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

Peter stepped forward to survey the remains of Susan. Mary and Tracey tried to stop him, but he shrugged them off. Susan was torn to pieces, beyond his power to bring her back. The primordial island had claimed her life for the second and final time.

“But I do,” hissed Jason. “I can bring her back.”

“No,” demanded Mary, stepping forward.

Jason turned on her, eyes wild. “You don’t think I can do it? You underestimate me.”

“It doesn’t matter if you can,” said Tracey. “You shouldn’t. You’d make her into a monster…”

“Like me?” said Jason, finishing her sentence.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” said Tracey, shaking her head.

Peter stepped in front of Jason, cutting him off from Tracey. “It’s not right. She’s gone. Anything you did would be a horrible facsimile of her. Don’t disrespect her memory by doing something unnatural.”

Jason recoiled from Peter’s words, placing a hand in front of his face, like a vampire faced with a crucifix. When he dropped his hand, his eyes returned to normal. The orb in his chest dimmed, and his whole demeanor changed. He appeared less wild and more like himself. His face dripped with sweat. “She had a family. She was going to go home.” His voice sounded small.

“It’s my fault,” said Peter. “She shouldn’t have followed me here.”

“That’s not fair,” demanded Mary. “She had no choice but to follow us.” She pointed a finger at Jason. “Even you said this mission was essential.”

Jason was calm, but the expression on his face was bitter, as if he had a foul taste in his mouth that he couldn’t shake. “If Peter hadn’t hogged all the power for himself, this wouldn’t have happened. He was greedy, and he couldn’t handle it.”

Tracey balled her hands into fists. “No, don’t you dare blame him. He didn’t ask for any of this. He was only trying to do the right thing.”

“You’ve been speaking to Nazimaa,” said Peter to Jason. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jason turned his back on them. “Because I knew how you’d react. After what happened with Mike Deluca, I knew you wouldn’t trust me.”

Peter laughed, but it was a piteous sound. “Wouldn’t trust you? Jason, I trust you with my life. You’re a good person.”

Jason turned back, leveling his gaze at Peter. “Even now? Do you trust me now that I have the death orb?”

“Maybe you’re right,” said Peter. “Maybe you respect death enough to wield it. Look how you resisted being overcome by its power. You could use it for good.”

“I know what I’m going to use it for,” said Jason. “I’m going to the Temple of the Simian King, and I’m going to bring my little brother back.”

Peter shook his head, sweating profusely. He looked wan. “No. I saw what you think is your brother. It’s Nazimaa. She’s a demon.”

Jason stamped his foot. “No! It’s Joey. I know it’s him.”

“She appeared to Mike Deluca as his deceased wife,” said Peter. “She twisted and manipulated him, like she’s doing to you now.”

“No,” insisted Jason. “I’m bringing my brother back. He’s at the temple.”

“Nazimaa’s at the temple,” said Peter. “She’s imprisoned there. She wants you to free her so she can leave the island.”

“Maybe you can use your death power to wipe out the lizard men,” offered Mary. “Then we don’t even have to go to this temple.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” admonished Jason.

“Oh, come off it,” said Mary. “You asked Peter if he could do it when he had the death orb. Now it’s a bad idea?”

Peter stepped forward, looking Jason in the eye. “Come on, buddy. You have the death orb. I know you can use it responsibly. If anyone can do it, it’s you. Let’s think about this for a moment.” He saw he had Jason’s attention. “What do you think is the right thing to do? Not the right thing for you, but the right thing for all? For the island?”

  Jason dropped his head. “I…I don’t know what to make of any of this.” He raised it again to look at Peter. “This must’ve been what you’ve been shouldering this whole time. I didn’t realize…I’m sorry.”

Peter felt relieved his friend was being reasonable. “We have plenty of time to discuss this. Maybe we need to rest.” He looked up at the sky, but the canopy was so thick it was impossible to tell where the sun was. “We can camp here, scare up some food.”

“Bury Susan,” said Jason.

Peter nodded. “Yes. Bury Susan.”

“What if there’re more chimpanzees?” asked Tracey.

Mary shook her head. “No, this was that community’s territory. It’ll be a while before another community realizes it’s unoccupied.”

“I’ll see that Susan gets buried,” said Peter to Jason. “Why don’t you see if you can hunt us some food?”

Jason nodded. He walked over to Susan’s torn body, knelt by it, and paused as if deep in thought or even prayer. He gently lifted the hunting knife he lent her off the ground by her body, wiped each side of the blade on his pant leg, and sheathed it. He retrieved his own spear off the ground by Peter and walked off into the jungle.

“Is he going to be okay?” asked Mary, concerned.

“I hope so,” said Peter.

“Do you think he’ll become like Mike Deluca?” asked Tracey.

“Not if I have anything to say about it. I’ll teach him how to manage it. Jason’s a good guy.”

“So was Mike Deluca, I’m sure,” said Tracey.

Peter looked down at Susan’s remains. “This thing…this Nazimaa preys on people’s weaknesses. It feeds on their pain. Their grief.”

“Well, it looks like we’re not going to that temple now, so it’s a non-issue,” said Mary. “She won’t be freed.”

“Nazimaa won’t stop trying to get at him,” said Peter. “Especially now that he possesses the death orb. She