March 22nd, 1921, part III
After hearing a blood-curdling scream that ripped across the floating island and seeing Nayra's jovial expression turn to one of pure terror, the group left the tent to investigate the commotion.
Fearing the worst, Brochet armed himself with his trusty kindling axe, while Ford readied his pistol. Once outside, it was clear the island was in a state of panic. Parents were gathering their children and quickly driving them into huts, while others ran about in search of the disturbance’s cause.
As Holder peered around in the fading light, he noticed something odd near the skiff that had brought them to the island. A middle-aged woman and a teenage boy stood above the emaciated corpse of the hired boatman. Even in the dim light, it was clear that the two assailants were not of European descent, as the kharisiri legends had previously suggested, but rather appeared to be residents of mainland Puno or perhaps inhabitants of the nearby highlands. Whatever their origins, the crazed look in their eyes clearly indicated they were not on the island for pleasantries.
As the wretched pair advanced with a quickened, lunging pace, Ford drew down on the woman and called out words of warning. Ignoring his shouts to halt, the woman came within range of Ford’s weapon, which was fired with no further admonition. As the bullet went wide, missing the woman by mere inches, the boy sprinted at the group and launched himself at Ford.
The scene, now devolved into a chaotic fracas, intensified with each passing moment. Bullets were let off by some, while axes and fists were swung by others. At several points during the melee, the woman and boy attempted to grab hold of the island defenders for purposes most foul. With their mouths distended into an obscene circle of jagged teeth and a long, protruding tongue, the kharisiri attackers made every effort to latch on to the skin of their opponents. Unsuccessful, maddening screams of antiquated Spanish echoed through the night.
As the pitched battle raged on, the raving assailants were time and again cut down by lead, iron, and steel and fell to the ground in heaps of ravaged death, only to rise again moments later. As if under orders from an unseen master and clearly existing in a state of blasphemous living death, the woman and boy refused to cease their offensive, despite the damage done to their flesh. Eventually, exhausted and dispirited, the group saw no other recourse but to set fire to the aggressive duo in hopes that the cleansing flames might free their souls from unholy bondage.
With flames engulfing them, their faces momentarily distorted into horrific mockeries of human appearance before melting and charring. When it was all over, only a set of burnt husks lay where the pair once stood.
Grateful for their help, Nayra invited the group back into her tent to discuss further action. Reluctant to involve any authorities, she informed them that her people would dispose of the boatman’s skiff and body.
“No one will ever find that poor man or his boat,” she said. “And if anyone comes around asking about you, well, I’ve never seen you before in my life.”
Nayra then invited them to give their soiled and bloody clothes to a washerwoman to clean while they had a deserved rest. Afterward, she told them, one of the village fishermen would take them back to shore under cover of darkness and deposit them far from the docks from which they departed. This way, with luck, no suspicion would be raised, at least not before they could resume their journey into the highlands.
As she saw her friends off in the hours before dawn, Nayra reminded them once more of the importance of returning the gold band to the pyramid from which it was taken.
“If you don’t reseal the pyramid’s protective ward,” she said. “I fear what else may crawl out from that cursed place.”
With a wave and a smile, she added, “Don’t foul this up. If you do, we’re all dead!”
In the cool Andes Mountain air, Nayra’s infectious laugh could be heard half way across Lake Titicaca.
The Friends of Prospero
Peru: Episode VIII • Peru: Episode VII • Peru: Episode VI • Peru: Episode V • Peru: Episode IV • Peru: Episode III • Peru: Episode II • Peru: Episode I
The Two-Headed Serpent
Coming soon…
