A Jammer's Dream (Part 3)

Hey Guys! I'm back with another part of A Jammer's Dream. I'm sorry this one took so long, I kept forgetting to work on it! Also, if you haven't read the first or second parts, you should go and read those before reading this one. If you don't this story will make no sense! And one more thing I have to add- this is not in Paragraph Form (how a professional writer should write!) because Blogger does not allow it. So don't say anything rude about that. Anyways, here is Part 3 of A Jammer's Dream.

“Did you hear that?” Kurkah wonders with fright.

“It was probably just the wind,” I respond.

Right now the three of us are still heading west and are now in a swamp. The Mythical Forest eventually ended and we were away from the mountains. This swamp is actually quite creepy because there are so many twists and turns- and you never know when you’ll run into another animal that could want to kill you.

We travel through the dark with Nova leading the way; she has the best eyesight. There are dark trees around us and our paws are getting soaked in the water that barely covers the ground. Finally, Nova tells us all to stop. And we listen.

“If we go any farther, we’re going to go into a pool of deep water. This is the actual swamp now,” Nova warns.

Kurkah lets out a groan and we have to go around the lake. It’s nearly impossible to manage through here because the swamp is very dark at night. Finally, we reach an area where we can go around the lake and into the heart of the swamp.

“Hey, has anyone else heard about those weird tales that take place in a swamp? I heard there’s witches here!” Kurkah blurts out once again with fright.

“Do you seriously believe them? If you do, you’re not the Jammer that everybody thinks you are,” I tell him as Nova continues leading the way through the swamp.

“Guys- maybe we should listen to those tales. Look over there. What are those eerie lights?” Kurkah counters.

Nova stops dead in her tracks, followed by Kurkah and I.

“Kurkah, you might be right. Let’s go find out what they are and then get out of here,” she tells him.

“Wait! We’re going to go face them? Are you crazy?!?” Kurkah warns. I shove him towards Nova and we all follow her towards the lights.

There’s big, large bushes that are almost hard to get through, but we manage to make it. On the other side are tall trees that, are so close, they look like just a green wall. We make it to them and on the other side are bright lights shining through the leaves.

The three of us scramble through the tree trunks below and finally make it to the other side.

Well, I guess I can’t blame Kurkah. Slender, ugly, green-skinned humans are holding lanterns on the other side and seem to be holding a meeting. Luckily, they haven’t noticed us.

“Oh my Zios, Kurkah! You were right! There are witches!” Nova whispers to Kurkah. He smiles slightly with pride but then remembers that his tales are true.

Suddenly, the witches all turn their faces towards the three of us. Each one has a long nose and moles all over her face. They glare at us and we glare back in horror.

“Guys, run…” I say as the Witches get onto their feet. Nova, Kurkah and I dash back through the trees and bushes and back to where we were in the swamp.

“Aww, crap… which way is west? I forgot!” Kurkah shrieks as the witches get closer.

“I think it’s this way! Follow me!” Nova shouts and we all follow her west.

We run through the muddy ground as the witches chase after us. What could they want with three animals?

Finally, I turn my head back to find out that the witches are gone. We’ve lost them. Once the others see that I have stopped, they stop too.

“That was close,” Kurkah pants after the long run.

“It was, but now we could be in more danger. This is where the swamp ends- and where it starts becoming more like a jungle. And if I’m not mistaken, there should be an ocean coming up,” Nova points out.

“Oh, come on! I thought we were at least getting CLOSE to the Phantoms by now,” Kurkah moans.

“Don’t worry, if we’re fast, it won’t take as long as you think it will be,” I tell Kurkah.

We exit the swamp and make it into the jungle. This jungle is similar to the Temple of Zios because it has a few ancient buildings, lots of trees, and local animals.

“Do you think we should talk to them and ask any animals which way is west?” I wonder.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Nova says.

“Wait! Guys! Look at that building over there. It looks interesting. Can we please go inside of it?” Kurkah asks us. We both agree because we have enough time.

We go over to the ancient ruins and there are vines growing over the building. The door is now just a hole and that’s how we all manage to make it inside. But once we’re inside- something just doesn’t seem right.

“Guys, I think this place is booby-trapped,” Nova says.

“Oh! Maybe we’ll find a treasure,” Kurkah gets excited.

I look around and see vines covering the walls. The stone floor is cold against my paws and my spine shivers. This place must be dangerous.

“Hold on before you move,” I move in front of everyone else. I spot a light coming through a window. I pick up a stick in my mouth and toss it into the light. Suddenly, arrows are being shot out of the walls and towards the light. This place is booby-trapped.

“Whatever you do, don’t go into that light. It will set off a bunch of dangerous arrows,” I warn to Nova and Kurkah.

We carefully walk away from the light and on the opposite side of the room. There is a hallway that leads forward. There are many more windows, but none of them have as much light coming through them.

Then we come to a deep, pitch black pit. Kurkah nearly falls off but Nova grabs him. I look around to find a way we can get across. And then I spot a hanging vine. I pounce at it while the others stare in shock. I grab it with my mouth and it manages to swing me to the other side. After I get there, Nova and Kurkah do the same.

Once we’re all on the other side, I can see one thing. A bright, shining crystal sitting on a podium. I quickly go over and grab it with my mouth.

“What is this?” Kurkah asks in amazement.

“I don’t know, but we have to get out of here,” I tell the others. The floor is starting to crack and cave in.

“Hurry, otherwise we all will be dead!” I shriek. We race back the way we came out, over the pit, and away from the light. Once we’re outside the entire building collapses.

“I don’t know what this crystal is, but we’ll hang onto it. We have to keep going west so we can find the Phantoms,” I announce.

“True,” Nova responds.

We continue heading west and through the Jungle. There are tall trees and monkeys everywhere, but we just ignore them as they do us. I nearly slip on a fallen branch that I didn’t see and Nova catches me. I thank her, than the three of us continue our journey west.

“Hey! Look! I see an opening in front of us,” I point out. In front there are no more trees and a large, open ocean.

“That must be the ocean Ersel told us about,” says Nova.

“Yes, but where are the pirates that’ll tear our guts out for a few gems?” Kurkah wonders as we approach the edge of the Jungle.

“They’re probably out there somewhere; we just don’t see them,” I assure.

We finally reach the end of the Jungle and I sit down to rest for a little while. I have held the crystal on my back while carefully going through the remainder of the Jungle so it wouldn’t fall off. After all, what would a journey be without being able to talk to your friends? If I didn’t put it on my back, it would’ve been in my mouth the whole time.

“Well, we’re at the ocean. But how do we get across?” Nova wonders as we all take a quick break from traveling.

“Maybe we have to meet up with the pirates and sneak onto their ship!” Kurkah blurts out. Honestly, this actually isn’t a bad idea. But we have to make sure the pirates are heading west before we get onto their ship.

“Good idea, but let’s make sure the pirates we will see soon are heading west,” I tell Kurkah.

We are now on a bright, sand covered beach that is warm against my paws. It actually feels good after being the the cold mud for a long time. I look around into the blue sky over the ocean, hoping to find some sign that there are human pirates around. I finally spot something that looks like a ship heading our way.

“Guys, I think I just found a Pirate Ship!” I point in the direction of it.

“Nice! Now we just have to hide, and once they get here find out where they’re going. If they are going west, we’ll sneak onto the ship,” Nova smiles knowing that our journey is folding out so greatly.

The Pirate Ship finally gets close to land while Nova, Kurkah and I are hiding behind the final bushes of the jungle before it hits the beach. Pirates begin to hop off and get into mini boats, which they steer to the beach. They hop onto land and start arguing.

“What are they arguing about?” Kurkah asks us.

“I don’t know, but if we listen closely, we’ll find out,” Nova replies.

And then we all begin to listen.

“Captain, we should go west. It’s the best way to find treasure!” one Pirate suggests.

“No, east is the best way,” another Pirate argues.

“Shut up, both of you! I trust west more because I’ve heard rumors about the dangers there. I’ve heard of black, tiny creatures with one eye that hold many treasures. Some people call them Phantoms, but I’m not sure. We’re going west, so all of you, get back onto the boats! This is not the place to be,” the Captain makes his decision.

“Hurry, let’s go sneak onto a boat so we can get onto their ship! They’re going west,” I whisper. I grab the crystal and place it into my mouth, then race down the beach with Nova and Kurkah. The Pirates all look in a different direction and are talking about another subject now. The three of us get onto a boat and hider in a small cabinet.

“Let’s listen to what they’re saying now,” I grunt.

“Okay enough arguing! I told you we’re going west. Get onto the boats before I chop your heads off!” the Captain orders.

Pirates begin filling up the boats and we take off to the big ship. The waves are furious and attack us, but don’t manage to flip the small boats over. The Pirates are working hard to get back to the ship and I begin to worry that the ocean will swallow us all. Finally, we make it to the larger ship, and are hauled up to the deck.

“Now where do we go?” I ask Nova and Kurkah.

“Let’s just race to an open door and try to find shelter there,” Nova suggests.

As no pirates are looking, we push the cabinet door open and race to the nearest open door. The wooden planks act as a floor and hurt my paws as I slam against them. We reach an open door, and inside, there seems to be a cabin with a few beds. There’s a crack in the wall, which Nova, Kurkah and I head into for shelter.

“Whew, that was close! I was worried they’d find us,” Kurkah pants. We’re now in a dark, secret room that’s only small enough for animals. And then we all hear weird, scratching noises.

“Umm… what was that?” I raise my eyebrow in the dark. We can barely see in here, and the only light is barely coming in from the crack in the wall.

“Ahoy, strangers! What are you… weird animals doing here?” a very large, fat rat comes out from the blackness. He has shining, yellow eyes and wears some kind of bandana over his small rat forehead. He is followed by many other similar looking rats.

“We were trying to find shelter, and I guess we found your land. We must be inside the walls of the ship,” Kurkah responds before Nova and I can.

“You can take shelter with us, but not for long. Where are you heading?” the pirate-rats ponder.

“We are going west. There should be dangerous cliffs and Phantoms there,” I tell the rat leader.

“Oh, Carntimyus Island! The Phantoms are there, and it is full of valuable treasure like that crystal you have. The Phantoms like to terrorize every animal species and I don’t know about any species that doesn’t know them,” the rat leader says.

“Say, where did you get that crystal?” the rat leader suddenly wonders.

“We got it in some temple,” I respond.

“Cool. Would you like to see our treasure collection? We’ve stolen alot from the Pirates and picked some up on the journeys we’ve been on,” he says.

“Sure, but where are we going to take shelter?” I ask.

“Anywhere in the walls. We control them all, so it won’t matter,” the rat leader promises.

“And what is your name?” I finish asking questions.

“Keenen the Rat Pirate.”

“Okay, thanks,” I finish the conversation. The other rats begin to leave and Keenen leads us down the walls to show us his treasure.

“So, a treasure? Can I have some?” Kurkah asks Keenen.

“Sure! If you want to kill yourself trying to get it from us!” Keenen chuckles. Kurkah stares are Nova for a second with shock.

We get into another crack, which leads into a different wall. The rats have lanterns they’ve stolen from the ship to light up every wall. We finally make into a small opening where there are tons of gold coins and other treasures.

Kurkah stares in amazement and we all are in shock for a moment. This is much more valuable than Diamonds and Gems.

Keenen then continues talking by stating “okay, now go. Go find yourself shelter. But I am warning you… Carntimyus Island is very dangerous, and even the best of your friends can betray you for their own life.”