The Island of Fear (complete)

Chapter 5) Fears Taking Over

 KateSeleneMelody3OCS

Captain Barnacles POV: Selene, Derek and I walked in an uneasy silence further into the thick overgrown jungle. There still wasn't any sign of the Vegimals, and none of the other groups had contacted us. At least that meant they hadn't run into any trouble...right? Either way, I felt uneasy. What if the others had run into trouble but simply weren't able to radio for help? I shook my head. I wasn't helping anything by thinking that way. Selene was gazing thoughtfully down at her son, her fur shining in the dappled sunlight. I wondered what she was thinking about.

Suddenly, I heard a scream. "Help!" A voice shrieked.

My eyes widened. "Kate!" I yelled. She sounded terrified. "She's in trouble!" I said, mostly to myself. Selene looked at me, a worried look in her eyes.

"Captain-" She began, but she was interrupted by another scream. It sounded like a scared Kwazii, which was quite rare. Members of my crew were in trouble. Selene's eyes met mine, and together, we ran into the screams.

 isobeljones2000

Shellington's POV: Dashi looked up at me, her eyes wide as I felt her forehead with a paw, feeling the heat radiating from it and knowing in my heart that this was serious. Dashi was running a fever, and as I was in no way a medic, I had no idea how to stop it. She was flushed and her fur was sweat covered. 

"Don't worry, you're fine," I whispered comfortingly, but my voice was high with panic and Dashi's reproachful stare was enough to tell me I'm being stupid. I relented. "I'll call Peso..." I muttered, and turned away, clicking my radio with one shaking paw. The result is slow, but Peso's voice is just recognisable over the radio.

"Hello?"

"It's Shellington. Dashi's got some kind of fever! And I -"

"Kate's trapped somewhere underground, and she's claustrophobic!" the frightened voice of Peso interrupted. My eyes widened. I could hear the sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.

"Can you rescue Kate?"

"Not without a rescue line or something..." Peso's voice was faint. In the background I hear a cry of pain. Peso gasped, loudly in my ear. "I think Kate's hurt! I have to go!" Then he was gone. 

"But what about Dashi??" I shouted, knowing no one could hear me on the other end. I turned just in time to have Dashi crash into me. I caught her by the shoulders and turned her round, realizing with a jolt that her eyes were unfocused and glazed over. The fever had got worse almost instantly. And she was muttering unintelligible words under her breath.

 KateSeleneMelody3OCS

Peso's POV: I was panicking, which wasn't new. I didn't have a plan! But I had to help Kate! But what could I do? I was only a medic, for goodness sakes!

Suddenly, my helmet radio buzzed. I answered it. "Hello? I said, half of my mind still trying to think of a plan.

"It's Shellington." My mind raced. Shellington was pretty good with coming up with ideas! Maybe he could help.

"Kate's trapped somewhere underground and she's claustrophobic!" I said frantically. I took a sharp breath, hating myself for sounding so frightened.

"Can you rescue Kate?" Shellington asked. I shook my head.

"Not without a rescue line or something..." I murmured. I heard Kate cry in pain, and I gasped, more anxious then ever. "I think Kate's hurt! I have to go!" I reported, then I hung up.

"Rescue line..." I murmured. I got an idea so ridiculous to me, I almost laughed. But it was better than nothing. I opened my medical bag and got out a roll of bandages. I then wrapped the bandages several times around a nearby tree. I then grabbed the other end of the roll and tied it around myself.

"I'm insane for doing this..." I muttered before propelling myself down the hole where Kate had disappeared.

 isobeljones2000

Kwazii's POV: I couldn't think straight. My mind was full of internal screams as I stood, rooted to the spot, unable to move as the horrifying creatures barreled down at me. Their legs crept creepily and I screamed as I imagined their legs over me. My practical side was telling me I should move, had to move, but I could do nothing but stare. 

Then I was yanked aside, pulled hard down to the floor and my eyes broke contact with the wave of spiders, just for a second. I looked up to see Tweak, breathless and wide eyed, but still determined. Then I saw a spider crawling up her shoulder and I cowered, screaming again and pointing. All my common sense seemed to have left me.

Tweak flicked the spider away and risked a quick look back before she pulled me to my feet and we were running, running away hand in hand from the terror. I thought it would stop there, but as I glanced back (a big mistake) the spiders had hit the ground and were now crawling along the ground, along trees and hissing, their evil sounds hitting a new nerve every time I heard it. I was still looking back over my shoulder, my legs slowing down even as I watched, when Tweak hit me in the face. My head snapped round to the front and I got ready to scowl at her when her eyes widened and I automatically ducked. My head was a lot clearer and there was an odd sense of calm in my mind. Maybe I was going mad. I nearly looked around when Tweak squeezed my hand and shook her head violently.

Don't look, her expression advised me. And I agreed wholeheartedly. We began to run again, though my jaw ached and my legs were on fire. Tweak didn't seem too tired from her appearance (she did have a pretty physical job) but her breath was laboured and I could tell she was tiring. And she was beautiful, in that one small moment of horror. Her eyes were wide yet focused and her fur was windswept. I tried to make my feet keep running but I couldn't summon the energy. We were exhausted. 

I leant against a tree and breathed, my breath coming in short gasps. Tweak was looking the same. I looked around for a flash of inspiration and it came at once. Across the path I could see a tunnel, leading deep underground. It could be deep, it could have something even more horrific in it, but anything for me was better than the alternative. I pointed it out to Tweak and she nodded, neither of us able to speak. We got up and Tweak slipped her hand in mine, where it felt natural and easy. We prepared to run.

1.... 2....3.... I whispered just loud enough for Tweak to hear.

"Run!" she shouted, and we raced across the path, across the path of spiders barreling towards us. Without hesitation we threw ourselves into the blackness.

Luckily it was only a few foot deep, and my feet hit grass. We ran deeper, away from where the spiders hopefully wouldn't find us, until it was almost black. Then we both collapsed, on the floor, too tired to run any more. For a few moments neither of us spoke, the only sound our laboured breathing and the leftover adrenaline coursing through my limbs. When I finally summoned the breath I said softly to Tweak, "Your headband?"

Tweak's look was unrecognizable for a moment, but when her eyes met mine there was a very recognisable look in them.

"You idiot," she whispered, and kissed me.