Chapter Three: RyanRyan watched the trees constantly as he trudged ahead of the girls down the beach. Ever since waking up he’d felt apprehensive about the forest. Not that he wasn’t just a little aprehensive...worrried...frightened about the whole nightmarish ordeal he’d found himself in.
The entire island screamed insanity at him. But the forest was weird.
Ryan glanced back at the two girls. The blonde and the brunette. If he wasn’t so freaked he might find the whole experience a little interesting. Who would have guessed he would get two at once?
But he didn’t have time think about it. He was still struggling with the whole experience with Emery...which unsettled something deep in his gut. The girl shouldn’t be alive.
And as for Christine...there was a strange strength about her that intrigued him. Most women would have gone ballistic at the sight of Emery, torn up and bloody. Christine had flown into action immediately at his side. He had no idea of her past, but he felt she was dependable. He would need that...if they were to survive the island.
“Who likes coconuts?” he asked stopping near the tree that stuck out from the treeline.
Both girls grimaced.
He guessed that was a no.
Ryan blew out a breath,” Well, it’s all there is right now.”
He gave the tree a thump with his fist and a couple hairy fruits tumbled to the ground.
“Impressive,” Emery said with a smirk, crossing her arms.
Ryan frowned, kneeling and digging in his pocket. Nothing...he’d forgotten he’d already checked his pockets for his knife.
He muttered a curse under his breath.
“Find a rock or something we can break these on,” he told the girls, picking up the fruit.
Christine immediately bent retrieving rock from the sand.
“Here.”
He took it and bashed the fruit against the stone. He handed it to Emery. She took it with a disgusted look in her eyes.
“We’ll have to learn to like it, unless we can get the courage up to enter that forest and find something else,” he told her. Then he broke the other fruit and handed it to Christine.
“What’s wrong with the forest?” Emery asked, making a face as she took a sip of the coconut juice.
Ryan glanced at Christine. She shrugged. Obviously neither knew how to explain it. But both knew the other had felt something earlier.
“It’s just weird, that’s all.”
Emery starting laughing.
“What? You’re afraid aren’t you?”
Ryan stood to his feet, feeling angry at her jab.
“Of course not...but I’m cautious. We don’t know anything about this island.”
Christine stuck her finger into the coconut’s soft inside, and then licked it.
“I don’t know how people eat this stuff.”
Ryan sighed, glancing from one to the other.
“Ok...what’s the first thing people do when they are stranded on an island?”
“Scream for help,” Emery stated sardonically.
The girl had a mouth on her.
Ryan grinned,” No...good try. They find water, food and shelter.”
Christine just smiled at Emery’s quip.
“Why don’t we keep going down the beach,” she suggested.
Ryan turned away and began walking.
“Come on then.”
He heard Emery drop her coconut into the sand as she and Christine followed him. Neither said another word...so he didn’t either.
Three hours later they were standing on a rock-strewn promontory, staring out into the endless sea. The island still continued on, continuously it seemed towards their left, curving sharply inland.
The sun was beginning its downward descent to the western horizon. A brisk wind blew into their faces.
Ryan shielded his eyes from the glare.
“This is real,” he stated out loud.
Both girls stared at him. They all knew it was true.
“We should build a fire,” Christine said quietly, beginning to shiver. The evening breeze coming off the water was a bit chilly.
Ryan and Emery agreed so they climbed off the rocks onto the beach, searching until they found a nice hollow behind a large boulder that shielded them from the wind.
Ryan scavenged for stray branches near the forest’s edge, still hesitant to enter the place. The girls sat back against the boulder, talking in low voices. About what, Ryan didn’t wonder.
Returning to them, he attempted to light a fire. Unfortunately it didn’t work at first since he had no flint and no matches. He could feel Emery’s angry eyes on him, not that it was his fault.
“Wonder why our kidnappers forgot to stick a lighter in your pocket?”
“Mmmmhhh...wonder why?” He shot back irritably.
Christine sighed," I’ve seen people do the whole boy scout thing with the sticks. Maybe that might work.”
Ryan glanced up at her, exasperated.
“Look do you want to do it?”
It wasn’t fair of him to take his frustration out on her, instead of Emery. But he did.
Christine crossed her arms, looking down, obviously hurt.
Eventually he gave in to what she’d suggested and the fire did indeed start. All three huddled together as the evening shadows crept across the beach.
Ryan leaned his head back against the rock, glancing at both girls who were silently staring into the firelight on either side of him.
“So...maybe we should figure out what we have in common that would give someone a motive to put us here?”
Emery was the first to respond. Christine was silent.
“We’re about the same age, other than that I don’t see anything similar.”
Ryan felt a coldness in her tone. What was with the girl?
“Listen, I’ve never seen either of you before in my life, but that doesn’t mean we’re not connected somehow.”
Both girls looked apprehensive about this statement.
“Or maybe we’re just victims,” he added.
Both tended to agree more with that.
“You don’t think we’ve all died and this is the next life?” Emery suggested out of the blue.
Ryan noted the abrupt tilt of Christine’s chin at these words. She immediately replied.
“Of course not. If I was dead, I would be in heaven. And if this was heaven, you two would not be the only ones around.”
Emery’s eyebrows lifted slightly,” Well, I can see you’re a religious nut. How can you be so sure you would go to heaven?”
Christine’s shoulders stiffened, and Ryan felt another dispute coming on.
“Look,” he intervened holding up his hands,” I agree with Christine, this couldn’t be heaven. Obviously we are alive...so what could we have done to give someone a reason to put us here.”
“You mean like criminal record or something?” Emery asked.
Ryan shrugged,” I suppose.”
“Well, I don’t have one,” Christine said quietly.
Ryan wasn’t sure, but he thought Emery’s eyes darkened slightly. Maybe it was just a trick from the firelight.
“There’s no reason not to be totally honest here, I’m mean what have we got lose?” Ryan added, grasping for anything.
“I don’t have one,” Christine repeated, she threw him an irritated glance,” Do I look like a criminal?”
Ryan shrugged,” No...sorry, I’m just trying to figure things out.”
Suddenly her tone had grown angry. Ryan hadn’t expected such a reaction out of Christine.
Emery was watching them both, eyes lowered..
“So what about you?” she asked, leaning back against the rock.
Ryan crossed his arms,” Me? Nothing really. Highschool stuff...you know messing around and things.”
That was truth...well most of it. But the other no one knew about, not even the cops.
She lifted an eyebrow, locking stares with him.
Now Ryan was sure her eyes darkened, despite the fact they were already a deep brown.
Then he asked the question on the tip of his own tongue," What about you?”
She fell silent, not replying. Ryan felt Christine stir beside him, glancing between the two.
Then before Emery could speak, a human voice split the night air with a loud cry.
It came from the forest. All three jumped to their feet.
“Ok...I’m scared,” Christine admitted stepping behind Ryan.
“What are we gonna do?” Emery asked him. He noted her ready stance for defense. Feet planted wide apart, arms ready. If he wasn’t wrong, the girl could fight if needed.
The cry rent the silence once again. The voice was pleading for help. A man’s voice.
“I-I think maybe we should see who it is,” Ryan dared to suggest.
“And if it’s a trick?” Emery lowered her voice.
“You weren’t...and we helped you,” he pointed out.
“But she wasn’t in the forest,” Christine added.
“Then I’ll go by myself,” Ryan said quickly, bending to grab a stick for a makeshift torch. He was not flaunting heroics...what if someone was really in need of help?
“I’ll go too,” Emery said quickly, following his example.
The voice now began moaning, the sounded carried in on the breeze.
“Well, I’m not staying here by myself,” Christine stated, she fell in step behind Ryan as he walked into the darkness outside the ring of firelight. Emery strode towards his right.
Their smoldering torches only put off a weak light.
He heard Christine muttering something under her breath. No doubt praying...since she was a religious nut, as Emery had put it.
If it helped, fine, he wouldn’t complain.
He believed in God...it had just been a long time.
Ryan stopped that train of thought before he got distracted, knowing he needed to focus on the situation at hand.
They reached the edge of the forest and then paused. No matter how brave his words, about going in alone, Ryan couldn’t help the hesitation.
There was just something about the forest. It unsettled every feeling within him.
The voice began moaning again, the words now vaguely audible. Something about God and forgiveness.
Christine sucked in a breath beside him.
“Ryan...” she whispered. He wished she wouldn’t talk like that. The fear in her voice freaked him out.
“All right, stick close,” Ryan tried to say calmly, stepping off the sandy beach onto the cool moist earth of the forest floor.
The thick trees immediately shrouded them in a deep darkness. And an eerie noise, like the scurrying of a hundred mice erupted around them. Christine let out a small shriek, and grabbed Ryan’s arm. Emery’s hand went to her mouth as everyone’s eyes shot to the ground. But there was nothing there. The sound still persisted.
Ryan motioned to keep going and they continued on, following the distant voices. Thick roots threatened to trip them; wet sticky branches slapped their faces.
Ryan could hear Emery grunt every time one hit her and Christine’s small cries were punctuated with gasps. Other than that the only sound was the constant pitter patter of tiny feet from some invisible animal. Ryan gripped the torch tighter and plunged farther on. They were nearing the voice now.
Ryan climbed over a rotten log, turning to help Christine, when they all froze as the voice spoke directly over their heads.
“Help me...”
***********************************************************************
Christine
Christine was not sure what they were seeing. She touched Ryan’s arm.
“What is it?”
As he and Emery held the torches high, all she saw was a tangled mass of black rope hanging from the nearest tree.
Ryan slowly lowered his torch. Emery crept closer, sliding over the log, her arm brushed Christine’s.
Another cry erupted, coming straight from the dark mass.
“Oh, God help me!” and then followed a series of strangled yelps. A man’s voice; without a doubt.
The ropes started squirming, jerking and convulsing. Christine jumped in fright.
“There’s someone in there,” Emery gasped in horror.
Ryan stepped forward.
“Hello!” he shouted.
The convulsing instantly stopped.
Christine held back a scream, as a hand suddenly popped out of the black mess. The fingers groped the air.
“Get me out of here, I beg you,” the man pleaded.
“How did you get in there?” Ryan asked, Christine saw him scan the area around the tree.
What if there were other traps? She suddenly felt her limbs freeze, terrified to even move one foot.
“I don’t know,” the man replied, his voice did sound disoriented.
Ryan threw the girls a glance. Could this person have simply woken up in that net?
“Here,” he handed Christine the torch.
“What are you doing?” she asked in a whisper.
Ryan didn’t reply but shouted to the man.
“I’ll try to get you down! Just wait a minute!”
“Ryan...” Emery began, but he cut her off, with a swift shake of his head.
“I’ll be all right, you two don’t move,” then he slowly began to walk forward, testing the ground with every step.
Christine watched, hardly breathing, until he reached the base of the tree trunk and turned around.
“I can’t feel my legs,” the man said in a hoarse voice.
“Just hang on,” Ryan replied.
Christine watched as he disappeared into the branches of the tree. She and Emery waited, listening to scraping of his feet against the rough bark. Then he suddenly let out a delighted shout.
“What is it?” Emery hollered. The tree limb above the net was shaking.
“There’s a knife up here, tied to the branch,” Ryan said.
“Well, that’s a good thing,” she replied.
“Yeah...” his voice trailed and then silenced followed.
A strangled gasp escaped the man’s lips suddenly. It sounded like he was dying!
“Ryan hurry!” Christine urged, panic capturing her voice.
A grunt was the only reply and more frantic scraping. The rope and entire netting began to tremble.
Christine and Emery waited, eyes tense, watching the black forest around them. The eerie noises still persisted, circling their small rings of light.
Suddenly the net collapsed in a tangled heap on the ground. Christine and Emery glanced at each questioningly. What if there were more traps?
The figure inside the net moved, arms and legs trying to detangle themselves.
Christine jumped forward at that, not caring about the danger. Emery followed and they both began pulling away the mass of heavy thick ropes.
Christine grimaced as strange smell met her nostrils. Something was on the ropes and it left black smudges across her hands. She wiped them on her shorts and continued tugging on the ropes.
Ryan then appeared, a long knife in his hand,” Here I’ll get.”
He began slicing the ropes away from the body that lay enmeshed under them. Emery help pull them back as Christine held the torches above them for light. The man groaned as he was freed, and stirred from his position lying face downward on the earth. Ryan knelt, one hand on the man’s back. He rolled him over.
The man was young, most likely their age, and of middle-eastern descent. Dark curly hair, framed nut-brown angular face. Blood covered his lips and chin, apparently from a busted nose, during the fall.
His eyes fluttered open, revealing dark brown irises. Ryan ripped off a part of the man’s tattered shirt to staunch the bleeding.
“Sorry about that, it was the only way to get you down,” he said, holding the piece of cloth to the man’s mouth.
The stranger pushed himself up, taking the cloth away to hold it himself.
“Who are you?” his dark eyes darted from Ryan to Emery and then to Christine.
“We’re friends...I think,” Ryan said,” but the real question is who are you? And why are you here.”
“I am Kasim Ahmed...” his voice faltered, as he stared into the dark forest,” And I don’t know why I am here.”
“That makes it unanimous,” Ryan chuckled sardonically and stood; extending one hand to help Kasim to his feet.
“We’re all stranded on this island, but no one knows how we got here.”
“Island?” Kasim’s dark eyes flew in confusion, but he let Ryan pull him to his feet.
“Yeah...an island,” Emery repeated.
Kasim’s winced as he dabbed the blood on his lip.
“I thought I was dreaming.”
Christine and Ryan actually shared a small smile.
“...more like a nightmare,” Kasim added, his face was remarkably pale,”...there is something in these woods.”
Everyone shared a common stare of fright.
“Lets get out of here then,” Ryan said, grabbing the torch from Christine.
No one questioned this statement. Everyone ran after him.
The pattering feet intensified. And suddenly there was a low groan in the trees around them...or maybe it was above them...or behind. The sound could have come from anywhere.
Christine let out a small scream, tripping into Emery. Emery grabbed Christine’s hand and pulled her as the two girls broke into a hard sprint.
Kasim was pushing them from behind. Ryan’s single light bobbed ahead.
“What it is it?” Emery panted, eyes frantically darting over her shoulder.
“Don’t look back!” Kasim warned in a frantic whisper.
Another groan echoed behind them. The four young people ran harder.
Then suddenly they stumbled out onto the sandy familiar beach line. They all fell to their knees only a couple yards away from the glowing fire.
Everyone’s breath came raspy and sharp. Christine couldn’t help the tears of fear falling down her cheeks. Their heads whipped around towards the forest.
Another groan, that sounded more like a growl than anything else, erupted from just inside the tree line. The forest was itself completely black, the darkness of night no longer invaded by their weak torches.
Ryan was the first to crawl towards the light. Emery followed. And Christine felt Kasim pulling her arm...but she couldn’t move.
The growl had struck such a deep terror in her heart. Like perhaps, someone would feel from something that threatened their life. Christine had never had her life threatened before...she wasn’t sure if the feeling was real.
Kasim grabbed her by the waist now. She could feel his arms trembling as he dragged her after the others. But still she was frozen with fear.
Ryan was throwing more wood on the fire, heating up the flames so it would cast a wider circle of light.
Christine let Kasim set her down beside Emery who was huddled beside the boulder. The other girl’s brown eyes were wide.
“What’s her name?” Christine heard Kasim ask Emery.
Emery replied accordingly, voice nearly a whisper.
Kasim touched Christine’s face.
“Christine, snap out of it,” he ordered firmly. Christine heard him, saw his face only inches from her own, felt his hand, but somehow she felt disconnected, the fear still tightly clutching her heart with icy fingers.
Then he slapped her.
Christine leaned back against the boulder, her eyes slowly locking into his. The stinging sensation brought her back to reality. She glared at him. How could he be so calm and collected after they had been the ones that had rescued him?...his strangle cries still echoed in her ears, like and eerie melody. Those had been the screams of terrorized man. And now he was calming her from her own terror.
“Sorry,” Kasim apologized sitting down beside her. She immediately forgave him, closing her eyes, trying to breathe evenly. What ever he was, she was grateful.
Emery’s hand crept over hers. Only a couple of hours and already the two girls were bonded by the mere fact of survival.
Ryan sat down on the opposite side of the girls, and the four of them huddled together, eyes frantically searching the distant, very dark tree line. Ryan and Emery whispered their names to Kasim.
No more noises followed the last growl, nothing moved...just silence.
“Did you see anything when you were trapped in that net?” Ryan asked, peering around Emery and Christine at Kasim.
Kasim didn’t answer at first, his eyes downcast towards the sand under their feet. Christine shoved back her hair, waiting for him to answer. Her eyes still watched the distant forest.
“Well...like I said, I thought I was dreaming,” Kasim began,” and maybe...perhaps at one point I was, how else....how else...” his voice trailed.
Christine swallowed and glanced at Ryan. She couldn’t help looking at him for assurance, for guidance...he seemed so strong...but then so did Kasim, despite his apparent disorientation.
“And?” Ryan encouraged Kasim on.
“Well...how else could I have seen myself?”
“You saw yourself?” Emery asked incredulously.
Kasim shook his head,” I must have fallen asleep in that trap somewhere in there,” he looked just a little freaked even by his own words,”...it was a nightmare, hellish and indescribable in depth. I barely recognized myself.”
Christine wasn’t following, or maybe she was just trying to convince herself she wasn’t.
“What do you mean?”
Kasim shook his head,” I don’t know...it was like...it was like nothing I have ever seen before...”
Words seemed to fail him as his eyes darted towards the forest again.
Ryan then spoke, changing the subject, obviously understanding Kasim’s reluctance to explain what he’d seen.
“So where exactly in the “real world” are you from?” Ryan couldn’t help the sarcastic lilt to his voice.
An odd smirk creased the young Arab’s dark face.
“I was a second year seminary student in the United States.”
Christine thought that was ironic.
He continued,” My home country is of course, Iraq.”
“What did your family think about that?” Christine asked; that meaning seminary school.
Kasim’s smirk faded, as a heavy shadow seemed to cloud his dark eyes.
“I was pretty much disowned.”
Christine frowned,” I’m sorry.”
“Yeah...that’s tough,” Emery replied. Christine glanced at the girl, vaguely wondering of her tone hinted she understood disownment.
“It was worth it though. One day I hoped to go back and share the gospel of Jesus with them.”
Christine smiled softly,” That’s lovely, Kasim.”
Emery’s voice was a little cold,” To bad you’re here now.”
Ryan suddenly yawned.
“I know it seems impossible, but maybe we should try to sleep, and take turns watching. In morning light, maybe things will look better.”
Everyone knew that was a wishful thought, but even so a small ray of hope shot through their hearts.
“I’ll go first,” Kasim immediately offered.
“Naw, man...I’ve got it,” Ryan said.
“Please...I can’t sleep right now. Not after the adrenaline rush back there in the forest. Let me.”
Ryan then conceded, and he and the girls sprawled out on the sand. Christine found it uncomfortable, especially when her eyes kept traveling involuntarily back to the forest every five minutes. But eventually exhaustion took over and she fell asleep.
