Wanderers

A recurring dream I’ve been having, and the $20,000 I had come into, haunted me for the past 10 nights.

Prying open my eyes to a pair of brown, almond shaped ones looking down on me.

“You were tossing around a lot while you were sleep, so I take it you were having a nightmare?” Maria asked.

“Something like that”. I retorted.

“Well anyway”. She struggled to pull the colossal boot onto her foot. “Chris already left without us like a few minutes ago, so we have some catching up to do”. Standing firmly to her feet, breathing in an excessive amount of air before she began to talk my ear off, one of her many traits, she was a talker.

“I took the time to throw together you a bag for the walk, and remember ration your supplies. One more thing, Chris carries all the medical essentials with him, so try not to hurt yourself in the meanwhile.”

“Yes boss lady”. I saluted.

“Cute”, She grimaced, “Now let’s go while it’s early.”

“What exactly did you hope to find here anyway... Anything I missed in your briefing?” I questioned.

Maria sighed then paused a few steps ahead of the where I was standing.

“Like I said earlier, who this place is the way it is... clues, anything that would be of some help would be nice.”

“Well I’m sure whatever you’re hoping for would come up so or later.”

“Shhhh, do you hear that?” Maria eased forward. “Sounds like there’s a waterfall up ahead.”

“There might be some fresh water nearby to, we could refill our canteens if we need to.” I recommended. Without a word or any hesitation Maria scurried ahead of me and paused at the edge of a steep cliff, about a hundred feet from the ground.

“How are we going to get down from here.” Breathing in a huge breathe of air, visualizing the waterfall from where she was standing. Walking towards a plumage of vines and roots dangling over the edge.

“Here’s our ticket down.” I pointed out.

Ecstatic, Maria took no time grabbing onto clutter of nature and straddling her way down. “I’ll go first, don’t wanna free fall if this thing breaks.” She gulped then continued down. About a few minutes later she touched the soil down below, boots mushing down inside the earth with each step she took.

“What’s that smell... Ugh!” I heard her scream from up above the cliff. “Carson hurry down you need to see this.” Steady, but careful I hoped over the edge, holding onto nature’s ladder and lowered myself to the ground. A few of the roots snapped as I neared the bottom caused me to lose my grip; falling the last couple of feet onto my ass. Laughing hysterically Maria couldn’t contain herself.

“Are you ok?” Grinning trying to withhold from laughing with her forehand.

“I’m good, what was it you were screaming about.” Silenced by my own words, there lied a decaying body; clothes and flip-flops barely intact. The smell was nearly intoxicating from where I stood, forcing me to pull my collared shirt up to block the scent.

“How long you think she’s been here?” Judging by the attire and long, brownish-red hair, this person was a woman.

“Don’t know.” I shrugged.

“Check and see if she has any identification.” Maria coerced.

“Yeah,” I scratched my head, “I’m not touching that.”

“Fine.” She handed over her backpack, slid on a pair of gloves and cautiously eased over to the corpse awaiting her. Picking at the decaying flesh, swatting away the flies and maggots gnawing away at the body; there was a lanyard attached around the neck. Tugging slowly at it, didn’t help any, but only caused the skeletal neck to snap in half. Vomit spewed from Maria’s mouth into a pink and white puddle beneath her boots. “Here take it.” She flashed the ID at me rapidly.

“Aresa, her name was Aresa.”

“Ring any bells?” Maria asked.

“Sounds familiar, but no, never heard of her.”

“Well let’s move, it’ll be dark in a few hours.”

A few more miles down the trail.

“How do you think she died?” Maria asked.

“Suicide probably.” I examined the ID I had been carrying every since. “She was on the same cruise I was on the stranded me here about a year ago.”

“Oh wow, she must’ve gotten left behind.”

“More than likely, I couldn’t imagine being here all alone.”

“Hold that thought... CHRIS!” She had noticed someone walking up about the cliff we were below.

“I don’t see anyone.” Squinting, barely able to see more than a few feet in front on me due to the sun peaking through the now darkening sky, storm clouds were rolling in.

“It’s about to rain, pour down at that.” Maria alleged. “Look there’s a small house coincidentally.”

“Now that I remember”. This time I took the lead as we rushed towards the small house, more like an abandoned shack; it began to rain shortly after we got inside.

“What is it that you remember about this place.” Maria places her backpack at the door beside mine, tossing her thin jacket over it.

“Not much, but I do know this is where I bumped into my wife once we reunited after getting stuck here.”

“Well did you at least get a chance to look around.”

“No not really, we left shortly after I arrived.” Dusting off a few books on the shelf.

“Looks like we’re going to be spending the night here, so get comfortable... I’m gonna look around.” I shrugged without another word. Striking a match a placing it underneath an old lantern that barely provided enough heat, but lit the room significantly as I sauntered the dusty interior; avoiding the colossal hole in the floor.

“Look at this.” Forcing a dusty, old book into my face nearly knocking the lantern from my hand. “This was written in an old English handwriting dating back to the mid nineteenth century. Do you know what this means, we’ve found our first clue.” Maria cheered.

“What do you mean.” I was a little puzzled at first.

“At least we know now that whoever was here, well built this “house”, came here a long time ago, probably a pirate or something like that.” Maria announced. I yawned, rude in a way, but kinda snapped Maria out of the trance she became trapped in.

“We can finish this in the morning once the rain has stopped and continue towards the waterfall. It shouldn’t be much further.” Maria acknowledged.

“Goodnight then.” Cuddling up close towards the lantern, basking in the comfort of what little heat it emitted, with the backpack cradling my head.

Maria had already fell asleep as I lied staring up at the blank ceiling realizing to myself that tomorrow marked day three... I had to tell her, before it was too late.