Chapter 10 – A Spectacular Sight

Relief spread through Aurora as their small plane landed on the airstrip in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, which stood out, as it was a small clearing in an otherwise world of endless trees. She couldn’t explain what had triggered her annoyance, yet when her feet met the padded soil, she couldn’t stop the exhale that escaped her weary lips.

The second half of their trip had been far from comfortable. Normally, Aurora wasn’t one to complain, but one single factor had made the flight close to unbearable. It wasn’t the fact that Aaron had found it best to keep their group together—in a way, that actually made sense—nor was it the fact that Milada had to sit on Aurora’s lap the entire trip because of the limited seats inside the plane. No, Aurora would forever remember this particular flight as the one where Zachary simply couldn’t shut up.

Sure, the lack of luxury affected the entire group, but Zach had chosen to voice his discomfort in a less than favorable way—he’d whined.

“Oh my…” Milada walked over to Aurora, stopping beside her. “Are you okay?”

Aurora shot a glance towards the plane. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know.” Milada shrugged. “You were shaking pretty badly up there.”

“I’m fine,” Aurora said and turned around, facing the group who was grabbing their gear from the luggage compartment on the side of the plane.

She would like to be able to confide in Milada, but the younger Immortalia was hardly the best choice. It wasn’t that Milada was evil; she was merely ignorant to the struggles of the real world. Aurora didn’t want to dismiss the pain and suffering that Milada had been through at Haw Tech, but it was in another league compared to what Aurora had seen throughout the years.

Milada was an excellent fighter, an even greater Immortalia than many of their kind, but she was human-bred. From an early age, she’d been fed information directly from Haw Tech: information that helped shape the female that she was today. If this had been chess, Milada would have been the perfect pawn.

Aurora couldn’t tell if Haw tech was actually using Milada as part of this game or if this was part of her own plans, but either way, Aurora decided to keep her eyes open for anything that could prove or disprove her assessment.

“Alright, crew,” Aaron said, gathering the attention of them all. “It seems that we are ready to go.”

Valeria, who stood to his right, smiled and swung a large duffel bag across her shoulders. Aurora walked over to grab her bag, watching Aaron deal with a dissatisfied-looking Zachary.

“What do you mean I have to carry my own luggage?” Zachary asked. “Isn’t this what the slaves are for?”

Aaron’s eyes darkened—an emotion that Aurora hadn’t seen before. His voice was low when he continued. “On this crew, nobody is a slave, Mr. Thomson.” He stepped closer, towering above Zachary. “I’m the leader of this mission, and when I tell you to carry your own shit, then you obey. Am I clear?”

Zachary leaned backwards, trying to escape the proximity of Aaron. He gave a small nod, but Aaron didn’t budge. “Am I making myself clear, Mr. Thompson?”

“Yes, Mr. Reed,” Zach replied in a tiny voice. He turned around and grabbed the remaining duffel bag before walking over to stand behind Allegra.

Aurora saw Aaron tidying up his appearance, straightening his jacket while murmuring to himself. She walked over to him and cleared her throat. “Aaron?”

He sighed. “What is it, Aurora? If you’ve come to defend his actions, spare yourself the effort. I won’t tolerate arrogance among my crew.”

She opened her mouth to tell him that he shouldn’t worry about Immortalias’ feelings so much, but stopped herself. Instead, she studied the man, taking in his features. Something was different about him, but she couldn’t place her fingers on it.

He looked up, as if noticing she was now standing still. “Well?” he said and raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“I believe you did the right thing, sir,” she said, truthfully.

The surprise showed in his face, and Aurora hurried to turn away in order to escape any further questions. While she’d finally told Aaron the truth about something, she wasn’t about to reveal all the Immortalia secrets. After all, it could be a trap.

Not long after, Aaron took the lead, pointing a machete towards a point in the distance. Aurora wasn’t aware of the several weapons they’d have to use, but she didn’t question his authority. He was far more trained in survival than she was, and she found it best to stay in the back. They didn’t have to walk for a long time before they could see the jungle. Her mouth dropped open as she stared at the magnificent sight spreading out in front of her. It was so… green.

Aurora followed the group and descended down to the grass-covered field on the side of the airstrip. Her eyes were occupied on the large trees, standing tall in front of her. She wondered what dangers could hide up there. A loud buzz came from behind her, and Aurora glanced behind her to see the plane gliding down the airstrip. They were alone with no way of returning.

Aaron used a machete to crop down some ferns, allowing the group to proceed further into the forest. As they moved, Aurora could hear the sound of leaves snapping; her boots sank slightly down into the soft moss-covered ground.

Looking up, she saw the wide canopy blocking the sunlight and she sped up to get closer to the group.

“This is amazing,” Milada muttered in front of her.

“It’s just as I remember it,” Allegra added.

“Ouch!” Zachary slapped his neck. “Damn mosquitos.”

Aaron turned around, handing out a small vial to Zachary. “Drink this—it works as repellant for the insects.”

Zachary scrunched his nose. “I’m not drinking that.”

“You will if you want to survive.” Aaron sighed. “The fauna here, including the insects, are much more dangerous than back home. Your immune system won’t be able to fend it off.” He shook the vial lightly. “Drink it.”

Aurora saw the defiance in Zachary’s eyes, but he glanced one time at Aaron before he caved. He grabbed the vial, shaking its contents lightly before downing it in one go. “This better not be poison, pretty boy,” he said.

She looked around, noticing the brief glance of sunlight as the tree tops moved. The heat didn’t bother Aurora, but one glance at Zachary’s sweat-covered forehead told her all she needed to know.

Aaron stopped them. “Take a good look at those vines,” he said, pointing to a large tree. Aurora noticed thick vines hanging from the large branches. “If you ever get lost, these will save your life. They’ll provide water for you, and water is the most important tool to survival in here.” He stopped and looked around them. “But don’t get lost.”

Great advice, captain, she thought.

“We’ll continue until the evening,” Aaron said. “And then we’ll find a suitable place to rest.”

Aurora stepped over the twisted roots, trying to avoid falling on her face. There was so much to see in here, and her eyes couldn’t follow. The various shades and shapes of green surrounded her, and it was almost artistic how several ropes of twisted vines wrapped around the massive tree trunks.

She could hear strange birdcalls and insects buzzing around her. Stopping to glance around, Aurora found a hole in the canopy where she could see a colorful bird studying the undergrowth carefully. Tilting her head, the light shifted and she gasped when she noticed a blue beak. She’d never seen a creature quite like it before, and the experience seemed almost otherworldly.

“It’s beautiful, right?” Aaron asked her.

Aurora glanced to her right, finding him next to her. “What’s it called?” she asked.

“It’s a Macaw,” he replied. “You see its long tail feathers?”

She nodded.

“Each Macaw has its own pattern, much like a human finger print.” He laughed.

“What’s funny?” she asked.

“In the past, they were believed to replicate human speech,” Aaron explained. “Humans held them as pets in the idea that the birds could learn from them. Can you believe it?”

“It does sound awfully human-like,” she admitted.

He glanced at her before nodding. “I suppose you’re right. Out of all the animals in here, the Macaw might be my favorite.” He turned to continue the walk.

Aurora followed, her curiosity flaring. “Why is it your favorite?”

“When a Macaw finds its mate,” Aaron said, keeping his eyes on the ground, watching his steps. “It stays with that mate until one of them dies.” He chuckled. “In my opinion, humans should learn from birds rather than the other way around.”

Aurora was confused. Why did he speak with such disdain for his own species? She couldn’t be entirely sure that it wasn’t her imagination running wild, but every time he said the word ‘human’, venom seemed to seep through his voice. Choosing to remain silent, she trudged along beside him.

As they walked, she became painfully aware of his presence. The sound of his heavy breathing echoed around her, and she could smell the natural body odor from the beads of sweat running down the side of his neck. She couldn’t help but stare transfixed at a single drop running along his jugular vein.

Without thinking, she reached her left hand out to him. “Aaron?” she said.

“Yeah?” He stopped, turning around to see her pointing at him. “What’s wrong?” His brows furrowed. “Do I have something on me?” When she didn’t answer, he started to pat himself down, doing a silly dance in front of her.

“Can I cool you down?” she asked, finally locating her voice.

He frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

She decided to show him, rather than try and explain it. Her finger touched his forehead, and a thin layer of frost spread over his skin, disappearing just as fast as it appeared.

“T-thank you,” he said.

She smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Aurora couldn’t explain what had just gotten into her. The air was thick on her tongue, and she panted slightly as she fought to catch up with the rest of their crew. She couldn’t be alone with Aaron like that again. Apparently, it made her crazy.

After that, she walked beside Milada, making sure to stay ahead of Aaron. Valeria had taken it upon herself to entertain Zachary, and while she stroked his male ego, the others had peace to gather their thoughts. Allegra, the fourth Immortalia, was cutting a path for them with her machete, ensuring that all of them held branches back so everybody got through safely.

They could hear the sound of running water in the distance, and Aurora assumed they were heading there as the sound only came closer to them with every step they took.

“Argh, crap!” Allegra shouted.

All of them hurried over to her, and Aurora saw what had caused the outburst. In front of them, separating them from a river, were several bamboo stands.

“That’s going to be a pain to crawl through,” Valeria noted. “Can you cut them down?”

“It would take too long,” Allegra replied. “We have to squeeze through it.” She turned around. “What do you think, Aaron?”

He walked up to the bamboo, reaching out to touch the stiff plant. Then he sighed. “There’s no way around it; we have to get through.” Carrying his duffel bag in his hands, he started to move around the several bamboo stands.

Aurora followed suit, squeezing in between the bamboo stand, its smooth surface sliding against her shirt. It was a bit easier when they reached the inner core. A tree had fallen, and the dead trunk had prevented the plant from growing. She noticed the dead vegetation surrounding the trunk, realizing it must have torn plants from their roots when it fell.

The ground was covered in slippery leaves, and Aurora fought to stay on her feet. A high-pitched birdcall echoed around her, and she ducked in case it was a predator.

Once she broke free from the bamboo, she walked a few steps until she reached the river. The feeling of the cold water running over her boots was amazing and helped to cool off her toes.

“It’s up here,” Allegra called from the other side of the river.

Aurora trudged over, making sure to watch her steps on the slippery stones. She caught up with the rest of the group, and they followed the little pathway, probably made by animals coming to the river to drink.

“Whoa,” Valeria muttered. “That’s amazing.”

“It really is,” Zachary agreed.

Jumping over a root, Aurora stood beside the others watching the most spectacular scenery in front of them: a waterfall, with trees growing from the rocks, causing the water to spread out across the whole pond beneath.

She looked to the sky, seeing the clearing up above where birds were flying around. An orange color painted the clouds, and she looked to Aaron who was glancing around.

“I guess we’ll camp here then,” he said and placed his duffel bag on the ground.

A/N: Please vote.