A CRACK RANG out from under his foot. He winced and looked around. Seeing no-one, he continued. The moon shone through the canopy, giving an eerie, silver glow on the pines. He wove through the forest, careful where to put his feet on the lumpy, damp ground. It was hard to do with the sticks scattered everywhere. There are very few cars on the road anyway,, he thought, as he turned to the gap in the trees he could see just in the distance. He had only seen five lights go past. After all, it isn't like it's a city road. Looking ahead again, he saw the forest break off. He nodded. A good night for the operation. Suddenly, a string of fast moving lights on his right brought him back to his attention. He dropped to the ground - and smashed his arm against his flashlight. He cursed for his stupidity. His flashlight! Why hadn't he turned it off? He didn't need it because the moon was like this tonight. Bright - and full. He watched the cars fade off into the distance, but thought he saw one turn left. He rubbed his eyes. No, it couldn't have been. If any of those cars had seen him...
He slithered along the ground a few metres, then got up and started walking cautiously across the pine needles again. He watched as that break in the trees got closer closer... He froze. He had definitely heard a low humming. An engine? But again, he turned it back. He was passing through the last row of pines now, the moonlight bright on his face. The plants grew higher as he pushed his way further into the spiky brown reeds that were now surrounding him. He felt the muddy water seep into his shoes and find his feet. Shivering, he plodded - no, waded now, further into the marsh. The water was now coming up to his legs. Reeds brushed passed him as he went further in to the marsh.The water came up to his thighs now - this was a swamp! "Now, Mr Sweetman, you didn't say it would be this bad," he spat out loud. After half-swimming about 20 metres through the now scattered reeds he realized the water was getting shallower now. "Good," he breathed, "almost there." The water was sinking back down to his ankles now, and he felt his heart coming up his throat. As the last muddy reeds parted, he looked back where he had come. Impressive... 50 metres through a swamp... Then he remembered, he had a job to do. He turned back...and stared straight into the eyes of a tall man, who said:
"Well...we meet again, Jake."
He slithered along the ground a few metres, then got up and started walking cautiously across the pine needles again. He watched as that break in the trees got closer closer... He froze. He had definitely heard a low humming. An engine? But again, he turned it back. He was passing through the last row of pines now, the moonlight bright on his face. The plants grew higher as he pushed his way further into the spiky brown reeds that were now surrounding him. He felt the muddy water seep into his shoes and find his feet. Shivering, he plodded - no, waded now, further into the marsh. The water was now coming up to his legs. Reeds brushed passed him as he went further in to the marsh.The water came up to his thighs now - this was a swamp! "Now, Mr Sweetman, you didn't say it would be this bad," he spat out loud. After half-swimming about 20 metres through the now scattered reeds he realized the water was getting shallower now. "Good," he breathed, "almost there." The water was sinking back down to his ankles now, and he felt his heart coming up his throat. As the last muddy reeds parted, he looked back where he had come. Impressive... 50 metres through a swamp... Then he remembered, he had a job to do. He turned back...and stared straight into the eyes of a tall man, who said:
"Well...we meet again, Jake."
0click here0 for chapter 2
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