The howling outside was no longer just a sound; it was a physical force that vibrated in Tari's chest. The ancient stone gate felt like a flimsy shield against the horde of nightmares gathering just beyond the vines. Tari stood with her legs shaking so violently she thought she might collapse. Her life didn't just flash before her eyes—it felt like it was already over.Beside her, Aisha let out a scream so sharp and sudden it sliced through the chaos. Tari jerked, her heart hammering against her ribs. She was almost more shocked by Aisha's outburst than by the hulking shadow standing over them."Hush! Aisha, please!" Tari hissed, her voice cracking. She reached out to cover the girl's mouth, begging the heavens for a miracle. But Aisha didn't stop. She screamed again, a raw, panicked sound that echoed off the damp stone walls. Tari closed her eyes and surrendered to fate. The beasts were right outside. She could hear the wet snap of their jaws and the heavy thud of their paws on the dirt.
Then, the world went silent.The growling stopped. The scratching at the vines ceased. Tari opened one eye, confused. Outside, the creatures began to whimper. It wasn't the sound of a predator losing its prey; it was the sound of a dog being kicked by its master. Through the thick curtain of vines, Tari saw blurry shapes moving away. They weren't running toward the girls—they were backing away in terror.In seconds, the forest was empty. The monsters had vanished.'Was the terror inside this cave so bad that even those things were afraid to enter?' Tari wondered, her skin crawling. The giant, hulking figure before them hadn't moved an inch. It stood like a predator patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike.Suddenly, Aisha stepped forward. Before Tari could grab her, the little girl picked up a heavy pebble and hurled it at the giant's chest. Clack!
The sound was dull and metallic. Tari rushed to pull Aisha back. "Are you trying to get us killed?""It's okay, sis," Aisha said, a strange, shaky smile forming on her face. "It's just a statue. See?" She threw another stone. It bounced off the figure's shoulder like it had hit a brick wall.Tari let out a breath she felt she'd been holding for a lifetime. She slumped against the wall, her face red with embarrassment. The 'monster' was a massive stone gargoyle, a terrifying carving of a winged beast with horns and hollow eyes, guarding the entrance. As her eyes adjusted, she realized the 'pulsating red lights' weren't demonic eyes at all—they were rays of the setting sun hitting crimson gemstones embedded in the walls."It's an old ceremonial ground," Aisha whispered, looking at the rows of smaller, strange statues lining the hall. "That's why they ran. They're scared of this place."Tari carefully walked to the mouth of the cave. The beach was empty. No wolves. No monsters. "Thank goodness," she sighed, sliding down to the cold floor. "But Aisha, why were you screaming like that? You almost gave us away!"Aisha's expression changed. A diabolic, knowing grin spread across her young face. "I scared them out. It's the strategy Papa taught me when we went fishing. He told me the louder you are, the more the enemy thinks you are bigger than them."Tari's heart twinged at the mention of their father. "Papa taught you that?""Mhmm," Aisha nodded. "We ran into a mountain leopard once. Papa only had a fishing rod. He told me to hide, and then he made the loudest noise I ever heard. He threw stones and roared like a lion. The leopard was so terrified it fled instantly."Tari looked at her sister, tears pricking her eyes. She wiped them away quickly, blaming the dust, but her heart swelled. Even though their father was gone, his lessons were keeping them alive. He was still their hero."We'll camp here tonight," Tari decided, her voice firming up. "If those things are afraid of this place, it's the safest spot on the island. I'm going back to the beach to get supplies, I spotted some coconuts lying around and wood. You stay here.""No! Don't leave me!" Aisha grabbed Tari's arm. "What if the owners of this place come back? What if the wolves change their minds?"
"They aren't wolves, Aisha. I don't know what they are yet , but they aren't natural," Tari said, pulling a small dagger from her boot and handing it to her sister. "Take this. Hide behind the statues. I'll be back before the sun goes down. If you hear me whistle, it's safe to come out."
**
The walk back to the shore was a nightmare of silence. Tari avoided the dark openings of the nearby caves. She knew now that those caves weren't just holes in the rock—they were the dens where the "things" lived, their feeding ground.As she reached the sand, she began gathering dried coconuts and driftwood. But as she reached for a piece of white wood, she froze.
It wasn't wood.It was a skull.Tari recoiled, her stomach turning. It wasn't a human skull, nor was it any animal she had seen in her Girl's Guide manuals or on National Geographic. It was misshapen, with eye sockets as large as saucers and fangs the size of elephant tusks. Scattered across the sand were hundreds of them, some larger than a mammoth's head. This wasn't just a beach; it was a graveyard for monsters.The sun began to dip below the horizon, turning the sky a bruised purple. Tari scrambled to bundle her supplies with vine rope. She didn't look back as she raced up the rocks, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
**
Back at the stone gate, Tari worked with the efficiency of a survivalist. She wove vines across the entrance to create a screen and piled the wood to start a fire. As the flames took hold, the cave transformed. The flickering light made the statues cast long, dancing shadows that looked like ghosts pacing the room.They ate the coconut meat in silence, listening to the island wake up.The night was not quiet. There were howls that sounded almost like human screams and a heavy, rhythmic thump-thump-thump of mighty wings passing overhead—wings far too large for any bird.
"Tari?"
Aisha whispered, shivering despite the fire.
"Why is the statue looking at me?"Tari looked at the large gargoyle by the door. In the firelight, the shadows made its stone eyes look like they were shifting. "It's just the fire, honey. Go to sleep."
Tari watched over her sister until her own eyelids grew heavy. She drifted into a light, uneasy sleep, dreaming of stone wings and salt water.
**
A cold draft woke Tari in the middle of the night. The fire had burned down to glowing embers. The cave was freezing.
"Aisha?"
she whispered, reaching out her hand.The spot next to her was empty.Tari's heart plummeted. She sat up, her eyes searching the darkness.
"Aisha! This isn't funny!" She heard a faint scratching sound coming from the back of the cave, deep past the rows of statues, toward the ancient stone gate that led into the heart of the island. She grabbed a glowing branch from the fire and crept toward the sound.
"Aisha?" She found her sister standing at the base of the massive stone gate. But Aisha wasn't hiding. She was standing perfectly still, her head tilted back at an impossible angle. Tari shone the light on her sister's face and nearly screamed. Aisha's eyes weren't brown anymore. They were reflecting the same pulsating red light as the gemstones in the walls.
"Aisha, move away from there!" Tari reached for her, but stopped when she saw Aisha's hand.Aisha was holding the dagger Tari had given her. But she wasn't holding it for protection. She had used it to carve a fresh symbol into the stone of the gate—a symbol that matched the marks on the misshapen skulls on the beach, drenched in Aisha's blood .
"It's not a ceremonial ground, Tari," Aisha said. Her voice didn't sound like a child's; it was hollow, like wind blowing through a tomb.
"It's a cage. And the gargoyles weren't keeping the wolves out." Aisha turned her head slowly to look at the giant statue by the entrance.Tari followed her gaze. The stone gargoyle was no longer standing by the door. The pedestal was empty.A heavy, wet breath hit the back of Tari's neck.
"They were keeping the Master in," Aisha whispered. Tari felt a cold, stone-hard claw rest gently on her shoulder. She didn't dare turn around. Behind her, the sound of stone grinding against stone filled the cave as the giant guardian began to stretch its wings.