Read Online The Island Project: A Thriller by Taylor Buck - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Taylor Buck
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lush surroundings were captivating and hearkened back to the prehistoric ages in terms of the size of the vegetation. Besides the tunnels, the forest looked pristine and untouched by man…the surrounding flora and fauna had a timeless quality that was mesmerizing.
“This way,” Bennett said taking a right turn through one of the tunnel outlets. It wasn’t the way he had gone the day before, but it appeared to curve in toward where the falls would be. He wasn’t getting a GPS reading in the brush, so he made a guess at a shortcut. “This path should lead us to the falls quicker,” he said.
They followed it for about a half-mile, weaving in and out. The bamboo was so dense in some places that it blocked the sunlight almost completely. Eventually, they reached the end of the bamboo trees. The tunnel opened up into a lush, green forest of palms and flowers. The flowers were waist high and some even reached up past Kelly’s head. A roughly cut trail continued out from the bamboo tunnels and appeared to continue through the forest, fading out far into the vegetation.
Bennett paused and looked around.
“Hang on, Kelly. This doesn’t look right. We should be close to the falls now, and I don’t hear the water at all.
Kelly was still walking along, pressing down the trail. “I’m sure it’s right behind the hill here.” She pointed to a large mossy wall that spanned a large distance. “We’re already this far in, let’s just check out around this hill.”
They continued along the path, pressing deeper into the forest until the foliage began to thin out. They were approaching a clearing.
“Look at that!” Kelly pointed to a large fence in the distance, roughly ten to fifteen feet tall, stretching far into the forest in both directions. The fence was industrial looking, large, sturdy galvanized posts spread far apart with a wire meshing spread between them. Horizontal white cables spanned the length and continued up the wall every six inches or so. The top of the fence angled inward sharply toward the premises. A small blue light sat atop the fence and was spaced every ten feet or so.
“Must be a ranger supply station in there,” Bennett said. They approached the fence, stopping only a few feet from it.
“This isn’t the border of the reserve is it?” Asked Kelly.
“No. Based on our GPS, the reserve continues for a good five miles to the north. This fence isn’t noted anywhere on the map, so my guess is this is a ranger station.”
Kelly peered through the fence at the land on the other side. The forest was cleared inside the fence line and looked to stay fairly maintained. The terrain also looked easier to hike through. Bennett came closer to the fence and inspected it. The white cables ran up the face of the fence evenly and appeared rather sturdy. The fence was probably fairly easy to climb. He reached his hand out and brought it close to the cabling, cautiously. He felt a faint current vibrating from the cabling.
Electricity.
“Kelly, this fence is electric. Don’t get too close to it.”
Kelly didn’t answer.
“Kelly?”
Bennett turned around to find Kelly climbing a tree. It was an old Koa tree with a thick trunk and gnarled branches—low and easy to grasp. She was already pulling herself onto a branch that reached out over the fence a good six feet.
“Kelly. What are you doing?”
“This fence is in our way, and I don’t see any other way around it. If we can cut across, it’ll save us time.” She looked down, focusing on her footing. “Come on.”
Bennett thought about it. She was right. If they could cut straight across, they should have a straight path to the falls. “Alright, but Kelly be careful. I don’t see the voltage posted anywhere. I can feel the current though. It’s definitely on.”
“Ok, I will.”
Bennett fastened his bag tight around his body and clambered up the tree. Kelly was already walking along a strong branch hovering just above the fence.
“This way,” Bennett said taking a right turn through one of the tunnel outlets. It wasn’t the way he had gone the day before, but it appeared to curve in toward where the falls would be. He wasn’t getting a GPS reading in the brush, so he made a guess at a shortcut. “This path should lead us to the falls quicker,” he said.
They followed it for about a half-mile, weaving in and out. The bamboo was so dense in some places that it blocked the sunlight almost completely. Eventually, they reached the end of the bamboo trees. The tunnel opened up into a lush, green forest of palms and flowers. The flowers were waist high and some even reached up past Kelly’s head. A roughly cut trail continued out from the bamboo tunnels and appeared to continue through the forest, fading out far into the vegetation.
Bennett paused and looked around.
“Hang on, Kelly. This doesn’t look right. We should be close to the falls now, and I don’t hear the water at all.
Kelly was still walking along, pressing down the trail. “I’m sure it’s right behind the hill here.” She pointed to a large mossy wall that spanned a large distance. “We’re already this far in, let’s just check out around this hill.”
They continued along the path, pressing deeper into the forest until the foliage began to thin out. They were approaching a clearing.
“Look at that!” Kelly pointed to a large fence in the distance, roughly ten to fifteen feet tall, stretching far into the forest in both directions. The fence was industrial looking, large, sturdy galvanized posts spread far apart with a wire meshing spread between them. Horizontal white cables spanned the length and continued up the wall every six inches or so. The top of the fence angled inward sharply toward the premises. A small blue light sat atop the fence and was spaced every ten feet or so.
“Must be a ranger supply station in there,” Bennett said. They approached the fence, stopping only a few feet from it.
“This isn’t the border of the reserve is it?” Asked Kelly.
“No. Based on our GPS, the reserve continues for a good five miles to the north. This fence isn’t noted anywhere on the map, so my guess is this is a ranger station.”
Kelly peered through the fence at the land on the other side. The forest was cleared inside the fence line and looked to stay fairly maintained. The terrain also looked easier to hike through. Bennett came closer to the fence and inspected it. The white cables ran up the face of the fence evenly and appeared rather sturdy. The fence was probably fairly easy to climb. He reached his hand out and brought it close to the cabling, cautiously. He felt a faint current vibrating from the cabling.
Electricity.
“Kelly, this fence is electric. Don’t get too close to it.”
Kelly didn’t answer.
“Kelly?”
Bennett turned around to find Kelly climbing a tree. It was an old Koa tree with a thick trunk and gnarled branches—low and easy to grasp. She was already pulling herself onto a branch that reached out over the fence a good six feet.
“Kelly. What are you doing?”
“This fence is in our way, and I don’t see any other way around it. If we can cut across, it’ll save us time.” She looked down, focusing on her footing. “Come on.”
Bennett thought about it. She was right. If they could cut straight across, they should have a straight path to the falls. “Alright, but Kelly be careful. I don’t see the voltage posted anywhere. I can feel the current though. It’s definitely on.”
“Ok, I will.”
Bennett fastened his bag tight around his body and clambered up the tree. Kelly was already walking along a strong branch hovering just above the fence.
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