Visionless Reality

Sixteen

        Following the path, carved on the hill for help, we were being extra careful for the rocks there were sharp. One of the recruits did stumble upon a big rock, and got hurt in his leg. His skin was torn and the muscles were visible. All of his teammates were busy helping him out, clean the wound and give him the first aid, while we were trying to get rid of big rocks from the way ahead. Those were the rocks, built by the volcanic eruptions, that made them sharp. We were using some extra clothes of one of the recruits to give the rocks an extra covering for protection. Completing the first aid, we restarted our journey to the east of the camp. From the journey till now, I got to learn that this task is all about fighting together. The more we care, the more we succeed.

‘Ah! This place is like the path to heaven…’-Recruit-147.

‘Why are you so stupid? Way to the heaven would be more peaceful and adorable than this mini hell.’-Recruit-38.

‘You will never understand me. After pain and struggle only, you can reach heaven. That is the only way there.’-Recruit-147.

        It didn’t take us too long to reach the top but, it was very much tough climbing the hill, that was steep. But reaching the top was really worth it. The whole scenario was different than imagined. In front, it was all water. Some green piece of land was visible in the north-eastern part but still… That looked awesome. The water was green. So clear that the river bed could be seen from above. I was sure that the water was shallow. Something was luring me to jump into the water but wait… It was a cliff. We all were on a hill cliff, ready to launch us into that water body. As I mentioned I had acrophobia, I was still unsure to jump.

‘What are you looking at dude? It’s just water… nothing else.’-Recruit-147.

‘Well, I am scared of heights. I can’t do that.’

‘Oh come on… I am with you… Come!’-Recruit-38.

        Saying this, 38 pushed me off the cliff, holding my hand. All I could see was a huge waterbody in front of my eyes, and my heart was beating fast. All of this was taking so long. Although it felt like going to hell to me, if you would be looking at me from a distance, you would see everything happening with the blink of the eye. I was feeling nauseous, and was going to puke but my mouth was filled with air. Hair were floating, and I was feeling the drag but overall, I was too scared to open my eyes. The last time I opened them, I heard a thud and some bubbling sounds. I could see all of the world suddenly turn blue and the body was cold. I couldn’t hear him but his muffled voice did say something- ‘You know… I don’t know… swim…’. I was in the waterbody. This was much deeper than it looked. Getting up on the surface, I was coughing out the water… It was salty and disgusting. As soon as I recovered from that epic jump, something smashed up on my head and I was again inside the water body. The second time being inside the water, was familiar to me. I had seen that before. Was that a De-Ja-Vu? Definitely no… It was one of my dreams come true like the events in the past. I tried to look deep inside the water and saw some of the oxygen tanks, tied with chains. I got up to the surface once more and realised it was 147, who jumped on my body and made me dumped me into the water.

‘Is this all natural that I am floating, or I am into some fairyland… most probably dead?’-Recruit-38.

‘You are alive my son… on this land. And the reason for you floating on this water is the amount of salt. You can taste it as well.’-Recruit-147.

‘This is heaven guys! I will be resting in this water for my whole life…’-Recruit-38.

‘I think we should focus on the task, prior to ending your life, floating in the dead sea.’-Recruit-399.

‘But 399, isn’t our destination too far… I don’t think we could reach there today.’-Recruit-147.

‘Hey listen guys… I think I got something down there. There is a wrecked ship, down on the seabed… if anyone of us could reach there, it has an abundance of oxygen tanks. We could use one as a catalyst in our journey.’

‘You are genius dude! Nice use of the environment. Let me try to get there and check whether they would be sufficient or not…’-Recruit-399.

‘Yo I’ll come with you. I want to help you… for I can control my breath for longer than 1 minutes and 50 seconds.’-Recruit-147.

        Both of them took a heavy breath, and dipped their heads inside with some thrust, forcing them to reach the seabed. I was left alone on the surface, with the recruits who were trying to swim to their destination, and the person who was floating without actually not knowing how to swim. I tried to take a look on them but was unable to see due to the ripples. Lowering down myself into the waters, I saw one of the oxygen tanks approaching towards me. I got it’s hold and was pushed to the top of the surface of water.

‘There are many oxygen tanks. Some of them were able to be retrieved by removing the chains they were covered with… but others are inside the wrecked ship. It would be hard to get all of them… I think we would have to share them’-Recruit-399.

‘Hey guys listen! Everyone get to the seabed… there are loads of oxygen tanks to get you a thrust, to that island. Wasn’t it simple?’-Recruit-38.

        All of the other recruits got inside the waters in search of some oxygen tanks. A few recruits were still left, but with the help of their teammates, they were able to drift in the water. This was the most exciting thing I ever did. Pushing through the nozzle of the tank, using a knife, and using the pressure of the gas to reach our destination. Wasn’t that smart? Ofcourse it was. We reached the ground of the island and the beach was awesome. It was like Miami without human presence. I was actually feeling to enjoy the task and call it a trip. All the recruits assembled at the shore of the island and looked at the cliff we all jumped off.

‘Did we really jump off from there?’-Recruit-38.

‘Yes. You pushed me from that cliff. I would have rather died on the way to the waterbody. Don’t try to do such stuff again with me. And you Mr. blubber… You jumped on me... You could have broken my neck, ending up disqualified from this task.’

‘If we have had enough talks, could we continue to do what we were here for?’-Recruit-399.

‘Yes… First things first. I’ll find the horsetail. But where would we get it actually?’-Recruit-147.

‘Try to find them near the bushes. They are most probably found collectively.’-Recruit-399.

‘Let me find the lavender and black sage.’

‘Mushrooms and beeswax on me.’-Recruit-38.

‘You go for the mushrooms… Beeswax would be collected in the presence of all the teammates. Okay guys… spread out!’-Recruit-399.

‘Wait! There is a potential threat of some human species on this island.’-Some random recruit.

‘Oh Jesus! What do you mean?’-Recruit-38.

‘There is some blood marks and bullet shells over here.’-Random recruit.

‘They are here too.’-Another recruit.

        Approaching the shells, those were 9mm, of some pistol. Most probably Beretta for those were the most common pistols around the world. Looking at the blood, it was not fully dried. Looked like the spots were made recently.

‘Come here fellas! I found something…’-Some random recruit.

        Following the voice, we all reached a place that was covered in blood, flesh and bones. It was kind of a s*******r house. The shack was having a lock at that instant but that was the sign of some human species on that island. If that were not tribal people, who care very much for their raw materials and felt it wrong to trade it to anyone, then we were as good as dead. I have often heard the tales of how some of the psychopath tribal men, eat the human species by making traps for them. All of the environment was starting to become creepy at once. It was not a right feeling. Crows feeding on the left pieces of fresh meat, that laid on the bloodied grounds. The whole land was turned into a barren land.

‘What do you think about this?’-Recruit-159.

‘If we ask for help from that human, I think he would be able to help us and get us the materials more easily.’-Recruit-233.

‘And what if they were before us. Remember the instructor mentioned the risk of our lives on this land. After saying this much, don’t you think it is weird to ask for help from a stranger?’-Recruit-399.

‘Alak un trua… alak ism ka un trua…’-A loud voice from nearby.

        He was a lean but strong person with a Beretta in his hands. He was speaking some another language, probably the language of their tribe. He was scared looking at so many people, crowded near his house. He was shaking with fearfulness, pointing his pistol towards the recruits.

‘No no… no… don’t shoot me…’-Every recruit present.

‘Alak un trua… alak ism ka un trua… Alak un ka jeva ism ka un trua…’-Tribal person.

‘What is he saying?’-Random recruit.

‘Let’s figure that out later but first let him feel familiar.’-Random recruit.

        To make him feel comfortable, all of the recruits raised their hands over their heads and proved that we had no weapons with us. All of us tried to talk to him in English but he couldn’t. He was so scared that his hands were shaking fast and his face turned pale. Looking into the situation, one of the recruits took the action and grabbed his pistol after flinching his hand. The tribal person shouted loud and started running into the deep forest. The action was started. I was furious in this thing for all I ever wanted was some action in real life. All the recruits were running before him when the recruit with the pistol fired at him. He dodged that bullet and continued running wild. This game was getting intense. I thought we were just trying to capture him, but the other recruits were trying to kill him.

‘That one is a victim to our presence… Don’t let him go… If anyone else is here, they would not understand what we want to say… ending up being obstacles in our path.’-Recruit with the pistol.

        He got some point in that. There was a possibility of a whole tribal community… and if they would know about our presence, they would be having a feast over our bodies the next day. Every recruit forgot the main task that brought us here and were actually running before that little faultless coward, who was taking his stand for all the people who have taken over his house. Running into the deep jungle, with all the vines hanging from the trees, and branches all over the place, it was a dream of mine to visit such a place, that have only been seen in the movies and all. The thickets were so dense, that it gave very fine amount of sunlight enter the environment. This special effect made the place, more likeable and suitable for some movie screenings. Running for a while, then halting… and continuing the steps on repeat, our journey ended at a fenced area that was very huge, with some shattered houses inside and some power transmitters. Looked like a base for some serious community. The whole environment suddenly changed from exciting to alarming.