The Hunters Den

By Rich Cole

Zoe Lucas is an American reporter on a special report mission in Panama. She finds herself within one of the most dangerous national parks on earth – The Darien National Park. Upon her arrival, she finds solace within a group of men and women fighting to protect the animals in the park.

However, terror descends when the leader of the group dies and a new leader -- Rharzin Borgan -- takes over. Insistent on being called The Alumbrada, Rharzin introduces drugs and torture into the group activities. Soon, they find themselves luring hunters into the park, torturing them, and leaving them naked, weaponless, and defenseless against the wild animals. Slowly, insanity descends on the group.

Day by day, it gets worse. Zoe attempts to escape, but The Alumbrada is right on her heels.

An intriguing and heart-wrenching twist comes when the hunter becomes the hunted. Everyone runs from one and chases another. Who eventually comes out of the hunt alive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seagull Editions
• Release date: May 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223668640

Book preview

The Hunters Den

© 2021 Seagull Editions s.r.l.

www.seagulleditions.com

CHAPTER 1

Verdammt!

The German curse spewed from his lips before he could restrain himself. It had been years. Years since a German word escaped his lips. It wouldn't have if he wasn't running for his dear life. His life was over. Literally. His breath came out in small spurts. His lungs burned. Flinging leg after leg forward he tried to run faster. He swung arms faster and put more effort into throwing his chest forward but it was useless. He could hear the tigers approaching. The sound of their paws meeting the earth appeared louder and louder in his ears. He ran through the dense forest. The sound of his heartbeat echoing in his ears.

Above the thick canopy of trees, the moon shone brightly. A bright light that failed to pass through the dense trees. Streaks of moonlight, however, illuminated his naked body as he ran with reckless abandon. His heart beat erratically. Sweat coated every inch of his body. His feet thumped against the earth. He wished he could see. He wished he had any idea where to run to or how to escape. He craved his gun. His gun had always been a loyal friend and savior. He would have paused and shot those tigers in the skull. His aim was steady even when fear took control of his heart. However, his gun had been taken away and he was left at the mercy of the cats. Funny how the hunter became the prey. He swung his hands harder, adrenaline pumping through his veins.

He heard the low growl of the tigers behind him. His heart caught in his throat. He threw his chest forward and ran even harder. Prayers ushered in pure German spewed from his lips. He threw his legs forward. The sound of the growling tigers became nearer and nearer. He dared not look behind him. He didn't have the courage to... He jumped over a tree stump. When he heard the loud thud barely a second after he had jumped, dread took over his soul as he realized the tigers were closer than he thought.

God please don't let me die! He cried, throwing his chest forward.

Hot sweat dripped from his black hair, entering his eyes and momentarily blinding him. He cursed again in German as he ran. His beating heart mocking him. His breath came hot as his legs trembled, weak and tired. His chest burned. He pushed himself forward. The growl from behind was clearer now, louder sharper. Fear took control of his senses and he made a fatal mistake. He turned. His blue eyes widened just in time to see the tiger jump on him and with one powerful swipe of its paw, snap his neck in two.  The tiger at the rear ceased to run and gave a satisfactory growl at its fellow as blood dripped deliciously from the freshly killed adult male. Dinner had been served.

* * *

Tiny beads of sweat lined her forehead. Zoe stood on the rickety stool and raised the device in her hands upward. Her heart sank further when she took a glance at the screen and it still had no indication of a signal. She observed a rapid movement from the corner of the small room. Rats. She hated the creatures. Staying two years with the savages hadn't given her any sort of immunity against her hate or terror for the pesky rodents. She watched one scurry beneath her stool. Distracted, she lost balance and the rickety stool fell to the ground. She watched with disappointment at the broken leg. It was hopeless. She took one more glance at her device. Its lankness stared back at her. It seemed like it was mocking her, jeering her. Her stomach felt empty. Using long fingers, she tightened the bundle of light blonde hair on her head into a previously tied bun.

She paused for some seconds to pass. She had learned to be careful, observant. She understood every breathing, every silent movement of the semi-abandoned house. After being certain there was nothing but silence, she gently opened the door. She didn't open it that way simply for the sake of silence but mostly because the door was barely hanging onto its hinges. The floorboards of the house creaked with every step. The wood threatened to give way at any time. She moved nimbly across the hallway and took the long, spiral staircase to the next floor. Careful to avoid the holes in the stairs, guided with the knowledge that even just a light tap on the railings could cause it to give way.

The next floor was much darker than her floor. She placed one foot before the other, eyes darting all around to ensure no member of the sect would find her. She arrived in the third room and rapidly knocked twice. Silence. Satisfied, she pushed the door because it lacked a handle and walked in. The room was like every other. Spooky with spiders, rodents and mats. However, unlike hers, the window wasn't permanently shut. It had fallen off the edges and let just a hint of sunlight into the room. She hurried towards the window before the real occupant arrived and thrust her device outside. Hoping that this time, perhaps the sun would finally shine upon her face.

* * *

The blazing sun scorched his back as Jaxon stood behind his father and listened closely to his conversation. He crossed and uncrossed his index and middle fingers. It was done more out of boredom than of nervousness. However, there was a slight gnawing in his stomach that there was a lot wrong with the park guides. There were four of them. He was certain they must have had an idea that he and his father were hunters. His father had never trusted park guides before. It was their duty to protect the animals and more often than not, they could smell a hunter a mile away. However, they had never been to Panama and the Darien national park. In these notorious terrains, one needed a guide. One of the guides seemed just about Jacob's age. He had extremely curly brown hair. It was wild and almost snake-like. He smiled at his father.

It will be an amazing experience, Mr. Smyth. You don't have much to worry about. We'll ensure that we take you through the safest trails in the park He said, his ever-convincing smile plastered on his face.

His partner, another male moved closer to Jaxon's father and tried to show him places on a brochure. His father edged closer and nodded so Jaxon failed to hear their conversation. He rolled his eyes. His eyes fell on the last male in the group; Thin and tall. He also wore the same uniform as the rest of them. A flat hat, with khaki shorts and a shirt. The last park guide was female. She wore a bored expression on her face. Her shorts were cut way above knee level and exposed her long legs. She tied a grey bandana on her neck. He tried to make eye contact. Perhaps something worthy would come out or this hunt. The lean park guide smiled at him.

What do you think Mister Smyth?

Jaxon was startled. He had been too busy looking at the female park guide, he had failed to notice when all eyes had fallen on him. From the corner of his eyes, he could see his father fix him a hard glare. He shrugged.

Whatever my father says.

The lean park guide turned towards his father.

Mr. Smyth it would be nice to take up our lodging offer. You could get a quick bath and some rest before we begin your tour around the park. He said smiling.

Mr. Jules Smyth cocked his head to the side for a brief moment in thought. He made enquiries concerning the cost of lodging. Satisfied that it was barely a few hundred dollars for a week, he turned towards his son with a wide smirk.

I guess we found us a park and housing.

Jaxon smirked in return. They both knew they were not there to view the beauty of the park. They were there to hunt. It was the only bond they shared as father and son. He turned towards the park guides.

It's a lovely offer. We'll take it. He said, beaming them with a smile of his own.

The park guide with the brochure was elated.

We'll go in the Jeep. Troy will drive. Soon enough, you'll be in your lodging. He said and headed towards the huge green jeep parked by the side. Jaxon took a proper look at the vehicle. It was a Jeep Wrangler and could probably only take five people at a time, along with a driver. His father took the front seat and Jaxon pulling their small luggage swung into the back. The park guide with the brochure who had earlier introduced himself as Guillaume followed. The boy with snake-like hair chose to remain at the outskirts of the park with the female park guide. Jaxon sighed in disappointment. He barely heard Troy start the Jeep or realized when they began moving through the rain forest. If he had been less focused on the female and more focused on the males, he would have realized that he still had that gnawing feeling in his stomach. He would have seen Guillaume's toothy smile retreat and a cold, bitter glare fill itself in his eyes. He would have been just as worried as his father who watched Troy closely as he drove.

* * *

Zoe stretched even further. She had looked at the screen a million times in the past minute. Hoping that by some miracle a bar would appear but nothing had. In the deepest trenches of her heart, she knew she was edging dangerously close to doom. The battery was at the dying point and she could not find a bar. She stretched as far as she could, dismissing the fear that someone from below would spot her. The fear danced in her head. Both of being caught and also of finding herself unable to leave. With the dancing fear making so much noise in her ears, she failed to hear the door move or hear the woman step into the room.

What are you doing, Chameleon?

Zoe froze. Her breath caught. From the voice, she could tell that it was the Honey Badger. She had forgotten the woman's real name. She doubted she had ever even heard the name. Her heart beat at a speed she had earlier considered impossible. She couldn't be caught. Wouldn't be. She dropped the device from her hand and watched it fall to the ground. Her thumping heart made an urgent plea that it fell into the bushes and out of sight. That no one would see it or pick it up. If that happened, she was doomed. She might as well be dead. She heard the woman walk across the shabby room. Her footsteps caused Zoe's lungs to struggle for air. Closing her eyes, she tried to still herself. Reminding herself that she must be wise and remain innocent, she pulled her head out of the window and turned around carefully on the stool to face the woman. She had a scowl on her face.

Curving her thin lips, Zoe flashed a smile.

Honey Badger, I'm sorry. I just needed some air. She said in a rush. She regretted it immediately and almost wanted to smack herself across the face. The woman didn't buy it. She scowled at her even harder and folded two lean arms across her chest.

You are not supposed to be on this floor, Chameleon, She said gruffly.

I'm sorry, Zoe muttered. She wanted to leave. The air around her seemed to press down against her with each passing moment. She needed to leave here before the woman began to ask further questions or worse before someone spotted the item she had thrown carelessly down the window.

I'm sorry, I'm leaving now. She muttered as she hurriedly got off the stool and made movements towards the door. She jolted when the woman hurriedly moved in her way. She should have been smarter. She should have known the Honey Badger wouldn't let her walk away from that easily. She fixed Zoe with a hard glare. The woman was overly loyal to their leader. If she had just an inkling that something was amiss, Zoe could consider herself dead.  She tried to breathe but air wouldn't enter her lungs.

Wha... What... What is it? She stuttered. Curses. Why did she have to keep emitting this nervousness? She used to be better, stronger. A greater pretender than this. She sighed internally when it dawned on her that the fear had never felt so real. It was right there staring back at her, threatening to wrap its fingers around her neck and snap them in two.

The Honey Badger took one long look at her and blinked, looked away. Zoe took a deep breath when her gaze shifted.

The Alumbrada has called for a ceremony. Each protector is to be at the base immediately She said walking towards the window. Zoe nodded in affirmation. Terror gripped her chest as she stared at the woman's moving back. What if she stared down below and saw the device? Zoe swallowed and hurried out of the room; she had barely walked out when the woman