Return To Primordial Island by Rick Poldark (namjoon book recommendations TXT) 📗

The truth was, she loved sushi. There was no difference between restaurant sushi and this, except for presentation. At least that’s what she told herself. She looked at Jason, who tore one piece off after another, popping them into his mouth and chewing.

She popped her piece into her mouth. It was fishy and slimy, but she chewed and swallowed. It felt good hitting her empty stomach. Her mouth began to salivate. She tore off another piece, eating it, and another.

“There you go,” said Jason, grinning as he chewed.

They passed twilight feasting on their catch, careful to avoid the bones. When they finished, Jason wiped his mouth on the back of his forearm, and Susan washed up in the river.

Jason stood up and stretched. “Ah, feels good to have fuel in the tank. I’m going to drain the lizard.”

Susan pulled up the corner of her mouth. “Charming.”

He went into the jungle to relieve himself and was back in two minutes. “Okay, let’s find Mary. She’s somewhere nearby.”

“It’s dark,” said Susan. “Can you still track her?”

“I know the direction they went in,” said Jason. “I think they won’t be too far in. Let’s go. Follow me, and be very quiet.”

Susan nodded and followed him into the jungle, clutching both fishing spears. He wielded his knife, pushing vegetation aside as they walked. They crept in the dark, their only illumination the sliver of moon up in the night sky and the myriad of stars.

Jason put his hand out, signaling for her to stop. He pointed at his eyes with the index and middle fingers of his right hand and pointed at the clearing ahead. Mary lay on the ground in a heap. She was surrounded by several lizard men.

“Is she dead?” whispered Susan into Jason’s ear.

He shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he whispered back into her ear. His breath was hot and fishy, but she didn’t mind.

“What are we going to do?” she whispered back.

He thought about it for a moment. Then, his eyes brightened. “They know about me, but they don’t know about you. I’ll cause a diversion, get them to follow me. You go get Mary. Follow the river. I’ll take the long way around to lose them and catch up with you.”

“I don’t like this plan,” whispered Susan.

“Why?” he whispered back. “Do you have any better ideas?”

She didn’t like the plan because it placed him in danger and it separated them from each other. She felt safer with him, and she didn’t like the idea of Jason running off into the jungle pursued by several lizard men. “It’s dangerous.”

Jason shrugged. “Honey, this whole island is dangerous. It’s our only option. I’ll draw them away, and you get Mary out of there. Easy peasy.”

Susan looked back at the clearing. Bathed in monochromatic light, it was difficult to determine exactly how many lizard men were present. She nodded.

Jason began to creep off to the right, but Susan grabbed him by the arm. He turned to look at her, his expression questioning. She looked into his eyes, hesitating. Surprising even herself, she planted a wet kiss on his lips, closing her eyes and lingering for a moment. When she pulled away and opened her eyes, she saw that his eyes had been closed a second longer than hers. She liked that.

Jason winked. “Thanks, honey.” He crept in the vegetation off to the right. This time she let him go. She skulked off to the left, careful to remain as hidden as possible using the flora, making her way to where Mary lay. She prayed Mary wasn’t dead. If Jason was correct and the lizard men had stopped to rest, chances were, she was still alive.

As she drew close, she looked across the clearing to search for Jason, but she was unable to spot him. Damn, he was good. Trusting he was going to carry out his part of the plan, she crept in behind where Mary lay. The lizard men lay all about. One lay right next to her. Another was standing guard, looking around.

Susan crouched in the bushes behind a fallen tree, clutching her spears, waiting for something to happen, though she didn’t know what. Suddenly, she saw Jason moving across the clearing. Slipping in and out of the shadows, he made his way to where the one lizard man stood watch. The guard didn’t appear to notice him.

Be careful. Her hands clenched her spears tightly in anticipation. She looked at the other lizard men, sleeping. They lay so still, they looked as if they were dead, but she knew better.

Without warning, Jason burst out of the vegetation and brought his knife down into the chest of the lizard man on watch. Taken by surprise, it flared out its dewlap and emitted something between a croak and a hiss. Jason pulled his knife out of its torso, the blade dripping a thick black syrup in the monochromatic moonlight.

Susan covered her mouth, stifling a gasp, as the other lizard men awoke in alarm. They scrambled to their feet and dashed after Jason, tails whipping behind them, propelling them in their savage fury.

Mary sat up, moaning and holding her head. “Wha-what’s happening?”

Susan watched as the stabbed lizard man dropped to the ground, clutching its wound. It rolled over on its side, facing away from Susan, and stopped moving. The other lizard men followed Jason as he dashed into the jungle, howling like a mad man.

Susan looked around. She didn’t see any other lizard men, except for the one lying dead on the ground in a pool of its own blood. She emerged out of the bushes and climbed over the fallen tree trunk. “Mary…Mary, it’s Susan.” She crouched down, next to Mary. “Are you all right?”

Mary looked dazed. “Susan? What are you doing here?” She appeared groggy.