So it's finally here.
SOUL SURVIVOR.
That's right... I actually wanted to release this at the beginning of the month but didn't have the time to.
In a way, it was good because it let me change quite alot of the story plot. It created a firmer ground for me to work on... as well as some cool stuff I hadn't expected in the beginning.
The chapters will be released every week. (One chapter per week; excluding this week... with a special 2 chapter debut)
When a few chapters have been released, their respective volumes will be given upon request to the reader if she/he is interested via email. (The volumes are in pdf. format)
Enjoy the ride. :)
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Chapter 1 - Jungle manNumbers.
Numbers that flashed across the darkness and glowed a florescent green.
Slowly, he was able to make it out. A reel of numbers like that on a countdown timer.
But the numbers flashed too fast for him to make out the numerals.
And then he suddenly jolted off the ground opening his eyes to welcome the rays from the sun as they crept in through the gaps in between the leaves of the forest.
Harold lay on the ground as if pinned. He tilted his head to one side and than saw his hands; there were burn marks along his arms.
Slowly and with much difficulty, he got up. His legs were weak and he almost fell down within the first few seconds of standing up.
The leaves and undergrowth on the ground of the thick and dense forest seemed to be unnatural- even though the boy couldn’t make out why.
His breath grew heavier and heavier. His hair- dark brown and rather long that it made him look like a rock star, was all messed up.
“Hello?” He called out the first time, feeling the rasp in his throat.
There were sounds of the rustling leaves and the often bird calls. Crickets chirping at an unusual pace.
“Can anybody hear me?” The boy shouted this time.
The greenery was starting to make him feel uncomfortable.
A forest. He thought silently.
Where on earth am I?Slowly he made his way through the shrubs. His legs were starting to feel the weight of the pair of jeans he wore.
Now that he came to notice it, his clothes had soot markings all over them.
What on earth happened to me?Harold bit his lip. He knew nothing of himself save his name and age and his identification number.
A bird cawed and several ferns on the ground shifted their leaves. The shrubbery started to move. What ever that was coming toward the boy, it was quick approaching.
It was in his reaction to put his hand to his side- where he discovered an object that he had no idea he possessed of.
A gun.
This separates me from a jungle man.
He holstered the weapon firmly in both his hands as the creature approaching him suddenly seemed to rush forward in a faster pace. An unnatural pace.
The boy gave a shot into the leaves and suddenly saw the fast approaching creature stop dead at its tracks.
Harold swore.
There was nothing there.
Clearly stunned and dazed, the boy shifted his weight and moved on. But every now and then he looked back at that spot, wondering what the hell had just happened.
It took him almost an hour to reach the edge of the forest. Harold found himself standing at the edge of a cliff. A cliff that overlooked for miles and miles.
The sight that he saw showed him stretches of the thick dense forest going on for several miles- and in back, there were three enormous mountains that seemed to be formed in a rather unnatural position.
But it was not that that created a stir of emotions in the boy.
It was the sky.
The rays of the sun crept along the sides of the mountain silhouettes so beautifully that it distracted him from a very unnatural swirl of clouds that loomed over the three mountains.
It looked like a huge twister was about to form.
Something out of this world.
Whatever it was, the boy suddenly felt that he was all alone. No family was there for him. No friends. Just himself.
As he turned back from the marvelous sight, his eyes widened in confusion at yet another sight.
Within the walls of the jungle- the greens of the leaves, there stood a man in the very centre peering at the boy.
His clothes were torn and drenched. His face unshaven. His facial expression was rather eerie- as if giving a sinister smile.
Harold opened his mouth, as if realizing that someone had finally found him.
Chapter 2-Contact The man didn’t move when Harold called out to him.
The boy blinked and suddenly realized there was no one standing there in front of him.
What the hell… He pondered.
He was absolutely certain that he had seen someone in the jungle looking at him. He was sure.
The mysterious jungle man. Harold told himself. Could it have been a hallucination?
Speaking of which, there were a few things that the boy himself had to address.
A gun. Soot marks. His family. Where he came from.
Everything didn’t make any sense to him.
Suddenly, he felt something burst inside of him.
Harold fell onto the ground, holding his head with his hands. His mind flashed images of a train. A fast moving train. There were screams that pierced his ears- it drove him crazy.
And then suddenly everything stopped.
Harold stopped panting. He looked up and found himself on the ground staring up into the sky, just inches away from the very edge of the cliff. Inches from death down below.
The boy suddenly realized how high the ground he was on was compared to the ground below. It seemed like eternity for a falling object to hit the ground below.
Quickly, Harold got back onto his feet and shook off the feeling. He darted back into the forest- where he was certain we would be safer.
The sun was beginning to set and the sky grew purple.
Harold was sweating profusely, gathering twigs and branches as well as rocks and leaves.
He had learned how to construct a shelter using natural materials from camps in school so it proved to be very useful tool.
When it was all done, Harold took a moment to taste the satisfaction of his completed work. It was rather like those shelters one would see on a reality programme called Survivor.
It will have to do. Harold told himself.
The shelter, which he had named “Foundation”, was located at a reasonable spot. Not too far away from the river, and not too close to the forest edge.
This wasn’t a television show like LOST. He was alone. He’d have to save his own skin.
The gusts of wind that blew across his face made him feel better.
Slowly, Harold rested himself against a rock he had made the Foundation against and lay against it. His hand crept into his side pocket.
Suddenly, the boy felt as if hope had arrived.
His cell phone.
The mobile was in his pocket and he hadn’t even noticed.
He could call for help!
But he realized that it was no use. For there was no reception in the area.
Harold cursed and threw his handphone beside him angrily.
Tears started to swell up his eyes and he began sobbing.
And then something weird happened.
Harold’s phone started vibrating, and a song began to hum.
A phone call.
Harold got up quickly, pressing the phone against his cheek.
“Hello?” He spoke quickly.
Nothing.
Harold swore and began to hit the rock that he laid against.
Where the hell was he? And why wasn’t there anyone looking for him?
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J
10:32 AM
