Burial Ground

III

11:53 a.m.

The moment Rippeth gave the signal, Merritt's old instincts reawakened. Adrenaline surged through his veins and his senses grew hypersensitive. He became one with the jungle, his body attuned to the very heartbeat of the Earth. He could feel even the slightest movement of one leaf rubbing against another, the sudden onset of tension radiating from his companions. Every sound was amplified. He heard their breathing, the nervous shuffle of their feet on the detritus, the patter of condensation dripping to the forest floor, and the soft rustle of movement from beyond the edge of sight.

He leaned forward and whispered into Sam's ear.

"Get ready."

An eternal moment of silence passed, and still no one moved. His muscles tightened like springs, preparing to release their potential.

When Rippeth lowered his fist and lunged away from the path, Merritt was already in motion. He grabbed Sam around the waist and dove into the underbrush. She landed on top of him with a startled squeak. He rolled her over so that their faces were mere inches apart, her wide eyes staring directly into his. She opened her mouth to speak, but he pressed his forefinger to her lips to silence her. He leaned forward until their cheeks touched, removed his finger, and whispered directly into her ear.

"Stay down."

Her breath tickled the fine hairs on his ear and raised the goosebumps along his arms when she spoke.

"Did you see anything?"

He drew his face away just far enough that she could see him shake his head in response. Her eyes held his for several rapid breaths.

"We need to sit up a little so we can see," he whispered, their lips nearly brushing. "Be prepared to run as fast as you can."

She nodded and he helped position her so that she crouched directly in front of him. He could see the path over her shoulder through the branches. She shifted to the right for a better view. He took her hand, ready to haul her to her feet at the first hint of trouble. Her fingers trembled as she tightened her grip. He leaned forward against her to provide a measure of physical reassurance.

Together they studied the end of the path twenty yards away where it appeared to open into a clearing.

Something was definitely out there. All he could see were the shifting shadows of the ceiba trees, but he could sense it, moving invisibly through the darkness.