The group sat around the fire, warming and stretching their sore joints. Wynston told me a lot about these islands and their inhabitants. He even knew some of what had been built on the island. said Leo. But I thought he said that nobody had come from the mainland to the islands? I thought only the people that lived on the islands had seen the island. Allison replied. Allison and the professor both eyed Leo, awaiting his reply. It seems that Wynston had made a few secret trips over to the islands. He said that on his last trip, he was nearly caught and that was when he decided not to return or speak of his trips. stated Leo. Who almost caught him, some sort of police force on the islands? questioned the professor. Actually, Wynston was almost caught by one of the elders. It appears that they had suspected him of sneaking off before, but they could never prove it so they simply dismissed the accusations as rantings of an old man. He had told the elders that he had been out for an early morning fishing trip. Thank God he actually had thought to put some fish and a fishing pole in the boat before he had left. said Leo. So anyway, what did Wynston tell you about these islands? In particular, what did he tell you about this island? Professor Cricks asked. Well, first of all this is the first island in the chain that was inhabited. Leo said as he paused for effect. It was inhabited first because the volcano was previously their deity. It is also the smallest island in the chain as well. There are several caves that lead into the mountain, much like the one that we stayed in last night. Wynston never did get a chance to explore them very thoroughly, since he always made his trips at sunset and had little light to see by. He never ventured farther than a few hundred feet in to the caves. He did say though, that each cave had many pictographs on the walls just like the ones in the caves back on the main land. There is one difference between those on the mainland and those in the caves on this island though. Again, Leo paused several seconds for effect. The professor and Allison were both hanging on his every word. Leo could tell that they were becoming impatient with his story telling and decided to finally let them off the hook. The pictographs that are in these caves are painted with modern-day materials, most likely latex based paint because of the damp fog that sometimes rolls in off of the sea. They also don't start right inside the caves; they don't start until several hundred feet inside the caves. Professor Cricks pondered Leo's information for a few moments before he spoke. They probably wanted to continue with their time-honored traditions yet still hide them from anyone who was not Somasitan that was residing on the islands. That is the same thing that Wynston had suspected as well. replied Leo. What about the other islands? questioned Allison. You said that Wynston told you three islands had been created by the sea carving out deep channels in the volcanic rock. Yes, that's correct. replied Leo. He rose from where he sat and walked over to the small pile of wood that Allison had gathered. He picked up a small piece of kindling and walked back over to the where he sat before. He slowly drew the three islands in the sand, and then pointed to the smallest island of the three. This is where we are. More precisely, we are probably here on the island. He used the stick to point to the southern portion of the volcano. Picture BI-21-1
As Allison and the professor looked over his crude drawing in the sand, Leo pointed to a small strip of land in between the volcano and the main body of the island as he began speaking again. This small section of land is all that still exists of the original land created by the volcanic eruptions. The lava rock is constantly being eroded by the thrashing sea from the north. It is covered with a very dense jungle, with only one path through it. Apparently, there are many false trails on both ends of the jungle to prevent strangers from passing through the jungle to get to this volcano.
But can't people just swim or take a boat through the water to come around the island to reach the volcano? asked Allison.
The professor spoke up. I would suspect that would be fairly difficult because of the reef that surrounds this end of the island.
Yes, that is right. replied Leo. The reef protrudes almost to the surface of the water. Even someone trying to swim over the reef would have to actually climb over the reef since it is only a few inches below the surface. Anyone that would try that would have to be completely encased in steel to make sure they weren't cut to shreads.
Allison chuckled. I'm sure the sharks would certainly appreciate anyone who tried to climb over the reef. There are bound to be plenty of sharks out there in the warm tropical waters just waiting for a tasty little treat.
Leo and the professor both looked at each other before breaking into fits of laughter. After the trio finished laughing, Leo continued speaking. As I said, there are several false trails that lead in to the jungle. Most of them twist and turn, and then end up in a dead end. Either that, or they twist and turn, doing a complete 180-degree turn before dumping the explorers out where they began. There are also many stone columns at the entrances, affectionate reminders of the home that they had all left.
Did Wynston have any idea where the first piece might be located on the island? questioned the professor.
From what he could decipher, replied Leo, the head section would be located in a cave. Now, since we are supposed to be on the opposite side of the island, we are definitely going to have to do some travelling. Wynston told me that for the most part, this part of the island, as well as the jungle are pretty much deserted. But, once we emerge from the jungle we are going to need to keep our distance since we'll be seen as trespassers from the mainland. He told me that the only people that will really be in this area will be a few workers at a small, geo-thermal power plant on the other side of the volcano. They plant is actually built inside of the volcano, and there is a small entrance built over an entrance to one of the caves. The workers generally stay inside the cave during their shift, and the only time they are outside is during shift change. There is a small dock that is directly below the plant, and the workers are shuttled by ferry to and from the plant. So, as long as we can figure out what time their shift change happens we should go unseen.
Maybe it would be best if we travelled at night then. At least until we can get off the island that is. Allison said, sounding slightly concerned.
Yes, we should be travelling at night to keep our distance from everyone. said the professor. Once we are inside of the jungle though, we can probably travel through the day as long as we stay just off the pathway. That way, if anyone comes walking down the path, we will be out of sight.
Good idea. It sounds like a plan then. said Leo. With that, he slowly rose from the beach and walked over to a small pile of their belongings that were sitting on the other side of the camp fire. He opened up a water-tight survival bag and withdrew three flash lights from within. One by one, he flicked the flash lights on and then off to assure that they were undamaged. The flashlights still work, so at least we won't draw any attention to ourselves like we would if we were using torches.
Very true, Leo. Now, let's check the rest of our gear and get ready to go. If we are going to travel at night, we should set out this evening. the professor replied.
Yeah, so we better rest up now while we can. Allison stated.
With that, the trio began looking through all of their belongings. Indeed, most of their things had come through unscathed because of the seaworthiness of the craft that had been built for them. It was a testiment to the abilities of a culture that had evolved without the aid of technology. When they were sure that everything had been checked and rechecked, Allison and Leo decided that they were going to explore the caves. In the meantime, the professor decided that this cave, being virtually deserted, would be a great place to stow the equipment that they weren't going to be taking with them on their journey.
About an hour after they left, Allison and Leo returned to the mouth of the cave. They proceeded to tell the professor of the pictographs that they had seen. Leo had even sketched them in his pocket notebook, and he allowed the professor to look them over. They depicted a small cave entrance that was disguised by a flower garden. It was painted as being beside two skyscrapers and very close to a rocky cliff. The pictograph also showed the garden as having two very ugly gargoyle-type statues planted in the garden, very near to the entrance of the cave.
Picture BI-21-2
Picture BI-21-3
Picture BI-21-4
As they finished telling of their find, the sun was settling low over the horizon. The professor sat for a few moments thinking about what he had just been told. He idly toyed with the last few embers from the camp fire that were still glowing slightly. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he rose to his feet and declared It is time. Leo and Allison looked at each other for a moment before looking at the professor. They all knew that they were about to embark on a long and tenuous journey. In just a few moments, they finished stowing what gear they wouldn't need as well as covering the last remaining coals of the camp fire with sand to hide their presence. Silently, the group made their way along the beach. They kept to the edge of the beach just to assure that they would not be seen. When they reached the edge of the jungle, they all took a deep breath and began walking inland. At this point, Leo silently took the lead. He had told them previously that Wynston had told him just which trail to take, but he had never had the opportunity in conversation to tell the group. Leo stopped after walking for a few minutes and turned to face the others. Wynston said it would be the least obvious choice that would lead us through the jungle. He said that all of the trails that are there to lead us astray are marked with the same stone columns that we saw on the mainland in the forest. Both Allison and the professor nodded and Leo turned and began walking again. As they went, they passed several paths that were marked by the columns. As much as they wanted to go down one of those paths, it took all of their will power to trust in Wynston's advice and press on. They were walking for nearly an hour when Allison spotted something with her flash light. There, beneath that clump of trees. Is that the beginning of a path? she asked. Leo and the professor both walked close to where her beam of light fell upon the earth. After rummaging around in the brush for a few moments, they were able to uncover the entrance that they were seeking. As they entered the jungle, they began to hear strange, not so familiar noises. Some of the noises the professor recognized, from a trip he had taken to the Amazon several years earlier. Some of the noises however, were new to them all. The night was black to begin with, devoid of the moon and any stars. But once they entered the jungle, darkness took on a totally new meaning. What little ambient light had been available to them out in the open was totally gone now, blanked out by the thick umbrella of tropical foliage that rose above them. The only light that they had to guide them was from their flash lights. They walked slowly, to avoid falling over any hidden obstacles that lay in their path. They walked for several hours, twisting and turning along the way. Just when they were starting to think that the jungle would never end and stretch on forever, they began to see a light through the trees. As they grew closer to the light, the jungle began to grow less dense. When they finally emerged from the jungle they could see a large, brightly lit community before them. As they scanned the sky line, they realized that they were high up on a hill. From their vantage point, they could look down on to the island. They could see the outline of the entire island from up here, and what they could see looked as modern as downtown Manhattan. Over there! cried Allison, as she pointed in a south-westerly direction. I see two skyscrapers. We must not jump to conclusions. We need to make sure that is indeed where we wish to go. said Professor Cricks cautiously as he scanned the horizon. Professor, I think she's right. Those are the only buildings on the entire island that are over 10 or so stories that I can see. Leo said with restraint. After peering around the horizon once more, the professor sighed. Yes, you are right. We will make our way along the shoreline and until we reach that lake over there. The professor pointed to the south of the skyscrapers to what appeared to be a large lake and hydro power plant. We will then skirt along the edge of the lake until we reach the other side of the island. Then, we'll follow the shore line again until we reach the cave. Again, they traveled for several hours. The terrain was fairly easy to cross, and it took them much less time than they thought. As they neared the opposite shore line, they saw that the terrain made a sudden drop near the skyscrapers. After further investigation, it was evident that the people who had built those structures had terraced the land to provide a level foundation upon which to build. From the top of the ridge, they could clearly see the flower garden that had been described to them. They knew that they were close. Soon, they had scaled down the steep hill that led to the terrace below. They made their way carefully across the landscape, which was beginning to light up with the next morning's dawn. They did not wish to be caught; a swift death could possibly be the easy way to go. When they reached the edge of the road in front of the mighty structures, cars were beginning to fill its space. They hid behind a group of bushes that were beside of a mighty fountain. When they saw an opening, they all three burst across the street with the speed of a frightened rabbit. Once in the garden, they could clearly see where they needed to go, as the Somasitan's had turned the cave in to a park of sorts. When they found the entrance to the cave, they found that a gate had been securely placed across its opening. What are we going to do now professor? asked Allison. I can answer that one. said Leo. Before the professor could answer, he quickly removed a hand-fashioned lock pick set from his back pack and set to work on the lock. Despite the rust that had built up on the lock over time, the group soon heard its familiar click. As Leo unwound the chain from around the bars of the gate, he turned to look at Allison and the professor. He could tell that they had each had questioning looks on their faces. He knew that they were questioning his integrity in their minds. I wasn't such a good little boy when I was younger. I fashioned this pick set from pieces of scrap metal that I found in a construction site near my home when I was about 12. Let's just say that those days are long past, thanks to a frightening experience in juvenile hall. With that, he swung open the gate and proceeded to walk in. Not wanting to be caught, Allison took the time to shut the gate so that nobody could tell it had been tinkered with. She walked just a few feet when she caught up with the guys. They all proceeded down a dark, musty passage. After about 50 feet or so, they were all startled by what they saw in front of them. ------------------------------- Here is a bonus picture for you, a picture of the jungle near the volcano. Picture BI21-5
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Personal Messages:
sirgeoj2 - Thanks for the good well wishes. Me, stop this CJ? No way! Not until I get this novel finished first! Thanks for stopping by. To All - Ok...first off, again let me apologize for the long delay in getting this update out there. I have been heavily involved in a project with Jeronij that is taking a good bit of time (see the Modular Zoo link in my signature.) That, and RLS of course have delayed this update. But, here it is. Hopefully, I can get the add-on pack finished for the Modular Zoo and then get back to posting my updates at least once per week. Once I do get the novel done, I'm going to go through and continue updates. However, the updates I do present are going to be much like a lot of other people's CJ...simply meaning, I want to showcase a lot of the building that I've done to get the appropriate pics for my novel. After that, I'll see how I want to proceed with the TRV. Who knows, maybe I'll start a new CJ...or, concentrate all my efforts on BATting...who knows. Thanks again to everyone who has been patiently awaiting this update. Thanks to all the lurkers and contributing followers we have made this CJ a success. Thanks again...
And as always, each visit is appreciated and each comment is treasured. Keep em coming... Copyright
