Insects by John Koloen

Author:John Koloen [Koloen, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Horror
Published: 2015-10-12T18:30:00+00:00

53

Suarez moved quickly over the squishy trail, which was hardly more than a narrow strip where the grass had been worn down by animals and people who traveled into the interior. While it was the same trail on which Costa had met his death, Suarez followed it a little less than a kilometer before turning back. He had with him Duncan’s map on which he and Azevedo had sketched a route to higher ground. To reach it they would go in a different direction, away from Costa’s grave.

Suarez paused to compare the topographical map with the forest in front of him. The most apparent landmarks were stream beds, most of which he expected to be seasonal. It appeared to him that the first stream they would cross was half a kilometer and west of the trail. Pressed for time, he marked the direction they would take with several broken branches and was about to start his return trip when he thought how much better it would be if he could report on the condition of the stream. What if it was overflowing like the river bed they’d crossed? This would be a good thing to know, a real time saver. Five minutes was not enough time to scout a trail, he thought, especially a trail that would take them in a different direction. Another five minutes, and he would know much more.

Not bothering to clear a path with his machete, he moved swiftly through the deep grass when he came to a sudden halt. He sensed that something had moved in the grass near where he stood. He put his hand on his machete and watched the grass sway in a straight line as the beast or whatever it was moved quickly into the forest. His heart pounded, and he remained motionless until he felt safe when he realized it wasn’t the bugs. Nonetheless, he ran back toward Duncan and the group, all the time wondering whether he’d been sharing space with a jaguar. He didn’t know what to think since he’d always been told that jaguars were reclusive, and sightings were rare. Despite all the time he’d spent in the forest, he’d never seen one. What else could it be? Before he had things figured out, he met the group on the trail with Duncan in the lead.

“I said five minutes,” Duncan said, sternly. “We don’t have time to waste.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Howard. It took longer because we have to leave this trail and cut a new one if I understand the map. We have to go west a few hundred meters more.”

“Is it swampy, wet?”

“Wet, but tall grass. Ground is solid. You’ll see.”

Duncan and the rest followed Suarez until they reached the place where they would cut a new trail. Suarez and Duncan studied the map. Leaning heavily on his cane, Azevedo joined them. It was difficult to determine exactly where they were on the map except by comparing elevations, which were largely uniform. Cody Boyd had been

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