Mu

[An Enemy Spy]

The deck of the ship rocks to and fro, though in the past few months you have been aboard, you no longer even notice. The air is warm and the sun hangs high over the sparkling water. The Lady Maria has nearly completed it's voyage from San Fransisco to Mu. The journey has not been an easy one. There were originally two ships, but the other was lost in a great storm and swallowed up in a maelstrom. Of course, ships are often lost on the way to Mu, and one should not try to go there without properly gauging the risks.
It looks however, that the perilous voyage is at an end. The lost continent of Mu looms in the distance, the skies are clear, and the sea is calm. Strange tropical birds unlike any you have ever witnessed fly above. It would take nothing short of the great Kraken itself appearing to deter the ship now.
On board, the crew is busy about their daily chores, singing their songs and working merrily. The passengers, mostly adventurous men out seeking fame and fortune in a new world, are looking out over the deck at the mysterious jungle on the horizon. You have all heard tales of the lost world, wonderous stories of never before seen creatures and fortunes vast enough to make any who find them a very wealthy man back home.
Out on deck, sitting in a folding chair with a cup of tea, is Colonel Barnett. He is well known for his conquests against the savages of Africa, and is funding an expidition in the lost continent. He has decided to look his absolute best today, with a dashing black waistcoat and top hat. His chest is adorned with the not inconsiderable medals he has aquired. He motions you over.
"Ah, Doctor Gordon! What a pleasure it is to see you this morning. I was wondering if you could settle a dispute between Mr. Hayes here," He says, motioning to the rather pale man seated beside him. "and myself. He claims it is the milk snake that is the one you must avoid at all costs, while I insist that it is in fact the coral snake. As a learned man, would you be so kind to settle this once and for all?"

[The White Lyre]

Almost half of the visible horizon seemed to be filled with the mysterious land that had been simply called Mu. Shades of green ranging from the darkest forest to the lightest sapphire mingled to create a line of jungle, occasionally broken by the brown and white of cliff and beach. This magnificent scene had only recently been caught by human eyes, and only rarely since did it reappear to sea-weary travelers. It had taken almost four months of sailing to reach the continent.

During the night Edward had awoken to the shout from the crow's nest as Mu was spotted. It had been fruitless, he found, to try and see the place himself, even when peering down his telescope. In the end, Edward had returned to his cabin to await the morning, and the sights it would bring. Two hours before waking up, he had finally fallen into a restless, excited sleep.

Now, dressed, shaven and tidied, the young doctor donned his cap and took his telescope in hand as he walked onto the deck. The sight that greeted Edward astonished him more than ever; in all his days he had never seen such a strange looking place. Birds circled the boat chaotically, and huge flocks could be seen in the distance (of course, none were familiar). From his telescope Edward could see vast amounts of trees, proud and forbidding as they loomed high into the air. Some looked to be hundreds of feet, while others appeared to be even smaller than he could remember ever seeing. For now, these these two examples of flora and fauna were all that could readily be scene to the doctor, and as he paced the deck his reverie was suddenly interrupted:

"Ah, Doctor Gordon!" Called Colonel Barnett. Smiling at the naval man, Edward walked over as the commander continued, "What a pleasure it is to see you this morning. I was wondering if you could settle a dispute between Mr. Hayes here, and myself. He claims it is the milk snake that is the one you must avoid at all costs, while I insist that it is in fact the coral snake. As a learned man, would you be so kind to settle this once and for all?"

Edward's smile grew and his eyes twinkled as he listened to Barnett continue. Nodding to Mr. Hayes, his face grew thoughtful for a moment as he thought back to his education prior to leaving England. Quickly, though, he found the answer and the smile returned with the twinkle, and laughing, Edward replies,

"I believe, gentlemen, that the saying goes: Red on yellow, deadly fellow; Red on black, venom lack. Or at least, that's what I've been taught."

"So, Colonel, I would say you are correct. Do we expect to find either snake on the Continent? I had thought we would find species that are singularly indigenous to Mu itself."

[An Enemy Spy]

"It always pays to be prepared, Doctor Gordon. Thirty years in Africa fighting those untamed savages will teach you that. This one time in the Kalihari..."
"Now Uncle, if you start on your old war stories again, we'll be here until sunset."
The voice belongs to a young woman who has just joined you. She is dressed in a stunning green dress adorned with bows around the hemline and a bustle leading into a train dragging a couple feet behind her. Her matching parosol is open, keeping the sun off her pastel skin. Atop her head is an enormous hat, at least three feet in diameter and covered in flowers and bows, that she keeps her gloved hand on against the wind that is trying its best to sweep it off her head and into the sea. Under her hat are locks of soft brown hair piled up in a lovely fashion. Her skin is as soft as the day she was born, and her features are without flaw. She is a picture of elegant, delicate beauty.
"I do not believe you have met my niece, Miss Clara Barnett." The old Colonel says.
In fact, you have not met her, though you have seen her on rare occasions. It is difficult to miss the only woman on a ship full of men, particurly a wondrous creature like Miss Barnett.
"She positively begged me to let her come along. She wants to see the world outside of England, and an onld man like me could never refuse such a beautiful girl what she wants."
"I think it sounds terribly exciting. Miss Barnett says, putting her hands over the railing and looking out at Mu. She immediately has to clutch at her hat again as the wind begins to carry it off. "A whole world out there. Full of adventure."
She nearly stumbles over as the ship rocks particularly hard.

[The White Lyre]

To the brief comment the Colonel did get out before the interruption, Edward nodded in agreement. All to often had he been called to the countryside to tend an axe injury or other sort of easily preventable self-inflicted wound. On Mu, he imagined, the threat and consequences of being unprepared would be considerably more significant.

"Now Uncle, if you start on your old war stories again, we'll be here until sunset." A beautiful, feminine voice quickly put an end to Edward's train of thought. Focusing his attention on the woman Edward takes in her obvious beauty: high cheek bones, full lips, pale, beautiful skin and striking eyes. Expensive clothing with ornamental accessories, all worn with a definite grace; the classical Victorian woman.

"I do not believe you have met my niece, Miss Clara Barnett." Edward lowers his head in acknowledgment of Clara, taking her hand as he does so,

"I have not had the pleasure of acquaintance yet, no. Although, Miss Clara, I have seen you in passing - yet I dare say, I mistook you for a passing mermaid." He says with a smile. Looking back at Mu, Edward sighs audibly, "Every time I look at the horizon it is more and more filled with this elusive place. Despite the loss of our companion-ship, we have found the continent, my friends!"

[An Enemy Spy]

OOC: Which hand are you taking here?

[The White Lyre]

"...taking her hand as he does so..." :smallwink:

I didn't really mean for that line to be of any importance...simply the classic, old-fashioned way of introducing oneself to a woman by taking her hand and giving it a little kiss. I omitted the kiss part by mistake, though...:smallsigh:

Anyways, I wasn't intending for him to continue holding her hand after the introduction.

[An Enemy Spy]

"...taking her hand as he does so..." :smallwink:

I didn't really mean for that line to be of any importance...simply the classic, old-fashioned way of introducing oneself to a woman by taking her hand and giving it a little kiss. I omitted the kiss part by mistake, though...:smallsigh:

Anyways, I wasn't intending for him to continue holding her hand after the introduction.

Just answer the question. It's a minor thing but it affects things.

[The White Lyre]

Well, I thought I did...anyways, Edward is taking Clara's hand.
Ah, I see what you mean - sorry. I suppose he takes her left hand in his right.

[An Enemy Spy]

You take her left hand, the one keeping her hat in place. Clara gives a short shriek as the wind immediately sweeps under it and carries it off. The hat flutters off into the distance before finally landing the water. A large blue bird, perhaps curious about it, lands down on Clara's hat and begins to peck at it, maybe mistaking the bows for large butterflies. Suddenly, both hat and bird disappear into the blue, having been pulled down by something, a small plume of water being the only sign suggesting they were ever there.

[The White Lyre]

Edward's face turns into a look of horror seeing his mistake. Quickly, he runs to the railing, giving chase to the hat...a rather pointless thing to do, in the end, as it easily blows away. Placing his hands on the railing and leaning out, he shouts at the bird as it lands on the hat; the hat floats away with the strange creature on top pecking at it, obviously not returning to the boat.

Turning around, Edward expects to see anger, reproach and certainly a lost friendship in the eyes of Miss Clara. In stead he sees surprise and panicked confusion in all three sets of eyes. Turning around he sees a quickly disappearing ring of water where the strange bird had been a second ago - no hat to be seen either.

"Er...what?" Edward asks the equally confused group behind, before regaining his composure and continuing, "Ahem, I should say, where exactly did the hat - I'm sorry for that, Miss Clara - and the bird go?"

[An Enemy Spy]

Before anyone can answer, all the birds on the water fly upwards in unison, their frightened calls making a cacophony of squawks and honks. You are suddenly aware that the ship has been rocking harder than usual. Suddenly, the entire deck seems to shift under your feet, nearly throwing you to the ground.

[The White Lyre]

Luckily for Edward he was still close to the railing of the ship as it bucked in the sea, sending many experienced seamen to the deck. Gripping the railing tightly he looks around at the suddenly bird-filled skies with confusion. The usually pragmatic doctor is suddenly at a loss for what to do. Looking at the faces of his companions he can't help but think they have come to the same conclusion as him - something has gone horribly wrong. Edward looks at the now seemingly distant beaches of Mu with fear, a place that literally minutes ago had seemed within an arm's reach. Unsure of what else to do, the obvious panic of the sailors running past giving little reassurance, Edward peers over the railing at the foreboding waters.

[An Enemy Spy]

The water is churning white from whatever lies below it. Suddenly there is a scream. You look up in time to see Mr. Hayes with a giant red-brown tentacle wrapped around him, the suckers tearing at his clothes. He is pulled off the ship and into the water. Suddenly, tentacles rise up all over the ship, grabbing men and pulling them them to their watery doom.

[An Enemy Spy]

OOC: Before we continue, I would just like to point out HUSKIES WIN! HUSKIES WIN THE APPLE CUP! BOOYA!
Alright. On with the game.

[The White Lyre]

Edward whirls around at the scream, looking in horror as Mr. Hayes is dragged off the ship by the disgusting tentacle. Looking back over the edge of the ship Edward sees more tentacles fly upwards from the murky waters to speed past him and attack the shocked crew and passengers.

Obviously, standing around would not continue to work. Grabbing Miss Clara by the arm and motioning to the Colonel to follow, he quickly descends into the cabin area of the ship - for now, at least, they would be safe from the creature (or demon) that was attacking the deck. Being safe, however, also meant that Edward's adrenaline rush was abating, and he slumped heavily against the wall in the small hallway.

"Colonel, have you any idea what is going on?" Edward croaks, his throat suddenly dry.

Sorry about the wait...also, congratulations on the win :smallsmile:

Unfortunately, I have no idea as to which sport that is, ha..:smallredface:

[An Enemy Spy]

"They say there are many creatures in the waters around Mu." Colonel Barnett stammers. "I believed them to simply be sailors tales. It seems I was gravely mistaken."
Clara's small body is pressed tightly against yours. She is clinging tightly to her parasol as if it were a life preserver. "Are we safe here?"
As if on cue, the bulkhead is splintered as a massive tentacle crashes through, suckers the size of dinner plates.

OOC: The Apple cup is a football game played once a year between the Universtiy of Washington Huskies and the Washington State Universtiy Cougars. It's the biggest college game of the year in my state.
Where do you live?

[The White Lyre]

"They say there are many creatures in the waters around Mu. I believed them to simply be sailors tales. It seems I was gravely mistaken."

Shaking his head, Edward clutches the small, shaking frame of Clara more for himself than to comfort her - of course, in any other circumstance this would warrant a slap, at least, but with what had happened in the last fifteen minutes it didn't seem to matter.

"Are we safe here?" Clara asks, the trembling of her voice betraying her fear. Before Edward can answer (however ambiguous an answer it would have been) a huge tentacle rips through the wooden planks, blocking their path. Adrenaline pumped once more into Edward:

"Colonel, where is the armory? If we have any hope of surviving this...thing, we'll have to find a means of defending ourselves."

Canadian. I don't follow football too much, at least college football, so I guess it's kind of natural that I wouldn't know that :smalltongue:. I love hockey, though!

What about you? Washington, I guess...:smallbiggrin:

[An Enemy Spy]

Your question is asked too late, as the colonel is swept overboard and disappears into the churning sea. The corridor is very quickly being reduced to splinters around you.

OOC: Washington, yeah. I live in Gig Harbor which is a little less than an hour from Seattle, Never gotten into hockey, but I love Football. Love the Seahawks.
What part of Canada are you from?

[The White Lyre]

As Barnett is torn away, along with a sizable chunk of the ship, Edward swallows his tongue - the only option now is escape...

"Clara, what we need to--" Edward starts to explain his plan to Clara (as much as to himself) but sees her stricken face, her eyes unfocused and staring vacantly at the splinters of the hall her uncle had previously been standing in. Obviously, she isn't listening.

"Blast! Just follow me!" Edward shouts, the panic obvious in his voice. Grabbing her small frame by the arms, Edward practically picks the girl up as he runs towards the deck of the ship. Suddenly, he darts into a doorway, recognizing where he is. Looking around the cabin he has occupied for the past few months Edward curses himself for not being more organized; only a day left in travel and most of his belongings are still unpacked. Quickly, he grabs his doctor's bag - one thing that is always ready for use - and a book that lies on his bunk. The Lost Continent of Mu. However, he had come to realize that most of what was written wasn't anything but theory and conjecture of armchair geographers. Hopefully the maps recorded by earlier explorers would be more accurate...

At this point Edward notices the top right corner of the cabin's roof is missing. He quickly leaves with Clara in tow.

Making their way up to the deck, Edward takes in the carnage and looks for a lifeboat.

Feel free to change anything I assumed - if you don't want those supplies gathered in the cabin I can edit that out.

Winnipeg, Manitoba. It's a capital, but not large - 600, 000 people or so. As a Canadian I inevitably have a mild interest in hockey, and since Winnipeg is winter for about 7 months of the year, I'm almost forced to love it. Football not so much, but I do follow the NFL a bit.

Do you/did you play any football?

[An Enemy Spy]

Barnett is her uncle, not her dad.

[The White Lyre]

Oops, I'll edit that. :smalleek:

[An Enemy Spy]

What remains of the top deck is in utter chaos. Dead bodies litter the deck. A few men are left on board, crew members and big game hunter types mostly, firing rifles and pistols inneffectively at the great tentacles tearing the Lady Maria to chunks. A few try to get on one the last remaining lifeboats. Before they can cast off, a tentacle wrps around the small craft and crushes it. The beast's arms cover the ship now and are pulling it apart.

[The White Lyre]

Watching in horror as the lifeboat is torn to splinters and the men ripped apart, Edward quickly runs through his options of escape:

Jumping into the sea and swimming for land - probably impossible. Using one of the remaining boats - possible. On seeing what just happened, however, it isn't a course of action that Edward wants to think about. Besides the lifeboat, the only viable way to survive would be defeating the squid or octopus (or demon) that is attacking the boat.

Obviously, the guns were doing little damage. From the size of the tentacles, the bullets must feel like mosquitoes to the creature. A sword - hatchet, maybe - or fire might do the trick, however. Edward honestly doesn't know how he could light a fire on the wet tentacle, though, and the damage done by the melee weapons would be little better than that of a rifle.

Suddenly, it occurs to the Doctor that if he could organize the remaining men into the remaining lifeboats, they could set the entire ship on fire as the boats cast off - leaving the sea beast wrapped around the flaming hulk.

Still clutching Clara and throwing his bag onto his shoulder (the book inside), Edward starts yelling at the men nearby, identifying those he knows by name,
"Martin--Martin! This isn't working...we need to get off the ship!" he yells to the nearest hunter, who he had acquainted himself with during the voyage, "We need to get the men into the lifeboats!"

"Ivan! Ivan! Grab that man next to you and get to the lifeboats!"...

[An Enemy Spy]

Martin turns to face you and points at something behind you. That's when you feel something wrapping around your leg. Before you can react, you are yanked off your feet and dragged toward the side of the ship, Martin and Ivan running after you.

[The White Lyre]

One of those moments where everything seems to slow down begins to happen to Edward. He sees Clara looking at him, the seconds not yet past for her to even change her expression; he sees a man ripped from the deck, as he is sure will be done to him in seconds, too; Martin and Ivan sprint after him, the looks on their faces revealing their thoughts to the world - they are looking at a deadman. All this went through Edward's head, and more, yet he really hadn't travelled that far. It began to dawn on him that the world - Darwin's world - was one where only the fit survive, and this was such a situation. It was time to show that he would not be dispatched so easily.

Edward reaches for something to slash at the tentacle with, his hand groping for something, anything. Knowing that the odds wouldn't be in his favour with this venture, however, he quickly unbuckled his belt, hoping to squirm away from the tentacle by shedding his pants. Modesty was not something that mattered to Edward, at the moment.

[An Enemy Spy]

You are dragged off the deck entirely, only being able to hold on with your fingertips to the wet wood. the legging of your trousers is torn off and the horrible tentacle dissapears with. But you are slipping off the boat.

[The White Lyre]

Jagged splinters rake Edward's palms as he tries to prevent his decent into the dark, watery depths of the ocean. As he clears the deck the tentacle loses its grip on his leg...a fortunate turn of events, he thinks, as he slides over the edge. Numerous holes spot the boats hull, damage from the tentacle strikes, making it look as though the Lady Maria has recently been attacked by cannons. Spotting such an opening below him Edward reaches disparately for the rough beams of the ship, still hoping to evacuate the ship with the other members.

Below him, the waters froth with the turbulence caused by the creature beneath.

[An Enemy Spy]

There is a loud CRUNCH! as the ship is split in two. The two halves of the Lady Maria are sinking into the water.

[The White Lyre]

As he sailed through the air Edward's ears were filled with the incredible sound of a ship splitting in two, something comparable to nothing he had ever heard. It was a devastating sound, effectively destroying his hope to survive with a few of the passengers or crew. For Edward, giving up on others would have been a difficult decision to make, had the hunger for survival not suddenly taken over his body.

The water swirled around him as he sunk into its depths, bubbles rushing upwards and splinters raining downward. Edward struck out with his legs to escape the suffocating pressure of being submerged but realized how hard such it is to do such a thing with his trousers undone - and while wearing boots. Grasping his pants he pulled them up with one had, while the other paddled desperately at the water until he broke free.

Sucking in air as he escaped suffocation, Edward took one look at the quickly disappearing wreck and immediately started swimming towards Mu and away from the monster.

[An Enemy Spy]

The creature pays no attention to you as you swim away. It is far too interested in the Lady Maria to pursue a tiny little creature like you. After what feels like an eternity of swimming, you finally wash up on the sandy shore of Mu. You're entire body aches from exertion. You lose conciousness, the salty waves lapping against your body.


You wake up further up the beach. The sea is filled with debris from the Lady Maria, but there is no sign of the nameless horror that took her.
Three men are standing around you. One of them is Martin. The other two you don't recognize.

[The White Lyre]

Waves engulf Edward, sending salt into his mouth, up his nose, stinging his eyes. The world turns to one of pain, but he continues rotating his arms and kicking his legs in a feeble attempt to swim. Finally the coarse sand scrapes at Edward's limbs as he reaches the shallows. Barely able to crawl up the shore, his exhaustion is so great, Edward collapses just beyond the water's edge.

With a heave and a long intake of air Edward regains consciousness. Unsteadily, his eyes roam the surroundings, his hands feel his body and the ground around him; he inhales through his nose, smelling the world. Edward had thought himself dead, but he was miraculously still alive. In looking around he had noticed Martin and the two others, but he hadn't fully registered what this meant. Suddenly it came to him and his eyes flew wide open,

"Martin, you survived! I had thought for sure all was lost - including myself."

[An Enemy Spy]

"We only just made it. You and the other two are the only survivors I've seen so far. I fear that we may be all there is."
The other two men introduce themselves as Reginald Clapton and Guy Montag.

[The White Lyre]

Despite the circumstances, Edward still feels the compulsion to continue with conventions; he stands up shakily and brushes what sand he can off of his clothing, even though they are still soaking wet, and extends his hand to the two men.

"Greetings. My name is Dr. Edward Gordon."

With the introductions done with, Edward scans the wrecked pieces on the shore,

"Martin, how did you survive? I'm surprised more than one of us could have. And what of Miss Clara?"

[An Enemy Spy]

"I haven't seen her. Perhaps she washed up on the shore somewhere. I would wager that the beast took her, though."
"Let's go look through the debris." Montag says, "Nuevo Diego is not far from here and we would do well to avoid the Spaniards. We should see if we can find anything useful and make our way to Port Desperation."

[The White Lyre]

Edward nods as he looks out across the water to where the ship had once been, the wreckage floating in the only sign of it's existence. The mysterious creature was no longer in sight, and neither were any sign of survivors. Edward could only hope there were more.

"Which way to Port Desperation, then? Lead the way."

[An Enemy Spy]

He jerks his thumb behind him. "About twenty miles that way."

[The White Lyre]

Edward nods and takes the lead, scanning the beach and the shallows for any salvageable items among the debris as he walks towards the outpost.

[An Enemy Spy]

The beach is strewn in debris. All manner of objects from crates of spoiled food to pieces of the hull litter the shore. There are also bodies laying in the sand, victims of the horrid beast's ravenous destruction. As you look at one of the bodies, you notice that much of his blood seems to be originating from his neck. A quick look reveals that the man's throat has been slit, an unlikely method for such a large creature as the one that attacked the ship. Looking around you, it becomes clear that many of the other dead men around you have also met their ends in such a fashion.

[The White Lyre]

Although a practical man, Edward had never seen so many dead bodies in one place before; it was quite nerve-wracking. For the first hundred yards or so the group walked in silence, each man obviously thinking of the miracle of living after such an event, especially with so many others dead or missing. Questions ran through Edward's mind, such as "Why did I survive?".

It was only after five minutes or so, though, that in looking around the doctor noticed large amounts of blood around most of the corpses on the beach. Upon closer inspection he realized the macabre truth of their deaths...just how long had he been unconscious for?

"Martin...have you noticed anything odd with the way our fellows appeared to have died?" Edward asks cautiously, slowing his walk as he looks into the shadows and bushes that line the beach.

[An Enemy Spy]

"Nothing like this. These men were murdered, and with knives by the look of it." He points at the ground. "But look. There are no footprints leading here or away. How is that possible?"

[The White Lyre]

Kneeling down beside one of the corpses, Edward investigates Martin's observation further. Looking closely at the wound he looks for any more signs of injury, as well as around the body for any suspiciously disturbed sand.

[An Enemy Spy]

Not only are there no suspicious marks in the sand, none of the dead men even seem to be holding a knife. It is as if they were killed by a ghost.

[The White Lyre]

The sudden realization of a supernatural explanation does not bode well with Edward. As a doctor he puts very little credit in the reality of ghosts, poltergeists or any other spiritual being. That beast that literally tore the ship to pieces however...that could only have been a demon. There could be no creature possible of destruction on that scale, and that yet remained hidden from science for so long.

These thoughts and more ran through Edward's head as he knelt beside a corpse. Shaking his head he stood up and nodded to the group, "I can't find an explanation for this...we should move on, before whoever did this comes back."

[An Enemy Spy]

You continue farther down the beach, leaving the bodies for the sea birds.
After a short while, you spot something floating in the water, coming in and out with the waves. As you draw near, you can see a lady's parasol floating upside down like a boat. In the sand, is a set of footprints. The feet are small, obviously a woman's. One is a bare foot and the other is triangular at the front with a small circle in the back, perhaps from a high heeled shoe. The track leads toward the dark and forboding jungle.

[The White Lyre]

As the parasol came into view it seemed like just another piece of wreckage, a reminder of the dead Miss Clara and the events of the last day. Once close enough, however, the doctor soon saw that besides the parasol, there were other signs of Clara, these of a more hopeful nature.

"Do you see these tracks?" Edward asks, turning to the other three men, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but they appear to be those of a woman...I would suggest Miss Clara, even. We must go after her!"

[An Enemy Spy]

"Into the jungle? Are you mad? Have you heard the tales of the creatures there?"
The other men seem to share this sentiment.
Martin does have a valid point. No story of Mu is complete without horrifying tales of giant insects, prehistoric monsters and other creatures coughed up from the darkest pits of Hell itself, all living in the horrible black jungle.
However, if Clara is there, than she will almost certainly be lost forever if you do not find her quickly.

[The White Lyre]

Martin's point significantly reduces Edward's excitement. During the voyage many sailors had told the doctor of the horrors of Mu, and often they spoke of men heading into the labyrinthine jungle to be found dead short distances from where they had entered.

Edward knew he had to find the woman who had left these tracks, but in the end he would need the help of Martin, Reginald and Guy.

"Of course I've heard the tales...but are you three content to let her wander off? Considering we're all that's left of the ship, we must stay together, and try to find other survivors. Besides, look at the footprints - she can hardely have gone far with one shoe."

[An Enemy Spy]

The men reluctantly agree with your point. And no one wants to stay alone for the mysterious killer to find them.
It is not a long way to the jungle, a mere hundred feet or so. But once you pass into the shadow of the trees, it feels as if you are already deep in the heart of it. The trees are so thick that almost no sunlight passes through them. The four of you have to fight through heavy vegetation, much of which is thorned. It must have extremely difficult for Clara to have come through here in her long, heavy dress, but the occasional strip of shredded fabric hanging off of various plants are proof enough that she has been here. Finally, the four of you come to a sheer cliff that stretches out on all sides, a fast and powerful river at the bottom of it. The chasm is a narrow one, with more jungle on the other side, and at some places looks like it could concievably be jumped over. Clara's one shoed tracks are visible in the mud near the edge, where they come to a small tree. Small that is, compared to most of the giant trees around it. It is a grotesque plant, the size of an oak tree, and black, as if if charred. It's branches are gnarled and devoid of any leaves. A sense of dread comes over you as you approach it, though you don't know why. Her tracks stop here, but there is no evidence of where Clara could have gone from here.

[The White Lyre]

As they enter the jungle the light diminishes significantly. It isn't truly dark, or even hard to see - simply very obvious that light has to filter through countless numbers of leaves and branches to reach the ground. Besides the darkness that surrounds the group so does a more than mild case of claustrophobia, increased with the dank, humid air. Very quickly the men are voicing their frustration as the thorns prick their ankles and the branches smack their bodies.

A break in the foliage, barely enough of one to reveal the gap, arrives and Edward peers down to the surging river at the bottom. The current seems lethal, and for a second he dreads the worst, before looking around in desperation and seeing the footprints...astonishing and miraculous.

Having jumped the chasm, the men arrive at the end of the Miss Clara's tracks and Edward looks around...it seems this island has a mysterious ability to conceal footprints - first the murders and now a missing person. He begins to suspiciously inspect the tree, while an increasingly suspenseful feeling creeps along his neck as he approaches.

"Any of you have the slightest idea as to where she went?"

[An Enemy Spy]

"I don't even know why she would come this way. Why come all the way through those brambles to this bloody tree? Why not stay on the beach and wait for help? And here's something else I've been pondering. We found out she was here because we spotted her parasol by the beach. Now Lady Clara is an aristocrat. They don't just leave accessories like that laying around. So for whatever reason she came here, she was in a hurry. Enough of a hurry to leave it behind."
He jerks his thumb at the tree. "Whatever it was, I'd bet my last penny it has to do with that tree. Bloody thing gives me the willies."