Chapter 19 The Back Door
Charge backed away from the tree as RO quickly followed.
"Charge what is it?" asked Kate she was worried nothing scared Charge or alarmed him well not everything but this startled her.
"Ma'am CROATOAN it's a reference to a colony in America,'the lost colony', they were settlers on a lone island just off the coast of North Carolina, when the ships came to check on the people, no one was found they couldn't find anyone on the island, the only thing found was a word carved on a tree CROATOAN, and to this day no-one and no trace of those people have been found" said Charge the fear in his voice was alarming Kate.
They immediately returned to the ship as Kate walked up onto the bridge to talk to Mike about the current situation, Mike sat in his chair as he listened to Charge tell him about the carving, his reaction similar to Kate's.
Mike ordered Kate to stay off the island until first light, he didn't want to risk his sailor's lives, if Charge's information was correct Hinton Cove was fast approaching to be just like Bright Island.
It was like bright island all over again but it was different this time, Charge sat in the sailors mess talking about the word 'CROATOAN', everyone was intrigued. If Chefo was here Charge and Chefo would have everyone running scared, but to Charge it troubled him either they would find the bodies of the backpackers or they would never find them at all.
As the sun slowly rose Kate was getting ready to go ashore once again, this time Charge came along. They reached the camp site spreading out, they were all heavily armed, walking through the forest there ears and eyes on full alert. Charge climbed up onto boulder looking out into the vast rainforest, when Charge saw what appeared to be a person.
"There!" Charge yelled alerting the others to his find as he watched them run after the person. They ran as far as they could until the reached the other side of the island, there was no one around it was silent, no birds, not even the sounds of crickets could be heard, it was still, silent.
They all stood on the beach looking out onto the ocean, when Kate heard a twig break, it had to be the person they were chasing but how they had run after him, they were right on his heals and then he just vanished, like he was just a ghost.
Kate swiftly turned around, Buffer also alerted to the sound he turned, running after the stranger, Kate had and eerie feeling that something wasn't right. They continued there pursuit and then he just vanished.
Kate really wanted to get off this island, her stomach was getting a bad feeling and that was enough for Kate. Leaving the island Charge was also relieved he was startled by this.
"How can 8 people just go missing this sort of thing just doesn't happen" said Charge as he got out of the Rhib.
"Well Charge I'd say recent events have just proved that Charge" replied Et.
Kate walked up onto the bridge telling Mike about the island.
"There's something about that island that isn't right" said Kate, " I mean we found the campsite abandon and then we find the word CROATOAN carved in a tree, that has to mean something" added Kate.
Something in Kate was urging her to solve this mystery but was it solvable Kate thought to herself.
Kate laid down in her rack dreaming, her dream was dark and cold, she was on Hinton cove, but it wasn't her, she was a backpacker, she was lying on the beach as a bright light approached it couldn't be a plane because it was to small, what was it?
Kate stood up as she walked towards the light it grew stronger and stronger, intense heat covered her body and then everything went black. She woke up screaming, the whole crew alerted to her.
Mike barged through the door.
"Kate are you ok?" asked Mike worried she never woke up screaming not since he had known her.
"I was there on the island, I was there!" replied Kate panicked and confused.
"What do you mean you were on the island, you on Hammersley Kate" replied Mike he was really worried about her now.
" I was there, is was one of the backpackers, it was a woman, she was on the beach and she saw a light or well I saw a light, it wasn't a plane because it was to small and then it got really hot and then pitch black and I woke up" replied Kate, clinging to Mike she was so scared, she was right there was definitely something wrong with that island.
Mike walked up onto the bridge when Nav walked over to him.
"How is she?" asked Nav, she was really worried about Kate.
"She's calmed down she's asleep now Swain is watching her" replied Mike as he saw the fear on Nav's face.
"She's right you know, there's something about this island that just doesn't add up" replied Nav.
"Yes and that's what worries me Nav" replied Mike as he stepped up and out onto the port side of the ship. They were currently anchored 2km off shore, Mike stared out looking at the island.
Dawn soon approached and Mike was just about to head down to see Kate when Buffer stopped him.
"Sir I have an idea" Buffer said handing him heat detecting camera's.
"This?" replied Mike, he didn't even think of it " how many do we have?" added Mike.
"Ah counting that one sir, we have eight, they are fully operational and ready to go" replied Buffer with a smile on his face " they cant hide from this" added Buffer, he was ready to go.
Mike continued on his way, stepping into the ward room where Kate was still asleep.
"How is she Swain" asked Mike, as he picked up her hand holding it.
"She better sir, I gave her a sedative so she could sleep, she was a bit shaken up when you brought her to me but she calmed down eventually, I think she should sit the next shore party out she needs to rest Sir" replied Swain.
"Trust me she will be, anyway we have a new plan, Buffer is going to use heat seeking camera's, so that will detect any trace of heat, at least we will be able to find that person that we have been running after" replied Mike, he was proud of Buffer and his idea.
Buffer stepped onto the island accompanied by 2Dads, Bomber, Et, Charge, Swain, Spider and RO. This time they had a better chance of getting somewhere.
They spread out across the land looking into there camera's, hour and hours went by and still they had nothing. Buffer called it, walking back to the Rhib when Bomber picked up a heat signature, foot prints heading up to the beach and then to the north. They followed it for 2 km and then it disappeared, which was very unusual.
"This is weird its as hot as anything there and it heads that way and then stops, it doesn't make sense" said Bomber.
She was as confused as everyone else. She pointed the camera at the ground where the next footprint should have been, they stood in there same position for a further 15 minutes when a foot print appeared in the sand as well as a heat signature.
" Swain this is just weird, now 15 minutes ago that was clear and now its hot as" said Bomber pointing the camera at the ground. When a woman appeared in front of them.
" Get off this island now, its not safe get off now" said the stranger, the sailors not knowing what to make of it as Buffer radioed in, when the woman disappeared into the forest, Bomber curiously pointed her camera where the woman previously stood there was no heat signature.
" Hammersley this is Buffer over" said Buffer listening to the static waiting for a reply.
"This is Hammersley go ahead" replied Mike.
" Sir we have just seen one of the backpackers, she warned us to get of the island and that it wasn't safe over" replied Buffer awaiting his orders Bomber and Swain argued in the background.
" Look there should be signature" said Swain as Bomber argued back.
"Yes but I wasn't getting one off that woman" replied Bomber as Buffer yelled at them.
"Ok Buffer return to the ship immediately" replied Mike, he wanted them off the island heeding the strange woman's words for now.