My Single Entry For Spooktober 2022
PROMPT TWO - VANISH
WARNING: For readers of my series, this contains a spoiler for book three
Vanish by J. I. Rogers
I hate the Seep. Naivash shuddered involuntarily as she picked her way through the lush undergrowth. She checked her scanner and smiled when only five blips registered. Just the team... no Evor'halai. She pushed a vine-laden branch out of the way and found herself looking into a small clearing. Shit! Naivash crouched and took stock of the area. No one. No obvious traps. Good. She crept out into the open to get a better view and noted a dark pool of water to her left. She eased closer to the treeline to avoid it. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she gripped her weapon tighter. Something’s wrong. Something's missing... The vegetation beneath her feet was slick with moisture from the nearby waterfall, and she was forced to creep along. Naivash paused midway and reported in. “Zone four is clear. Over.”
There was only silence.
Naivash checked her headset. Battery's dead; better backtrack.
There was only silence.
Naivash checked her headset. Battery's dead; better backtrack.
Show spoiler
As she started her retreat, a cluster of insects launched soundlessly from a nearby tree and flew over the bank’s edge. She frowned as she watched them coast out over the pool and disappear into the green beyond. Those are clickers; I should have heard them. Naivash’s gaze drifted to the massive waterfall, and she turned to face it. She was close enough to it to feel its thundering vibration in her body. The surface of her envirosuit became moist with its corrosive mist. I should definitely be able to hear that.
“This close to Lake Evora, the rocks and trees are all covered with C’eli... you call it moss. The thicker it grows, the more it absorbs sound,” a voice behind her answered her thought.
Naivash spun, lost her balance, and splayed onto the ground. Muddied, she rolled onto her side and looked up at the intruder.
“This is not a place to be clumsy.” An ancient woman stood above her, naked, save for the elaborate black tattoos that covered her entire form. Her long, white hair touched the ground, and had the bones of a hundred small animals woven into it.
Their eyes locked, and Naivash felt a sharp pain in her head.
“You seek my Children. You are not alone.”
“Children? Who are…” Even as she began the question, Naivash knew the answer. “You mean the Evor'halai... You’re ‘The Mother’.”
The old woman grabbed Naivash’s wrist and physically dragged her to her feet.
“Oh Gods, no....” She tried to pull herself free but was held fast. “Let me go! Please. Let me go. I promise I won’t say anything. I won't tell anyone I saw you.”
“I know.” The Mother grinned, wrenched Naivash’s hand palm up, and stabbed a long fingernail through her glove. "You are now One."
Naivash pulled her hand back, but it was too late. The screen inside her visor showed her envirosuit had been breached. An icy sensation emanated from the puncture point on her palm and began to radiate up her arm. “What did you do to me?”
The Mother didn’t answer. Instead, she turned and vanished back into the undergrowth.
Naivash staggered to the massive tree and slumped against it. The creeping cold worked its way across her back and spread inward. It hit her lungs, and the readout panel inside her visor turned red. Mold infection? It doesn’t happen this fast. Terror gripped her, and she began to hyperventilate. I can't breathe! Naivash tore at her helmet and released the seals. She flung it away as she fought to free herself from the confines of her envirosuit. As she gulped in the air, it irritated her sinuses, but she didn’t care; her only focus now was survival. Finally naked, Naivash could feel the moisture collecting on her skin, but it didn’t itch half as much as her hand. She looked at her palm. A black lacework of lines had formed around the wound. From it grew an intricate network of branches and spirals that covered the rest of her hand and ran up her arm. She could feel it spreading up her neck. This has to be a nightmare! Wake up. Wake up…
…
Thirty minutes later, a figure emerged from behind a giant tree. Tylar glanced at the waterfall, then tried to make contact again. “Naivash! Naivash. Do you hear me? Respond. Over.” He checked his headset. All levels are green. Where the hell did you go? He crept into the glade, scanning for humanoid life signs. Just the rest of the team, minus one. “Naivash—” Tylar spotted something near the tree’s base. He tapped the button on the side of his helmet and zoomed in on it.
“Captain. I’ve found what looks like her envirosuit. There’s no sign of a body. Over.”
“Stay put. We’ll be there in five—.” The transmission ended abruptly.
"Captain, repeat. Over!"
There was only silence.
As she started her retreat, a cluster of insects launched soundlessly from a nearby tree and flew over the bank’s edge. She frowned as she watched them coast out over the pool and disappear into the green beyond. Those are clickers; I should have heard them. Naivash’s gaze drifted to the massive waterfall, and she turned to face it. She was close enough to it to feel its thundering vibration in her body. The surface of her envirosuit became moist with its corrosive mist. I should definitely be able to hear that.
“This close to Lake Evora, the rocks and trees are all covered with C’eli... you call it moss. The thicker it grows, the more it absorbs sound,” a voice behind her answered her thought.
Naivash spun, lost her balance, and splayed onto the ground. Muddied, she rolled onto her side and looked up at the intruder.
“This is not a place to be clumsy.” An ancient woman stood above her, naked, save for the elaborate black tattoos that covered her entire form. Her long, white hair touched the ground, and had the bones of a hundred small animals woven into it.
Their eyes locked, and Naivash felt a sharp pain in her head.
“You seek my Children. You are not alone.”
“Children? Who are…” Even as she began the question, Naivash knew the answer. “You mean the Evor'halai... You’re ‘The Mother’.”
The old woman grabbed Naivash’s wrist and physically dragged her to her feet.
“Oh Gods, no....” She tried to pull herself free but was held fast. “Let me go! Please. Let me go. I promise I won’t say anything. I won't tell anyone I saw you.”
“I know.” The Mother grinned, wrenched Naivash’s hand palm up, and stabbed a long fingernail through her glove. "You are now One."
Naivash pulled her hand back, but it was too late. The screen inside her visor showed her envirosuit had been breached. An icy sensation emanated from the puncture point on her palm and began to radiate up her arm. “What did you do to me?”
The Mother didn’t answer. Instead, she turned and vanished back into the undergrowth.
Naivash staggered to the massive tree and slumped against it. The creeping cold worked its way across her back and spread inward. It hit her lungs, and the readout panel inside her visor turned red. Mold infection? It doesn’t happen this fast. Terror gripped her, and she began to hyperventilate. I can't breathe! Naivash tore at her helmet and released the seals. She flung it away as she fought to free herself from the confines of her envirosuit. As she gulped in the air, it irritated her sinuses, but she didn’t care; her only focus now was survival. Finally naked, Naivash could feel the moisture collecting on her skin, but it didn’t itch half as much as her hand. She looked at her palm. A black lacework of lines had formed around the wound. From it grew an intricate network of branches and spirals that covered the rest of her hand and ran up her arm. She could feel it spreading up her neck. This has to be a nightmare! Wake up. Wake up…
…
Thirty minutes later, a figure emerged from behind a giant tree. Tylar glanced at the waterfall, then tried to make contact again. “Naivash! Naivash. Do you hear me? Respond. Over.” He checked his headset. All levels are green. Where the hell did you go? He crept into the glade, scanning for humanoid life signs. Just the rest of the team, minus one. “Naivash—” Tylar spotted something near the tree’s base. He tapped the button on the side of his helmet and zoomed in on it.
“Captain. I’ve found what looks like her envirosuit. There’s no sign of a body. Over.”
“Stay put. We’ll be there in five—.” The transmission ended abruptly.
"Captain, repeat. Over!"
There was only silence.
Here's a peek at the images I'd prepared... I was so ambitious. The prompts I did complete (the above included) will appear in "The Korpes Identity."
Spooktober 2022 by J. I. Rogers
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