Chapter 3
1043 Words
Valerie was lost in thought. There was no way she could grant Enrico's ridiculous request. However, it was even harder for her to endure her thirst.
"So how?" Enrico leaned closer, waiting for her answer.
"Alright, I agree," she said reluctantly. She cleared her throat, looking hesitant, before kissing Enrico.
"What are you doing? You're acting very strange," he chided, looking at her in surprise. "Thirst has made your brain a little crazy."
Valerie opened her eyes, finding him smiling broadly. "What do you mean, didn't you just ask me to kiss you?" she said.
There was an instant burst of laughter. "I never said that," Enrico said.
"But you were looking at my lips," she retorted with conviction.
"But that doesn't mean I'm asking you to kiss me," Enrico retorted, still amused. "I just wanted you to smile a little for me. My head is spinning watching you keep a sour face all the time."
Valerie's head snapped down. She had misunderstood his intentions. How embarrassing. How could she think in that direction?
"This is for you." Enrico handed her the coconut.
Valerie raised her head hesitantly. She could still feel that her face was turning red. "Thank you," she said with a sweet smile. She began to sip the coconut water, which tasted so fresh that it crossed her burning throat.
"My name is Enrico, by the way," he said, remembering that they hadn't introduced themselves yet.
"I'm Valerie," she replies.
As the evening wore on, the sea became a little calmer. The waves, still crashing about two hours ago, have disappeared, replaced by a gentle breeze. Enrico moved on, picked up a twig, and carved the end into a sharp point that resembled a spear.
"What are you going to do with that?" Valerie looked very curious.
"You'll find out in a moment." Enrico walked towards the sea. He seemed to pause momentarily, watching the rippling water's direction, then swung his spear quickly.
A fish stuck to the tip of the spear. Enrico smiled, picked it up, and did the same again. His eyes widened again, noticing every sign he got, and then he thrust his spear back into the water.
"You're so great!" Valerie, who saw it, was amazed. He did it as if it were easy.
Enrico stuck the fish he had caught on a branch, then grilled it until it was cooked. The aroma of the grill instantly filled the senses. Valerie, who was hungry, swallowed her saliva. It was as if she hadn't eaten it in months.
They enjoyed the grilled fish, accompanied by the stars in the sky, warming the atmosphere.
"I wonder who you really are. I mean, there's no way a office worker could be as calm as you are, you look too practiced for this kind of situation," Valerie chirped.
Enrico smiled slightly and said, "I'm ex-army."
"Really? No wonder." Valerie looked excited, then said, "Look, if you can protect me until the rescue team arrives, I'll ask my father to make you a manager in one of his companies."
"Thank you for your good intentions, but right now you'd better finish the food quickly. There's no way we can get out of this place if we're starving." Enrico's voice slowed down.
Her eyes instantly glazed over. "Why are you saying that? Are you trying to scare me on purpose?"
"Of course not." Enrico glanced into the jungle, realizing something was lurking.
The sound of twigs being stepped on was faint. It was getting closer and closer. A pair of eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Large, round lanterns were watching them from behind the dense trees.
Valerie gasped, inching backward at the sight. "Who is it?" she whispered, clutching Enrico's arm tightly. "Is it a tiger?"
"I don't know, it looks like one, but I'm not sure." He aimed his flashlight at a pair of eyes that slowly seemed to move away before disappearing.
It didn't seem to be a tiger or any other animal. Enrico couldn't hear any growling or see any mane, teeth, or sharp nails. Instead, it resembled a human body, except everything seemed covered in leaves and rough black fur.
Was it a native of this jungle?
Enrico quickly picked up the book he had found, flipping through the map. Studying the skull symbol and every line. He was sure this was closely related to the figure he had just seen.
"What are you reading?" Valerie leaned closer, watching the enigmatic pen strokes.
The skull symbol looked familiar to her. She had seen it on a program broadcast by one of the television stations. The symbol symbolized the existence of a cannibal tribe that was thought to be extinct. However, some people doubt that.
The tribe is said to kidnap every stranger they meet. It was not uncommon for some adventurers to disappear without a trace around the jungle where they lived.
"Wait a minute." Valerie grabbed the book, scrutinizing every part of it. "Where did you get this book?"
"I got it from there." Enrico pointed at the duffel backpack lying behind her.
Valerie looked at Enrico. They were both silent for a moment, thinking the same thing. Perhaps the book belonged to one of the missing adventurers. That meant the cannibal tribe was in the jungle behind them.
Anxiety instantly appeared on her face. Valerie's mind was filled with horrible things. "I don't want to die here. I still want to see my mom and dad," she said, sobbing.
"We'll get out of this place alive. You don't have to be afraid." His words sounded reassuring. "Look, you better get some sleep now. I'll keep watch here."
"Are you sure?" Valerie looked uncomfortable.
Enrico nodded and went back to looking at the book. He was utterly baffled until a scrap of paper suddenly fell between the pages.
Go north, and you'll find it! The deaths? Of course not! However, it will make you feel like the luckiest person on earth. It says May nineteen, two thousand twenty-four.
That means the owner of this book came to this place about a year ago. Did he disappear because he met that tribe? Or did he deliberately make up a story? To cover up something he discovered?
- Writer
