by Blair Drake
“Like mountain lions?” Jasper gave him a brief smile.
“Yes, among other things. Cheetahs, leopards, panthers, hippos, and poisonous snakes. An endless number of dangerous animals live out on the plains.”
Once again, Jasper shuddered. The jungle was bad enough. Now he discovered there would be far worse things ahead than the odd leech and mosquito going after his blood. He wondered if he’d need to put his magical strength to the test again.
Rylan yawned. “Best get some sleep, boy. We have another long day ahead of us.” With that, he stretched out on the forest floor, using his knapsack for a pillow.
It hardly seemed any time at all before gentle snores emanated from Rylan’s direction. Jasper grinned to himself and readied for bed. By the aid of moonlight, he stepped outside their makeshift camp and made his way along what appeared to be some kind of rough path. It must be made by animals. He was sure no other humans were stupid enough to venture forth into such a hot and steamy place. He thought of the cool, spring air back home and grimaced. In that moment, he’d kill for a cold bath.
Needing to take a leak, he followed the track a short distance then opened the fly of his pants. He was just about to relieve himself when he saw something that turned his blood to ice.
Poised not more than twenty feet away stood a gigantic hairy spider. It was twice as big as his dad’s pickup. The sight of it sent terror racing through his veins. It towered over him with an enormous body and eight long, hairy legs. Its fangs gleamed dangerously in the soft moonlight. He could almost feel its venomous bite.
The round and bulbous eyes stared at him as if it were sizing up its prey. Any moment, Jasper expected it to pounce and paralyze him with its venom. His heart pounded. Sweat broke out across his brow. He tried to call Rylan, but his voice came out in a squeak that wouldn’t wake a field mouse.
Barely daring to move, he weighed his chances of making a successful run for it back to the camp. After all, Rylan had his club and it could prove a handy weapon against the spider. It might not even the playing field, but it would be better than nothing.
The monster spider sidled closer, and Jasper’s heart leaped in his throat. The thoughts continued to race around his head as he poised for flight. Really, what choice did he have? He couldn’t stand there all night on the off chance the spider might lose interest and wander away. If he could outrun the thing and get back to Rylan, he just might stand a chance.
With that thought in mind, he turned on his heel and tore off in the direction he’d come. With arms and legs pumping, he bounded along the path, praying an unseen root wouldn’t rise up and trip him over. As if he’d conjured up the possibility, the very next moment something caught his shoe, and he hurtled headfirst through the air. He flailed helplessly, grasping and groping at air, then fell hard upon the ground. With the wind knocked from his lungs, he gasped in agony.
The pain in his chest was enormous. “Rylan,” he croaked. Then he heard a noise above him and looked up. The spider.
It rose above him like some terrible creature summoned from his worst nightmare. Its eyes glowed icy-blue, its fangs burned red. Its legs were as thick as telephone poles. It advanced upon him slowly.
Helpless to get away, he screamed.
As his fear morphed into terror, a shaft of electricity bolted through him, and a tingling started in his arms. He looked down and saw his school pin glowing red. He felt the heat of the light on his chest.
And then his whole body trembled. It was like what happened before. Filled with a surge of courage and determination, he sprang to his feet. The spider continued to advance, but this time Jasper stood his ground.
“Come on,” he taunted the creature, looking it straight in the eye. “Come on. You think you’re so high and mighty. Let’s see how you cope with this.”
And with that, Jasper kicked hard at the spider and connected with one of its legs. He heard the distinct sound of its exoskeleton breaking and the startled cry from the spider’s mouth. The bulbous eyes blinked in surprise. Pain dulled the icy-blue glow. But just as quickly, the spider recovered and came at him again.
One leg down and seven to go… It would take him forever to break its legs one at a time. He needed to think of something else, some other way to defeat this strange and fantastic beast. Frantically glancing around him, he spied a thick tree branch. He hurled himself at it and grabbed hold of it, snapping it from its trunk. He wielded it like a baton, swinging it back and forth. This time he connected with two more legs, then a fourth. Each blow was accompanied by the spider’s shriek of distress.
The creature wobbled for a moment and then summoned some inner strength. It came at Jasper with its fangs bared, the pointy ends burning red hot. It opened its mouth and let out a primeval sound that set Jasper’s hair on end. Determined not to let his terror overwhelm him, Jasper went in with the makeshift baton again.
Swinging the weapon hard at a frantic pace, he connected with every part of the spider he could reach. Miraculously, buffeted this way and that, the creature held its ground, although its eyes looked dazed and confused.
Four legs down, and it wasn’t quite as steady. Jasper went in again. Taking advantage of the spider’s bewilderment, he slashed at the beast again. Blow after blow he rained on the huge rounded belly until at last, the branch smashed its shell, and like the gas being let out of a hot air balloon, the body of the spider caved in.
As Jasper watched in shock and disbelief, what was left of the arachnid collapsed. Gasping his relief, he tossed the branch aside and stumbled away, then fell to the ground, so exhausted he could no longer hold himself upright. With his head in his hands, he sucked in air and tried to come to terms with what happened, with what he just did.
And then came an odor so awful Jasper knew he was going to be sick. The spider’s fetid stomach contents poured over the ground toward him, thick and viscous and hot. He scrambled away on all fours, but still the thick goo followed him… And then it caught up with him. It was on his legs, his arms, his chest. Soon it would cover his face, smother him. Retching violently, tears sprang to his eyes and hopelessness overcame him.
“Get out of the way, boy! Don’t just sit there!”
Rylan’s bellow broke through his fog. Jasper dragged his head up and saw the old healer beckoning to him. Finding another surge of strength deep inside him, Jasper crawled forward a few more yards and eventually climbed to his feet. Running as fast as he could, he followed Rylan out of the river of filth.
The pair of them scrambled up on a mound made of some kind of hard-packed earth. It wasn’t until they reached the top and were out of the way of the spider’s guts that Jasper drew breath.
“Phew, boy!” Rylan exclaimed, waving a hand in front of his face. “What the hell was that all about? And what on earth is that stench?”
Beyond words, Jasper merely shrugged and then was overcome with a fit of the shakes. He’d fought a gigantic spider and then nearly drowned in its fetid waste. He stunk like the worst kind of dead animal and yet he’d survived. Almost on the edge of hysteria, he was relieved to be alive.
Once again, his magical power had saved him from certain death. He was still amazed he possessed it, and at that moment he was mighty thankful he did. In fact, he was beginning to wonder how he’d managed to go seventeen years without it.
The sun kissed his face with warmth when he finally opened his eyes. Morning had arrived and with it another day of challenges. They’d been traveling for five days and were still at least a week from their destination. They trudged through the rainforest and beat off the mosquitoes. Leeches as thick as Jasper’s wrist attacked his ankles, somehow sliding under his socks to reach the vulnerable warm skin beneath. Twice he tripped over thick buttress roots and landed heavily on his knees, both times jarring his spine. The second time, he tasted blood and figured he put his teeth through his lip.
He wanted to ask Rylan to stop, to use his healing powers to take away the pain, but another pause would
only delay them further, and they’d already fallen behind. Thanks to Jasper’s run-in with the spider, he’d slept later than usual. He was grateful Rylan had allowed him the extra rest, but they needed to make up time if they were to reach the cave before the next full moon. The knowledge kept him moving forward without complaint.
And then with Rylan’s uncanny ability to read Jasper’s thoughts, a few miles further on the old man called out. “Let’s rest awhile up yonder, boy. We’ll halt at the next fallen log. It’s right up ahead.”
Jasper was flooded with relief. Once again, Rylan opened his knapsack and handed Jasper some food—a handful of dried fruit, nuts, another hunk of cheese, and a small piece of bread. Jasper didn’t know how many supplies Rylan packed, but they’d been largely eating out of his pack for the past five days. The supplies couldn’t last forever, even doled out in miniscule amounts as Rylan did. He hoped they found more berries and maybe some fresh meat like they had the day before. It wasn’t much, but everything counted right now.
“We should hit the river in the next day or so. We’ll be able to stop there and fish. We follow the river for most of the way to the cave. If we’re lucky, we’ll dine on fish from there on.”
Jasper felt a stirring of curiosity. “The cave?”
“Yes. Don’t ye remember? According to the book, that’s where the golden stone’s hidden.”
Jasper nodded. He had vague recollections of Rylan talking about a cave. With all that had been going on, he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined it. “How will we find it?”
“Unfortunately, the book is silent on the exact whereabouts. It’s located deep in the forest—not this forest. There’s another one on the other side of the river. I’m hoping when we get somewhere in the vicinity, ye’ll get a sense of something that might help us narrow down the location. After all, ye are the one the gods sent to find it.” Rylan chuckled. “I have confidence they’ll also send ye one or two handy clues.”
Jasper compressed his lips, not at all amused. He didn’t blame the healer for putting his faith in the gods. Jasper knew from his history lessons people living on earth in the seventeenth century often put stock in such things. Life on Ardhi didn’t appear to be much different. He offered Rylan a tight smile.
“Let’s hope you’re right.” Making a bed amongst the rotted vegetation that lay on the forest floor, he settled down to rest. He wondered about the man who lay down a short distance away. What was Rylan’s life like under the spell? Despite the tiring day and the lateness of the hour, sleep eluded him.
“Did you ever marry, Rylan?”
“Why would ye ask me something like that?” came the guarded reply.
“Well, you told me you were only twenty when you fell in love with the princess. Then she was lost to you. I wondered what it’s like living under the spell and whether you found someone else.”
Rylan was silent for a long moment and then let out a heavy sigh. “No, boy. There was no one else. For me, it was only Aeysha. My heart was crushed beyond recognition the day I found out she’d died. And then of course, the King put this spell on me. Once I stood as tall as other men. I was stronger than an ox. Now I’m the brunt of cruel jokes, a laughing stock. My magical powers diminish day by day. Who’d want to be married to a man like me?”
Jasper’s chest tightened with sadness. He wished there was something he could say to bring the old man comfort. “What about your daughter?” he asked. “What happened to her?”
“I don’t know for sure. I heard she was banished to the forest, like a criminal. I heard other rumors she was drowned shortly after her birth. There were still others who swore she was adopted out to a gypsy family that happened to be passing by. Who knows where the truth lies? I like to think she’s alive somewhere and living a happy life, but I just don’t know…”
His voice drifted off. The depth of sadness and melancholy in his tone brought tears to Jasper’s eyes. He couldn’t imagine losing the woman he loved and their child. It must have been devastating. He wanted to ask Rylan more questions, but it was obvious the man had said all he was going to say that evening.
“Good night, boy.”
“Good night, Rylan.”
It barely felt like he’d closed his eyes when Jasper was startled awake. He stared into the darkness, his heart pounding, unsure of what woke him. The night was black as pitch, and silent as the study hall after Headmaster Auster passed by the door, but something had interrupted his sleep, and he had to find out what.
Sitting upright, he paused and listened. The wind whispered through the trees, rustling the leaves and grasses, but that wasn’t what disturbed him. No, it was the guttural howl starting off low and deep and gradually picking up force and substance. There it was again. It sounded like nothing Jasper had ever heard—like a wounded animal, trapped and enraged. The sound lifted in intensity and was bloodcurdling enough it raised the hair on the back of his neck. It reminded him of the sound he’d heard during the storm that brought him to this land in the first place.
What can it be? It sounds way too close. Do we have time to run? Rylan. Where is he? Jasper couldn’t see him in the dark.
“Rylan!” he called out in a harsh whisper. “Can you hear that?”
There was no answer. He tried again, this time lifting his voice over the wind. “Rylan! Are you awake?”
Still, no answer. Coming to his feet, Jasper stumbled in the dark to the spot where he saw Rylan lay down his head. The space was empty. Feeling with his hands, Jasper came across Rylan’s knapsack, confirming he’d found the right place.
Where was Rylan? If he were awake, as he surely must be, why hadn’t he warned Jasper about what lurked in the darkness, howling as if it were filled with pain to the point of madness? The animal wasn’t too far away and possibly headed in their direction. What should I do?
Filled with indecision, Jasper remained standing in the forest, waiting, wondering if the howl would come again. He’d almost given up on it when he heard the sound again. This time much closer.
His heart leaped in his chest at the rawness of it. So filled with anguish, it sounded almost human. But that was ridiculous. He and Rylan traveled for the better part of a week and hadn’t seen a single other person, despite the fact Rylan told him criminals were banished to these parts.
No, it had to be his imagination. It must be some kind of wild animal. Perhaps caught in a trap? That thought gave him pause. Though the sound that rent the darkness filled him with fear, the thought of an animal in pain tugged at his heart strings.
He’d always loved animals. He could still remember the basset hound he was given as a kid. He loved that dog to death. He’d even wanted to sleep with it. It was only because there wasn’t enough room in Toby’s kennel, and his parents refused to let him keep him in Jasper’s room, that they’d spent their nights apart.
And then Toby was run over by a motorist who hadn’t been paying attention. It wasn’t like the dog had any warning the speeding vehicle was coming his way. The car appeared out of nowhere, racing down their street. Jasper was lucky they both weren’t hit.
By some miracle, he managed to dive out of the way as the driver fishtailed along the street. Mounting the gutter, the pickup truck came to a halt halfway across Jasper’s front lawn. Jasper survived the incident, but only just. Toby wasn’t so lucky.
Jasper still remembered the whimpers and pain-filled cries Toby made. Tears blinded Jasper’s vision as he held his broken dog in his arms. In the end, his dad pried him away, telling him gently the dog was dead. Jasper hadn’t wanted to believe it. Even now, the thought of Toby brought tears to his eyes.
The howl of anguish came again, and this time Jasper took action. Man or animal, it needed help. If it turned out it came from one of the banished criminals, then so be it. He couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Man or animal, either way, he had to find out for certain who or what was injured and offer what assistance he could.
With his mind made up, he crept along in the
darkness. His eyes slowly adjusted, and he could discern objects in the shadows. Picking his way between fallen tree trunks, huge ferns, and moss-covered boulders, he followed the sounds of distress.
By the time he felt he was close, he was already lightly puffing. Even under cover of darkness, the humidity in the rainforest was stifling. The lack of oxygen made it difficult to breathe, and even though he was down to his school shirt and pants, a film of sweat coated his upper lip and forehead.
And then the howl came again and Jasper stopped. It was just ahead. With his heart in his throat, he pushed back a branch and stared in astonishment. A small clearing opened up in front of him, and in the middle was an enormous silverback gorilla. It stood at least six feet high and surely weighed more than three hundred and fifty pounds. And then it pounded its chest and opened its mouth and let out another painful cry. Goosebumps broke out along Jasper’s flesh and his heart beat double time.
The gorilla didn’t appear to be hurt, but it sounded mournful and pained. As the howl died away, it fell back to all fours and began to pace back and forth. A muttering sound issued forth as it tossed its head from side to side. It was almost as if it were arguing with itself. Jasper watched in amazement and wonder and the fear inside him eased. It was obvious the animal didn’t mean him any harm. In fact, he didn’t appear to even know Jasper was there. He strode up and down, back and forth, and all the time he muttered low and unintelligible sounds.
Jasper took a step forward to see better, and his foot came down on a tree branch in the dark. The snap, as Jasper’s weight came down on it, sounded like the crack of a rifle. The silverback immediately stilled and lifted its head in the air as if it were listening for the source of the sound, watching intently, smelling the air for danger. Jasper held his breath.