by C. O. Amal
“That’s exactly where we are going tomorrow.” Samson whispered himself.
“What?” Jasper asked.
“Tomorrow we are going to that forest to research on some human monkey activity.” Samson said.
“Then good luck on that. It could be the human monkeys then.” Jasper said.
“It could be…” Samson said and left them to his room.
Chapter 24
Deep inside a forest
“Kane, David, come here. You guys have to see this.” An old man with large beard and moustache called out.
“What is it Mason?” A middle aged man with the same large beard and moustache came forward and asked.
“Kane you have to see this. Something is happening inside the forest. I have detected some heavy movement in the lower edges of forest.” Mason said.
“What is this important matter?” Another middle aged man stood beside Kane and asked.
“David, it’s good of you to join us.” Mason said with a deep sigh. “I have detected some heavy movement near forest edges. We may have to shift our camp to one of the tree house. It could be those wolfish creatures.”
“Ok then. Take everything. We are moving to the tree house.” David said.
They take all the equipment from the makeshift camp and moved everything to one of the tree houses near the camp. The tree house is large enough to accommodate three adults. There are two other tree houses in the nearby trees. The trees they have chosen for the tree houses is very large. Its canopy is covering the entire camp. Once they are satisfied with everything, all three of them climb the rope ladder to a tree house. They draw back the rope ladder into the tree house. Mason took a large tablet like device in his palm and switched it on.
“Looks like we are right on time. The things moving has entered into our boundary.” Mason said.
“What? What are those things?” Kane asked.
“I don't know. It may be those wolfish creatures or some other animals.” Mason said.
They waited for an hour for the creatures to pass. Then they saw it. There are about hundreds of those. The human monkeys who have once been normal people of Green planet. They are all moving in a formation as a pack.
“Where are they all going?” Kane asked.
“May be they are going in search for food. Or it may be those bastards Xhilarians trying to experiment on them.” Mason said.
“They are seemed to have attracted to something.” David said.
“Your right. They all are moving in one direction. It could be those Xhilarians making trap for them. If that project omega leaf was very active those creatures would have been a memory.” Mason said.
“You often say that. What exactly happen to project omega leaf?” David asked.
“It just stopped communicating with us. It may have been destroyed by those Xhilarians or there may be some malfunction on the ship which destroyed the ship along with our project.” Mason said. “It was our final line of defence.” Mason took deep sigh. “Any way we have to count on those humans who have arrived here. They may be our last hope.”
“Where do you think they came from?” Kane asked.
“Who?” Mason asked.
“The humans.” Kane said.
“My guess is that they are from planet earth of Milky Way galaxy.” Mason said.
“Well how did they found us?” David asked.
“May be some of our people have contacted them for help. It is desperate time. People will do all sort of things to survive.” Mason said.
The human monkeys all have moved further away from the camp.
“Do we have to follow them?” David asked.
“No. We wait until night. Then we could search the perimeter as we have done before.” Mason said.
“Ok. But do you think that we have waited long enough already?” Kane asked.
“What do you mean?” Mason asked.
“Well we have been here for a long time hiding here. Those humans could help us if we moved from this place to their location. There could be food for us. Shelter, weapons, you name it. Only if we get out of this place.” Kane said.
“Well if those wolfish creatures weren’t patrolling the forest perimeter you were right. But those things are out there. Our people’s hopes are us. We have to survive as long as we can and find out all the weakness of our enemies. We have to defeat them and should take back our planet from them.” Mason said.
“Your right. But we may can still get out of here without getting caught. If we are careful.” Kane said.
“I can’t afford to take any chances.” Mason said.
“Mason’s right. We can’t afford to take any chances. We have to wait for the humans to find us.” David said.
They waited for an hour again for the sun to go down. Slowly darkness crawl through the forest. Mason, David and Kane slowly came out of the tree house. They climbed down through the rope ladder. Surrounding is very silent, only the sound of the night can be heard, they took metal rods from the makeshift camp as their weapons and slowly moved inside the forest toward where the human monkeys have gone. They walked for half an hour. Then they saw it. Some kind of fluorescent material is inside the forest. The human monkeys are circled around the light emitting material. Mason and team watched the scene from a safe distance. The light from the material has removed the pitch blackness of the night in the surrounding forest. Some kind of gaseous material is all over the place.
“What is that gas?” David asked.
“It probably related to the virus plague the Xhilarians have unleashed. I think it’s not safe for us. Time for us to get back to the camp.” Mason said.
Three of them walked toward their camp.
“What was that fluorescent material?” David asked.
“I don’t know. It seems attracted those human monkeys. It definitely related to the virus pandemic.” Mason said.
“Then we may be in grave danger.” Kane said.
“We could be in trouble. We haven’t detected any heavy movement like this before. So the fluorescent material must have appeared recently.” Mason said.
“We have to be extra careful from now on.” David said.
“Your right.” Mason said.
They finally got back to their camp.
“Time for us to rest.” Mason said.
Everyone got inside their own tree houses and the sleep took over them.
Chapter 25
Rodovilla, Green Planet
Michael and team reached a town called Rodovilla. They got outside the truck and slowly began to pace around houses. So far no wolfdogs. Michael went inside a house to search for any evidence for human survivors. There are blood marks all over the house’s wall and floor. The blood has become a thick brown colour due to ageing and dust particles. In fact the entire house is filled with dust. It’s been long since the house is cleaned.
There is nothing indicating the presence of life. Everyone went outside the house and went near a hill. Michael climbed the small hill and looked the surrounding area in his binocular. There is nothing beyond the hill. It’s just only barren wastelands. Michael went beside the soldiers.
“There is nothing beyond this place. I think it is time to get back to base.” Michael said to the soldiers.
“It’s your call sergeant.” One of the soldier said.
Suddenly they heard sound of some footsteps. Something is running at them. Everyone looked around. The place is empty. Everyone adjusted their guns and pointed in every directions. Then they saw it. One of the wolfdogs is running toward them.
“Wolfdog at twelve O clock. Brace yourself.” One of the soldier said.
Everyone turned toward twelve O clock. Everyone saw it. Then a loud shriek sound came. There are about ten other wolfdogs all running toward them. Soldiers fired a round. Five of the creature in the front line went down. All soldiers are armed with plasma guns. The remaining creatures still charged at them. Michael and others fired in all directions. Then a sharp roar
came from behind the soldiers. Some of the soldiers turned back with gun pointed in eye level.
“Sergeant, we are surrounded by the wolfdogs.” One of the soldier yelled.
“Everyone fire at will. Remember we don't surrender to fear.” Michael yelled.
Soldiers fired plasma bolts in every directions. The creatures run in circles around them. One of the creature got near and jumped on top of one soldier. The soldier kept on firing. The creature tilt its head and opened its large mouth and crushed the soldiers head. One of the soldier nearby shot down the wolfdog. The fallen soldier's body shivered itself on the ground then the body went limp. One other creature jumped at one soldier who was away from Michael’s group. The creature bit him in the neck and lifted the soldier from ground and threw him to the side of the road. Soldiers kept on firing. Then suddenly the creatures turned away and ran to the distant. Soldiers watched the running wolfdogs.
Something have called the creatures. Michael went near the fallen soldiers. Two of his best men are dead. Blood is still oozing down from the fallen soldiers’ body.
“They might come back. Everyone brace yourself.” Michael yelled.
All soldiers trained their guns in eye level. They waited for five minutes. No sign of creatures. Then they heard sound of some machinery. Everyone looked in all directions and brace for something to jump at them. Based on the sound some kind of vehicle is moving toward them. Suddenly everybody saw it. It was a pod ship. It’s flying toward them. Soldiers pointed their gun at the ship. Then they saw another ship and another. There are about five ships moving toward them. Pod ships are black in colour and have automatic guns attached on both sides of the ship. The guns of pod ship rotated in high speed and start to shoot laser beams at the soldiers.
“Everyone fall back behind the house.” Michael yelled.
Everyone avoided the gunshots and moved behind a house. Soldiers fired back at the ships. Looks like the ships material is highly resistant to plasma shots. The ships remained intact.
“Everyone concentrate your shots at the front window of the ships.” Michael yelled.
The soldiers nodded and fired at the front windows of the ships. The ship remained intact. Then the ships suddenly landed on the ground. Soldiers looked at the ship alerted. Some kind of human like creatures with elongated head and ear emerged from the ship and in their hand was a revolver like gun. The creatures fired at the house where soldiers are hiding. Soldiers fired back. It seems that the creatures’ guns shoot laser bolts. One of the solder near the corner fell down. The shot was through the wall of the house into the soldier’s chest. A wide hole appeared in the soldier’s chest.
"Shit. Shit." Michael mumbled.
The creatures kept on firing. Michael’s and his team’s shots aren’t hitting any targets. There is about ten of the creatures and soldiers are now twenty in number. But the number difference doesn’t matter to the creatures. They are masterfully shooting down the soldiers. Three other soldiers felled back. Michael quickly climbed on top of the house from the back side through the plumping pipe on the wall of the house. The house is single story. He crawled through the terrace of the house. He carefully aligned his gun and start to shoot. Two of the creatures quickly went down.
Quickly five of the soldiers climbed to the roof of the house. And lie down just like Michael have done and start to shoot at the creatures. The creatures began to concentrate their shots to the roof of the house. Plasma bolts and laser bolts cut through the air in all directions like fireworks. Some laser shots cut through two of the soldiers’ head on the roof of the house. The soldiers went limp. Michael looked at the dead soldiers with disbelief. There is a massive hole in the fallen soldiers’ head.
Suddenly one of the creature came forward with a blue light device. Michael and other soldiers quickly dropped their guns and stood up. It like their mind became blank. The creature with the blue light came forward again. Michael and other soldiers came forward from the protection of the house. Michael and other soldiers on the roof jumped out of the roof. Somehow the creatures have controlled their mind. Now Michael and his team are their puppet. The puppet master dragged Michael and his team to one of the pod ship. Another creature opened the door of the pod ship for the soldiers to get inside. Once they are inside the creature closed the door of the pod ship. The pod ship quickly went up and fly beyond the hilly region. Other creatures got inside their own pod ships and went in the direction where the first pod ship has gone. The pod ships cut through the air at high speed.
Chapter 26
Saxonvilla Forest, Green Planet
Two trucks rushed toward Saxonvilla forest. Inside the trucks is thirty soldiers and James, Lucy, Samson, and Sandy and five researchers. The forest can be seen through the front window in the distance. They are about one mile away from the forest. A thick layer of mist is covered on top of the forest canopy. The road is straight without any turning points. The tar road ended and the truck now entered into the muddy path. Puddles are formed there and there on the road by yesterday’s rain. Water splashed in both directions when the truck rushed through the puddles. Finally they reached the woods. There is a narrow road through the forest that can be seen now.
They were about to enter into the woods when a wolf dog charged at the front truck from right side. The Wolfdog collided with the truck with enormous force. The driver lost control of the truck and the truck rushed toward a large tree on the side of the road. The truck crashed on to the tree and it stopped moving. The truck on the back stopped and soldiers got outside from the second truck. Soldiers aimed their gun and fired at the wolfdog. The wolfdog successfully dodged the shots and jumped on top of a nearby soldier and it clawed on the soldier's face. The soldier screamed with pain.
Soldiers from the first truck finally got outside and shot down the creature.
“Is it dead?” Samson asked.
One soldier went near the fallen wolfdog and checked. He fired several shots at the creature’s head and made sure it is dead.
“It’s dead now.” The soldier answered.
“We will go on foot the rest of the journey.” James said. Lucy and other soldiers nodded.
Soldiers are now alerted. They are looking in every direction when walking. Suddenly the soldiers detected some movement from outside the forest toward them. Then they saw it. There are about fifty wolfdogs all running toward them. Soldiers yelled commands.
“Everyone fire at will.” James yelled.
Soldiers start to fire in all direction. The plasma bolts cut through the air. Some of the trees fell down when the shots hit on the trees. About fifteen creature quickly went down. Then the soldiers saw it. There are hundreds of wolfdogs emerging from the valley.
“Everyone fall back to the forest’s protection.” Samson yelled.
Soldiers and researchers ran through the forest. Creatures are almost on them. Some of the soldiers pulled grenades and threw at the creatures. Dust and fallen leaves fly in mid-air when the grenades exploded. Three creatures fell down by the explosion. Solders finally reached near thick jungle bushes. Everyone crawled inside the thick bushes’ protection. The wolfdogs also reached there. But they couldn’t get to the soldiers position due to the forest overgrowth. Some of the soldier when saw the stopped wolfdogs they draw their guns and aimed through the tiny holes in the bushes. Then they fired. Plasma bolts cut down most of the creatures. Remaining creature retreated back to outside the forest.
Soldiers and researchers finally stood up and stared at the retreating wolfdogs. Some of the trees are on fire due to the fire fight happened a moment ago.
Lucy and other researchers stared at the beauty of the forest before them. Before them is a large lake supposedly in the middle of the forest. Sandy walked toward the lake and watched the fishes swimming through the water. Fishes are red in colour and it seems that they thrive in here. One of the researcher came forward and took samples of every greenery growing beside the lake waters. The lake is perfectly preserved by the thi
ck shrubs and vines which mark the boundary of the lake. Wolfdogs clearly didn’t seen the beauty of the lake since they couldn’t get past the shrubs.
James and Samson watched the lake for a moment and then they walked toward Lucy.
“So do you find anything good sergeant?” James asked Lucy.
“Are you kidding? It is the most amazing thing I have seen in my entire life. There is no place like this on earth. Looks like the lake is healthy and it supports may be hundreds of different species of animals and plants.” Lucy said.
“Well, your focus should be on the cure to the monkey disease. Don’t let the beauty of the planet distracts you from your mission.” James said.