After hooking foresightedly the airboat to a tree, the four treasure hunters began walking, between walls of vegetation and a reddish-brown earth, wet.
- Good…- Nathan looked at his notebook- Around here should be...
- Eyes wide open- Alerted Sullivan.
Behind, Samuel looked at Shaareim, who reviewed everything with her view while insistently she rubbing her chest.
- ¿Edy?- He touched her back- It's a warm área ¿Why does it hurt?
- For anxiety...
- ¿To what?- Victor looked back.
- You, i do not know, but the idea of finding an epic treasure gives me some anxiety, nerves, things like that...
- ¿You'll be fine?- Nathan worried.
- Yes... It is already going on... -She advanced.
- And it will pass at all when I get the bone for you- Samuel continued.
- I had forgotten that- Edna laugh, wiping her sweaty forehead.
- You don't forget your head because is attached to you neck- Nathan said.
Slowly they advanced, reviewing each elevation, each mound, every bush, behind every tree.
They walked for a couple of hours, sometimes separating a little, meeting, calculating, reviewing.
In mid afternoon, Shaareim had receded to review some stones that had nothing strange, frustrated, she retook the way to approach to their companions, but she stopped, with heart compressed into a fist.
- ¿Did you find something, girl?- Asked Sullivan, looking at the map.
But Edna did not respond.
- ¿Girl?- Victor looked at her, seeing her strange- ¿Edna?
- Oh my…- Muttered Samuel when he turned his eyes toward her.
Edna was standing, static like a marble column, pale as paper. At her feet was passing an anaconda, huge and colorful, very slowly.
Meybe because of this paralysis, the animal did not even notice her, but Shaareim, with her extreme phobia of snakes, yes. She screamed when she saw a small common snake, so, her fear, having the largest snakes brushing her ankles, it should be impossible to measure.
Even worse, the doomed beast was as slow as large, so it took quite some time to disappear into the bushes.
Sam immediately approached her, fast, taking her arms. She continued with the gaze into nothingness, barely breathing.
- Edy...- He whispered, looking her- Hey...
- She's in shock- Noticed Sullivan- Shake her a little.
- Edy- He patted her cheek, gently- Come back…
- ¿S-Sam...?- She barely moved.
- I'm here… calm…
- I don't…- She murmured, paling even a little more- I don't see…
Edna's knees gave way and she collapsed like a corpse shutting down automatically, so Samuel had to hold her fast and avoid being hit.
Nathan rushed to help him, lowering her gently to the ground.
- It was just an anaconda- Victor said- ¿What's wrong?
- She have phobias of snakes- Sam sat on the ground, placing her in his arms.
- Oh...
- It's not the first time that we see her passing out by one- Nate said, touching her head- And we do not know why... I mean… Her fear of flying have a reason, but snakes...
- It's a phobia- Sullivan approached- You do not need a logical reason.
- If you want, you can move forward...- Samuel said, watching her tenderly in his arms, stroking her hair- But she never takes too long to return.
- We can wait for the girl...
- She is getting color now- Nate smiled- Like a machine, only need to be restarted.
- That's not funny, Nathan- His brother barely looked at him.
- Calm down you too- He patted his shoulder- She only fainted.
- Edy...- Sam began to pat her cheek, gently.
- We have no hurry, boy- Victor looked- Let her be restored to her own speed.
- And you let me handle this ¿You want?- He looked at him, a little grumpy- That I'm his older brother...
- You don't do it because that, and everyone here, less her, know it. Stop trying to hide your fear...
Samuel said nothing, he only stood still, patting her cheek. The damn Sullivan was right, and he could not say anything to deny it.
Edna seemed to wake up slowly.
- Edna...- The biggest of the Drake started calling her, firmer- Wake up.
- ¿W-what...?- She looked at him with difficulty, from his arms- ¿Sam?
- Good morning- He smiled, relieved- Breathe, wake up at all...
- ¿What happened?- She watched Nathan, close.
- You fainted- Nate said- ¿Remember?
- I don't…- She rubbed her face- ¿What happened? I'm sweating…
- You saw one...
- ¿One what…?- She seemed to remember immediately.
Edna stood up, almost like a frightened cat, reviewing the floor and herself, hysterical.
- ¡You dont have anything!- Said Nate- ¡Stay still!
- ¿¡Stay still!?- She squealed- ¿¡Why!? ¿¡What I have!?
- You just returned from a swoon, clumsy- Samuel took her arm- Do not get up so fast.
- ¿¡Where is it!?- She reached into the ground.
- It left. Is gone- He took her face, hard- Look at me. Look at me… Is gone… Stop… Come back…
- ¿S-seriously?- She looked into his eyes- ¿You promise? ¿Really?
- Breathe... You are paling again...
The woman leaned her forehead on the shoulder of Samuel, breathing as slowly as possible, trying not to think about that damn giant snake. She felt her own heart run in her chest and her ears overwhelming, something she knew it was a stage prior to fainting. But she don't do it, she try to be as strong as possible, in order not to look like a hysterical crazy.