by Bloodthirstybutcher » Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:25 pm
The Curse of Mākurakura Motu!
by BTB
The rocky cone of an ancient volcano rose before me and focused my view. Its steep red slopes, most certainly a result of an over abundance of iron in the ancient lava, stands contrasted by the thick green rainforest surrounding its base. The beat up vessel that brought us to that moment was forced to anchor about a mile away from shore as most of the island was ringed by a shallow reef preventing closer approach. The shores of the island itself were mostly cliff faces, save for a small natural harbor, itself obviously the result of a large volcanic blast thousands of years old. As select members of the crew, my colleague, and I paddled our way towards shore in a half dozen life boats, I could see that even the small, sandy beaches of this South Pacific paradise were rusted the same beautiful red as the slopes of its lonely mountain.
But that was not the most striking characteristic of this particular mysterious isle.
There were totems, carved from wood, lining the almost perfectly round harbor. Some were familiar Polynesian deities such as the omnipresent Tangaroa, but the large ones... those were unique to this tiny speck of land. Carved from stone, not unlike the Moai of Rapa Nui only much, much larger, were massive non-human effigies. But these were not carved for any of the typical gods one would find in this part of the world. No, these were remarkably ape-like.
These mysterious statues were what had brought us to this remote corner of the world... or rather, what fantastic creatures they may depict. And it's something I've kept secret for too many years.
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My name is Dr. Ernest Kemper. I hold a PHD in anthropology and a master's in archaeology, specializing in Polynesian cultures. I first fell in love with the people of the Pacific while serving in the Navy during WWII. I lied about my age so I could enlist after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which is where I would ultimately be stationed. It was my first taste of island life and certainly wouldn't be my last. After the war, I would dedicate the next fifteen years of my life to studying the various inhabited isles that scattered the great western ocean. Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, New Zealand, Easter Island... I've seen them all.
I became a bit of an outcast among others in my particular field for my stance on artifacts and antiquities and their rightful place in history. Where many I've worked with are highly respected in their own right, I couldn't help but see them as little more than old fashioned grave robbers, plundering cultures for their own wealth and notoriety. In my opinion, there's no better place for an item of exceeding cultural significance to be experienced than in its land of origin. In the event that I have returned to the states with artifacts, they were always gifted to me as a token of friendship from the peoples I'd grown to know and love. Though the Polynesian islands are many, and the dialects spoken were even greater in number, I found that there was enough commonality to be found in them to communicate. And if there wasn't, I took my time.
Ultimately this is what brought... her... into my life.
I was in my office at the university one afternoon when a knock on my open door drew my attention away from my work. There in the doorway stood a striking but professional looking blonde woman. She walked in confidently and seated herself opposite myself. I recognized her of of course, Dr. Samantha Heckling. She was English, and the university's chief primatologist. We had met only in passing, but our chosen fields didn't exactly lend themselves to much interaction, that is... until that fateful day.
"Dr. Heckling, whatever brings you in today?" I asked politely. "Oh, where are my manners? Can I pour you a drink?" I opened the bottom drawer of my desk and removed a bottle of fine aged scotch and a pair of well-used glasses.
"That would be fine," she replied. "Not too much though, don't want to give the dean ideas, if you know what I mean."
I poured her a couple of fingers and slid the glass across the desktop. "Here ya are. So... to what do I owe the pleasure, professor?"
"Well... first I'd like to say I'm familiar with your work. Quite remarkable stuff really," she said, obviously trying to butter me up.
"You're too kind professor, but you don't look like you came down here to offer praise," I replied.
"You are correct, good sir... are you familiar with the legends about Mākurakura Motu?"
I couldn't help but chuckle, "Red Island?! Oh yes... but certainly you didn't come here to talk about myths, did you? Perhaps you’d like to discuss Atlantis or flying saucers as well?"
"Oh, I can assure you, Dr. Kemper... it exists," she replied with a confident grin.
"Did Greyson put you up to this?" I replied, thinking I was being pranked by another colleague.
"The island has been found, Dr. Kemper. I'm surprised that a man such as yourself hasn't read about it."
"I'm aware that two expeditions tried and failed to reach the fictional island, and only to have the men heading them up disappear in the process."
"From the men I've talked to, my good sir, both expeditions indeed found the very real island, but both of the men leading those expeditions disappeared into the jungle, never to be heard from again."
"Oh, hogwash! Just silly superstitious sailors telling yarns to pass the time and scare each other. I assure you, the place doesn't exist. Even the name, Mākurakura Motu is in Maori... because it's a myth, told so many times through so many cultures that finally someone had to give it a name." I leaned back in my chair and locked my fingers behind my head. "Why is a primatologist like yourself interested in this anyway?"
"Certainly, Dr. Kemper, if you're as familiar with the 'myth' of Red Island, then you're also just as familiar with the legend of the beast that occupies it?"
Now she really had me laughing out loud.
"Oh my dear Dr. Heckling... you can't be serious?!"
"I am. I think what those legends are describing is a lost species... and those two previous expeditions ran afoul of it. I theorize that, somehow, a race of ape, perhaps even gigantopithicus, found its way onto that island and that's what killed those other two explorers."
I continued to chuckle at her preposterous theories. How could a woman of science believe such mumbo-jumbo? It's hard enough for a woman to gain respect in a male dominated profession, why would she put her career on the line with these wild theories?
"I think you've seen one too many B pictures, Dr. Heckling," I said through my roaring laughter.
"Perhaps this might change your mind, Dr. Kemper...," she said calmly and set her leather briefcase on the top of the desk. She popped the clamps and lifted the lid. What she removed stopped my laughter cold.
It was a tiki, about a foot high, clearly of Polynesian origin. Something akin to a Marquesian type of sculpture, but a style quite unique unto itself. It's origins are not what shocked me, but what was being depicted. It was very simian in shape, almost like a gorilla. And in It's clutches were what appeared to be humanoid shapes.
"Where did you get this?" I asked as she handed it to me for closer inspection.
"A crew member of the previous voyage smuggled it off the island. You're right, they do tend to be a superstitious lot. The man thought it cursed and donated it to the university museum about a month ago."
"Has it been dated?"
"Early estimates indicate anywhere from 800-1000 years old," she replied.
I fell back into my chair, unsure of what I was looking at. Could it be true? Could this place be real? I looked back to her face, which was awash with smug victory. I didn't know what else to ask except, "what now?"
"The university has approved an expedition if we can raise the money. That shouldn't be a problem... I have a few things up my sleeve in that department. But I'm no expert on Polynesian cultures and certainly don't know the languages like you do. How would you like to take a little trip, Dr. Kemper?"
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Weeks we spent at sea, searching for the elusive island. The notes and maps from the previous two expeditions were unceremoniously purged by the crews of their vessels, hoping to keep others from finding it... or in their minds, save them from it. We had to start from scratch. We stayed outside the usual shipping lanes and tried to piece together several possible locations from what little info we could gather. The residents of several small islands proved to be very helpful with information, being as the ships most likely stopped at least a few of them, though all of them warned us not to go there. The first red flags began to pop up in my brain.
Dr. heckling and I grew quite close over that time. She was full of questions for me about my travels, and I had many for her. She had spent time in the Congo studying the mountain gorillas there and also in Asia with the orangutans. It was quite fascinating to learn about the great beasts, but I was still wildly skeptical about there being a giant primate living on a tiny Pacific island. It simply didn't make any sense.
She was quite a lovely woman. Tall, curvaceous, with long naturally blonde hair. The kind of woman I would have seen painted on the side of a bomber during the war, not in a pair of spectacles and jotting down notes on Polynesian gods. I became quite smitten with her, and she with I. We tried to keep our partnership strictly professional, but the draw was there and couldn't be ignored. Both of us were single, married to our work actually. Our travels had kept either of us from settling down with anyone. But with weeks at sea with little else to occupy us, eventually nature ran its course and we gave in to our lustful desires.
Each night we'd sneak into each other's rooms and make passionate love to one another. I can still remember the way she tasted... the way she smelled. The little dimples at the base of her back. The way she'd stare at me in silence until we both drifted off to sleep.
As fondly as I want to remember her, she wasn't the easiest person to work with. She has delusions of grandeur, to put it mildly. She seemed more concerned with the fame that would come from our discovery than with the science itself. I didn't totally blame her. Her father was a famous paleontologist and she found herself constantly in his shadow. Plus, being a woman in any scientific field was always hard. My views had always been more progressive, but that's not to say they reflected those of the rest of our colleagues. She felt like she had something to prove, not just to herself, but for all women... unfortunately it would also be her downfall.
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It was a crewman in the crow's nest that first spotted the tiny outcropping of land. A red and green dot in an infinite sea of blue. My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest as I peered through the spyglass. It was true! We may not have been the first to make it there, but we were determined to be the first to unlock its secrets. I couldn't wait to meet the people and try to converse with them. Dr. heckling... Sam... she was beside herself with joy. Pointing a finger at me and playfully laughing at me. Telling me, "I told you so," and , "ready to eat your hat, mister?"
We were lowered first in the lifeboat to lead the landing team to shore. The men were nervous, perhaps rightly so. Luckily, or perhaps not so lucky... depending on how you look at it, our captain... Captain Walsh, was as eager for fame and glory as Sam and pushed his crew onward. The walls of the volcanic harbor rose around us the further we rowed towards shore. The eyes of the massive simian statues watched us the entire way. A small village was visible near the deep red sandy shore and figures could be seen walking along it, pointing at the strange invaders in their odd shaped canoes. Before we ever made shore, the entire village was gathered at the water line, ready to greet us. I could only hope it was friendly greeting.
As we got close to the beach, a group of young men waded through the water to greet us, helping to pull the boats ashore. We stepped out into the crowd and met our hosts. The chief, an imposing man with large muscles and flanked on both sides by what must have been his wives. He stood front and center, his arms crossed in front of him, a proud scowl painting his face as he looked down his nose at us. I tried a few common phrases greetings, but the imposing man didn't budge or say a word.
I was at a bit of a loss as what to do next. Sam kept looking to me for answers that I didn't have. She seemed annoyed and a little frightened that I was failing at the very task I was brought here to do. That's when I spotted her satchel in the boat.
"Sam! Is it still in there?! I whisper-shouted at her.
"What?!" She aggressively shouted back. The air was feeling heavy and I could see the sailors reaching for hidden weapons.
"Stand down everyone!" I ordered. "I've got an idea. Hand me the satchel!"
One of the men complied and tossed me the leather case. I removed the little wooden tiki and held it in the air. There was an audible moan from the crowd as I presented outwards to the chief and apologized for the people who took it in Hawaiian, Maori and every tongue in between.
The chief finally extended his hands and accepted the return of his totem. He stared me down with his dark, squinted eyes for an agonizingly long time. Then, he side-eyed one of his warriors who side-eyed him back. The two suddenly seemed to be caught in a staring contest to see which one would laugh first. Both erupted in unison. The rest of the village joined in. I was extremely confused and looked to Sam and the rest of the crew who only returned shrugged shoulders. Then, in perfect Maori, the chief thanked me for returning the tiki, and that he was just having some fun with us. 'White men so serious," he exclaimed in his own tongue. He patted me on the back, put his arm around me and welcomed us to the island.
However I thought our first contact would go, this certainly wasn't it.
The people of the island proved to be very gracious and friendly hosts. The chief welcomed the captain, Sam and I into his home and his wives served us platters of fruit. The man proved to be incredibly intelligent, switching from various dialects and speaking all fluently... as if to test me. There had clearly been some kind of trade with other island peoples for him to know so much. For an island with a reputation such as this one had, to be treated as we were was quite surprising. Perhaps they were just excited to see anyone, like any group of people suffering from prolonged isolation.
The rest of the crew were content to wait outside, gawking at the undraped females, of which there were aplenty. Skirts of grass were about all either sex were adorned in, along with a few decorative pieces made from shells. I worried about their intentions, but the captain assured me that they would remain in line or find themselves swimming back to civilization.
That night the natives threw a welcoming party. Each member of the village was adorned in red face and body paint made from the deep red soil of the land. The danced and all of us feasted on roasted feral hog. The most delicious meal any of us had had since before we embarked on this journey.
The male dancers were adorned in leaves, weaved to make their arms look longer and their face paint looked suspiciously like that of a gorilla. I leaned over to the chief and asked him what the dance was about. He simply showed me the tiki I had returned to him and tapped on its head lovingly. "'Ehu Kolila Nui," was all he said... giant red ape.
When I told Sam this, she got visibly excited. She asked me to translate to him that she'd like to see the creature... or creatures. The chief only laughed and replied that she didn't really want to see the apes. She was confused by this answer, as was I. I informed him that this was the reason for our visit, that we were hoping to study them... if they were in fact real. He said that the last two groups of outsiders that came wished to do the same and paid the price. He reiterated that we did not want to see the beasts. Sam continued to push, but I squeezed her hand and asked her to let it rest for now. We didn't want to insult him in any way if we hoped to gain his trust. Especially when I had no idea what 'the price' was.
We spent the night back on the ship, but I didn't get much sleep. As welcoming as these people were, I couldn't help but feel like there was something off. They were definitely hiding something, but I was worried that the chief was right...
...perhaps we didn't want to see it.
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Sam wasn't pleased with the way I shut her down the previous night at the luau. She was very quiet and distant towards me the entire next morning and only told me she was angry with me as we rowed back to shore. I tried to explain to her that forcing her will on these people just wasn't the way. It's a very colonialist way of doing things, and I had no interest in such things. I wanted to know their culture, their way of life. Maybe then they could grow to trust me enough to reveal other secrets. She seemed to be too enveloped in her anger to listen. I was just another man trying to control her in her eyes, and she wasn't about to let that happen. The mocking stares from the other men caused deep embarrassment within me. I decided to drop the subject and let her cool off, we were approaching the shore anyway.
The chief met us once again and insisted on a personal tour of the outskirts of his island. It took several hours to circle the entire thing, sticking primarily to the outer rim. The cliffs dropped off sharply into the sea and we had to be very cautious of our footing so as not to fall onto the jagged, waterworn volcanic rocks below. The entire time, Sam kept pestering me to ask about the apes, but I just ignored her. I was far more interested in the chief's stories and histories of the island and it's people. They had no written language, so everything was passed down orally. How his ancestors first came to the isle in long ships, the early attempts at farming... and finally the people's first interactions with the 'original inhabitants,' as he referred to them.
Of particular note were the many fruits and vegetables that grew naturally on the island. Plentiful and delicious. All except for a strange, grape-like berry that grew closer to the center of the island. The chief insisted that they were off limits, sacred even. I didn't think much of it, just another superstition... these islands were full of them. Perhaps they were poisonous and this was just how they kept their children from eating them. I decided to change the subject back to what was really nagging at my mind, the 'original inhabitants.'
"Are they what those huge stone statues depict?" I asked and he nodded in response.
"Are they rally as large as those statues make them look?"
The chief just laughed and answered, "those who have seen them would say yes." Yet another strange answer from our elusive host.
When we finally returned to the village on tired feet and aching muscles, yet another feast was laid out for us. This time, the nightly production seemed to depict a female being whisked away by the would be ape-men. I asked the patriarch if this was some kind of sacrifice, and with his usual upbeat demeanor, nodded his head. I asked if it was some kind of fertility ritual and if the girls were virgins.
He just laughed at me again.
In his usual cryptic way, he just said that , 'the beasts care not for such things. Only those that see them will understand.'
"Why do the animals take people?" I queried.
"Even I do not know all things," he answered and gave me a friendly pat on the back. "Relax, Kemper... you ask too many questions. Enjoy yourself!"
I asked again if we could be permitted to view the creatures to which he just repeated himself...
"Trust me, my curious friend... you do not wish to see the beasts."
That night back at the ship, I relayed the conversation I'd had with the chief to Sam. She seemed excited, that I may be chipping away at the man's stubbornness. She even seemed to forget she was angry with me. When I knocked on the door to her cabin she pulled me inside and ripped off my clothes.
"It won't be long now, Ernie. You've got him wrapped around your finger!" She whispered to me after an intense round of lovemaking.
"It isn't like that at all, Sam. I'm not trying to manipulate him. I've actually grown to respect him." I took her by the hand and voiced my concerns, "perhaps we should listen to him. Perhaps we don't want to push this any further. We found the island, and there will be plenty to write about in that respect."
"Oh pish-posh," she replied. "I'm no anthropologist, and I'm not here to make friends with these savages. They've got an unknown species they're hiding up there and that's what I've come for. Dead or alive, we're not leaving this island without a specimen."
"Jesus, woman... do you hear yourself? How do you think these people will respond if you try to take one of those things off the island?"
"Nothing a few well placed bullets can't solve," she responded, crudely.
This was not the woman I had fallen for... or was it? I couldn't bring myself to speak to her any more and returned to my own cabin alone.
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We would spend a total of three weeks on the island, with Sam growing increasingly impatient. I on the other hand, was living a lifelong dream. I no longer cared for recognition. The chief and I had built quite a strong relationship of mutual understanding and friendship, growing ever closer as Sam and I drifted apart. She spent many a day sulking on the beach with her toes in the sand. Waiting, and from what I would soon learn... scheming.
I had returned from another trek into the jungle with the chief and a few select subordinates to find that Sam was gone. From her usual spot on the beach, her tracks lead off into the thick foliage. For the first time, I saw anger in the the chief's eyes. He ordered his men to hunt her down and kill her if necessary. Only through much convincing did I convince him to spare her life, but only if I ventured out and brought her back. It was a level of mutual trust that I got the impression was not granted to just anyone.
I took off into the humid heat of the rainforest, following her footprints and broken branches she'd cleared to pass. I climbed higher towards the volcano, already exhausted from the day's previous excursion. Just when I thought I couldn't take another step, I came into a clearing and was greeted with what appeared to be some kind of ancient elevated altar. The corners of the stone edifice were decorated with more of the exquisite ape effigies. And there, I found Sam. She was taking photos and munching on a handful of native berries. The very ones the chief had just told me not to eat because they were 'sacred'.
"Sam... what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
She jumped a little as I must have startled her. She grasped her chest and and let out a relieved breath. "Oh thank god, it's just you Ernie. I thought you might have been one of them."
"Goddamnit, Sam! You're lucky it's me... they nearly sent a war party after you!"
"They know I'm gone?"
"Of course they know. You've done nothing but pout about these damn apes for weeks now. Do you think they're stupid?"
"One of us had to show a pair and do some serious exploring. You're too content to go on your little nature walks and play house with your new mate."
"What in god's name are you talking about?! That is what we came here for!"
"Wrong," she corrected me, "this is what YOU came here for. You know why I'm here."
Just then, a rustling in the bushes startled the both of us. Could it be them... could this be one of the giant beasts growing near? In fact not, it was the chief, accompanied by what looked like every male on the island. Even the women began to appear from the thick foliage like ghosts. They filled the perimeter of the clearing, lighting torches as it began to grow dark.
"Congratulations, Dr. Heckling," I said frightened and sarcastically, "you may have just killed us both.
The chief approached me and put a single hand on my shoulder. He saw the uneaten berries in Sam's hand and shook his head in disappointment. He whispered something in my ear while Sam anxiously stood there in horror.
"Well, what did he say?" She barked.
"He said that if you truly desired to see the island's beasts, you just earned it."
A handful of maidens filled the concave bowls at the tops of the corner tikis with wood and lit them ablaze, the entire ancient platform became bathed in firelight. The darkness of the surrounding jungle felt more suffocating than ever before. At that moment, I wasn't sure if we would live to see the dawn.
Sam clutched to me in terror and I tried my hardest to be strong for the both of us. We were grossly outnumbered and any help the ship's crew could provide would take hours to reach us. We had trespassed and we would learn the price of our indiscretion soon enough.
"I'm sorry, Ernie... I'm sorry I got us into this," Sam whimpered. Her tears glistened in the orange light of the torches, her eyes pleaded for my forgiveness.
All I could think to do was hold her face against my chest so she wouldn't have to see what may be coming, only to have her ripped away by a pair of the chief's subordinates. I reached out to pull her back, only to be held under the arms by another pair of strong warriors. The first two forced Sam to her knees. She screamed out to me to save her, but there was nothing I could do. Suddenly, a young girl approached from the dark, carrying a small wooden bowl. She dipped her fingers inside and began to coat Sam's face with the same red paint the women of the tribe wore. When finished, she stepped away... as did the men holding her down. She ran back into my arms, crying uncontrollably.
Then the chief stepped forward. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and hung his head sorrowfully.
"Dr. Heckling, you wished to see kolila, and now you have no choice. Please take your place on altar. They will show themselves to you now."
I couldn't believe it! The man spoke nearly perfect English, and he'd been hiding it all this time from me.
Like a switch being flicked in her brain, Sam lifted her face from my chest. Her fearful instincts apparently no match for her curiosity. She pushed me away and took the handful of steps to the top of the altar. As soon as she reached its center, the villagers began to pound on their crude drums, filling the night with their ominous rhythms.
Before long there was motion in the bushes. It was hard to detect in the dark, but the darkened foliage was definitely moving.
"Oh my god!" Sam shouted and cupped her hands over her mouth. "They're beautiful!"
From my position I couldn't see what she had. I tried to join her, but I was held back once again. I looked to the chief who just sadly shook his head. I scanned the faces of the other members of his people... all of them looked deeply saddened. Some were even crying. It was so strange, none of it made any sense. What was happening?!
"Ernie! You have to come see them! They're amazing!" Her head spun back to look at me with that bright, beautiful smile I'd fallen so hard for and snarked, "though, I think our friends here have greatly embellished their size."
And then it happened.
As if under some kind of spell, Sam's body began to recede into her clothing. She didn't notice at first, too entranced with the obscured creatures before her exclusive view. It was only when her pants slipped from her hips that she realized something else was happening.
"Ernest?" She timidly asked. Her shrinking face was pale with fear, even within the glow of the flaming pyres. She turned on her heels to run back to me, but tripped over the clothes pooled at her feet. Smaller and smaller she shrank as she tied to crawl to the edge of the platform. By the time she reached the edge, she was small enough to slip through the collar of her own shirt. She clung to the edge, still shrinking... screaming for my help. Her hands outstretched for a salvation that wouldn't come.
I was too flabbergasted to move. What was this? What had they don't to her?
The berries. Dear god, the berries.
The chief warned us not to eat them, that they were sacred. Now I see why.
When Sam had finally stopped shrinking she couldn't have been larger than a child's doll. Even as small as she was, I could still see the terror in her eyes. The sound of her tiny voice calling to me for help still haunts me to this very day.
It was quiet, I can't say for how long. The drums had stopped. No one spoke except for the faint, squeaking screams of Dr. Heckling. Finally one of the beasts appeared, proud and strong. It climbed onto the platform and knuckle walked its way towards us. I wanted to run, but even if I wasn't being restrained, my legs were like jelly.
It was most certainly an ape. Not so dissimilar to a gorilla, and roughly the same size. What set it apart was its majestic red fur that covered its entire body, clearly a product of evolutionary camouflage for the great animal. With the red rocks that covered this island, they could have been around us at any time and we never would have seen them. Below it's eyes were a pair of black streaks, like smeared mascara dripping down to its jaw.
Sam was right, they truly were beautiful.
That's when I noticed Sam was no longer screaming. She had turned to face the, to her at least, gigantic monster. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move. Even from where I stood, I could tell she was so stricken with horror that it completely consumed her. The ape loomed over her, intimidating her with its sheer size.
I finally snapped out of my own trance and called to her, "Samantha! Get out of there!"
She snapped out of her holding gaze and tried to hurl herself over the edge of the step. The ape reached out with lightning speed and caught her mid-air in its mighty grasp.
Time stopped. I locked eyes with Sam and she with me. She was only able to release a single scream before the ape turned tail and disappeared into the darkness... her voice faded into the night along with the beast's presence.
The rustling of the brush ceased. Women scaled the steps of the platform to dowse the pyres. The only sound that filled the clearing were those of sobbing from villagers. I myself sank to my knees and purged my gut with shock. I felt a hand on my shoulder and it moved in such a way as to offer comfort in this dark hour. I cocked my head upwards to find the chief standing over me. Tears poured down his face and his lower lip quivered with as much sadness as I was feeling.
"Come my friend," he beckoned in English with the words getting choked up in his throat, "we have serious things to discuss."
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That night the chief and I sat on the beach and watched the moon reflect on the waves of the harbor. The man tried his best to comfort me, but knew that I needed answers to what I'd just seen. For the first time, he dropped his usual cryptic nature and laid it all out for me straight.
"I am truly sorry for your woman friend, Ernest Kemper. I tried to warn her, but her stubbornness would not allow her to listen."
"I don't understand any if this," I replied. "First of all, how is it that you speak English all of a sudden?! Why did you hide that from me?"
"There's a saying among your people about holding cards close to chest, I believe. As much as we welcome visits from outsiders, you are still strangers... and we have learned to be cautious with strangers."
"Who taught you?"
"About fifteen years ago, Japanese sub come to our shores. We greet them as openly as you, but they only interested in claiming these shores for their chief. They slaughtered several of my warriors... my friends... and without provocation. In retaliation we fed them sacred berries and let jungle finish them off. Not far from where your ship sits you will find their vessel at bottom of sea."
He continued, "we received word from other islands in great sea that same was happening, so many of us ventured to what you call Hawaii to join great armada there to fight back against our mutual foe. This is how I learned your tongue, Ernest Kemper."
"You fought in the war?! This is all insane!" I replied, too overwhelmed with everything I had experienced.
"I do not understand what you mean, my friend."
"I fought in the Pacific Theater, too. I was in the Navy," I explained.
"Then we truly are brothers in purpose, Ernest Kemper," he said with a strong pat on my back.
"I don't understand why you had to be so coy about everything. Why couldn't you just tell us about all of this?"
"Would you have believed me? Or would it have been nothing more than superstitions of an island savage?" He replied. "Do not think I don't know how outside world sees us. Uncivilized naked idiots living in a tropical paradise. I assure you, my friend, we are no idiots."
"I never of thought of any of you as savages or idiots, Chief."
"Yes, from first time we meet, I could tell you were different from other outsiders who have come here. The others only wished to take. Take our statues... take our food... even take our women. You were first to return something. To offer us a gift, even if it already belonged to us." He smiled and pointed out one of the tikis on the beach, silhouetted in the moonlight. "In reality... it's only wood. One of my ancestors carved it to pass the time. It holds no value other than what we give it. But you saw value in one of our treasures enough to return it to us... it says much about you, Ernest Kemper."
"To be honest," I reluctantly admitted, "I thought you were going to kill us... it was the only thing I could think of that might save our skins."
For some reason, the chief found this hilarious.
After he composed himself, we sat quietly for a while listening to the water crash against the distant rocks. On any other night I would have found it calming. A mysterious island paradise filled with fascinating people and even more fascinating magic. But not that night.
"So where does this leave us, Chief? The amount of money that's been poured into this expedition... I can't just tell the university I came up empty handed. I'm not a liar, and even if I was, it won't stop others from coming here."
He scratched his chin for a moment and nodded, "the legends about this island have kept other islanders from trying to conquer us for centuries. Even if we bend truth a little. But I understand what you say. You're people only seem to seek out danger, even when it stare you in the face."
"I suppose there's some truth in that," I admitted. "People are always drawn to a mystery. Thats what brought me here to begin with."
"In our language," he began, "the word for 'revere' is the same as for 'protect.' We make no distinction between them. Our ancestors were great explorers and saw many lands before coming here. They knew, even back then, how special creatures are up on mountain. They never see anything like them in all heir travels, and they were determined to protect kolila from any outside harm. As for berries... that a different matter."
He had my full attention, as usual.
"Many of my forefathers found out hard way, as you say, what happens when berry is eaten. Even other animals of island know not to eat them. It more important than anything they are not known to your people."
"Whatever do you mean?" I asked, perplexed.
"Remember, I served with your people to fend off Japanese. I know about great fire-bombs that were dropped on their great villages. Thousands of people who were not warriors, burned away in an instant like tapa. It is not for me to judge right or wrong in your culture, just as I hope for same respect from you in mine. But... thought of what could be done with sacred fruit... sometimes it steals sleep from me."
I looked at the ground and nodded. "I understand."
"I do not ask that you hide your knowledge of this place. It would appear world has become much smaller in recent years," he pondered.
"Indeed it has, my friend."
"I only ask that, perhaps... you hide things to your chiefs."
"I think I can do that." For the first time, I felt compelled to pat him affectionately on the back.
"What will you tell your people of Dr. Heckling?" He inquired.
"I'm not sure. She got lost in the jungle... she drowned while swimming. I'm certainly not going to tell them she was miniaturized and abducted by an undiscovered species of ape. They'll probably put me away."
"What does this mean? 'Put me away'?"
"Just that no one would believe it and I probably wouldn't get to do the job that I love anymore... in the best case scenario."
"Yours is a strange world, Ernest Kemper."
"No doubt, Chief... no doubt."
I couldn't get the image of Sam's horrified face out of my mind. Her screams kept ringing in my ears. "Chief? What happens to those that have been taken by the apes?"
He slumped and hung his head, "there are things even I do not know."
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Come three days later and once again our vessel was cutting across the sea. This time... headed for home. The fine people of Mākurakura Motu bid us loving farewell. My friend, the Chief even gifted me the small tiki I had returned to his island as a gesture of good faith and friendship. It pains me greatly to say that I would never see him again.
Much of the three days before leaving were spent by the captain and crew searching for Sam. I assured them they wouldn't find her in the dense forest or the treacherous waters that surrounded the tiny isle, but the Captain wouldn't listen. More than anything I think he just wanted to avoid an investigation into her disappearance. The crew eventually gave up as supplies began grow thin. To think that they could have quite literally stepped over the miniature version of her at any moment and not known she was there. The thought chilled me to my bones.
Back in the States, I presented my findings in a thorough paper along with photographs and interviews with the people of the island. I made no mention of the apes or the sacred fruit. I only stated that like many places in the world, Mākurakura Motu had its myths and legends, and they were nothing more than just that. I'd hoped that would be enough of answer to the mystery... may it keep others from trying to solve it. I wished only to save their very lives.
And as for Dr. Heckling... Sam... I've had to find ways to cope with what happened to her. Usually 90 proof or more. Did I love her? I don't know. The guilt I felt, the shame. I just stood there gawking as she was stolen away, screaming for my help. The years of not knowing if she was dead or alive... of wondering what those things could have possibly wanted with her. It kept me awake at night for years... and when I did sleep, her tiny, high pitched screams haunted my nightmares. No matter how foolish and stubborn Sam may have been, she didn't deserve the hand that fate had dealt her.
I'll never forgive myself, nor should I.
As for the island itself, its remoteness has kept it fairly off of most people's radar, as it has for hundreds of years. It no longer lives in myth, and only the heartiest of explorers have set foot on its shores. No more disappearances have been reported by those who have returned so I can only assume that the chief was forced to alter his philosophy when it came to handling outsiders.
But Red Island still retains its mysteries.
I can only advise you not to seek them out.
The End
[b]The Curse of Mākurakura Motu![/b]
by BTB
The rocky cone of an ancient volcano rose before me and focused my view. Its steep red slopes, most certainly a result of an over abundance of iron in the ancient lava, stands contrasted by the thick green rainforest surrounding its base. The beat up vessel that brought us to that moment was forced to anchor about a mile away from shore as most of the island was ringed by a shallow reef preventing closer approach. The shores of the island itself were mostly cliff faces, save for a small natural harbor, itself obviously the result of a large volcanic blast thousands of years old. As select members of the crew, my colleague, and I paddled our way towards shore in a half dozen life boats, I could see that even the small, sandy beaches of this South Pacific paradise were rusted the same beautiful red as the slopes of its lonely mountain.
But that was not the most striking characteristic of this particular mysterious isle.
There were totems, carved from wood, lining the almost perfectly round harbor. Some were familiar Polynesian deities such as the omnipresent Tangaroa, but the large ones... those were unique to this tiny speck of land. Carved from stone, not unlike the Moai of Rapa Nui only much, much larger, were massive non-human effigies. But these were not carved for any of the typical gods one would find in this part of the world. No, these were remarkably ape-like.
These mysterious statues were what had brought us to this remote corner of the world... or rather, what fantastic creatures they may depict. And it's something I've kept secret for too many years.
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My name is Dr. Ernest Kemper. I hold a PHD in anthropology and a master's in archaeology, specializing in Polynesian cultures. I first fell in love with the people of the Pacific while serving in the Navy during WWII. I lied about my age so I could enlist after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which is where I would ultimately be stationed. It was my first taste of island life and certainly wouldn't be my last. After the war, I would dedicate the next fifteen years of my life to studying the various inhabited isles that scattered the great western ocean. Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, New Zealand, Easter Island... I've seen them all.
I became a bit of an outcast among others in my particular field for my stance on artifacts and antiquities and their rightful place in history. Where many I've worked with are highly respected in their own right, I couldn't help but see them as little more than old fashioned grave robbers, plundering cultures for their own wealth and notoriety. In my opinion, there's no better place for an item of exceeding cultural significance to be experienced than in its land of origin. In the event that I have returned to the states with artifacts, they were always gifted to me as a token of friendship from the peoples I'd grown to know and love. Though the Polynesian islands are many, and the dialects spoken were even greater in number, I found that there was enough commonality to be found in them to communicate. And if there wasn't, I took my time.
Ultimately this is what brought... her... into my life.
I was in my office at the university one afternoon when a knock on my open door drew my attention away from my work. There in the doorway stood a striking but professional looking blonde woman. She walked in confidently and seated herself opposite myself. I recognized her of of course, Dr. Samantha Heckling. She was English, and the university's chief primatologist. We had met only in passing, but our chosen fields didn't exactly lend themselves to much interaction, that is... until that fateful day.
"Dr. Heckling, whatever brings you in today?" I asked politely. "Oh, where are my manners? Can I pour you a drink?" I opened the bottom drawer of my desk and removed a bottle of fine aged scotch and a pair of well-used glasses.
"That would be fine," she replied. "Not too much though, don't want to give the dean ideas, if you know what I mean."
I poured her a couple of fingers and slid the glass across the desktop. "Here ya are. So... to what do I owe the pleasure, professor?"
"Well... first I'd like to say I'm familiar with your work. Quite remarkable stuff really," she said, obviously trying to butter me up.
"You're too kind professor, but you don't look like you came down here to offer praise," I replied.
"You are correct, good sir... are you familiar with the legends about Mākurakura Motu?"
I couldn't help but chuckle, "Red Island?! Oh yes... but certainly you didn't come here to talk about myths, did you? Perhaps you’d like to discuss Atlantis or flying saucers as well?"
"Oh, I can assure you, Dr. Kemper... it exists," she replied with a confident grin.
"Did Greyson put you up to this?" I replied, thinking I was being pranked by another colleague.
"The island has been found, Dr. Kemper. I'm surprised that a man such as yourself hasn't read about it."
"I'm aware that two expeditions tried and failed to reach the fictional island, and only to have the men heading them up disappear in the process."
"From the men I've talked to, my good sir, both expeditions indeed found the very real island, but both of the men leading those expeditions disappeared into the jungle, never to be heard from again."
"Oh, hogwash! Just silly superstitious sailors telling yarns to pass the time and scare each other. I assure you, the place doesn't exist. Even the name, Mākurakura Motu is in Maori... because it's a myth, told so many times through so many cultures that finally someone had to give it a name." I leaned back in my chair and locked my fingers behind my head. "Why is a primatologist like yourself interested in this anyway?"
"Certainly, Dr. Kemper, if you're as familiar with the 'myth' of Red Island, then you're also just as familiar with the legend of the beast that occupies it?"
Now she really had me laughing out loud.
"Oh my dear Dr. Heckling... you can't be serious?!"
"I am. I think what those legends are describing is a lost species... and those two previous expeditions ran afoul of it. I theorize that, somehow, a race of ape, perhaps even gigantopithicus, found its way onto that island and that's what killed those other two explorers."
I continued to chuckle at her preposterous theories. How could a woman of science believe such mumbo-jumbo? It's hard enough for a woman to gain respect in a male dominated profession, why would she put her career on the line with these wild theories?
"I think you've seen one too many B pictures, Dr. Heckling," I said through my roaring laughter.
"Perhaps this might change your mind, Dr. Kemper...," she said calmly and set her leather briefcase on the top of the desk. She popped the clamps and lifted the lid. What she removed stopped my laughter cold.
It was a tiki, about a foot high, clearly of Polynesian origin. Something akin to a Marquesian type of sculpture, but a style quite unique unto itself. It's origins are not what shocked me, but what was being depicted. It was very simian in shape, almost like a gorilla. And in It's clutches were what appeared to be humanoid shapes.
"Where did you get this?" I asked as she handed it to me for closer inspection.
"A crew member of the previous voyage smuggled it off the island. You're right, they do tend to be a superstitious lot. The man thought it cursed and donated it to the university museum about a month ago."
"Has it been dated?"
"Early estimates indicate anywhere from 800-1000 years old," she replied.
I fell back into my chair, unsure of what I was looking at. Could it be true? Could this place be real? I looked back to her face, which was awash with smug victory. I didn't know what else to ask except, "what now?"
"The university has approved an expedition if we can raise the money. That shouldn't be a problem... I have a few things up my sleeve in that department. But I'm no expert on Polynesian cultures and certainly don't know the languages like you do. How would you like to take a little trip, Dr. Kemper?"
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Weeks we spent at sea, searching for the elusive island. The notes and maps from the previous two expeditions were unceremoniously purged by the crews of their vessels, hoping to keep others from finding it... or in their minds, save them from it. We had to start from scratch. We stayed outside the usual shipping lanes and tried to piece together several possible locations from what little info we could gather. The residents of several small islands proved to be very helpful with information, being as the ships most likely stopped at least a few of them, though all of them warned us not to go there. The first red flags began to pop up in my brain.
Dr. heckling and I grew quite close over that time. She was full of questions for me about my travels, and I had many for her. She had spent time in the Congo studying the mountain gorillas there and also in Asia with the orangutans. It was quite fascinating to learn about the great beasts, but I was still wildly skeptical about there being a giant primate living on a tiny Pacific island. It simply didn't make any sense.
She was quite a lovely woman. Tall, curvaceous, with long naturally blonde hair. The kind of woman I would have seen painted on the side of a bomber during the war, not in a pair of spectacles and jotting down notes on Polynesian gods. I became quite smitten with her, and she with I. We tried to keep our partnership strictly professional, but the draw was there and couldn't be ignored. Both of us were single, married to our work actually. Our travels had kept either of us from settling down with anyone. But with weeks at sea with little else to occupy us, eventually nature ran its course and we gave in to our lustful desires.
Each night we'd sneak into each other's rooms and make passionate love to one another. I can still remember the way she tasted... the way she smelled. The little dimples at the base of her back. The way she'd stare at me in silence until we both drifted off to sleep.
As fondly as I want to remember her, she wasn't the easiest person to work with. She has delusions of grandeur, to put it mildly. She seemed more concerned with the fame that would come from our discovery than with the science itself. I didn't totally blame her. Her father was a famous paleontologist and she found herself constantly in his shadow. Plus, being a woman in any scientific field was always hard. My views had always been more progressive, but that's not to say they reflected those of the rest of our colleagues. She felt like she had something to prove, not just to herself, but for all women... unfortunately it would also be her downfall.
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It was a crewman in the crow's nest that first spotted the tiny outcropping of land. A red and green dot in an infinite sea of blue. My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest as I peered through the spyglass. It was true! We may not have been the first to make it there, but we were determined to be the first to unlock its secrets. I couldn't wait to meet the people and try to converse with them. Dr. heckling... Sam... she was beside herself with joy. Pointing a finger at me and playfully laughing at me. Telling me, "I told you so," and , "ready to eat your hat, mister?"
We were lowered first in the lifeboat to lead the landing team to shore. The men were nervous, perhaps rightly so. Luckily, or perhaps not so lucky... depending on how you look at it, our captain... Captain Walsh, was as eager for fame and glory as Sam and pushed his crew onward. The walls of the volcanic harbor rose around us the further we rowed towards shore. The eyes of the massive simian statues watched us the entire way. A small village was visible near the deep red sandy shore and figures could be seen walking along it, pointing at the strange invaders in their odd shaped canoes. Before we ever made shore, the entire village was gathered at the water line, ready to greet us. I could only hope it was friendly greeting.
As we got close to the beach, a group of young men waded through the water to greet us, helping to pull the boats ashore. We stepped out into the crowd and met our hosts. The chief, an imposing man with large muscles and flanked on both sides by what must have been his wives. He stood front and center, his arms crossed in front of him, a proud scowl painting his face as he looked down his nose at us. I tried a few common phrases greetings, but the imposing man didn't budge or say a word.
I was at a bit of a loss as what to do next. Sam kept looking to me for answers that I didn't have. She seemed annoyed and a little frightened that I was failing at the very task I was brought here to do. That's when I spotted her satchel in the boat.
"Sam! Is it still in there?! I whisper-shouted at her.
"What?!" She aggressively shouted back. The air was feeling heavy and I could see the sailors reaching for hidden weapons.
"Stand down everyone!" I ordered. "I've got an idea. Hand me the satchel!"
One of the men complied and tossed me the leather case. I removed the little wooden tiki and held it in the air. There was an audible moan from the crowd as I presented outwards to the chief and apologized for the people who took it in Hawaiian, Maori and every tongue in between.
The chief finally extended his hands and accepted the return of his totem. He stared me down with his dark, squinted eyes for an agonizingly long time. Then, he side-eyed one of his warriors who side-eyed him back. The two suddenly seemed to be caught in a staring contest to see which one would laugh first. Both erupted in unison. The rest of the village joined in. I was extremely confused and looked to Sam and the rest of the crew who only returned shrugged shoulders. Then, in perfect Maori, the chief thanked me for returning the tiki, and that he was just having some fun with us. 'White men so serious," he exclaimed in his own tongue. He patted me on the back, put his arm around me and welcomed us to the island.
However I thought our first contact would go, this certainly wasn't it.
The people of the island proved to be very gracious and friendly hosts. The chief welcomed the captain, Sam and I into his home and his wives served us platters of fruit. The man proved to be incredibly intelligent, switching from various dialects and speaking all fluently... as if to test me. There had clearly been some kind of trade with other island peoples for him to know so much. For an island with a reputation such as this one had, to be treated as we were was quite surprising. Perhaps they were just excited to see anyone, like any group of people suffering from prolonged isolation.
The rest of the crew were content to wait outside, gawking at the undraped females, of which there were aplenty. Skirts of grass were about all either sex were adorned in, along with a few decorative pieces made from shells. I worried about their intentions, but the captain assured me that they would remain in line or find themselves swimming back to civilization.
That night the natives threw a welcoming party. Each member of the village was adorned in red face and body paint made from the deep red soil of the land. The danced and all of us feasted on roasted feral hog. The most delicious meal any of us had had since before we embarked on this journey.
The male dancers were adorned in leaves, weaved to make their arms look longer and their face paint looked suspiciously like that of a gorilla. I leaned over to the chief and asked him what the dance was about. He simply showed me the tiki I had returned to him and tapped on its head lovingly. "'Ehu Kolila Nui," was all he said... giant red ape.
When I told Sam this, she got visibly excited. She asked me to translate to him that she'd like to see the creature... or creatures. The chief only laughed and replied that she didn't really want to see the apes. She was confused by this answer, as was I. I informed him that this was the reason for our visit, that we were hoping to study them... if they were in fact real. He said that the last two groups of outsiders that came wished to do the same and paid the price. He reiterated that we did not want to see the beasts. Sam continued to push, but I squeezed her hand and asked her to let it rest for now. We didn't want to insult him in any way if we hoped to gain his trust. Especially when I had no idea what 'the price' was.
We spent the night back on the ship, but I didn't get much sleep. As welcoming as these people were, I couldn't help but feel like there was something off. They were definitely hiding something, but I was worried that the chief was right...
...perhaps we didn't want to see it.
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Sam wasn't pleased with the way I shut her down the previous night at the luau. She was very quiet and distant towards me the entire next morning and only told me she was angry with me as we rowed back to shore. I tried to explain to her that forcing her will on these people just wasn't the way. It's a very colonialist way of doing things, and I had no interest in such things. I wanted to know their culture, their way of life. Maybe then they could grow to trust me enough to reveal other secrets. She seemed to be too enveloped in her anger to listen. I was just another man trying to control her in her eyes, and she wasn't about to let that happen. The mocking stares from the other men caused deep embarrassment within me. I decided to drop the subject and let her cool off, we were approaching the shore anyway.
The chief met us once again and insisted on a personal tour of the outskirts of his island. It took several hours to circle the entire thing, sticking primarily to the outer rim. The cliffs dropped off sharply into the sea and we had to be very cautious of our footing so as not to fall onto the jagged, waterworn volcanic rocks below. The entire time, Sam kept pestering me to ask about the apes, but I just ignored her. I was far more interested in the chief's stories and histories of the island and it's people. They had no written language, so everything was passed down orally. How his ancestors first came to the isle in long ships, the early attempts at farming... and finally the people's first interactions with the 'original inhabitants,' as he referred to them.
Of particular note were the many fruits and vegetables that grew naturally on the island. Plentiful and delicious. All except for a strange, grape-like berry that grew closer to the center of the island. The chief insisted that they were off limits, sacred even. I didn't think much of it, just another superstition... these islands were full of them. Perhaps they were poisonous and this was just how they kept their children from eating them. I decided to change the subject back to what was really nagging at my mind, the 'original inhabitants.'
"Are they what those huge stone statues depict?" I asked and he nodded in response.
"Are they rally as large as those statues make them look?"
The chief just laughed and answered, "those who have seen them would say yes." Yet another strange answer from our elusive host.
When we finally returned to the village on tired feet and aching muscles, yet another feast was laid out for us. This time, the nightly production seemed to depict a female being whisked away by the would be ape-men. I asked the patriarch if this was some kind of sacrifice, and with his usual upbeat demeanor, nodded his head. I asked if it was some kind of fertility ritual and if the girls were virgins.
He just laughed at me again.
In his usual cryptic way, he just said that , 'the beasts care not for such things. Only those that see them will understand.'
"Why do the animals take people?" I queried.
"Even I do not know all things," he answered and gave me a friendly pat on the back. "Relax, Kemper... you ask too many questions. Enjoy yourself!"
I asked again if we could be permitted to view the creatures to which he just repeated himself...
"Trust me, my curious friend... you do not wish to see the beasts."
That night back at the ship, I relayed the conversation I'd had with the chief to Sam. She seemed excited, that I may be chipping away at the man's stubbornness. She even seemed to forget she was angry with me. When I knocked on the door to her cabin she pulled me inside and ripped off my clothes.
"It won't be long now, Ernie. You've got him wrapped around your finger!" She whispered to me after an intense round of lovemaking.
"It isn't like that at all, Sam. I'm not trying to manipulate him. I've actually grown to respect him." I took her by the hand and voiced my concerns, "perhaps we should listen to him. Perhaps we don't want to push this any further. We found the island, and there will be plenty to write about in that respect."
"Oh pish-posh," she replied. "I'm no anthropologist, and I'm not here to make friends with these savages. They've got an unknown species they're hiding up there and that's what I've come for. Dead or alive, we're not leaving this island without a specimen."
"Jesus, woman... do you hear yourself? How do you think these people will respond if you try to take one of those things off the island?"
"Nothing a few well placed bullets can't solve," she responded, crudely.
This was not the woman I had fallen for... or was it? I couldn't bring myself to speak to her any more and returned to my own cabin alone.
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We would spend a total of three weeks on the island, with Sam growing increasingly impatient. I on the other hand, was living a lifelong dream. I no longer cared for recognition. The chief and I had built quite a strong relationship of mutual understanding and friendship, growing ever closer as Sam and I drifted apart. She spent many a day sulking on the beach with her toes in the sand. Waiting, and from what I would soon learn... scheming.
I had returned from another trek into the jungle with the chief and a few select subordinates to find that Sam was gone. From her usual spot on the beach, her tracks lead off into the thick foliage. For the first time, I saw anger in the the chief's eyes. He ordered his men to hunt her down and kill her if necessary. Only through much convincing did I convince him to spare her life, but only if I ventured out and brought her back. It was a level of mutual trust that I got the impression was not granted to just anyone.
I took off into the humid heat of the rainforest, following her footprints and broken branches she'd cleared to pass. I climbed higher towards the volcano, already exhausted from the day's previous excursion. Just when I thought I couldn't take another step, I came into a clearing and was greeted with what appeared to be some kind of ancient elevated altar. The corners of the stone edifice were decorated with more of the exquisite ape effigies. And there, I found Sam. She was taking photos and munching on a handful of native berries. The very ones the chief had just told me not to eat because they were 'sacred'.
"Sam... what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
She jumped a little as I must have startled her. She grasped her chest and and let out a relieved breath. "Oh thank god, it's just you Ernie. I thought you might have been one of them."
"Goddamnit, Sam! You're lucky it's me... they nearly sent a war party after you!"
"They know I'm gone?"
"Of course they know. You've done nothing but pout about these damn apes for weeks now. Do you think they're stupid?"
"One of us had to show a pair and do some serious exploring. You're too content to go on your little nature walks and play house with your new mate."
"What in god's name are you talking about?! That is what we came here for!"
"Wrong," she corrected me, "this is what YOU came here for. You know why I'm here."
Just then, a rustling in the bushes startled the both of us. Could it be them... could this be one of the giant beasts growing near? In fact not, it was the chief, accompanied by what looked like every male on the island. Even the women began to appear from the thick foliage like ghosts. They filled the perimeter of the clearing, lighting torches as it began to grow dark.
"Congratulations, Dr. Heckling," I said frightened and sarcastically, "you may have just killed us both.
The chief approached me and put a single hand on my shoulder. He saw the uneaten berries in Sam's hand and shook his head in disappointment. He whispered something in my ear while Sam anxiously stood there in horror.
"Well, what did he say?" She barked.
"He said that if you truly desired to see the island's beasts, you just earned it."
A handful of maidens filled the concave bowls at the tops of the corner tikis with wood and lit them ablaze, the entire ancient platform became bathed in firelight. The darkness of the surrounding jungle felt more suffocating than ever before. At that moment, I wasn't sure if we would live to see the dawn.
Sam clutched to me in terror and I tried my hardest to be strong for the both of us. We were grossly outnumbered and any help the ship's crew could provide would take hours to reach us. We had trespassed and we would learn the price of our indiscretion soon enough.
"I'm sorry, Ernie... I'm sorry I got us into this," Sam whimpered. Her tears glistened in the orange light of the torches, her eyes pleaded for my forgiveness.
All I could think to do was hold her face against my chest so she wouldn't have to see what may be coming, only to have her ripped away by a pair of the chief's subordinates. I reached out to pull her back, only to be held under the arms by another pair of strong warriors. The first two forced Sam to her knees. She screamed out to me to save her, but there was nothing I could do. Suddenly, a young girl approached from the dark, carrying a small wooden bowl. She dipped her fingers inside and began to coat Sam's face with the same red paint the women of the tribe wore. When finished, she stepped away... as did the men holding her down. She ran back into my arms, crying uncontrollably.
Then the chief stepped forward. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and hung his head sorrowfully.
"Dr. Heckling, you wished to see kolila, and now you have no choice. Please take your place on altar. They will show themselves to you now."
I couldn't believe it! The man spoke nearly perfect English, and he'd been hiding it all this time from me.
Like a switch being flicked in her brain, Sam lifted her face from my chest. Her fearful instincts apparently no match for her curiosity. She pushed me away and took the handful of steps to the top of the altar. As soon as she reached its center, the villagers began to pound on their crude drums, filling the night with their ominous rhythms.
Before long there was motion in the bushes. It was hard to detect in the dark, but the darkened foliage was definitely moving.
"Oh my god!" Sam shouted and cupped her hands over her mouth. "They're beautiful!"
From my position I couldn't see what she had. I tried to join her, but I was held back once again. I looked to the chief who just sadly shook his head. I scanned the faces of the other members of his people... all of them looked deeply saddened. Some were even crying. It was so strange, none of it made any sense. What was happening?!
"Ernie! You have to come see them! They're amazing!" Her head spun back to look at me with that bright, beautiful smile I'd fallen so hard for and snarked, "though, I think our friends here have greatly embellished their size."
And then it happened.
As if under some kind of spell, Sam's body began to recede into her clothing. She didn't notice at first, too entranced with the obscured creatures before her exclusive view. It was only when her pants slipped from her hips that she realized something else was happening.
"Ernest?" She timidly asked. Her shrinking face was pale with fear, even within the glow of the flaming pyres. She turned on her heels to run back to me, but tripped over the clothes pooled at her feet. Smaller and smaller she shrank as she tied to crawl to the edge of the platform. By the time she reached the edge, she was small enough to slip through the collar of her own shirt. She clung to the edge, still shrinking... screaming for my help. Her hands outstretched for a salvation that wouldn't come.
I was too flabbergasted to move. What was this? What had they don't to her?
The berries. Dear god, the berries.
The chief warned us not to eat them, that they were sacred. Now I see why.
When Sam had finally stopped shrinking she couldn't have been larger than a child's doll. Even as small as she was, I could still see the terror in her eyes. The sound of her tiny voice calling to me for help still haunts me to this very day.
It was quiet, I can't say for how long. The drums had stopped. No one spoke except for the faint, squeaking screams of Dr. Heckling. Finally one of the beasts appeared, proud and strong. It climbed onto the platform and knuckle walked its way towards us. I wanted to run, but even if I wasn't being restrained, my legs were like jelly.
It was most certainly an ape. Not so dissimilar to a gorilla, and roughly the same size. What set it apart was its majestic red fur that covered its entire body, clearly a product of evolutionary camouflage for the great animal. With the red rocks that covered this island, they could have been around us at any time and we never would have seen them. Below it's eyes were a pair of black streaks, like smeared mascara dripping down to its jaw.
Sam was right, they truly were beautiful.
That's when I noticed Sam was no longer screaming. She had turned to face the, to her at least, gigantic monster. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move. Even from where I stood, I could tell she was so stricken with horror that it completely consumed her. The ape loomed over her, intimidating her with its sheer size.
I finally snapped out of my own trance and called to her, "Samantha! Get out of there!"
She snapped out of her holding gaze and tried to hurl herself over the edge of the step. The ape reached out with lightning speed and caught her mid-air in its mighty grasp.
Time stopped. I locked eyes with Sam and she with me. She was only able to release a single scream before the ape turned tail and disappeared into the darkness... her voice faded into the night along with the beast's presence.
The rustling of the brush ceased. Women scaled the steps of the platform to dowse the pyres. The only sound that filled the clearing were those of sobbing from villagers. I myself sank to my knees and purged my gut with shock. I felt a hand on my shoulder and it moved in such a way as to offer comfort in this dark hour. I cocked my head upwards to find the chief standing over me. Tears poured down his face and his lower lip quivered with as much sadness as I was feeling.
"Come my friend," he beckoned in English with the words getting choked up in his throat, "we have serious things to discuss."
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That night the chief and I sat on the beach and watched the moon reflect on the waves of the harbor. The man tried his best to comfort me, but knew that I needed answers to what I'd just seen. For the first time, he dropped his usual cryptic nature and laid it all out for me straight.
"I am truly sorry for your woman friend, Ernest Kemper. I tried to warn her, but her stubbornness would not allow her to listen."
"I don't understand any if this," I replied. "First of all, how is it that you speak English all of a sudden?! Why did you hide that from me?"
"There's a saying among your people about holding cards close to chest, I believe. As much as we welcome visits from outsiders, you are still strangers... and we have learned to be cautious with strangers."
"Who taught you?"
"About fifteen years ago, Japanese sub come to our shores. We greet them as openly as you, but they only interested in claiming these shores for their chief. They slaughtered several of my warriors... my friends... and without provocation. In retaliation we fed them sacred berries and let jungle finish them off. Not far from where your ship sits you will find their vessel at bottom of sea."
He continued, "we received word from other islands in great sea that same was happening, so many of us ventured to what you call Hawaii to join great armada there to fight back against our mutual foe. This is how I learned your tongue, Ernest Kemper."
"You fought in the war?! This is all insane!" I replied, too overwhelmed with everything I had experienced.
"I do not understand what you mean, my friend."
"I fought in the Pacific Theater, too. I was in the Navy," I explained.
"Then we truly are brothers in purpose, Ernest Kemper," he said with a strong pat on my back.
"I don't understand why you had to be so coy about everything. Why couldn't you just tell us about all of this?"
"Would you have believed me? Or would it have been nothing more than superstitions of an island savage?" He replied. "Do not think I don't know how outside world sees us. Uncivilized naked idiots living in a tropical paradise. I assure you, my friend, we are no idiots."
"I never of thought of any of you as savages or idiots, Chief."
"Yes, from first time we meet, I could tell you were different from other outsiders who have come here. The others only wished to take. Take our statues... take our food... even take our women. You were first to return something. To offer us a gift, even if it already belonged to us." He smiled and pointed out one of the tikis on the beach, silhouetted in the moonlight. "In reality... it's only wood. One of my ancestors carved it to pass the time. It holds no value other than what we give it. But you saw value in one of our treasures enough to return it to us... it says much about you, Ernest Kemper."
"To be honest," I reluctantly admitted, "I thought you were going to kill us... it was the only thing I could think of that might save our skins."
For some reason, the chief found this hilarious.
After he composed himself, we sat quietly for a while listening to the water crash against the distant rocks. On any other night I would have found it calming. A mysterious island paradise filled with fascinating people and even more fascinating magic. But not that night.
"So where does this leave us, Chief? The amount of money that's been poured into this expedition... I can't just tell the university I came up empty handed. I'm not a liar, and even if I was, it won't stop others from coming here."
He scratched his chin for a moment and nodded, "the legends about this island have kept other islanders from trying to conquer us for centuries. Even if we bend truth a little. But I understand what you say. You're people only seem to seek out danger, even when it stare you in the face."
"I suppose there's some truth in that," I admitted. "People are always drawn to a mystery. Thats what brought me here to begin with."
"In our language," he began, "the word for 'revere' is the same as for 'protect.' We make no distinction between them. Our ancestors were great explorers and saw many lands before coming here. They knew, even back then, how special creatures are up on mountain. They never see anything like them in all heir travels, and they were determined to protect kolila from any outside harm. As for berries... that a different matter."
He had my full attention, as usual.
"Many of my forefathers found out hard way, as you say, what happens when berry is eaten. Even other animals of island know not to eat them. It more important than anything they are not known to your people."
"Whatever do you mean?" I asked, perplexed.
"Remember, I served with your people to fend off Japanese. I know about great fire-bombs that were dropped on their great villages. Thousands of people who were not warriors, burned away in an instant like tapa. It is not for me to judge right or wrong in your culture, just as I hope for same respect from you in mine. But... thought of what could be done with sacred fruit... sometimes it steals sleep from me."
I looked at the ground and nodded. "I understand."
"I do not ask that you hide your knowledge of this place. It would appear world has become much smaller in recent years," he pondered.
"Indeed it has, my friend."
"I only ask that, perhaps... you hide things to your chiefs."
"I think I can do that." For the first time, I felt compelled to pat him affectionately on the back.
"What will you tell your people of Dr. Heckling?" He inquired.
"I'm not sure. She got lost in the jungle... she drowned while swimming. I'm certainly not going to tell them she was miniaturized and abducted by an undiscovered species of ape. They'll probably put me away."
"What does this mean? 'Put me away'?"
"Just that no one would believe it and I probably wouldn't get to do the job that I love anymore... in the best case scenario."
"Yours is a strange world, Ernest Kemper."
"No doubt, Chief... no doubt."
I couldn't get the image of Sam's horrified face out of my mind. Her screams kept ringing in my ears. "Chief? What happens to those that have been taken by the apes?"
He slumped and hung his head, "there are things even I do not know."
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Come three days later and once again our vessel was cutting across the sea. This time... headed for home. The fine people of Mākurakura Motu bid us loving farewell. My friend, the Chief even gifted me the small tiki I had returned to his island as a gesture of good faith and friendship. It pains me greatly to say that I would never see him again.
Much of the three days before leaving were spent by the captain and crew searching for Sam. I assured them they wouldn't find her in the dense forest or the treacherous waters that surrounded the tiny isle, but the Captain wouldn't listen. More than anything I think he just wanted to avoid an investigation into her disappearance. The crew eventually gave up as supplies began grow thin. To think that they could have quite literally stepped over the miniature version of her at any moment and not known she was there. The thought chilled me to my bones.
Back in the States, I presented my findings in a thorough paper along with photographs and interviews with the people of the island. I made no mention of the apes or the sacred fruit. I only stated that like many places in the world, Mākurakura Motu had its myths and legends, and they were nothing more than just that. I'd hoped that would be enough of answer to the mystery... may it keep others from trying to solve it. I wished only to save their very lives.
And as for Dr. Heckling... Sam... I've had to find ways to cope with what happened to her. Usually 90 proof or more. Did I love her? I don't know. The guilt I felt, the shame. I just stood there gawking as she was stolen away, screaming for my help. The years of not knowing if she was dead or alive... of wondering what those things could have possibly wanted with her. It kept me awake at night for years... and when I did sleep, her tiny, high pitched screams haunted my nightmares. No matter how foolish and stubborn Sam may have been, she didn't deserve the hand that fate had dealt her.
I'll never forgive myself, nor should I.
As for the island itself, its remoteness has kept it fairly off of most people's radar, as it has for hundreds of years. It no longer lives in myth, and only the heartiest of explorers have set foot on its shores. No more disappearances have been reported by those who have returned so I can only assume that the chief was forced to alter his philosophy when it came to handling outsiders.
But Red Island still retains its mysteries.
I can only advise you not to seek them out.
The End