Downpour(8): Yacumama

8. Yacumama

     There was barely time to think. Beneath the river in front of them, two glowing dots appeared, small at first, but quickly growing larger. The men in front of Nick started shouting and pointed to what was becoming a roil on the water’s surface. Nick’s mind was frozen. The three words he had just read flashed bright like a neon light “GIANT RIVER SERPENT”. His entire body was cold with sweat, and paralyzed with the worst kind of fear imaginable.

     In an almost elegant movement, a head lifted slowly out of the water, revealing the two glowing orbs as large eyes. Black slits became wide circles as the creature spotted its prey. Water poured off its diamond shaped head, and a low hiss rolled across the river. Nick could do nothing but stare. The head had to be almost as big as their boat.

“You,” yelled one of the men in the boat next to Nick, pointing at him. “You cursed us!”

     Nick had enough time to consider the man’s terrified eyes, and then, they were enveloped as the serpent struck. In a horrifying moment, the jaws closed over half the boat, pinning the man so that his screams echoed across the river water. Metal crunched and creaked, as the boat struggled against the pressure of the creature’s jaws. With a loud snap, the boat broke and sank into the water. The other two men jumped off and began swimming vigorously for shore. The serpent’s head disappeared beneath the water, sending bubbles and red water bubbling up.

     Nick and the other man on his boat remained frozen for a second, until life pumped back into Nick’s veins. “Paddle for the b.” His voice was shaking. “Now,” he yelled. They both began to paddle as hard as they could for the nearest bank. The fog impeded their vision, but Nick new if they paddled across the current, it was likely they’d reach the edge.

     The men in the water were already beginning to disappear in the mist. They followed them, gliding through the water, fast, and frantic. Long ripples passed through the water as the great serpent moved beneath it. Nick watched as they moved away and took heart momentarily, before he saw them draw a wide arc and turn back toward them.

     Nick and his companion continued to paddle, growing closer to the shore with each passing second. We’re going to make it, thought Nick. Trees materialized out of the fog, only about twenty feet away. His heart pounded in his chest, and he struck at the water with a vigor that he hadn’t thought he possessed.

     One of the men who had been swimming reached the shore, and urged the other on. A small look of relief crossed his face. Then, downriver, a long, dark green tail emerged from the water, and curled around the shore. In a swift motion, it knocked the man back into the water. He lay on the surface, dazed for a moment. The river around him welled up, as if being pushed by a great force from beneath. Once more, the serpent’s head breached, engulfing the man whole, and shooting into the night sky.

     Nick looked at it, completely in awe by its sheer size. IN the pale moonlight streaming through the mist, it looked ghostly. Its body extended nearly fifteen feet out of the water with great ease. Its head looked similar to that of an anaconda, and bore two thin black stripes leading down the back. It turned around mid-air to face them, swaying slightly as it did so.

     Nick stopped paddling, so did the other man, both hoping to avoid the creature’s gaze by remaining still. The man in the water continued to swim towards shore, in what was sure to be a fruitless attempt at escape.

     The creature opened its mouth to reveal a set of long fangs, flanked by rows of sharp teeth. Saliva and dark grizzle dripped from its jaws, making splashes in the water below. Nick felt the weight of the spear in his hands, and thought that even if he got a good shot, it would do him no good. The thing is just too damned big.

     The snake’s eyes watched Nick with interest, and its head swayed back and forth, as if thinking over what to do next. In an almost casual movement, it dipped its head toward the water and speared the swimming man with one of its massive fangs. His life ended with a gurgle as he was tossed into the air, and caught by the snake’s waiting jaws.

     The river fell silent. Both men watched on, unsure of what to do next. A long, black tongue flicked out to taste the air. God I hate it when they do that. Nick thought back to his encounter with the monster at Loch Ness and wished he had some dynamite with him. Anything to blow this thing the hell away. He had a host of guns back on the plane that would have likely done the trick. Without them, he could not help but feel like David facing off with Goliath, staring up at the massive beast.

     Nick tried his best to slow his heart rate and think. “Our only chance, is if we go for its eyes,” he said calmly. The man continued to stare straight ahead as if he had not heard him. “Stay calm and wait until it strikes. We’re only going to get one chance,”   

     Nick was cut off as the man jumped into the river and began to swim away. “Great, some friends,” he said, watching the snake carefully. “Guess I’ll have to deal with you myself big boy.” The snake ignored the swimming man for a second, but then it’s tail lifted from the water. The man screamed and was caught as it coiled around him and held him in place.

     With the slightest effort, the snake dragged the man underwater. There was no sound, except for bubbles breaking the surface. “Well that’s a neat trick.” Nick was sure that he was about to die, but also feeling the hubris that accompanied one that had accepted his fate. “Alright, go on then, come and get me.” He pulled the spear out of the water and pointed it at the creature, trying not to let it see his hands shaking.

     The snake opened its mouth and let out a mighty hiss, blowing putrid breath across the water. “Sorry,” he said fanning the air to get the smell away “I’m not in to pillow talk. Now get on with it, I haven’t got all night.” Swift Jab to the eye, and then swim to shore.

     The creature’s head shot forward with astonishing speed. Nick jumped backward in the boat, narrowly avoiding a fang that plunged through the metal as if it were not even there. The boat sloshed through the water, as the creature shook its head. Time moved very slowly for Nick. He could see each individual scale on the creature’s body and watched as they constricted with effort. Its breath came in short spurts, flaring slit-like nostrils, and sending that same deathly stink into the air.

     In a moment of opportunity, Nick watched as the creature’s large yellow eye opened. The black pupil inside it widened with excitement. Nick threw all his weight behind the spear, and jabbed it straight in. There was a soft pop, and it slid into the creature’s eye, spilling blood and liquid as it went. Nick felt sickened.

     The boat was suddenly airborne. Rearing from the pain it was no doubt feeling, the creature had reeled backward into the air. Nick watched, clutching the railing of the torn metal vessel as he was hoisted high into above the river. Blood rained down from the snake’s eye socket and he felt it coat him. For a moment, Nick could almost see over the tops of the trees, but just as quickly as it had risen, the boat began to descend again.

     Now or never, he thought, and jumped out over the edge and into the river below, leaving the spear still sticking out of the snake’s eye. He landed with a splash, and was quickly beneath the murky surface of the water that had nearly killed him only a day earlier. Whiteness blotted out his vision as he hit the surface and the air was knocked out of his lungs. He sank down in silence, just a few feet below the water, unable to move.

     Next came the mighty crash of the boat as it landed in the water just next to him. Broken from his reverie, Nick began to kick toward the surface. Warm jungle air slapped his face as he breached into the night air, and he looked round through the fog, trying to find the tree line. Nick could see the outline of the bank not far from him. You can make it Nick, just move!

     The creature swung its head around, looking for Nick with its good eye, and tasting the air for his scent. Droplets of blood smacked the surface, dying the murky green dark red. Another hiss filled the night air, and Nick felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up.

     He swam harder than he ever had in his entire life. The pain in his arms was no more, replaced by a cool numbness. He kicked against the water, not daring to look back for a second, and felt shock as his arms touched the shoreline in front of him. Behind, the beast lunged, moving quickly, but missing Nick by inches. The large diamond head skidded in the mud beside him. Nick scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could toward the jungle.

     The tree line before him was thick, and he hoped he could run deep enough before the creature caught up. I just must get a few trees deep. They look strong right? It didn’t matter, he was out of options, and running flat out.

     Behind him, the snake reared, gearing up for another attack, hissing as it went.

     Nick looked back for a second and saw the head lunging at him once more. It was dead on target, and the fangs were poised to skewer him alive. He made a running jump into the trees, and hoped that the thick trunks on the edge would be enough to stop the creature. There was a thud as he hit the forest floor, and he looked up just in time to see the jaws reaching downward towards him. He closed his eyes and waited for the end.

     Not a religious man, Nick was unsure what would happen upon his death. Mostly he expected a moment of excruciating pain, followed by darkness. Instead, a bright flash of gold light illuminated Nick’s eyelids, and he was sure that when he opened them, he would see the pearly gates. A hiss filled his ears, and then there was silence. There was no pain, only silence. Fearing what he might see, Nick opened his eyes.

     Rather than the pearly gates, or endless clouds, he saw the same dense jungle, and the river beyond it, flowing placidly. There was no sign of the giant snake, and the fog had cleared. The one difference, was a golden light that seemed to bathe everything around him.

     He turned around and saw a massive golden temple sprouting out of the jungle. Its stone entryway was open, and from inside was shining a brilliant light. Two large statues stood on either side of the entryway, hands outstretched as if beckoning him forward. Looking closer, he could see that the temple was actually made from gold. “You’ve got to be kidding me. And to think that all this time I thought El Dorado was a myth…”