Escape From Myth Island by Larry Payne (best romance novels of all time txt) 📖
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at the top of his head, leaving a man of stone holding the burning torch.
"Get out of here," I shouted again, but Israel Hands didn't need any coaxing. At the sight of Medusa, the first mate turned, running and stumbling toward the cave entrance. Teach was hot on his heels with Wil and I close behind. I barely got my leg past the boulder, before Teach and Israel Hands rolled the boulder back across the entrance. The captain and his first mate stood with their backs against the boulder, panting heavily.
"What t'hell was that?" asked Hands.
"Medusa," I said.
"Another of his creatures that don't exist," added Wil.
After catching our breath, we walked back down the passage toward the main part of the cave. As we rounded the corner, we stopped. The men were huddled around the fire surrounded by a band of women. All looked to be over six feet tall, clad in animal skins and heavily armed with swords and knives. A couple of the women had axes hanging at their waists. Two of them kept the men at bay with spears. It looked like we weren't the only humans living on this island. Amazons also inhabited it.
"Welcome back, gentlemen, I hope you found what you were looking for," said the tallest of the women. I was beginning to wish we'd went back to the boat.
III
The mood became festive when the Amazons escorted us into their village. We became the object of everyone's interest. As they led us through the village, a woman in a short, white dress appeared from a lodge at the end of the street. She smiled when we stopped in front of her.
"Kneel to our queen, Thalestris," the tallest of the Amazons said, brandishing her sword. Looking at each other, we all went down to one knee.
"I see your hunt brought visitors to our village today, Asteria." She turned her attention to us. "Welcome, gentlemen, we will do our best to make your stay with us an enjoyable one." She turned to the two women standing next to her.
"There will be a big feast tonight in honor of our guests. Make the arrangements." The two women nodded, bowing slightly, and ran off into the village.
"Asteria, make sure our guests are comfortable." Asteria nodded, bowing slightly, as Thalestris turned, going back into her lodge.
We were led back down the street to a barracks-like lodge near a creek that ran alongside the village.
"You'll be able to clean up in the creek," said Asteria, as she led us inside the lodge, "make sure you do it." Turning, she left us standing by the door.
Beds lined both walls of the lodge with a long table in the center. On top of the table rested a bowl of various kinds of fruit. Wil grabbed one of the bottles around the fruit bowl. Uncorking it, he turned it up, taking a long swig and handed it to the man next to him.
"Wine," he said, wiping his sleeve across his mouth. "It's almost like they was expectin' us."
I went to the window, looking toward the center of the village. A fire was being built in a large pit. Seeing children run past, I called Teach to the window and pointed out the villagers building the fire.
"What do you remember about the Amazons from the books you've read, Captain?"
"They was a race of women warriors," said Teach, after a moment.
"Look around, " I said, "What do you see?"
"Women."
"And children," I added, "Girls, but no boys. No men anywhere." Teach squinted his eyes, bringing what he read about the Amazons back from the recesses of his memory.
"Aye, no man could live in Amazon country, except for when they needed to keep the race from dieing out."
"They got plans for us, Captain, but, they ain't long term." Teach jerked his head back toward me, his left eye squinted, his right eyebrow raised.
"We need to find a way out of here."
"They expect us to go down to the creek to clean up, we'll use that to make our escape," I said.
"They'll be sure to send someone to watch us."
"Let me worry about her." We went over to Wil Beechum and Israel Hands, informing them about what Teach and I decided.
"Do you remember the way back to the beach?" I asked Beechum. Wil nodded his head.
"Aye, I remember."
"Okay, here's what I want you to do," I said, patting Wil on the shoulder.
* * * *
We got the men together, heading out the back door of the lodge.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked the blond Amazon, standing guard at the back door.
"Asteria said she wanted all of us to clean up," I said, "we're going down to the creek."
I was the last one in line as the men made their way down the trail leading through a small patch of jungle to the creek. The Amazon fell in line behind me, just as I thought she might. We came out on a small clearing along the bank of the creek. The first men to arrive were undressing as the Amazon followed me into the clearing. Seeing the partially naked men momentarily distracted our guard, giving me the opening I'd been hoping for.
Standing a little to the right of the guard, I made a fist of my right hand. A slight turn of my head made sure the guard's attention was fully on the men. Whirling, I brought my arm around, putting all the power I could muster behind the blow as I left my feet against the taller foe. Caught by surprise, the blow caught her on the bridge of the nose, as she tried to throw up her arm in defense. I felt the bones crunch under my fist as the big Amazon crumbled backwards onto the trail. She lay motionless, as I took the sword and axe from her belt, picking up the spear from the ground beside her.
"We have to go now," I told Teach, handing him the sword when he came up behind me.
The men were already dressed when I reached the creek. Handing the spear to Wil, I traded the axe to Teach for his sword.
"We've no time to waste," I said. With Wil right behind me, we led the men along the creek and back into the jungle. We'd been traveling about ten minutes when we heard the blast of a horn.
"They found her," said Wil. We suddenly stepped up the pace knowing the Amazons would be hot on our heels.
Coming to the edge of the jungle, we crossed the plain, passing the cave where we'd first met the Amazons.
"Take ‘em to the boat, Wil," I said, stopping at the edge of the jungle on the far side of the plain. As the men disappeared into the jungle, our pursuers came out onto the plain. I backed up into the cover of the foliage, as the Amazons stopped, looking around, trying to figure which way we'd gone. Smiling, I turned, following the men.
They'd already shoved the long boat from the shore when I broke from the jungle, running down the golden sand of the beach to the ocean. Climbing into the boat, I found a seat in front of Teach.
"Well done, Mister Burkes," said Teach, patting my shoulder.
What I told you is the truth. We never found it again or ever heard of anyone else being there. But, out there, somewhere in that big ocean, lies Myth Island.
Copyright 2009 by Larry Payne
Imprint
"Get out of here," I shouted again, but Israel Hands didn't need any coaxing. At the sight of Medusa, the first mate turned, running and stumbling toward the cave entrance. Teach was hot on his heels with Wil and I close behind. I barely got my leg past the boulder, before Teach and Israel Hands rolled the boulder back across the entrance. The captain and his first mate stood with their backs against the boulder, panting heavily.
"What t'hell was that?" asked Hands.
"Medusa," I said.
"Another of his creatures that don't exist," added Wil.
After catching our breath, we walked back down the passage toward the main part of the cave. As we rounded the corner, we stopped. The men were huddled around the fire surrounded by a band of women. All looked to be over six feet tall, clad in animal skins and heavily armed with swords and knives. A couple of the women had axes hanging at their waists. Two of them kept the men at bay with spears. It looked like we weren't the only humans living on this island. Amazons also inhabited it.
"Welcome back, gentlemen, I hope you found what you were looking for," said the tallest of the women. I was beginning to wish we'd went back to the boat.
III
The mood became festive when the Amazons escorted us into their village. We became the object of everyone's interest. As they led us through the village, a woman in a short, white dress appeared from a lodge at the end of the street. She smiled when we stopped in front of her.
"Kneel to our queen, Thalestris," the tallest of the Amazons said, brandishing her sword. Looking at each other, we all went down to one knee.
"I see your hunt brought visitors to our village today, Asteria." She turned her attention to us. "Welcome, gentlemen, we will do our best to make your stay with us an enjoyable one." She turned to the two women standing next to her.
"There will be a big feast tonight in honor of our guests. Make the arrangements." The two women nodded, bowing slightly, and ran off into the village.
"Asteria, make sure our guests are comfortable." Asteria nodded, bowing slightly, as Thalestris turned, going back into her lodge.
We were led back down the street to a barracks-like lodge near a creek that ran alongside the village.
"You'll be able to clean up in the creek," said Asteria, as she led us inside the lodge, "make sure you do it." Turning, she left us standing by the door.
Beds lined both walls of the lodge with a long table in the center. On top of the table rested a bowl of various kinds of fruit. Wil grabbed one of the bottles around the fruit bowl. Uncorking it, he turned it up, taking a long swig and handed it to the man next to him.
"Wine," he said, wiping his sleeve across his mouth. "It's almost like they was expectin' us."
I went to the window, looking toward the center of the village. A fire was being built in a large pit. Seeing children run past, I called Teach to the window and pointed out the villagers building the fire.
"What do you remember about the Amazons from the books you've read, Captain?"
"They was a race of women warriors," said Teach, after a moment.
"Look around, " I said, "What do you see?"
"Women."
"And children," I added, "Girls, but no boys. No men anywhere." Teach squinted his eyes, bringing what he read about the Amazons back from the recesses of his memory.
"Aye, no man could live in Amazon country, except for when they needed to keep the race from dieing out."
"They got plans for us, Captain, but, they ain't long term." Teach jerked his head back toward me, his left eye squinted, his right eyebrow raised.
"We need to find a way out of here."
"They expect us to go down to the creek to clean up, we'll use that to make our escape," I said.
"They'll be sure to send someone to watch us."
"Let me worry about her." We went over to Wil Beechum and Israel Hands, informing them about what Teach and I decided.
"Do you remember the way back to the beach?" I asked Beechum. Wil nodded his head.
"Aye, I remember."
"Okay, here's what I want you to do," I said, patting Wil on the shoulder.
* * * *
We got the men together, heading out the back door of the lodge.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked the blond Amazon, standing guard at the back door.
"Asteria said she wanted all of us to clean up," I said, "we're going down to the creek."
I was the last one in line as the men made their way down the trail leading through a small patch of jungle to the creek. The Amazon fell in line behind me, just as I thought she might. We came out on a small clearing along the bank of the creek. The first men to arrive were undressing as the Amazon followed me into the clearing. Seeing the partially naked men momentarily distracted our guard, giving me the opening I'd been hoping for.
Standing a little to the right of the guard, I made a fist of my right hand. A slight turn of my head made sure the guard's attention was fully on the men. Whirling, I brought my arm around, putting all the power I could muster behind the blow as I left my feet against the taller foe. Caught by surprise, the blow caught her on the bridge of the nose, as she tried to throw up her arm in defense. I felt the bones crunch under my fist as the big Amazon crumbled backwards onto the trail. She lay motionless, as I took the sword and axe from her belt, picking up the spear from the ground beside her.
"We have to go now," I told Teach, handing him the sword when he came up behind me.
The men were already dressed when I reached the creek. Handing the spear to Wil, I traded the axe to Teach for his sword.
"We've no time to waste," I said. With Wil right behind me, we led the men along the creek and back into the jungle. We'd been traveling about ten minutes when we heard the blast of a horn.
"They found her," said Wil. We suddenly stepped up the pace knowing the Amazons would be hot on our heels.
Coming to the edge of the jungle, we crossed the plain, passing the cave where we'd first met the Amazons.
"Take ‘em to the boat, Wil," I said, stopping at the edge of the jungle on the far side of the plain. As the men disappeared into the jungle, our pursuers came out onto the plain. I backed up into the cover of the foliage, as the Amazons stopped, looking around, trying to figure which way we'd gone. Smiling, I turned, following the men.
They'd already shoved the long boat from the shore when I broke from the jungle, running down the golden sand of the beach to the ocean. Climbing into the boat, I found a seat in front of Teach.
"Well done, Mister Burkes," said Teach, patting my shoulder.
What I told you is the truth. We never found it again or ever heard of anyone else being there. But, out there, somewhere in that big ocean, lies Myth Island.
Copyright 2009 by Larry Payne
Imprint
Publication Date: 07-22-2009
All Rights Reserved
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