Day #12: One Day More by Elizabeth Averay
Morning light filtered by the trees dapples the ground all around, making unusual shapes with shadows that slowly move then disappear as the sun steadily rises in the sky.
The forest is peaceful, with just the hint of animals rising for the day.
Getting up to start the day myself I swiftly pack my few possessions ready for the next leg of my trek to an ancient settlement site deep in this very forest. Gazing at my compass I get my bearings and continue on my way.
Keeping my compass handy I climb over fallen trees, large rocks, dead animals, and even debris from long ago plane crashes, doing my best to continue in the right direction. Sliding down a two-metre steep slope I come face to face with a panther cub, both of us startled. I move back as far as the slope behind me will allow, then remain frozen knowing its mother won’t be far away. But the cub comes right up to me and starts to cry; looking back behind it then looking at me with a sad, imploring gaze.
I find myself following the panther cub to where its mother is caught in a very old trap. Unfortunately she has been dead for at least two days by my reckoning. Not being able to leave the cub I take it with me as it’s clear it won’t survive on its own.
Breaking through some tough vines I see the ancient settlement sprawled out before us. It’s almost dark so I make camp, light a small fire and hunt for some small game to feed the cub. The I curl up for the night.
Some time during the night I am woken by a sharp pain in my back. Looking up I can just make out a large silhouette holding a menacing spear. Making wild gestures at me I realise I am to follow.
We walk away from the settlement I’ve come to study and walk until just after dawn, coming to a hidden cave entrance.
Being roughly shoved into a small room a guard is brought forth to watch over me and my captor strides away.
The little cub hiding in my pack climbs out and snuggles up to me, both giving and taking comfort.
Returning, my captor spies the panther cub and starts screaming, then runs back the way she came. The guard turns, sees the panther and his lovely dark skin becomes a sickly pale grey. I am left alone in this small room for a whole day and night before an incredibly old person is carried to the entrance of my cell. It creaks out, ‘Why have you come here?’
My mouth hangs open in surprise. I shake myself, cuddling the cub closer, and respond, ‘Because your woman brought me here.’
Cocking its head it tries again. ‘What were you doing sleeping by the cursed place?’
Thinking hard at what the cursed place could be, I realise, ‘Oh! You mean the ancient settlement. I am to meet a team of people from work there. We’re hoping to discover what happened to everyone who used to live there.’
The old man (I finally work it out) shakes his head. ‘What happened there is that they all died. None that stay there for long die. If you stay there another day, you will die. Your team is already dead. They arrived five days ago. They are long gone.’ Then his eyes lower to take in the cub and he shudders. ‘How do you come to have a devil cub?’
‘This little one is no devil. Just an orphan that needs caring for as its mother is dead.’
He waves his people over then says, ‘You will leave now. The one you call “woman” will show you to the edge of the forest. And take the little devil with you. Their kind bring us nothing but misery.’ And with that he is carried away.
My guide walks quickly. We make it to the edge of the forest in a matter of days then she speaks. ‘You are lucky. Our elder would have had you killed if not for the little devil.’ Then she melts into the trees.
I never see any of them again.
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