Stranded in Thoughts

Chapter 16 - The Strange Old Man

"Don't exaggerate. It's not scientific at all. Let's get closer to that building. Maybe someone's residing there."

"Alright. Wait here, I'll find a way down."

He rushed back to the woods and left me all alone. I wished I had come with him. Amidst the naturally unsettling ambiance and noise of the woods and animals where we came from, the silence of the waterfalls gave me the creeps the most. I found a little mound near the right side of the cliff and settled there, humming a song to keep myself busy in order not to be scared. The monkey beasts were now staring at my location—frozen in their place. I retreated and hid behind the mound. The height of the cliff surely helped in keeping me well hidden.

They surely wouldn't attack, would they?

I tried to have a little peek down the hillside and found them still staring at the mound where I had previously rested. Thank God, they were not after me. I let out a deep sigh and dropped on my back to gaze at the moving clouds. When would we be rescued? I hoped everyone was alright at the beach. Just the thought of teacher Norkie returning to the others scared the hell out of me.

And then I heard a rustle in the woods.

"Rico? What took you so long? Next time, don't just leave me behind like that!" I shouted. He should have gotten me some food for reconciliation.

The rustle ceased.

The queer stoppage sharpened my senses that led to the edge of my wits and fears. There were only two possibilities: one was, it was Rico, and he was just trying to pull my leg; second was, it was entirely someone else. It could be a strange beast for all I knew.

Nevertheless, something was there.

I gathered my strength and tiptoed toward the left side of the cliff, just near the berry shrubs. Just when I almost reached it, a huge shadow lurched outside the bushes and a hand grabbed my collar, lifting me a meter high from the cliff.

"Where is the Gregorio!" the intruder screamed at my face.

From my vantage point, I could make out an old man straddled on a rhino beast. His hair was impeccably combed and as white as snow. With drooping eyes and coal eye-bags, he surely looked intimidating and scary. His lips were quivering for some reason, like the mere action of spitting that grammatically substandard question sucked some life out of him. The unkempt stubble on his chin made him look like some more years older, even with the evident wrinkles he already got. With his built, he looked like someone who played sports during his younger years. His muscles were bulging from the black tuxedo he was wearing—which was strange—that looked as impeccable as his hair. I remembered when my father had told me once that I could tell a person's personality by the way he or she would dress.

This one looked like a gentleman who was about to eat me. He looked hostile.

If anything, the mere fact that there was someone else other than us here had surely surprised me. Much more the way he was dressed and straddling the beast. Did he tame it?

The flame of my dwindling hope had now started blazing again.

He loosened his black tie with his other hand and hopped off the beast while still holding me by my collar with his other hand, and once again spat some saliva on my face. "Is you deaf? Again, where is the Gregorio?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't understand you," I said and wiped my face with great effort.

"You is playing dumb is to me! Me is can tell you is the lying!"

The way he spoke had made me remember Ritchelle and Vhina. I could feel my icy tears glide down my cheeks. I wiped them off along with the saliva on my face, thankful that they somehow camouflaged. "I'm not sure what you're talking about!"