CHAPTER THIRTEEN

From the mouth of the cave, he silently watched the littluns. He sighed in relief when he counted fourteen boys. The afternoon sun was high and bright but that didn't drain the energy of the boys playing around. The hunters were out in the jungle again. For the littluns, that meant freedom.

Freedom from what? Ralph didn't know the answer yet.

One, two, three, four... He counted again. The boredom was jeering at him. It was doing a great job to wear him out. Seven, eight... The sun was slapping him with the heat. He had gotten used to it but he wasn't pleased about it. Ten, eleven, twelve.

What?

This time, he used his finger as he made a recount. His own good hand slapped him and pinched him but the littluns remained to be twelve. Two boys were suddenly gone.

Just like that.

Was the island devouring children now?

He went down the mountain and his emerald orbs squinted at the brightness. He heard Percival's cries mingling with the roaring ocean. Littluns were shouting and screaming, like a pack of wild animals out of their cages. He recounted again and it made him befuddled. There were twelve littluns left. Two boys had vanished without a trace!

He looked around but all the boys were too busy in their childish game. There was not a single sympathetic face or somebody that noticed. Then his eyes caught the few tall trees that were slightly bending, shivering against a short breeze. For a moment, they looked like they were telling him something. Without a plan, he walked to those trees. They were three tall ones huddling together. Ralph examined it but found nothing at the top, nothing on the barks, nothing but a rock in the middle. It had an odd mark on it, like some dark paint. There was nothing for him here. The situation presented no clues.

Deciding to ask a littlun, Ralph turned away but something startled him. He hadn't made a step when he heard a muffled noise—a sound like a short plea that was abruptly silenced. His head cocked to the direction of the noise. He was staring at the forest. It wasn't thick and green as it used to be. The elegant green dress she used to wear was shamefully stripped and the soft brown sandals were degraded to hard mud. But she was still standing with a couple of burnt green accessories and few fruits. She couldn't protect the animals from the hunters. And she couldn't bear to keep the children safe any longer. She couldn't conceal much secret but the noise... it seemed to be there.

Quietly and cautiously, Ralph advanced to the forest. He didn't know what he was looking for exactly but he simply kept on going straight, knowing something would come up to him anyway.

Something did. The silence.

She was the one who made him blind. She artfully concealed every mystery and when she broke, she was shattered by the rustling bushes.

The bushes at his right were shivering and the wind wasn't even blowing. He gulped down his fear and took small steps to get closer. He carefully parted the shaking leaves. More leaves appeared. Two hands were now parting it. The bush quivered beneath his touch. He tried to go closer... nearer... deeper...

"Bloody hell..."

The fear rose and bubbled inside his stomach. It struck him, reached every part of him and paralysed him.

As you have read, I did personify the Forest and the Silence. I can't help it, I just love that figure of speech.

Dear Reader, I hope you are enjoying it and don't think it's too draggy or long or stupid.

Love, Author.

P.S. It's nearly going to end.