Part 76: The Right Path
Tony continued to trek through the jungle. He had made it to the waterfall about twenty minutes ago and began his trek deeper into the foliage. The blind doctor was grunting as sweat was starting to soak into his blindfold. It made his eye that he still had sting a little. He paused for a second, and pulled out the waterbottle he brought him with. Quickly, he drank a little more and kept walking.
The underbrush was crushing on his feet. The branches were scrapping his upper arms, cause he couldn’t see them to avoid him. Silently he was thankful for the pain. It reminded him of what he had to do and to not give up. He couldn’t; he wasn’t allowed to. He knew Eddie was counting on him
Another thirty minutes had past and Tony had not stopped walking. He could feel his shirt soaking up with sweat. He then ran face first into a tree. The blind man grunted, and hit the tree with his cane, almost a silent way of scolding it for blocking his path. He continued walking, pausing for a few second and feeling of the ground so he knew he was on the right path.
But was he really on the right path?
Tony started to breath heavily, becoming filled with doubt. How the devil did he know where Eddie was? Wake up, Doctor, YOU’RE BLIND, an inner voice told him. Tony tried to control his breathing so he could focus on his hearing. Anything. Some indication that he was on the right direction. All he could hear was the wind blowing through the trees. Nothing else. No cries from Eddie, Mia or Taylor. Tony then began to walk forward.
The lurched as he fell into a hole in the ground.
The blind man grunted, catching himself on the edge of the hole. He reached out grabbing the dirt to pull himself up. Fear began to slip into his mind as he felt his feet tangling beneath him. He struggled and within a minute, was able to pull himself out of the hole. He stood up, trying to breathe. Then it swelled up in his throat and flooded his face. The overwhelming anger than he couldn’t find the way right. “NOOOO!!!” he screamed at the top of his lungs, “I AM NOT HELPLESS!!!”
The blind doctor gasped, catching his breath. Then collapsed on his knees. He had to admit it to himself; he truly didn’t know where to go. He had stumbled into the jungle like a stupid blind man, not knowing what to do. His only concern was getting Eddie back, making no thought to his welfare. It never even occurred to him how Marita might feel with him walking through the jungle on his own. He was flooded with shame, fear and failure. “Eddie,” he began to cry, “I’m . .I’m sorry.”
Tony then fell back on his butt. He crossed his legs, and controlled his tears. It was better if he didn’t cry for the most part. He could feel the sting of the tear ducts within his burned eye trying to activate. Crying was never painful; but now it was. He gently wiped his sweat, and began to think. He knew John would get Eddie and the others back. Tony had ever confidence in his friend’s abilities. Now he would receive a lecture from his archer friend when he found Tony.
If he found him at all.
It’s easy for a blind man to get lost. If John did get the others back, he’d come looking through the jungle for his doctor friend. But that might not be for another day, maybe two. Tony felt of the bottled water, and realized there was only a little bit left. The blind man took a deep sigh, wondering if his mistake had cost him his life. The more he thought about it, the more he didn’t mind. “Marita and Eddie will live,” he whispered, “That’s all that matters to me.”
Tony then started to chuckle. Had it gotten so bad, that he was talking to himself? “Must be.” He laughed.
Tony the froze hearing a guttural growl to his left.
The blind man slowly stood up as he heard the familiar impact tremors and the trees being moved to make way for a giant beast. Tony stood his ground as the Polliwog approached him. He felt the impact tremors stop near him. The doctor gently gripped his fist trying to control his fear. This was the second time it appeared before him and the second time it didn’t move to attack him. Martin had suggested the creature exhibited intelligence when it chose to kill Poteet and not Tony. He took a deep breath as he was out of options. “Please, help me.” He whispered.
The monster just continued it’s guttural breathing.
“Eddie has been taken and I need to find him,” Tony called to the monster, “I . .I can’t cause I am blind. He’s innocent. He doesn’t deserve for this to happen to him.”
The Polliwog took in a deep breath but did nothing.
Tony then found himself laughing again, “What the hell am I doing? I am talking to a monster I can’t even see. I must be finally losing my damn mind.”
Tony then walked a few paces away and then turned back toward the monster. “Did you know you have a name?” he called to it, “You’re The Polliwog. Eddie gave you that name. I don’t even know if you have a name for real. But to us you’re the Polliwog.”
The creature let out a new guttural growl. Not really a growl, but it was more like a purring sound. Tony smacked his lips; wondering if it really could understand him? He then collapsed on his knees again, knowing he could do nothing. Was the monster studying him? What was it waiting for? Tony knew he had to stay put for John to find him. He couldn’t see the monster and wasn’t afraid of it. It clearly wasn’t going to kill him, or was it? The blind man looked skyward one last time. “Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you,” he whispered, “Thanks for killing Poteet and not me.”
The giant beast let out another guttural purr and then began to walk away, causing the impact tremors. Tony held his breath as he felt the wind change around him; meaning the Polliwog was stepping over him yet again. He then heard it crash into the jungle. He took a deep sigh; hoping that Eddie would be okay. Tony massaged his chin, hearing the Polliwog break the trees in it’s wake. Then it clicked his inside his brain, hearing the noises.
The monster didn’t break the trees when it walked, it just moved them!
Tony stood up, and turned toward the noise. He heard more and more trees cracking at their trunks. The Polliwog was breaking the trees on purpose! Could that mean . . it wanted Tony to follow it? Follow it to . . .Eddie?
The blind man decided to take a chance. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the sand he grabbed before he left. He gently let it pour from his palm onto the ground, creating a small pile. After he dumped the last of the sand, he reached down, feeling for it. He gently drew an arrow pointing toward the noise of the Polliwog. He then drew a giant T to let them know he left the message but he was certain they would figure it out anyway. “Hurry, boys,” he whispered.
Tony then grabbed his cane and began to follow the noise the giant creature made. He tapped his cane all around, feeling of the destroyed trees. The monster was leaving behind a sure-fire path for Tony to follow; especially John and the others. He smiled, glad this strange creature was able to help him.
If he made it back, he’d have one story to tell the others.
The underbrush was crushing on his feet. The branches were scrapping his upper arms, cause he couldn’t see them to avoid him. Silently he was thankful for the pain. It reminded him of what he had to do and to not give up. He couldn’t; he wasn’t allowed to. He knew Eddie was counting on him
Another thirty minutes had past and Tony had not stopped walking. He could feel his shirt soaking up with sweat. He then ran face first into a tree. The blind man grunted, and hit the tree with his cane, almost a silent way of scolding it for blocking his path. He continued walking, pausing for a few second and feeling of the ground so he knew he was on the right path.
But was he really on the right path?
Tony started to breath heavily, becoming filled with doubt. How the devil did he know where Eddie was? Wake up, Doctor, YOU’RE BLIND, an inner voice told him. Tony tried to control his breathing so he could focus on his hearing. Anything. Some indication that he was on the right direction. All he could hear was the wind blowing through the trees. Nothing else. No cries from Eddie, Mia or Taylor. Tony then began to walk forward.
The lurched as he fell into a hole in the ground.
The blind man grunted, catching himself on the edge of the hole. He reached out grabbing the dirt to pull himself up. Fear began to slip into his mind as he felt his feet tangling beneath him. He struggled and within a minute, was able to pull himself out of the hole. He stood up, trying to breathe. Then it swelled up in his throat and flooded his face. The overwhelming anger than he couldn’t find the way right. “NOOOO!!!” he screamed at the top of his lungs, “I AM NOT HELPLESS!!!”
The blind doctor gasped, catching his breath. Then collapsed on his knees. He had to admit it to himself; he truly didn’t know where to go. He had stumbled into the jungle like a stupid blind man, not knowing what to do. His only concern was getting Eddie back, making no thought to his welfare. It never even occurred to him how Marita might feel with him walking through the jungle on his own. He was flooded with shame, fear and failure. “Eddie,” he began to cry, “I’m . .I’m sorry.”
Tony then fell back on his butt. He crossed his legs, and controlled his tears. It was better if he didn’t cry for the most part. He could feel the sting of the tear ducts within his burned eye trying to activate. Crying was never painful; but now it was. He gently wiped his sweat, and began to think. He knew John would get Eddie and the others back. Tony had ever confidence in his friend’s abilities. Now he would receive a lecture from his archer friend when he found Tony.
If he found him at all.
It’s easy for a blind man to get lost. If John did get the others back, he’d come looking through the jungle for his doctor friend. But that might not be for another day, maybe two. Tony felt of the bottled water, and realized there was only a little bit left. The blind man took a deep sigh, wondering if his mistake had cost him his life. The more he thought about it, the more he didn’t mind. “Marita and Eddie will live,” he whispered, “That’s all that matters to me.”
Tony then started to chuckle. Had it gotten so bad, that he was talking to himself? “Must be.” He laughed.
Tony the froze hearing a guttural growl to his left.
The blind man slowly stood up as he heard the familiar impact tremors and the trees being moved to make way for a giant beast. Tony stood his ground as the Polliwog approached him. He felt the impact tremors stop near him. The doctor gently gripped his fist trying to control his fear. This was the second time it appeared before him and the second time it didn’t move to attack him. Martin had suggested the creature exhibited intelligence when it chose to kill Poteet and not Tony. He took a deep breath as he was out of options. “Please, help me.” He whispered.
The monster just continued it’s guttural breathing.
“Eddie has been taken and I need to find him,” Tony called to the monster, “I . .I can’t cause I am blind. He’s innocent. He doesn’t deserve for this to happen to him.”
The Polliwog took in a deep breath but did nothing.
Tony then found himself laughing again, “What the hell am I doing? I am talking to a monster I can’t even see. I must be finally losing my damn mind.”
Tony then walked a few paces away and then turned back toward the monster. “Did you know you have a name?” he called to it, “You’re The Polliwog. Eddie gave you that name. I don’t even know if you have a name for real. But to us you’re the Polliwog.”
The creature let out a new guttural growl. Not really a growl, but it was more like a purring sound. Tony smacked his lips; wondering if it really could understand him? He then collapsed on his knees again, knowing he could do nothing. Was the monster studying him? What was it waiting for? Tony knew he had to stay put for John to find him. He couldn’t see the monster and wasn’t afraid of it. It clearly wasn’t going to kill him, or was it? The blind man looked skyward one last time. “Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you,” he whispered, “Thanks for killing Poteet and not me.”
The giant beast let out another guttural purr and then began to walk away, causing the impact tremors. Tony held his breath as he felt the wind change around him; meaning the Polliwog was stepping over him yet again. He then heard it crash into the jungle. He took a deep sigh; hoping that Eddie would be okay. Tony massaged his chin, hearing the Polliwog break the trees in it’s wake. Then it clicked his inside his brain, hearing the noises.
The monster didn’t break the trees when it walked, it just moved them!
Tony stood up, and turned toward the noise. He heard more and more trees cracking at their trunks. The Polliwog was breaking the trees on purpose! Could that mean . . it wanted Tony to follow it? Follow it to . . .Eddie?
The blind man decided to take a chance. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the sand he grabbed before he left. He gently let it pour from his palm onto the ground, creating a small pile. After he dumped the last of the sand, he reached down, feeling for it. He gently drew an arrow pointing toward the noise of the Polliwog. He then drew a giant T to let them know he left the message but he was certain they would figure it out anyway. “Hurry, boys,” he whispered.
Tony then grabbed his cane and began to follow the noise the giant creature made. He tapped his cane all around, feeling of the destroyed trees. The monster was leaving behind a sure-fire path for Tony to follow; especially John and the others. He smiled, glad this strange creature was able to help him.
If he made it back, he’d have one story to tell the others.
posted by Jason | 6:00 AM
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