Return To Primordial Island, Rick Poldark [top non fiction books of all time .TXT] 📗

he had read Peter’s mind. “We won’t let anything happen to them.”

Peter wondered if Jason could read his mind, having the other orb and all. Maybe they were now connected in some way, brothers in orbs. “How do we know they’re still alive? How do we know Nazimaa didn’t just kill them and cast their bodies into the jungle?”

“One, because she needs them alive to dangle in front of us. Two, I’d feel them.”

This startled Peter. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I’d feel them. I can feel all the dead things around me, just as you feel all life. I can’t feel them. Therefore, they must be alive.”

“Fascinating,” gasped Peter. “Do you think…?”

“I could awaken the dead as zombies?” said Jason, finishing Peter’s thought. “Just like Mike Deluca? I’m not sure, and I’m not sure I want to find out.”

“Agreed.”

“Hey, do you think that we can get rid of these orbs, once we’re done with all of this?”

“Like remove them from our bodies?” asked Peter.

Jason nodded. “Nazimaa pulled the death orb out of you. Maybe they can be removed, and we can be…”

“Normal,” said Peter.

Jason flinched. “I’ve never used that word to describe myself before, but yes.”

“Maybe it’s possible,” said Peter. “But first thing’s first.”

“Rescue the women,” said Jason.

They trekked south, following the river. Peter and Jason cast nervous glances up at the cliffs to the west. They didn’t see any Zehhaki following them. Peter reached out with his senses and confirmed it.

Eventually, they came to a point where the river snaked east, but across the river they saw what was undoubtedly the Temple of the Simian King. A large relief of a massive ape was carved into the side of the rock cliff. Its arms were raised above its head, its eyes wide, and its massive mouth complete with sharp teeth agape. The yawning mouth had to have been fifteen feet high, and within was pitch darkness. It was the entrance.

“Well, there it is,” said Peter. “What’s the plan?”

Jason scratched his head, surveying the area. “First, we have to cross the river.”

“Okay…then what?”

“We know it’s a trap. So, we spring the trap.”

“That’s not much of a plan,” remarked Peter. “In fact, I don’t even think that qualifies as a plan at all.”

“Well, what’s your idea, Einstein?”

“Don’t call me that.” Peter looked around, thinking. “We won’t need torches, because I can sense anything living in there.”

“And I can sense anything dead,” added Jason.

“Right. I’m guessing there shouldn’t be much of either in there. But, if it’s anything like the Zehhaki temple, there’ll be traps.”

“Right, so we proceed with extreme caution.”

“She’ll be waiting for us,” said Peter. “She’ll threaten Mary and Tracey to bend us to her will.”

“That does present a problem…What if only one of us goes in there? Say, me. When she finds me, I’ll tell her you didn’t survive. If she thinks you’re dead, she won’t be looking for you.”

“That’s not going to work.”

“Why is that?” Jason appeared annoyed by Peter’s immediate dismissal of his plan.

“Number one, she won’t believe you. Number two, she’s always found me before. I don’t think I can hide from her.”

Jason squinted in the hot sun, swatting a mosquito off the back of his neck. “Okay, so we don’t hide from her. We let her lead us right to her body. Then, instead of helping free her, we destroy it.”

“How do you propose we do that?” asked Peter. “We don’t have any fire, and all you have is a hunting knife.”

“If she’s been entombed for a really long time, maybe she’s like a mummy or something. Her body should be delicate. I bet it would crumble easily.”

“I don’t think she’ll give us the chance to destroy it.”

“She can’t handle the both of us,” said Jason. “We’ll have to work as a team. Whichever of us can keep her attention, the other will destroy the body.”

“How will we know who will do what?”

Jason shrugged his shoulders. “We won’t. We’ll have to wait and see how things unfold.” He saw Peter’s discomfort with the plan and added, “It’s our only play.”

Peter paced back and forth, mulling over all possible permutations, straining his brain for a real plan. He stopped pacing and met Jason’s eyes. “I guess you’re right. She’ll try to manipulate us any way she can, play on our emotions. More specifically, our fears. It’s what she does.”

“We can’t give in to her,” agreed Jason. “Remember, whatever she presents as will be an illusion.”

“Absolutely. I think if we hold on to that simple truth, we should be able to resist her and stay focused.”

They both looked at the entrance across the river.

“Okay,” said Jason. “Let’s do this.”

Chapter 13

Peter closed his eyes and felt for any life in the river. He sensed a few species of fish, but no large predators. They walked a bit north and waded into the river. They swam across, the current bending their trajectory, placing them just a bit south of the temple entrance on the other side.

They walked up to the entrance and exchanged nervous glances.

“Are you ready?” asked Jason.

Peter nodded, his expression grave. Truthfully, he was terrified beyond all belief, but he figured fear was healthy. It would keep him alert, prevent him from taking anything for granted. “Remember, until she’s freed from her prison, we have the advantage. We have the orbs, but she’ll try to trick us. She’s very good at it.”

Jason gave a solemn nod. “Got it. We’ll have to help each other. If she tries to fool one of us, the other has to be his anchor to reality.”

Peter nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

They entered the mouth of the cave and were immediately engulfed in darkness. Peter didn’t need to