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Category:
Science Fiction
Publisher: Lulu.com
Type: Fiction
Pages: 81
Copyright: May 8, 2008
The Kashmantou was a TABOO, a place where only the brave dare enter. For Rebecca Buckwell; however, there was a deeper reason than the fabled diamonds that lie therein. Her reason was her twin brother. What lies beyond the Kangshee River? What evil exists that strips the jungle of its very life?
In the deepest forests of South Africa, one such forest was named the Kashmantou. For the primitive natives who lived on or around the outskirts of that forest, it was a forbidden land; a taboo.
When legends of what was hidden inside the Kashmantou, reached Entebbe, some one hundred miles to the southeast, a rush began. For over fifty years, adventurers, thrill seekers, diamond hustlers, and treasure hunters from around the globe, ventured into its depths for the purported diamond deposits that lie in wait there.
Of the over three hundred people who’ve registered to enter the Kashmantou, not all actually made the trip. Of all those brave enough to trek the twenty-five miles from the KalebbeRiver, not one was seen or heard from since.
For Rebecca Buckwell, her reasons to enter the accursed jungle went above and beyond financial gain. It’s been said that blood is thicker than water. For Rebecca it was even thicker than the dreaded Kashmantou.
Excerpt
“My military training won’t allow me to second guess my enemy. At this stage of our journey, ma’am, I’m not sure whatever is out there is even our enemy. I can tell you this, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Whatever it is, inside the Kashmantou, is alive.”
“That’s obvious, because of the lights and sounds we just heard over there,” Jack added.
“Now I know what scared off the jungle life around here,” Rebecca states as the lights and sounds continued.
“Okay, Colonel, based on what you saw through those binoculars, about how far away are they?” Jack asked.
“Night time is always confusing, sir, but based on my experience I’d say about four miles, maybe five.”
“Break that down into travelling hours, Colonel.”
“That will depend on whether we have to use our machetes to cut a path to where we’re going. We no longer have the porters to cut a path for us, so my men will have to do it, if necessary.”
“Will that get us to where we want to go?” Rebecca asked.
There’s not one of our crew who’s been into the Kashmantou, ma’am, so we have no idea where we’re headed. I will have one of my men lead us in the direction of where those lights were, but remember this is a big jungle and those lights can be deceiving.”
“In what way…?”
“If those lights are from some kind of an aircraft, be it from earth or somewhere else, and they are landing, then it’s most likely we could be off as much as two or three miles.”
“I understand.”
The eight of them stood there by the boulder for over an hour before the lights and sounds dissipated into the darkened jungle.
At daybreak the following morning, the two men who slept all night checked their radios and weapons before they left the campground. Magunta was assigned to go down river and Dulong upriver.
While the rest of the crew sat around the campfire, Rebecca watched as each of their bodyguards checked and rechecked their weapons. One of the men pulled out a case from near his tent and opened it.
“What’s in there, Colonel?”
“That’s the case we carry our grenades in, ma’am,” the colonel replied strait forward.
“Grenades..? What do you think this is, Colonel, a war?”
“If my presumptions are right, ma’am, it could very well be a war, but not the kind of war you are used to.”
“In what way…?”
“If what is out there, in the Kashmantou Jungle, is from another planet or world, then we have no idea what strengths or weaknesses they might have, if any. We came down here prepared for almost any kind of war without machines.”
“Machines, as like in tanks…” Jack asked.
“Exactly…! We will be limited to what we could carry in there, but with one grenade launcher and more than fifty grenades, we should have enough to blow them to hell, whoever they are, if they want a fight.”
Colonel Donato’s radio came to life and he reached for it as he stood to get better reception.
Both Jack and Rebecca tried to listen, but where the Colonel speaks in their native language they couldn’t understand him except when he mentions Dulong’s name. A moment later he spoke to Magunta who was on the lower end of the river.
“What’s going on, Colonel?” Rebecca asked when he rejoined them.
“We have a way to get across the river, about a quarter of a mile upriver from here. I have to wait for my man to get back here,” the colonel replied and signaled his men.
“Which one..?”
“Magunta! He went down river, ma’am. You two better check your weapons and make sure they are loaded,” he replied and then turned to talk to his men.
“Well it’s do or die time, Jack,” his sister said and checked her pistol.
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