comfortable around people. Over the years, her association with him had made her a recluse as well.
When she was with Phillip, she always felt as if he was putting on a show. His personality was like a storefront window. In the beginning, a person was tempted to buy what was in the showcase, but upon closer examination, the merchandise lost its luster. He had a way of twisting things she would say in order to make her feel guilty when, in reality, she had done nothing wrong. And how could he have proposed without telling her of his problem? What other skeletons might he still have stored in his closet? Because he hadn't disclosed to her such an important issue, she didn't think she could ever trust him again, much less love him. It was ironic that in all the years she'd known Phillip, his true character hadn't surfaced until they left civilization. The man was more afraid of the Amazon than she had ever been.
Catalina felt drawn to Eric because he didn't have a hidden agenda. He never tried to give the impression he was anything other than what he really was. True, he was a little rough around the edges, but at least he didn't try to mask his faults, nor did he put on any false pretenses. With Eric, what she saw was what she got. She admired his determination to find the Golden Disk of the Sun, not so much because it could make him wealthy, but because to him, it was a challenge. She felt he repeatedly braved the dangers of the rain forest to prove to himself that he possessed the intellect and physical endurance to conquer nature's threats. There was something about him she found invigorating. Whenever she was near him, Catalina felt alive.
The rain pelted her small tent with such force that she was afraid the weight of the water would collapse the canvas. When she opened the flap, she saw Eric standing guard over a smoldering fire. The rain, which was coming down in sheets, ran off his poncho onto the ground.
She closed her eyes and fantasized about making love to him. What would it be like to have him hold me tightly in his muscled arms. To have him kiss and caress me? Could two people who lived such totally different lives ever find a common ground? Whatever happens, I am thankful he has helped me see Phillip in a much clearer light.
* * *
The rain pelted Eric's poncho, but he didn't mind. The inconvenience it caused was offset by the fact he didn't have to contend with a multitude of insects. He glanced at his watch. It would soon be Chris's turn to stand guard. He took a pull on his flask, the alcohol warming his insides. Eric thought about Phillip. He'd come to the conclusion that Phillip Nash was unraveling. He was definitely losing his grip. With every passing day, the man became more bitter and withdrawn, but today proved to be disastrous for him, and almost catastrophic for Catalina. If she had died, a young beautiful woman like that, I would have to live with the guilt for the rest of my life.
Eric was glad Phillip had been exposed not only as a coward, but also as someone who was unable to perform under pressure. He was certain Phillip had lost not only his self-respect, but Catalina's respect as well. Eric was now much more leery of the man. He knew from experience that irrational, desperate men like Phillip often acted in an unpredictable manner; a dangerous thing to do in the Amazon.
When Eric first met Phillip, he wondered what an attractive, vivacious woman like Catalina could ever see in someone as stodgy and so full of himself. He was aware Phillip had a lot of money, but he didn't get the impression Catalina stayed with him for his wealth. So what was the draw? Under normal circumstances, he would have made a play for her, but Phillip's possessiveness and jealous nature made him cautious and apprehensive. The last thing he wanted was a major confrontation. Maybe in a bar in Manaus, but certainly not on the edge of a precipice climbing Muela Del Diablo. He decided the only thing he could do was give Catalina some space and bide his time.
* * *
Phillip was restless. He could hear the rain hit the sagging canvas of his tent, the rivulets forming a puddle next to his sleeping bag. He was devastated over Catalina's last words: "Don't you dare touch me! You disgust me."
How could he have been so stupid as to blurt out the truth? Talk about lousy timing! He'd cringed when the shocked look on Catalina's face had turned to disgust. When she had accused him of being an emotional coward, he had wanted to let her feel the pain and humiliation that he'd lived with for so many years. Today, Catalina had penetrated his fa?ade of self-assurance, the false bravado, only to discover that he was full of fear and self-doubt. For the first time, he sensed her disappointment in him.
Lying on his back, he cursed out loud, regretting the day he'd agreed they search for the Golden Disk of the Sun. Ever since he'd laid eyes on Shade, he had known there would be friction between them. It irked him that the guide had absolutely no humility. Phillip had discovered early in life that most people were in awe of his wealth. It gave him power; it set him apart from the crowd. But Eric, the pompous ass, could have cared less. He wasn't in the least bit impressed. In fact, he was of the opinion that Eric Shade didn't much care whether he had money or not.
Phillip felt the tarantula before he saw it. He watched as the large, hairy creature crawled up his sleeping bag toward his chest. Earlier, he had found one in front of his tent. He'd drawn his gun ready to put a bullet in the ugly-looking creature, but Eric had stopped him. "Tarrantulas are not dangerous to humans. They are an integral part of the Amazon's ecological environment," he'd said. "Fortunately for us, they keep the insect population under control."
But Eric Shade was not here. Slowly taking his gun from its holster, Phillip waited for the hairy creature to crawl closer. In one swift movement, he knocked it to the ground. His aim had been perfect. The butt of his pistol connected with the tarantula, squashing it. He scooped the dead spider out of his tent. This is what I think of you and your ecological system, Dr. Eric Shade.
Not only did he dislike Shade personally, but as much as he hated to admit it, he was also jealous of him. From the very beginning, he had sensed a chemistry between Eric and Catalina. There was a synergy there he just couldn't describe. The more they were together, the more Catalina seemed to look toward Shade rather than to him for advice. Phillip blamed Shade for making him feel incompetent in Catalina's eyes, but he felt confident that once they returned to California, the two would continue as before.
He didn't think Catalina, who had grown accustomed to the finer things life had to offer, would forgo her co
mfortable and secure environment for a penniless ex-history professor like Shade. So he had to keep him penniless and the way to do it was to make certain they never found the Golden Disk of the Sun. Without the gold or the finder's fee the government would pay, Shade would receive no fortune, and Catalina would still need him; while with it, he would be certain to lose her.
His mind raced. Catalina had told him that at some point in time, Shade wanted to see the actual derrotero. The best way to thwart the search for the treasure would be for him to get ahold of it. He knew Catalina kept it in a waterproof wallet which she wore around her waist. All he had to do was take it from her. It wouldn't even be stealing because the derrotero belonged to him. That settled, he rolled over and went to sleep.
When he woke the next morning, he could no longer hear the rain. As he crawled out of his tent, he saw Shade approaching. "Okay, Phillip. Break camp. We have some serious walking to do."
He smiled inwardly. Just you wait, Eric Shade. You're about to get your comeuppance.
CHAPTER 23
While Chris was repacking some of their supplies, Eric approached Catalina with his copy of the derrotero in hand. "I want to read this to you: 'Momentos antes que usted alcanza las Colinas de las montanas usted vendra sobre un lago grande.'?"
"I don't speak Spanish well," Catalina said, "but doesn't that mean, 'Just before you reach the foothills of the mountains, you will come upon a large lake'?"
Eric carefully folded the derrotero and put it back into his pocket. "Your Spanish is better than you think. I'm certain Valverde meant the mountain's plateau and not the foothills. Hell, we were in the foothills three days ago. Just another example of faulty grammar I would say; however, Valverde is right about the lake. I'm certain he was referring to Rio Topo. If we're lucky, we might reach it by nightfall."
"Is there a problem?" Catalina asked.
"No. No problem," Eric replied. "I just wanted to make sure we're on track. We are heading west, and that's where the lake is."
Once they broke camp, Eric gathered them together. "By this afternoon, we will leave the bank of the Xingu River. By this evening, if we're lucky, we should reach a lake Valverde referred to as a large body of water. That's because in those days it hadn't been given a name. I'm sure he was referring to Rio Topo. There is no other lake of any size that I'm aware of between here and the crest of the mountain. It's a lake that divides the southern slope of Muela Del Diablo from a broad valley. The area we are about to enter is often referred to as the border between the livable and the unlivable world." Eric added, "Before we can get there, we'll have to overcome two major obstacles. The giant espada?a grass is so thick in these parts that sometimes you can't even see the light of day. Remember what I told you. The blades are razor-sharp so proceed with caution. We'll walk single file. Whoever is at the lead, make sure you cut a wide path. Give yourself plenty of elbow room."
"What's the other obstacle?" Catalina asked.
"As we approach the western slope, we'll have to climb several rocky ledges. Don't let their looks fool you. They aren't too steep, but nevertheless they are treacherous to cross. The region is barren. It's a wasteland in the middle of the Amazon where nothing grows. The ground is mostly composed of dry, brittle volcanic rock, which crumbles easily. Because it breaks apart under pressure, it makes walking dangerous. The ledges have been known to collapse underfoot causing slides."
A pained expression appeared on Catalina's face. "If these ledges are that dangerous, can't we take a safer route?"
"As I told you before, the only other way to get to the western slope of the mountain would be to climb a sheer cliff. The route I'm suggesting is much, much safer. Once we're there, we should be in the area I referred to earlier."
"I take it you mean Suchu Urcu," Catalina said. "How are you going to know when we've reached it?"
"There are some ruins there. It might have been a city at one time. Valverde said to look for some broken columns and a large stone wall. I've been to the ruins once so I don't think we will have any trouble finding them-even though only a small portion of the wall exists. As I recall, broken columns were scattered everywhere. Since some of the writing on the copy of the derrotero is smudged, from that point on, I'm going to have to rely on the original."
* * *
Once they crossed the espada?a, they entered a different world. Barren as a desert, the rocky terrain loomed before them. Where only a few minutes ago vines and heavy vegetation had impeded their climb, nothing but a vast, desolate stretch of rocks lined the infertile slope.
"I'll go first," Eric said. "Have you ever seen a war movie where a point man searches for land mines while the rest of the platoon walks directly behind?"
Catalina laughed. "Are you telling me there are land mines, too?"
Eric chuckled. "No. That's one thing we don't have to worry about. In order to minimize the chances of anyone getting hurt, you need to follow in my footsteps. Phillip will walk behind you, and Chris will take up the rear. If I slip, don't try to help me as you might cause a slide, which could endanger not only you but Phillip and Chris as well."
Catalina glanced at Phillip. Ever since their argument, he had been avoiding her gaze. At least he had stopped heckling Eric, but she still felt as if she were walking on eggshells around the two men.
They walked carefully in Eric's footsteps for an hour or so when Eric signaled it was time to take a break. He was drinking water from his canteen, when Catalina walked up to him. As she wiped the beads of perspiration from her forehead, she asked, "It's obvious Chris worships you. He appears to be quite familiar with this mountain, yet he seems to hang on to your every word."
"It's probably because I saved his life once. In fact, if I remember correctly, it was right around this area."
"What happened?"
"It was getting dark. We'd taken a break, exhausted from wielding our machetes. He sat down on a rock similar to the one you are sitting on. Suddenly, I heard him yell. He complained of a searing pain. Without realizing it, he had sat down on a coiled snake. Naturally the snake showed its displeasure by injecting its poisonous venom into his buttocks."
"What did you do?"
"The first thing I did was cut the snake's head off with my machete. Then I made two perpendicular cuts on his rear end and sucked the poison out. Let me tell you, it was not pleasant. Now whenever I get angry at him, I tell him that I kissed his ass once, and that's enough for a lifetime."
Catalina laughed. "I never know when you are serious or just pulling my leg."
Eric walked in front of Catalina. "Follow me. We'd better get a move on, or Phillip will start complaining again."
She walked up to face him and looked straight into his eyes. "The hell with Phillip."
There was a moment of silence. Then he squeezed her hand. "We'd better go. They're waiting for us."
Walking single file, they followed Eric to the slide area. Catalina hadn't gone more than a few feet when she heard Phillip's voice behind her. "Don't worry. If you slip, I won't let you fall."
She was aware this was Phillip's attempt to get back into her good graces. As far as she was concerned, he had already shown his true colors. She couldn't resist saying, "Didn't you hear what Eric said? If you try to help me, you could cause the entire shelf to buckle." She regretted saying the words as soon as they left her mouth. As long as they were together in the wilderness, she saw no point in making a thorny situation even more difficult. "I thank you for your offer, though," she added. She heard Phillip grumbling. Just the mere mention of Eric's name was enough to set him off.
Their climb wasn't steep, just tedious. Watching Eric, Catalina made every effort to step directly where he trod; however, because the shale kept crumbling beneath her boots, it made walking difficult. Eric was nearly to the top of a ridge when his foot slipped. Flailing his arms, he struggled to maintain his balance. Instinctively, Catalina grabbed him just before he toppled over. She placed her arms around his waist and held on for
dear life. Her action did break his fall; however, loose rocks and shale started to tumble downward, which caused Phillip and Chris to lose their footing.
"Whatever you do, don't panic!" Eric yelled as they started to slide down the incline. Chris managed to dig his heels into the ground, halting his descent. Phillip slid a little farther, but he, too, avoided toppling over the precipice.
"Everyone okay?" Eric shouted, then he turned to Catalina. "You were brave, but foolish," he admonished. "What you just did could've killed all of us."
Visibly shaken, Catalina replied, "I just didn't think."
Phillip's tone was full of sarcasm. "Didn't think? In saving Eric, you could have injured me. Did you ever stop to think about me?"
Me, me, me. That's all he ever thinks of. Catalina grimaced.
Phillip continued to voice his displeasure. "I guess I know where I stand in terms of your priorities."
Eric's voice broke the tension. "What's done is done. Let's not make an issue out of it. Fortunately, no one was hurt. We need to move on, or we will never reach Rio Topo before nightfall."
CHAPTER 24
Having crossed the rocky ledge, they were now back in the rain forest approximately a third of the way up the mountain when the fog rolled in. It covered the Amazon like a thick blanket making it almost impossible to see six feet in front of them. Eric voiced his displeasure. "Damn this weather. These fogs come and go. We have no choice, but to stay put. Let's hope it passes over us soon."
Catalina chose a large, flat rock to sit on while they waited. She thought back to what had happened earlier in the day and how she had come to Eric's rescue. Would she have reacted the same way had Phillip been the one to slip? Poor Phillip. He is totally out of his element here in the wilderness. This is the one place in the world where all of his money can't help him.
Suddenly, an animal's snarl broke through the silence. Eric grabbed his rifle and aimed toward the thicket. Chris was now at Eric's side. He, too, had his revolver out pointing in the same direction. Just then a large cat sprang out of the jungle and charged. When two hundred pounds of fury leaped in Catalina's direction, she screamed, but her scream was partially drowned out by two shots fired almost simultaneously. Before she could react, lying practically at her feet was a motionless cougar.