by Rai Aren
As amazing as this place was, he also knew it was very dangerous. He sensed it. Going forward was a risk. But he was never one to back away from a challenge. This place made him feel alive. If he had nothing to go back to, then this would be his reason for existing for now. He would pursue the Lost City of Gold as though it was all he had to live for. Maybe it was. If he found that fabled place, then people would care, he would be known, and his name would go down in history, instead of fading to obscurity. He had to find it.
CHAPTER
5
Rick was startled awake by the sounds of Sergio getting up. Somehow he had managed to fall asleep. It was always the same routine, lying there awake for hours, thinking he’d never get to sleep, then finding his mind had given up due to exhaustion and he’d finally slept for a couple of hours.
He had kept pushing his experience with the crystal out of his mind. He knew Sergio wouldn’t relent on his refusal to discuss it. And Rick knew he couldn’t afford to lose focus. Out here that could be deadly. For now, he accepted, it would have to remain just one more mystery in their search for the golden city. He closed his eyes again and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyelids. He wasn’t sure how he had made it this long with so little sleep and stayed sane. At least he thought he was still sane.
“Buenos dias, Señor Rick,” Sergio said, smiling. “Today, we continue the hunt for treasure, si?”
Rick rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Treasure, si, Sergio. ¡Muy bueno,” he said, surprised by Sergio’s sudden change in mood. ‘Maybe he’d finally gotten excited about the possibility we might actually find the Lost City,’ Rick thought to himself, ‘instead of disappearing and dying a horrible death in the jungle.’
Sergio laughed. “¡Muy bueno, si!”
Rick smiled, slightly perplexed, and then lifted himself up. His back ached from the barely cushioned rocky floor and his clothes were damp. He got up and stretched. He was stiff and sore all over. He wasn’t a young man anymore. ‘When the hell had that happened?’ he wondered to himself. Most of the time, he still felt like his 23-year old self, right up until his body told him otherwise.
“I’ll make un fuego and brew some coffee,” Sergio said, “then we’ll have some breakfast.”
“Thanks, man,” Rick answered and took out a fresh set of clothes.
Sergio grabbed his things and headed out through the tunnel, past the waterfall, and into the gorge.
Rick changed clothes. He was grateful for Sergio’s help on this trip. In spite of his strange mood swings, he’d been a decent guide so far. Rick didn’t blame him for his misgivings. Saying you’ll do something and actually following through with it were two different things entirely. Rick knew what a risky venture this was, and unlike Sergio, he didn’t have much to go back to.
Rick gathered up his supplies, tucking everything back into his rucksack. He headed out through the tunnel exit, running his fingers across the gold imprisoned in the wall, feeling a thrill of excitement.
* * *
Sergio was busy getting a fire going, which wasn’t an easy task considering the spray from the falls. He had managed to find an area tucked around the side of the cave entrance, partially blocked by a rocky overhang above and trees to the side, about twenty feet away. He had rimmed the fire area with rocks to ensure it wouldn’t spread, in spite of the spray. He knew you could never be too careful where fire was concerned.
“Humedo,” Sergio said. “Very damp here, but I still make good fire.”
Rick laughed. “You’re an excellent guide, Sergio, the best.”
Sergio beamed. “Gracias.”
‘I’ll have to go back and thank that bartender for pointing me in Sergio’s direction,’ Rick thought to himself.
After a simple breakfast of coffee, peanut butter sandwiches and jerky, they put the fire out, and packed up their remaining supplies.
Sometime in the night, clouds had moved in and the sky was a bit overcast. The surrounding glow of the crystals was more muted. Still not many signs of jungle life, save for a few insects here and there, and the sounds of some birds far off in the trees.
‘Thankfully, no hints here of jaguars, so far,’ Rick thought. ‘Maybe this gorge isn’t a good hunting ground for them.’
Rick took out his binoculars to search for the hidden mountain pass. At least he hoped that’s what it was. He scanned the area, and found it again. He pulled out his compass. It spun wildly. “Figures,” he said.
Sergio glanced at the compass over Rick’s shoulder. He didn’t seem surprised by it.
“I guess we do this the old-fashioned way,” Rick said, sighing, “with our own eyes and senses.”
Sergio nodded. “Si.”
They headed out with Sergio in the lead this time. They marched through the crystal gorge, winding their way around the crystalline outcroppings, in the general direction of the pass, towards the edge of the gorge where the jungle resumed. Rick was still in awe of their surroundings, though at the same time leery of it after what had happened the day before.
Rick and Sergio stopped before entering the thick grove of jungle trees and foliage that blocked their path, searching for a way in. They spread out in either direction looking for anything that might be promising.
After nearly a half an hour of searching, Sergio spotted something. “Here, Señor Rick!” Sergio called out. “I think it’s a path,” he said as he pointed.
Rick ran over to him and took a look. The path he was referring to was only about four inches wide. “Are you sure?” he asked, feeling rather doubtful.
Sergio nodded. “Si, it’s old and overgrown,” he said, “but people have traveled this way before. Trust me.”
Rick pursed his lips. He realized Sergio knew more about ways through the jungle than he did. And he had to admit, everywhere else he had been looking so far showed no signs whatsoever of prior travel. He took a deep breath. “OK then, let’s go.”
* * *
They made their way through the narrow, overgrown path, with Sergio in the lead. The thin trail was even more difficult to traverse than it had first looked; it was so tangled and overrun with growth. The deeper in they went, the more sounds of the jungle were heard, buried deep in the jungle’s embrace. Monkeys, birds, and other wild sounds Rick couldn’t quite place. Here and there leaves rustled, but the inhabitants kept their privacy, hardly being seen by the two intruders.
Finally, after nearly two hours of walking through the dense and difficult jungle, they reached what appeared to be the base of the mountain pass. It was lined on one side by grey-ish blue crystals. These crystals were shorter than the ones in the gorge, but a bit wider. They also looked slightly more opaque, with white lines running through them. They had a strange inner glow, as though reacting to the slivers of light hitting them, peeking through from the soaring mountaintops above.
“This place just keeps getting more amazing,” Rick said, admiring their natural beauty. “I bet any of these crystals we’ve seen would fetch a small fortune...or maybe a large one.” His eyes sparkled with the thought as he looked up at his guide.
Sergio grunted in response. “We keep walking. Come.”
Rick nodded in agreement. “Right you are.” He wasn’t prepared to do any side excavating on this trip anyway. He needed to stay focused.
As they headed into the pass, the colors of the crystals morphed into darker shades of blue, green and a mottled yellow. The sides of the mountains soared to impossible heights above them. It was an imposing place.
Rick felt smaller, like he was stepping into a realm that would be very unforgiving if they took the slightest wrong step. “This is indeed a strange place,” he almost whispered.
“Si,” Sergio replied, not missing a step. He marched on.
Rick followed behind, but started to feel a little uneasy. It wasn’t just the surroundings. There was an energy in the air, on the wind, and an almost kinetic aspect to the landscape, like a faint vibration. He wasn’t sure if he was imagin
ing things again. He knew the jungle could do strange things to a person who had been in it too long. His heart began pounding in his chest, and his face felt very warm, although they hadn’t been walking that long. ‘Am I that out of shape?’ he wondered.
The day had warmed up considerably, but the clouds were still knitted together overhead, blocking out most of the direct sun. The humidity was lessening the higher they hiked, as the air grew increasingly thin.
He shouldn’t be feeling so hot temperature-wise right now, Rick told himself. Just then a breeze blew past him, and the sky darkened. He felt an almost electric sensation as the air hit the sweat on his skin.
Sergio lifted his hat and wiped his face with a handkerchief. He glanced up at the sky. It had an ominous look to it as the clouds took on a charcoal grey hue and grew larger and more angry-looking. The wind whipped by them again, this time cooler and faster. “Rain may be coming,” he said. “We should hurry.”
“Agreed,” Rick quickly replied. He didn’t want to be trapped in an unfamiliar mountain pass if a storm blew in.
They picked up their pace.
CHAPTER
6
Nearly an hour and a half into the journey through the pass, they still couldn’t see where it ended. They were gaining elevation steadily and the path jogged unevenly right, then left, and on and on seemingly without end. The mountains still soared overhead, but Rick knew they must have climbed quite high by now. There were no more crystals or vegetation here, only bare grey rock and small bits of scrub brush.
Suddenly, lightening flashed across the sky. Seconds later, it was followed by a booming thunder so loud they both jumped. It cracked through the air. Close on its heels was another boom, louder, even. They both gasped, as it assaulted their eardrums. It sounded like the mountainside was about to crack off.
Sergio glanced up nervously at the sky, which was now almost black.
The clouds overhead were roiling and zipping by quickly. The winds geared up again, whipping their faces.
Sergio grabbed his hat just before it blew off. The winds now howled through the narrow passageway. “We need shelter!” he yelled.
“Yeah! But where?” Rick answered, looking around. Sheer cliffs and an uneven rocky path were all he could see.
“Maybe there’s a cave somewhere!” Sergio said as he hurried ahead at a brisk pace. The ground was covered in loose shale, making it difficult to traverse quickly without slipping.
Rick took off his own hat, stuffing it in his rucksack as he followed behind his guide. The winds blew harder now.
Panic started to set in for the two travelers as they desperately searched for an outcropping or anything to provide them with some protection. The further into the passage they went, the narrower it became, until it was only wide enough for a single person.
A ferocious gust of wind blasted down the length of the pass, shrieking with fury. It hit them, knocking Sergio into the rockface, and almost bowling Rick over completely. He managed to catch himself with the palm of his hand against the wall of the pass just before he hit the ground.
“Whoa!” Rick shouted as he righted himself. His wrist throbbed from the sudden impact.
Inching forward, they hugged close to the rockface, bracing themselves against Mother Nature’s furious onslaught. Sergio spotted a bend in the path several feet ahead. He quickened his pace, desperate for any kind of shelter.
Rick struggled to keep up, continually having to shield his eyes and his face from the onslaught of grainy dust being whipped around by the wind and biting into his exposed flesh.
He momentarily lost sight of Sergio, as his guide rounded a sharp corner. He was about to yell out, when he nearly ran right into him. Sergio had stopped in his tracks, staring at something overhead.
The passage had narrowed even further. The area was even darker. The wind wasn’t hitting them as intensely for the moment, though it still howled far overhead.
“What the...” Rick started to say, but then he followed Sergio’s gaze. About twenty feet above was a rocky ledge, jutting out about a foot and a half, offering some protection from the winds. But that wasn’t what caught Sergio’s attention. Rick gasped.
Their eyes focused on a frightening image of huge, half-human looking creature carved into the solid rock wall. Nearly fifteen feet tall and three feet wide, it was an imposing figure. Its misshapen body was lean, almost emaciated-looking, and its long bony arms ended in what looked like claws. The creature’s shoulders and legs appeared to be covered in fur and its left arm was raised as though ready to strike.
The fearsome being held an orb in its outstretched right hand. Lightening-like emanations were scratched into the rock wall, emanating from the orb, pointing in all directions. The figure’s feet bore four long toes each, curled as though they gripped an edge, sharp claws protruding from them. It had long hair with a narrow face, and its lips were curled back, exposing rows of shark-like teeth. Its almond-shaped eyes were enlarged, much larger proportionally than a human’s and its face bore a menacing expression.
“Diablo,” Sergio whispered, as he made the sign of the cross.
“Devil indeed,” Rick said, as he visibly paled. The image was frightening and grotesque. ‘Definitely meant to scare the curious and unwelcome away,’ he thought.
“We must go back,” Sergio said. “This means muerte. Death.”
“Just wait,” Rick said, “let me think.”
“We go back!” Sergio insisted.
Just then the wind picked up again, and a dark shadow crossed overhead, quickly spilling down the mountainsides.
Rick shivered. “Sergio, it isn’t safe in this pass with that storm. We should keep moving.”
Sergio stood his ground, a deep frown etched across his face.
The wind howled, shaking them where they stood.
“We need to go!” Rick shouted above the ferocious winds. “It’s too far to go back!”
Sergio was about to protest, when another bright flash of lightening lit up the sky overhead, followed by another thunder boom. They instinctively ducked. Seconds later, a torrential downpour assailed them. The rains and winds were so loud they could hardly hear themselves think. The overhang provided precious little protection as the rains came in hard at an angle.
Rick knew he had to make a decision fast. “Sergio, let’s keep moving!” he yelled over the downpour. “I’ll lead!”
Sergio didn’t move. Rick grabbed his shirtsleeve and yanked him from his spot. “Come on!”
With Rick in the lead, they made their way up the narrow passageway as the storm raged on. They were soaked as the fierce rains and winds whipped them, making it hard to see. At times the pass narrowed so much they had to turn sideways to make it through. Rick ripped the back of his shirt against the rough, rocky wall. “Son of a....” he muttered to himself as he felt his skin get scratched as well. He was going to run out of clothes fast at this rate.
Drenched and freezing cold, they turned and squeezed their way through the foreboding passageway. The path grew steeper and more treacherous as they climbed. The lashing rains made it slippery and dangerous as the rocks were wet and the broken shale shifted under their feet.
Higher they climbed as the elevation increased, while rain and wind pounded at them ceaselessly, making it difficult to see. It had grown colder as well. They were soaked to the bone. After another hour of hiking, slipping and being pelted by rain, they stopped to catch their breath and drink some water. Finally, fifteen minutes later the rain started to let up.
“Thank the merciful gods,” Rick said, standing up a little straighter and wiping his face with his wet sleeve. His legs burned and his muscles twitched with the exertion of the climb and having to constantly steady himself on the slippery pathway. He felt like a rag doll that had seen a few cycles in a washing machine.
Sergio didn’t say anything. He was hunched over, his back leaning against the rocky wall, his hands on his knees, and breathing heavily. He looked up, h
is face was flushed, his eyes watery.
“Are you OK?” Rick asked, as he tried to catch his breath.
“Si,” he said, then nodded, “just tired.”
The rain was now only a soft trickle, but the sky overhead remained grey, just like the soaring stone walls of the rugged mountain pass.
Rick took a deep breath, starting to calm down from their battle with the storm. “I wonder how many others have travelled this path?” he mused. “I haven’t seen traces of anyone else anywhere we’ve been.”
“I think we are not alone in this journey,” Sergio said. “I feel that there have been others. I sense bad things ahead. I warn you.” His dark-eyed gaze was intense, direct.
Rick felt unnerved by his statement and his demeanor. He looked behind them, then above, and finally forward. He was nervous, but he weighed what Sergio said with his own plans and research. He considered both options, but he knew they were on the right path to find the Lost City. ‘I didn’t expect it to be easy,’ he thought.
Sergio waited for his response, his face and hair still dripping wet.
“I hear you,” Rick said, “and you’re probably right. Anyone known to have traveled this far and survived lived a long time ago. No one since has made it back to tell their story.”
Sergio looked vindicated. He crossed his arms.
“But, I’m still not turning back.”
Sergio’s face fell. He looked mad.
“It’s my decision, and this is my expedition, small as it is, so shall we?” Rick said, motioning ahead and placing a hand on Sergio’s shoulder. He felt the man tense slightly. “I’ll lead for a while.”
Sergio said nothing, an angry scowl etched across his dark features.
* * *
Once again, Rick led the way with Sergio trudging along behind. The rain had all but stopped now, and the clouds began to thin. As they marched forward, the passageway narrowed even further, and they had to squeeze through the now jagged edges of the walls.