The Oooga Booga: a jungle as lush as it is dangerous. Remote and forbidding, it is a place that could be called a “lost world”, the perfect setting for a book by Edgar Rice Burroughs or Herman Melville. Civilized men rarely set foot in such a place and few who did ever returned, but those who did return brought back tales of exotic plant life and strange tribes that knew nothing of the civilized world.
But the civilized world did know of the Oooga Booga. Its remoteness was one of the things that kept it from being exploited, and the fact that it was under the ownership and protection of a wealthy sultan that had enough money from petroleum that the offers from chemical and pharmaceutical companies to exploit its resources did not sway him to open it up for deforestation. Rumors of mineral wealth and flora that existed nowhere else in the world were largely anecdotal and were never proven but that did not stop brave (or foolhardy depending on who you asked) individuals from attempting to explore the Oooga Booga and maybe get rich doing it.
Agatha looked over at the naked man sleeping next to her. He was still passed out from a night of drinking and wasn’t going to be waking up any time soon. He wasn’t bad looking but not up to her usual standards. Not the brightest, either, but smart enough to come back from the Oooga Booga jungle alive. She was dancing at the club where she sometimes worked to pull in a few bucks. He was trying to impress her by showing her a gem that he had brought back. He told her it was a spinel, a pretty semi-precious stone. Agatha looked at it more closely. She knew a thing or two about gemstones and this one she suspected was something more than just a common spinel. She thought that she recognized it as taaffeite, one of the rarest gemstones in the world and significantly more valuable than a common spinel. Not only that, but he had a map that showed where he found it. So she came on to him, got him drunk and took him up to his room. Now he was out cold.
If she could verify that the stone was taaffeite and she could find a deposit that would mean enough money that she wouldn’t have to take off her clothes and do lap dances in clubs for stupid horny men anymore. She could own her own club. She could do a lot of things. The idea occurred to her that she could grab the stone and the map and take off. By the time he woke up she would be gone. As drunk as he was, he might not even remember her at all.
As the man snored softly beside her, Agatha quietly got up from the bed and surveyed the room. The map lay on a small table, illuminated by the soft glow of a flickering candle. It was old and weathered, its edges frayed from years of use in the unforgiving jungle. Unfolding it slowly, Agatha traced her finger along its intricate lines and symbols, each marking a path through the dense foliage and treacherous terrain of the Oooga Booga.
Agatha carefully slipped the taaffeite gemstone into her pocket, her mind already racing with thoughts of adventure and riches. The map was like a siren's call, beckoning her to venture into the depths of the Oooga Booga jungle in search of more precious treasures waiting to be discovered. She knew the risks - tales of peril and danger whispered through the air like leaves rustling in a forbidden wind - but the lure of the unknown was too strong to resist. Grabbing the map and with the gemstone secured in her pocket she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving her guest to sleep off his drunken stupor.
Amourosa Fugax, she preferred to go by “Amie” as it was shorter and easier, had a problem being taken seriously, particularly by men. She was curvy and cute and men were typically more interested in fucking her than in what she was trying to say. When she told people that she wanted to get to the Oooga Booga the reaction was that they just laughed at her.
“You wouldn’t last five minutes in the Oooga Booga,” this particular man told her. “There are a hundred different things there that would be happy as hell to eat you up, and I can’t say that I blame them.” He looked her over and licked his lips as if he was thinking of doing exactly that.
Amie wasn’t moved and ignored both the comment and the gesture.
“I need passage to the Oooga Booga and a guide that is hopefully at least somewhat familiar with the area. If they have some knowledge of the flora in the region that would be a great help, too. I do have money and can pay.”
“Well then that’s not me,” the man said. “I can get you there but then you’re on your own. Maybe you can find somebody foolhardy and desperate enough to take you into the Oooga Booga, but I can’t say who that would be. Come back when you find someone.”
Desperate and foolhardy. Amie wondered which of those described her. She preferred ambitious and committed. The Oooga Booga was mostly unexplored, but it was not completely unexplored. There were plants there that were found nowhere else in the world. She had read the research on one of them that had been brought back by a previous explorer. It had been studied by a pharmaceutical lab as a potential cure for various neurological ailments from Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s. She saw that it still had potential for use as an Alzheimer’s cure and she wanted to do that study for her PhD thesis, but to do that she would need to get a sample and bring it back. It was critical that she find a way to get herself to the Oooga Booga jungle and look for that plant. There had to be someone that could help her get there.
Meanwhile, Agatha wanted to be sure that the stone she had was what she thought it was. If not then there was no point risking her life in the Oooga Booga looking for a five dollar rock. Taaffeite was rare. The only known source of it is in Sri Lanka. If she could find another one that would be quite a find indeed. She knew that one of the differences between spinel and taaffeite was that the taaffeite was bi-refractive while the spinel was not. The stone was not cut and polished but she should be able to test her theory. She rigged a quick test with a flashlight and shined it through a slit and through the stone. Being uncut the irregular shape of the stone made it hard to tell, but she was pretty sure that she saw two lines come out of the other side of the stone. There were other tests but they were not ones that she could do herself. She needed to find someone that could prove the stone was taaffeite and, if it was, she needed to figure out a way to get to the Oooga Booga. She did have one tool that she could use to help her get what she wanted: her body. Men would do a lot if they thought they had a shot at getting her into bed. That was an asset that she could use. What she didn’t want was someone thinking that they could be her partner. If she needed a partner, that would come later.
If she was going to go to the Oooga Booga in search of more Taaffeite she would need equipment and a boat. The best place to get equipment - in fact the only place to get equipment - was from Jungle Judd’s shop near the docks. The docks were the place to hire a boat and someone to take her up the river into the wilderness of the Oooga Booga.
“I need a boat and some expedition equipment”, Agatha said to the man known around as Jungle Judd.
“You got money?” was his answer.
“Well, I can get money, but that would be after I get back”.
“Where you goin’?”, he asked.
“Uh, the Oooga Booga”, she answered tentatively.
He snickered. “Nobody gets anything on credit if they’re going there,” he said sternly, “Too many don’t come back”.
“I’ll come back”, she said, trying to sound confident.
“Still, you gotta pay up front. And what’s with all the interest in the Oooga Booga lately?” he asked. His question seemed almost rhetorical. “You’re the second person today asking about going there, and she was a woman, too”.
“Did you give her the equipment?” Agatha inquired.
“No. She wanted me to take her there and I told her I wouldn’t. I’m not in the business risking my neck for someone that’s just gonna get herself eaten”, he mused. “I told her to find somebody else. Hey, she says she has money. Maybe you can take her there.”
Agatha thought about it. Better to go with someone than go alone, and if she had money to get the equipment then she wouldn’t be tempted to cash in the taaffeite to get the money.
“Where can I find this girl?” Agatha asked.
“I dunno,” the man replied, “but she’s got to still be around. Look for a pretty girl that looks like she really doesn’t belong here asking around for someone to take her to the Oooga Booga. Can’t be too many of those.”
So, Agatha needed to find a girl that looked like she didn’t belong. “Hell, that could describe me”, Agatha thought. “I need to find someone that belongs here less than me.”
The best place to look would be the hotel, but Agatha didn’t want to risk running into her “friend” from last night. Ditto the bar, where he would probably go first to look for her. Where to look? Maybe she could find a fisherman that would take her out.
She headed down to the docks. There would be boats there and maybe she could find the girl there.
Agatha couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency creeping up within her. Time was of the essence, and she knew she had to find the girl before it was too late.
Just when Agatha was beginning to lose hope, a flash of vibrant crimson hair caught her eye. There she was - the girl she had been looking for. She stood out like a rare bloom in a garden of common wildflowers, her ethereal beauty drawing Agatha towards her like a moth to a flame.
Figuring that this must be the girl that Jungle Judd was talking about she approached the girl, who was engaged in conversation with one of the fishing boat captains. She got in close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Nobody goes to the Oooga Booga”, one of the fishermen was saying. “The Sultan no like anybody go there. I no fish there. Nobody here go there.”
“Well, is there anybody that can take me there and bring me back? There has to be someone”, the girl was saying.
That was clearly the girl that Jungle Judd was talking about, Agatha thought. The fisherman waved the girl away and she turned back in frustration.
Agatha approached the girl cautiously. "Are you looking to go to the Oooga Booga?" she inquired softly, not wanting to startle her.
The girl's eyes widened in surprise, and she nodded slowly. "Yes, I am," she admitted, “but not having much luck.”
“Are you the girl that talked to Jungle Judd earlier today? The one he said had money?” Agatha inquired.
“Is that the nasty old man at the shop?”
“Jungle Judd, yeah, that’s the guy”, Agatha replied, “I just came from there.”
“Yeah, I guess that was me. I was trying to get him to help me get to the Oooga Booga and he just kind of laughed at me and told me I would get eaten there”, the girl said with an annoyed tone.
“I need to go there, too”, Agatha told her. “If you have the money for supplies and a boat, I can take you there, but we need to go soon.”
“The old man told me to come back if I found somebody foolhardy or desperate enough to take me there. Which of those are you?”
“Maybe a little bit of both”, was Agatha’s answer. “Grab your money and meet me at Jungle Judd’s shop. We need to go now.”
“Sounds ominous, and a bit exciting”, said the girl, her attitude much more positive now. “Let’s go!”
Jungle Judd seemed pleased with himself that he solved both ladies problems with no loss or risk to himself and was happy to take Amie’s money. A few supplies and a boat to get them to the island were arranged and the two amateur adventurers were off, but who knew to what?
The boat that they picked up from Jungle Judd wasn’t much but it was enough to get them there. They loaded their gear and sparked up the outboard and headed out up the river. Their conversation as they neared the island was purposeful.
“I’m Agatha,” Agatha told the girl. “Who are you?”
“I am Amourosa Fugax. I go by Amy, although when I spell it I spell it A-M-I-E, like in the song. Makes it seem more friendly” answered Amie.
“Song?” inquired Agatha.
“That old song by that cowboy band, you know, ‘Amie, what you wanna do-ooh’”.
“Ah, Pure Prairie League” said Agatha, “That is an old song, from before we were born.”
“Whatever” Amie responded, “In French it means ‘Friend’“. Amie changed the subject. “Are you familiar with the Oooga Booga?” she asked.
“Well, not really. I do have a map, though. I got it from a guy that was just there a couple of days ago.” Agatha answered. “What is so important for you in a barely explored jungle?”
“Well, that’s kind of a long story,” Amie replied. “I will try to give you the short version. I’m a PhD candidate in pharmaceutical chemistry and botany. I’m looking for a plant that I have on good authority is native to the Oooga Booga and maybe nowhere else in the world.”
“And what do you want this plant for?” inquired Agatha.
“Research for my PhD thesis,” Amie replied. “This plant is supposedly used by natives as a hallucinogenic. Some studies on it suggest that it might have properties that could cure several neurological disorders, from Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s. At least, that’s the theory that I am trying to show in my thesis.”
“Wow, smart girl!” Agatha said. “You’re willing to risk a lot for that.”
“I am not sure what I am really risking,” remarked Amie. “I go there, I look for the plant, I bring back as much as I can. Hopefully I won’t need to be there for a long time.”
“So you think that the plant is just going to introduce itself to you?” laughed Agatha.
“I have photos and drawings. I should be able to sort it out without too much trouble”, Amie interjected.
Amie turned it around, “and what about you? What are you looking for so urgently?”
Agatha reached into her pocket and pulled out a pinkish gemstone. “Taaffeite”, she said tersely.
“A gemstone?” inquired Amie. “That came from the Oooga Booga I am guessing.”
“One of the rarest in the world”, said Agatha. “I got it from a guy that brought it back from the Oooga Booga, along with the map. He thought it was a spinel, which it looks a lot like, but it is bi-refractive. Spinels are not, taaffeite is.”
“Is it worth a lot?” was Amie’s predictable next question.
“Spinel is worth about $5 a carat. Taaffeite is worth about $2500 per carat. If there is a large deposit there it would be only the fourth in the world. Most of it comes from just one mine in Sri Lanka. I could be onto something big here. Definitely worth checking out.”
“So we both have a lot to gain from this expedition” Amie mused. “If we don’t get eaten. That’s what Jungle Judd kept telling me would happen. Was he just trying to scare me off?”
“There are a lot of rumors about the Oooga Booga”, said Agatha. “I don’t know how many are actually true. Some of them probably but I doubt they all are.”
“What sort of rumors?” Amie wanted to know.
“Oh, the usual stuff that you find in this part if the world”, Agatha answered. “Crocodiles, monitor lizards, deadly snakes, various deadly plants, treacherous terrain, quicksand… maybe even cannibals.”
“Cannibals!” exclaimed Amie, “there’s no such thing as cannibals anymore. Maybe there never were.”
Agatha shrugged. “There are rumors” she said. “Not just the Oooga Booga but all around the interiors of these islands and jungles. The authorities don’t want it known because it hurts tourism” she continued. “But people sometimes disappear. They often tell women not to dress too provocatively in native areas. They say it’s because of the parochial attitudes of the natives, but others say it’s to avoid giving cannibals a good look at the groceries.”
“So showing off my legs or my tummy might make the natives hungry?” Amie asked incredulously.
“Well, yeah, pretty much, or at least that’s what I have heard” answered Agatha.
“Has anyone ever reported about cannibals in the Oooga Booga?” Amie inquired.
“Just rumors” Agatha replied. “If there are any cannibals then the Oooga Booga is the sort of place that you would expect to find them. The guy I got the map from said that there were natives there, and that he thought that they could be cannibals. I did bring a weapon, just in case.”
“Well,” Amie speculated, “even if there are cannibals there, from what I have heard of cannibals they don’t eat women, so I would be more worried about wild animals.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking” said Agatha. “We do need to be extra cautious. We just find what we are looking for and get out as quickly as we can.”
Agatha steered the boat onto a beach. Up ahead was the entrance to the infamous Oooga Booga jungle. The two women moored the boat and surveyed the area. There was a lot of jungle to explore. Have they bitten off more than they could chew? Have they gotten in over their heads? Are they each looking for a needle in a haystack? Is this whole adventure just one big cliché? It was too late to turn back now. They had too much into this already. So, onward, into the bush!
“Wow, that’s a whole lot of jungle”, Amie commented with more than a hint of trepidation in her voice.
“Well, I have a map, but I don’t think it is going to help you very much” said Agatha. “There is nothing about plants on here.”
“Does it show where the wild animals, dangerous terrain and cannibals are?” asked Amie.
“Uhmmm, well, it doesn’t say anything about cannibals but there is a skull drawn near a cave, which is where there is a little gem thing drawn” Agatha replied. “If the skull means the cannibals then it looks like where I am going might put me near them.”
“I don’t suppose that what you are looking for and what I am looking for will be found in the same place,” Amie speculated.
“No,” Agatha agreed, “I don’t suppose they will.”
Amie reached into her rucksack and pulled out a pair of binoculars. “Well,” she said, “let’s see if we can get some idea of just where what is.”
Amie surveyed the scene, starting with the area that the map indicated could be the taaffeite source. There was a good deal of jungle growth there but nothing that looked like the plants she was looking for. Looking up above the area she did see a promising location where her plant might be growing.
Amie pointed in the direction. “It looks like I need to go there”, she said. Pointing to a different area she said, “and it looks like you need to go there. I think we are going to have to split up.”
Agatha handed Amie a walkie-talkie. “I got these for us. There is no cell phone reception out here and I couldn’t afford a satellite phone, but these should work as long as we don’t get too far separated. Try not to fall into a hole; they won’t work underground, either.”
Amie pressed her talk button and said “test” into the microphone. At the same time the speaker in Agatha’s phone let out a burst of static and Amie’s voice was heard saying “test”.
“Works OK,” said Amie. “These will help a lot, I think. If I see one of those stones while searching for my plant I’ll give you a call. You call me if you see any cannibals lurking around.”
“Good idea,” joked Agatha, “they might like you more than me. Maybe they’ll even trade me the taaffeite for you.”
“More likely they’ll just eat us both” rejoined Amie. “From what I see you might be a bit leaner than me, but not any less tasty.”
“They’ll have to catch me first” said Agatha, “I’m not going to make that easy.”
“Well, our best option is to avoid cannibals, wild animals, poison plants and tripping over rocks” said Amie. “Let’s stay in touch, get what we came for and get out before dark.”
“Agreed” said Agatha. “Let me know when you’ve found your plant. I’ll do the same and we meet back here by the boat.”
Agatha and Amie split up with Amie heading for a section of rich jungle and Agatha using her map to search for the taaffeite deposit.
Amie trudged through the dense jungle, her boots sinking into the damp earth with every step. She finally reached a plateau, where sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees and illuminated a stunning display of diverse plant life. It was a challenging journey, but Amie was rewarded with a rich array of greenery.
Among the many plants, one caught Amie's eye. It towered above the others, its thick central stalk reaching towards the sky. Atop the stalk was a massive flower bud, surrounded by tentacle-like vines that seemed to undulate in the gentle breeze.
Amie gasped in awe. "I've never seen anything like it," she whispered to herself. "It must be at least twice the size of a corpse flower!" Her mind raced as she tried to identify the mysterious plant. "Could it be carnivorous? That central pod certainly looks like it could swallow something whole."
Without hesitation, Amie reached for her camera and began snapping photos. This could be related to the plant she had been searching for. As she circled it, she noticed smaller flowers sprouting from the twisting vines, each one bearing tongue-like stamens that seemed to reach out towards her curiously. Some of the vines even ended in claw-like appendages, giving the impression that the plant was sentient and aware of its surroundings.
Lost in fascination, Amie couldn't help but feel like this plant was studying her just as much as she was studying it. She couldn't wait to document her findings and share them with the world.
“It reminds me of Cthulhu”, she said. “I think maybe I will call it the ‘Cthulhu Plant”.
As Amie got in to snap a photo of the plant she touched one of its outer tendrils. The plant reacted by its tendril moving toward her. She stepped back. “I don’t want to get too close to that” she said, putting away her camera.
Amie turned and surveyed the area. Nearby she spied a plant that could have been her quarry. She grabbed her book and looked at the drawing and description of her plant. “Yes, that’s it! I am pretty sure.”
Amie noticed similarities between the smaller plant and the huge imposing one she had just seen. “I wonder of this is a younger, smaller version of that same plant?” she asked herself. “That would be a fascinating find!”
As Amie was engrossed in the examination of the plant she did not notice the movement behind her. The larger plant was moving, its tendrils stretching out towards her like curious fingers. The large flower at the center of the plant slowly unfolded, revealing a long stamen that seemed to beckon her closer. The tongue-like stamen began to move, almost as if it was licking its lips in anticipation. She continued to collect samples from the smaller plants, but couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched by the larger one. Suddenly, she felt something curl around her ankles and looked down to see the plant's tendrils wrapping around her legs. Before she could react, it had also captured her upper arms, pulling her towards its main appendage with an almost human-like grip.
“What the fuck!” exclaimed Amie as she stumbled back, her eyes widening in horror as the vines snaked around her ankles. She frantically tried to break free, but they only tightened their grip. She looked up at the enormous plant in front of her, its leaves rustling in the wind. A shiver ran down her spine as she could almost swear it was watching her. Suddenly, a long stamen emerged from the center of the flower and moved towards her, making smacking sounds like a tongue licking its lips. Amie's heart raced as she realized this was no ordinary plant.
Amie felt her heart pound in terror as the realization hit her - the old man was right, this plant wanted to devour her. Its tendrils reached out, latching onto her limbs and pulling her closer with a grotesque strength. In a desperate attempt to resist, Amie struggled to maintain her balance but two more tendrils slipped under her shirt, violently exposing her vulnerable flesh. The stamen from the main appendage extended once more, a slimy tongue-like appendage that hungrily stroked her body, its wetness leaving a sickening sensation on her skin.
Amie struggled to get free as the plant pulled her in closer. She screamed out for help but the plant’s tendrils pulled her off of her feet and onto her backside. The tendrils at her feet pulled in and she fell all the way onto her back. Now the large main bulb of the plant was over her and the tongue-like stamen licked her breasts and belly as the tendrils pulled off her clothes and boots. Little flower versions of the large bulb opened on the ends of some of the tendrils, each producing a small tongue-like stamen that licked and sucked at Amie’s breasts, feet and pussy and over her ribs and belly while the larger stamen licked in large swaths over her thighs and up to her large, succulent breasts leaving a slimy, glistening goo all over her body. All the while the tendrils pulled her closer to the base of the plant and its large, widening maw.
Amie's eyes widened in terror as the plant's tendrils wrapped around her body, ripping her clothes off and exposing her vulnerable flesh. The large maw of the plant opened wide as her feet entered, and she could see the numerous smaller tendrils inside, all eagerly sucking on her skin.
Amie's clothes were in shreds, ripped and hanging off of her body as the plant's tendrils engulfed her in their grasp. She could see the large maw of the plant, open wide and waiting to swallow her whole. The tendrils probed and explored every inch of her bare flesh, leaving a trail of slime wherever they went.
As Amie struggled, she could see the various colors of the plant's tendrils, ranging from pale green to deep purple, as they wrapped around her body. Her clothes were now in shreds, scattered around her. The plant's tendrils felt like cold, damp fingers as they gripped Amie's body, probing and exploring her bare flesh. The slimy stamen left a revolting sensation on her skin as it licked and sucked at her.
Amie could feel the slickness of the tendrils against her skin as they wrapped around her body. The slimy tongue-like appendage brushed against her, covering her in a revolting, sticky film.
Amie could feel the slimy texture of the plant's tendrils, almost like a combination of wet hair and suction cups, as they wrapped around her limbs and pulled her in. The stamen that stroked her body left a sickening sensation. It was a primal dance of predator and prey, with the plant's tendrils acting as the seductive yet dangerous partner, drawing Amie in closer and stripping her of her defenses. And as her bare skin was exposed and probed by the plant's hungry appendages, Amie's calls for help and desperate struggles added a chaotic energy to the scene, heightening the tension as she was slowly consumed by the plant. She was like a struggling insect caught in a web of twisted vines, her skin bare and vulnerable to the probing tendrils that sought to invade her body. With every tug and pull from the plant, her cries for help became more desperate, echoing into the darkness.
As she was slowly consumed by its ravenous maw, Amie heard Jungle Judd’s voice in her head…
“There are a hundred different things there that would be happy as hell to eat you up, and I can’t say that I blame them.”
Amie laughed to herself, “And to think I was worried about cannibals” she chuckled. “Cannibals, wild animals, snakes, even quicksand. Of all the things I would have thought about eating me, I never would have thought I would get eaten by a damn plant.”
Suddenly Amie began to feel a wave of euphoria hit her. The throat of the plant pulsed and gyrated and she felt herself becoming aroused. The arousal became intense and the euphoria and pleasing sensations engulfed her. Even in the dark she felt she could see the pulsations of the internal workings of the tube she was in, displaying a wave of colors and patterns.
“It’s hallucinogenic” she realized. “I’m going to be digested, but it’s going to be a hell of a trip.” She felt and orgasm building within her. “I’m going to cum!” she thought.
“I’m going to cum!” She shouted, “and it’s going to be a big one.”
Her climax exploded and seemed to spread through her entire body. “What a way to go!”
Amie's mind cried out for an escape, her body wracked with intense sensations. She felt the walls of the tube closing in on her, their slick, fleshy texture encasing her completely. Her orgasmic throes began to subside, leaving her panting and disoriented.
She was suddenly aware of a new sensation, a crawling, tickling feeling all over her skin. A gentle breeze seemed to dance around her, whispering through the tube's walls. The sensation confused her, but it also brought a strange sense of comfort.
As the euphoria began to fade, Amie realized that this was not the end. The plant was not simply digesting her, it was alive in a way she had never experienced before. In her mind, she could almost hear the plant's thoughts, its rhythmic pulsations, and its ancient wisdom.
With newfound determination, Amie began to explore what was happening to her. The pulsating of the tube was carrying her further down into the earth. Would there be a way out? Could she survive this? Was any of this actually real, or just an hallucination? Perhaps all was not lost.
Agatha was following a stream bed that flowed down from the higher areas above. The bed was dry, as this was the dry season and made it easier to follow. She was in the approximate area where the map indicated the stone. She was also not far from the skull, and she was not really sure what that meant. “That asshole didn’t put any kind of notes on this to indicate what his marking means”, she thought. There were lots of little pebbles and stones in the stream bed. She was looking for one that was shiny and pink. Most of the stones she found were much cheaper and simpler stones, and nothing really worth her while. She kept on up the stream, hoping that the stream bed would be the most likely place to find the stone. It was either that or find a cave. She would try the stream bed first.
“This was probably a stupid idea” she said to herself, “I really am looking for a needle in a haystack.”
While she was questioning herself her eye caught the sun glinting of a shiny stone; a split second of a pink-purple sparkle.
“No,” she thought and went after where she saw it. Finding the pebble in question she picked it up and rolled it in her hand. She wiped off the mud and dust that was encrusting it to reveal and shiny pink crystal.
“Taaffeite? Or spinel?”
Agatha held the stone up to the sun to see if she could see any sign of birefringence, but the irregular shape of the stone and the glare of the jungle sun made it difficult to tell. “The best thing I can do is see if I can find another one”, she said.
She continued her search along the small stream bed, poking through the rocks and pebbled that lined it. The stream continued into a denser section of forest and as she walked along she thought she saw another stone. She picked it up. This one was larger and more evenly shaped. He wiped of the dirt that encrusted it to reveal another pinkish crystal, this one with a more purple, almost magenta tint. She pulled out her penlight and shined the light through the stone.
“Birefringence!” she exclaimed. “Taaffeite!”
Encouraged by her find, Agatha continued along the dry stream bed into the jungle. Here there was a denser canopy that obscured the sun, making it harder to look for the pink glint that led her to the stones she had found. There were also sections of the stream bed where water had collected in pools and the water was still there. She jumped over one of these pools and walked into a small clearing in the jungle. As she looked at the surrounding jungle she saw a grinning skull. The skull had been set on a post in the jungle clearing.
“That’s not a good sign” she thought. “Is that the skull on the map?”
She looked at her map and tried to compare where she thought she was to the skull marking on the map. “Yeah, it looks like this is it.” She said.
As she looked around she noticed that there were others. There were several skulls on posts, some painted and with decorations, other plain. As she looked more, she discovered that on one of the posts there was an idol. It was like a tiki idol. This one depicted a tiki man with a wide open mouth with sharp teeth, its hands holding another tiki into its open mouth. It seemed to be sending a pretty clear message.
“Cannibals!”
So there were cannibals here. “I need to warn Amie” Agatha said to herself as she grabbed the walkie-talkie out of her rucksack.
“Amie, come in”
She waited a few seconds. There was no response.
“Amie? Are you there? Answer me, I have news.”
Still there was no answer, only static. She tried a few more times, but the result was always the same.
Agatha began to get alarmed. Amie should have answered. Had she gone out of the walker-talkie range? Had something happened to her? She did not want to abandon her search for the gemstones, but if Amie was in trouble then time could be critical. She tried the walkie-talkie one more time.
“Amie, come in. I found evidence of cannibals here.”
There was still nothing but the usual static.
“Amie, if you are OK I need you to answer me back now.”
The walkie-talkie only hissed back. “Damn!” Agatha thought to herself. “If I find her and she ignored me I am going to make her help me look for gemstones.”
Agatha set off back to where she and Amie had separated. Agatha knew the direction that Amie headed, so that would be the best place to go to find her.
As she retraced her steps through the dense jungle, the imprints of her boots on the damp earth were the only evidence of her journey. The sunlight that managed to filter through the canopy above was a welcome relief from the shadows that clung to the undergrowth. Every so often, the sound of distant birds would be heard, as if mocking the impending danger that awaited them.
Despite her fears, Agatha pushed forward, her mind fixated on the idea of rescuing her friend. The image of Amie being held captive by cannibals was too horrifying to consider, and Agatha knew that she had to act quickly. She tried the walkie-talkie again, but all she got was the same static-filled silence. As she neared the spot where she and Amie had last been together, Agatha's heart raced with each step.
Scrambling back to the direction where Agatha saw Amie go she climbed into the jungle foliage that Amie had been heading for. It was a thick section of jungle that was full of varied and strange looking plant life.
“Amie!” Agatha called out, hoping for an answer. “I sure as hell hope you aren’t ignoring my calls. Where are you?”
There was no answer, just the sounds of the jungle; the chirping of birds and the rustling of the plants. Agatha pulled out her machete to head into the foliage.
“Amie, you better be in trouble and haven’t pulled me away from my gemstone search for nothing. If you did then you are going to help me collect stones.”
There was still no answer. Agatha once again took out her walkie-talkie and called for Amie.
“Amie? Do you copy?”
Agatha heard the crackle of static off somewhere nearby.
“Amie?” she said into the walkie-talkie again. The same crackle and she heard her own voice. She headed in the direction of where she heard the sound.
Agatha walked into a small clearing that was dominated by a large plant. Really large. At the base of the plant she saw Amie’s clothes, boots and rucksack strewn around the jungle floor.
“Amie?” Agatha said into her walkie-talkie. She heard her own voice echo back from inside the rucksack.
“Oh, shit” Agatha said. “Something got her. Was it the cannibals?” She looked at the giant plant with the huge mouth like flower and penis-like stamen. “Or was it that plant?”
Agatha reached down and picked up Amie’s shirt. It was ripped and covered with a gooey slime.
“I think it was the plant.” Agatha said
Agatha got in closer to have a look at the plant. “I wonder if she is still in there?” she said.
“AMIE!” she called out. “ARE YOU IN THERE?”
There was no answer. Agatha felt something touching her ankle. She looked down and noticed one of the tendrils of the plant curled around her leg. She looked up and it looked to her like the plant was looking back at her. The big stamen started to wag and the petals of the flower began to flap like the plant was smacking its lips.
“Oh no you don’t!” exclaimed Agatha. “You’re not eating me!”
She hacked at the tendril that had her entwined with her machete. It sounded like the plant whimpered in pain and she felt its hold loosen. She hacked again, but the tendril pulled her off her feet. She flipped and rolled and brought the blade of the machete down hard on the vine. It separated, freeing her. Other tendrils began to come after her but she quickly backed away, hacking away at the closest tendrils with her blade. She scooted away out of its reach, and took a breath.
“Well, that would seem to settle that. It was the plant.” she concluded.
“Ah, shit” Agatha moaned. “What a waste. She was kind of a nice girl. Seems Jungle Judd was right; come here, get eaten. But a plant? Not even by the cannibals.”
Then she thought, “I don’t belong here, either. What do I do now?”
Amie had no idea how long she had been in the entrails of the plant, or even whether she was alive or dead. She was completely encased in the cocoon like tube fading in and out of consciousness, in a state of psychotropic bliss. She was partially aware that she was going deeper and deeper into the plant’s roots and deeper underground, but how deep she had no way to know.
“If I ever get out of this, I’m taking back a sample of this plant, too. This is way better than weed or mushrooms”, she thought.
What she was not doing was thinking about any plan to actually escape her predicament and getting any of her plant samples back to civilization. Still in the afterglow of one of the most intense and powerful orgasms she had ever experienced, combined with the blissful euphoria of the psychotropic secretions of the plant creature that had devoured her even the awareness of her being alive or dead seemed not to matter. After the passing of an unknown amount of time she began to ponder what had happened to her. She began to realize that the peristalsis motion that had been pulling her downwards had stopped. She began to realize that she had not been digested, and was more or less intact. She was resting in a small, cocoon-like chamber and was looking at what looked to her like a giant vagina. It was a large vertical slit consisting of some sort of cellulose material. She touched it with her foot and it moved. It opened to an open space beyond. Gathering herself up on all fours, she pushed the flap open and crawled out of the cocoon.
She found herself in a large cavernous room. The room glowed with a dim light. Where the light was coming from she couldn’t tell. It reminded her of a haunted house attraction she once went to on Halloween a few years before, where the room was dark but lit by hidden black lights that caused brightly painted objects to glow like they were fluorescent. She wasn’t even sure if any of this was even real and not just a hallucination from the plant secretions.
Looking around she tried to adjust her eyes to the cavern. The walls were dark rock with an almost flat stone and earthen floor. The walls sparkled with multi-colored crystals. She examined a cluster of sparkling pink colored stones.
“I’m not a geologist”, Amie said to herself, “but these look like that gem that Agatha had. Too bad she isn’t here with me.”
On the other side of the chamber, she saw a passageway in the rock that was large enough for her to walk through. “Perhaps that leads to a way out”, she said.
She took stock of her situation. She was alive and apparently intact. Her body was still gooey from the plant secretions, giving her body sheen even in the dim light. She was, otherwise, completely naked.
“It looks like the only thing that the plant ate was my clothes. I would have thought that I would be a lot tastier than some jungle togs and boots”, she thought. “I wonder if there is something here that I can cover myself with.
Amie looked around the cave to see if there was anything that she could use as a covering. There was really not much that she could see, but she did notice some foliage growing around the opening that she had come through. A vagina needs pubic hair, she thought, and the growth around it almost looked like that. She did notice that there were some vines that long strings of herbs hung from, almost like Spanish moss hanging from a tree. That might work, she thought. She picked two of the long vines, tying one around her waist and another above her breasts. The hanging foliage was enough to cover her pubic region and most of her breasts, but not completely. It kind of looked like a fringe bikini and short grass skirt. “That’s the best I can do for now” she said.
Having secured some sort of a covering for her more intimate parts, she decided to explore down the tunnel and see what she could find there. If there was a way out, this was the only way to find it.
The tunnel was dark and the black-light glow in the other chamber did not extend into the tunnel, so she felt her way forward hoping to be able to find some other light source. She considered turning around and seeing if maybe she could escape through the vagina again, but she wasn’t confident that that way would be any better. She decided to go ahead and try to explore the tunnel.
As she cautiously stepped into the tunnel, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and trepidation. The dim light from the cavern was slowly fading behind her, the only illumination now coming from a faint, bioluminescent glow emanating from the walls. The passage seemed to stretch out endlessly before her, a souterrain of indeterminate length, snake-like in its twists and turns.
She took a deep breath, feeling the cool air against her skin, the plant extracts still coursing through her system. Amie had always been a resilient woman, with a keen survival instinct that had served her well throughout her life. This strange new world, however, was testing her in ways she couldn't have imagined.
The tunnel felt as if it was alive, the walls pulsating with a rhythm that matched the rhythm of her heart. As she moved through the passage she thought she could hear something up ahead. It sounded like singing or chanting.
“People?” she thought to herself. “People chanting in a cave?”
Was she still hallucinating? What kind of people would be chanting inside a dark cave, she wondered.
“Cannibals?”
Through the haze in her head, Amie had a thought call to her from the part of her brain that could still process objective reality: “CANNIBALS!”
Her hand felt her stomach. It was soft to the touch. And it was bare.
“If Agatha was right about cannibals, then the way I am dressed will be like ringing the dinner bell” she thought.
From what she was hearing and seeing the most reasonable conclusion was that there were natives in the cave, and from what she had been told it was far more likely that these natives were hostile than friendly. The suggestion was that they were cannibals. If they were cannibals, would they eat her? Or, was she safe from that fate because she was a woman. Her hand went to her bare belly. She felt the softness and sensual curves, her large breasts; plenty of good meat there. Her mind envisioned a throng of wildly painted tribesmen staring at her bare belly and breasts, their eyes wide and tongues hanging out, dripping with drool. If they were cannibals and actually enjoyed eating people, why wouldn’t they eat her? Would they cook her first? Maybe boil her in a big pot, or roast her on a spit? Or would they butcher her first and roast her parts in a fire, or maybe eat them raw? But even if they didn’t eat her there were a lot of things that they could so that might even be worse. They could make her a slave, a wife for the chief, a human sacrifice… or they could just rape her and then kill her.
But, wait; hadn’t she already been eaten? By the plant? Could she be eaten twice?
“Maybe I shouldn’t stick around to find out” Amie said to herself, but where to go?
Deeper into the cavern, a tribe's members assembled in front of their sacred symbol. The statue was a depiction of a woman's torso, curves delicately carved into the stone to create an alluring hourglass figure. Her breasts and hips were exaggerated, drawing attention to her fertility and sensuality. Atop her headless form sat a tiki mask, perched upon what appeared to be a large cooking pot. The idol was adorned with shimmering pink gems at her nipples and navel, adding to its mystical aura. The tribe huddled around the statue, their voices rising in unison as they chanted, sang, and prayed to their deity.
One of the tribe, probably a leader or high-priest because he sat directly in front for the idol paused and raised his face to the ceiling. The chanting stopped.
He sniffed. “Tum Tum”, he said.
The others began to sniff as well. The priest stood and turned toward the congregation.
“TUM TUUUUUUM!” He exclaimed.
“Tum Tum”, the others said.
They all stood up and began to sniff the air. Something had gotten their attention; something that they could smell. Whatever it was excited them. It filled them with joy and enthusiasm. It was what they were praying for and their prayers had been answered.
They knew what they were sensing and there was no other way for it to be here, in their domicile, unless it was a gift from the gods. They scattered into the darkness of the cave to seek and find their quarry. They were filled with excitement knowing that their bellies would be full of the food that they prized above all else: the sweet, tender meat of a human female!
Amie stumbled ahead into the darkness of the tunnel. She could see little glowing dots that seemed to illuminate sharp points and hazards in the rocks. She had remembered a similar thing happening once when she was an undergrad in school and she and some of her friends had eaten psilocybin mushrooms and gone to the beach. She had noticed that all the sharp points on the rocks in the tide pools glowed. She had assumed that she was just noticing an effect of the moonlight on the rocks, but here it was again. It must be an effect of the psychotropic properties of the plant that had swallowed her. That meant that she was still hallucinating, and could not necessarily trust what her senses were telling her.
She saw a light up ahead. She didn’t know if it was a real light or if it was just her hallucinating brain, but her hallucinations appeared to be guiding her more than deceiving her, and with no other options really available to her, she headed toward the light that seemed to be guiding her on. As she slowly stumbled forward feeling her way down the rocky tunnel the lights ahead began to move and dance, casting strange shadows that should could not make out.
The dancing lights and sounds had a seductive effect on Amie’s tripping brain, pulling her forward into the sensory experience. She walked toward the sounds that seemed to be welcoming her, fascinated by the sensory experience, all fear had left her. The tunnel opened up into a chamber and she walked ahead into the open area. Lights and sounds danced all around her.
As Amie navigated the winding tunnel, she heard the chanting grow louder and more urgent with each passing moment. The air around her filled with the scent of sweat, fear, and something altogether unfamiliar. Her heart raced, and she knew that she was inches away from her fate.
The tribe members, now scattered throughout the cave in search of her, moved with the grace and determination of seasoned predators. Each one was focused on one goal: to capture the prey they had prayed for, and to offer it up to their deity in the ultimate act of devotion.
The walls of the cave glowed with a bioluminescent green light, becoming more intense as she approached. The jagged stalactites hanging from the ceiling dripped with water, adding to the eerie atmosphere. As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was surrounded by a group of people. They were sparsely clothed and their bodies were adorned with vibrant paint that seemed to glow in the darkness. Their faces were hidden behind masks, and some held torches while others had sharp spears. Despite their intimidating appearance, they welcomed her with happiness and excitement.
“Tum Tuuuum!”, went a cry from the gathered tribe.
Lights came up from the torches illuminating their faces as the tribe surrounded her. She wasn’t even sure if they were human. They were nearly naked, but their bodies were covered with paint or mud; perhaps both. Their faces were obscured by headdresses that had mask like coverings over the top half of their faces. Their mouths were mostly agape, their tongues out and some licking their lips. Even with the masks she could tell that all of their eyes were open wide and all were staring at her. Mostly they were staring at her tits.
“Damn, even a primitive tribe can’t seem to look at anything but my boobs” she thought to herself. But she noticed that their gaze was fixed a little bit lower.
“My tummy?” she thought. “They’re staring and drooling at my tummy!”
One of them raised his torch into the air and shouted.
“TUM TUUUUM!”
They rushed in and she suddenly felt hands on her.
Agatha considered her options. Even on the slight chance that Amie was still alive inside the plant, how could she get her out without getting eaten herself? She had gotten a few taaffeite stones. Those might be enough. She could try to get Amie free by chopping up the plant, but the plant would certainly fight back. Or, she could end up like Amie being digested inside the thing. What a quandary.
Agatha took a solid grip of her machete and went in swinging. She hacked at the stamen but only managed a small chop. The plant opened up and the tendrils reached for her. She stumbled back and barely got out of the way of the tendrils as they shot out after her.
“Well, that didn’t work for shit” Agatha said, reconsidering her plan. “I should gather up as much taaffeite as I can and head back to port town. Maybe I can get somebody to come back with me and we can try to get her out.”
Agatha was conflicted. She knew that the chances of Amie being still alive inside the plant were slim, and her chances of getting her out of there were possibly even slimmer, yet she felt that she needed to do something. Just leaving the poor girl to her fate without a fight was nagging Agatha with guilt and a sense of defeat. But she also had a strong sense of self-preservation, and trying to take on a large and aggressive plant seemed foolhardy. She needed something more than just her machete. Something like a chainsaw. Then she might feel more confident in her chances of success.
Agatha gathered up her belongings concluding against her instincts that getting back Amie was a recovery and not a rescue. She needed to go back to town and get better equipment. But she wasn’t going back without more taaffeite.
It was then that Agatha thought she heard a sound of drums. She listened hard. The rhythm was almost sensual, but intense and ritualistic. She tried to discern where the sound was coming from. She looked at her map. The cave; it seemed to be coming from that direction.
The cannibals? Could they have gotten Amie? She looked at Amie’s clothes strewn around the jungle floor. It was at least as likely that the cannibals took Amie as that she was still alive inside the plant, and if so then it was entirely possible that Amie was still alive. And according to her map, there might be gemstones in that area. Two birds with one stone; that seemed a reasonable plan.
“Rescuing Amie from cannibals and collecting more taaffeite seems a better plan than trying to cut Amie out of that plant”, she said, concluding that was her best course of action. She set off in the direction of the cave.
Amie was carried through the tunnel into another large cavern chamber. The natives carried her around the chamber circling some kind of idol that she could barely see. They began to chant and cheer as she was carried around. Some of the natives began beating on drums while others bound her hands and feet with crude rope fibers. They carried her off to a vertical post near the idol and pushed her back up against it. Her hands were tied to the post above her head and her feet to the bottom. She could not move more than to just wiggle her torso. When she did the natives’ eyes just about popped out of their sockets and left their tongues wagging.
She looked around the room. The main feature in the room was the idol. It was some kind of tiki totem topped with a crude carving that looked like a woman’s torso. She noticed a big stoneware cauldron sitting in the middle of a ring of stones. It looked just like one of those big cannibal pots from old Tarzan movies. She wondered if this was all still just a hallucination from the plant.
“Damn”, she said, “I’m stuck in the jungle cruise ride at Disneyland. Please, please be the jungle cruise ride at Disneyland!”
The main native, who she assumed must be the chief, knelt in front of the idol and bowed to it.
“TUM TUM!” he said, and the other natives halted their dancing. “TUM TUM!” they all cheered in unison, and then resumed their dancing and drumming.
"Do you know anything else, you pathetic excuse for a human?" Amie's voice shook with rage as she screamed at them. "What the hell is this supposed to mean?"
The chief slowly rose from the idol and approached Amie with an intimidating aura. He reached out and roughly stroked her belly with his open palm, making her cringe. As he pinched her stomach near her navel, a sadistic grin spread across his face. Without warning, he squeezed her breasts, thighs, and rump, relishing in her discomfort.
"Tum tum," he taunted with a sickening chuckle.
“Yeah, tum tum. Say something else for godsakes” she replied.
He ran his fingertips over the soft curve of her stomach, lingering at her belly button before bringing them to his lips. He closed his eyes and savored the taste on his tongue. "Yum Yum," he murmured with a satisfied smile.
“Well, at least that’s different. Not a lot, but I think I get the message.”
The chief's rough hands gripped Amie's hips tightly as he leaned in, his hot breath tickling her skin. He traced a trail of fire with his tongue from her navel up to the valley between her breasts, causing her to gasp and squirm. His moans of pleasure grew louder as he explored every inch of her midsection with his wet tongue.
As he straightened up, licking his lips, Amie couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and arousal. "What are you trying to tell me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
The chief responded by poking his finger into her belly and then pointing it at his open mouth, making a loud "slurping" noise as he sucked on his fingertip. Amie's stomach churned as she realized the true intentions of the cannibal tribe. The chief chuckled and smacked his lips before pointing at his own bulging belly, indicating that Amie would soon become part of their feast.
“Yum YUM!” he said to her.
The tribe again halted their dancing and drumming and shouted, “YUM YUM!”
“Well, that’s pretty clear” Amie said. “If there were any doubts about their intentions there aren’t any now. I suppose I can say with certainty… they’re definitely cannibals, and they do eat women!”
Amie looked at the rough, mud-crusted feet of the chief and then back up at his eyes, which shone with a lust she'd never seen before. She realized with a sinking feeling that she was the main course for this feast and the cannibal tribe's craze for her body was about to start. She hoped against hope that Agatha was on her way to free her, but worried that if she were then she was heading straight into the jaws of danger.
The chief's eyes gleamed with primal desire as he circled around her, the rest of the tribe following his lead in a wild frenzy. Their bodies moved in rhythmic patterns, drawing closer and closer to her until she could feel their heat radiating off their skin. She was bound and naked, completely vulnerable to their carnal desires. The tribe's mouths watered as they gazed upon her, their instincts taking over as they hungrily devoured her with their eyes.
As they danced around her, their movements became more frenzied and urgent. One brave member lunged forward and licked her belly, his wet tongue leaving a trail against her skin. The others followed suit, each taking turns licking and nipping at her exposed body as they continued their wild dance.
Their lust consumed them, pushing them closer and closer to the point of no return. Soon, they were all pressed against her, their hands and tongues exploring every inch of her trembling form. As she felt that she couldn’t take any more, Amie closed her eyes, trying to imagine Agatha finding her, rescuing her, and leading her out of this horrifying situation. She could feel the sweat on her skin, the cold air against her naked body, and the growing sense of fear and disgust within her. The dancers' hands brushed against her skin, their saliva dripping onto her flesh, she could not help but wonder how many other women had been subjected to this horrifying treatment.
Even worse was that through the fear and disgust she felt herself becoming aroused. It was her own body betraying her. All of these people - if that is what they were - wanted her. They wanted her more than any other person had ever wanted her. To consume her. To experience her with all of their senses. The psychotropic drug from the plant was still working in her brain and intensifying every sensation and emotion.
“Please! Please just be an hallucination!” she thought to herself. “Just let me wake up back in the jungle with the plant.”
As the dancing and licking continued, she felt that she couldn't endure this torment much longer. Her eyes flickered open as she saw Agatha running towards her, a look of determination and urgency on her face. Amie tried to call out to her, to tell her where she was and how she had ended up here, but before she could, the tribe's drums began to roar and echo through the cavern.
Amie's eyes widened in panic as she realized that the roar of the drums was for something far more sinister than a simple dance. She screamed, straining against her bonds as the entire tribe began to chant in unison, their voices echoing off the cavern walls. As the drums reached a deafening crescendo, she realized that Agatha was nothing but an hallucination; her mind seeing what she wanted to see.
The dancing and drumming suddenly stopped and the tribe withdrew. The chief approached again and started to cut away the ropes that bound Amie to the post.
Meanwhile, Agatha battled her way through the jungle, following the faint sound of drums that grew louder with each passing minute. She wiped the sweat from her brow, knowing that her mission was to rescue Amie and bring her out of the jungle safely. She thought about the possibility of finding more taaffeite. The money those stones would bring would be her ticket home, or anywhere for that matter. She wouldn’t have to work anymore in that dingy bar stripping for lowlifes and perverts. The taaffeite was her ticket to a better life, or at least to escape the one she found herself in. But she could not live with herself if she let Amie die without doing something to save her. Agatha barely knew the girl, yet she felt some odd bond with her. If there was a way to rescue Amie from whatever situation she was in, and get enough taaffeite to get them both out of the Oooga Booga and her life in Port Town, it was what she had to do. For right now, though, finding Amie was the priority.
The sound of drums got louder as Agatha approached the cave. She did not have to search hard for the cave entrance as the drums led her to it. When she found the cave opening in the side of a rocky outcropping it was clear that the drumming was coming from inside.
Agatha crept up to the opening of the cave, stepping lightly so as not to make any sound in the debris that lined the ground. She noticed that there were several pinkish stones in the rocky debris, and she stopped to pick some up and examine them.
“Taaffeite!” she exclaimed. She looked around. There were a lot of these stones.
“It looks like this cave may be the motherlode. Maybe I can rescue Amie and collect my gemstones.”
As Agatha stepped into the cave, the sound of the drums reverberated through the dark, damp walls. The stench of damp earth, sweat, and blood assaulted her nostrils, and she held her breath as she peered into the gloom. As she ventured deeper into the cave she stooped to pick up any of the loose stones that she could see.
The light from outside barely penetrated the cave, leaving the interior in shadows that shifted and danced in perfect synchrony with the beating of the drums. Agatha felt a chill run down her spine as she realized that she was not alone in the cave. She spotted a few flickers of movement amidst the shadows, and her heart pounded in her chest.
Cautiously, she made her way deeper into the cave, her eyes scanning the darkness for a glimpse of her friend. As she drew nearer, she heard the faint sounds of Amie's muffled screams and the guttural laughter of the cannibals.
Amie had been bound to an altar-like structure at the center of the cave. The chief and his tribe had gathered around her, their eyes gleaming with hunger and anticipation. They were about to make their final offering to their idol, the tiki totem adorned with the crude carving of a woman's torso.
Nearby Agatha could see a giant earthenware cauldron, a fire burning underneath it and steam beginning to rise from the hot liquid inside.
“These people really are cannibals!” Agatha thought to herself, “I think that they’re planning to cook Amie in that big pot. Damn! It’s like were in some crazy old jungle adventure movie!”
Agatha's heart raced as she saw the spectacle before her. She knew she had to act quickly, but also had to be careful. She attempted to organize her thoughts while trying to remain hidden from the cannibals' prying eyes.
The most potent scent wafting through the air was that of salt, mixed with the pungent aroma of fear and desire. Amie's eyes were wide with terror as she pleaded for her life, her voice barely audible above the incessant beating of the drums. The cannibals howled and jeered, their bodies glistening with sweat as they licked their lips in anticipation of the coming feast.
Agatha swallowed hard, her heart thumping in her chest as she slowly approached the altar. She could see the chief's eyes locked onto Amie’s naked body, the hunger in them barely veiled as he watched her struggle to free herself. The chief’s hand stroked and caressed Amie’s breasts and abdomen as he stared intensely at her naked body. He licked his lips and chuckled gleefully as her felt her body.
"Tum tum," he grunted, his deep voice reverberating through the cave. "Tum tum, tum tum."
His words sent a chill down Agatha's spine as she realized the gravity of the situation. She was not just rescuing her friend - she was going to have to confront the entire tribe and their grotesque rituals.
The drums continued to beat, each hit syncing perfectly with the pounding of Agatha's heart. She steadied her breath and focused on the task at hand. She needed a plan, and fast.
As Agatha stepped forward, she felt a surge of adrenaline course through her veins. She gripped her machete tightly, her body tense and ready for action. With a battle cry, she charged towards the cannibals, her eyes never leaving the chief's.
The chief's eyes widened in surprise as Agatha lunged at him, her blade flashing through the air. The chief tried to dodge, but Agatha's military training and years of experience on the streets came into play, and she managed to strike him squarely in the throat. He gurgled and fell to the ground, his eyes filling with shock and terror before they went blank.
The cannibals roared in rage and fury, their primal instincts taking over as they charged at Agatha with their spears and clubs.
With a sudden burst of adrenaline, Agatha charged forward, casting aside her fear and uncertainty. She brandished her machete and began to hack at the ropes binding Amie's wrists. The tribe roared with surprise and rage as Amie broke free, her body writhing in protest from the tight ropes. Agatha, her eyes locked on Amie, continued to hack at the ropes holding Amie's feet as fast as she could.
The chief, now badly wounded, and his tribe were caught off-guard; disoriented by Agatha's sudden attack. The idol, adorned with the crude carving of a woman's torso, seemed to come to life as the drums began to beat faster and the cannibals grew more frantic.
As Amie's legs were released from their bonds, she and Agatha grabbed each other, and together they fought their way out of the cave. The cannibals chased after them, their faces twisted in anger and greed as they tried to reclaim their prized feast. But there was another feast to be had, too. This woman that had interrupted their festivities could be added to the feast.
“TUM TUM!”, the chief shouted, and indicated to his tribe that this was not over, and they would indeed eat well that night.
As they scrambled out of the cave Amie was not sure what had happened or if it were even real.
“Agatha!” she exclaimed. “Is it really you? Am I still hallucinating?”
“It’s real”, said Agatha, “and getting more real every moment. Let’s move! We need to get out of here, now!”
“Where are we going?” Amie asked.
“Anywhere that’s not here” Agatha answered, pulling Amie along behind her. “According to the map there is some kind of a hut down a ravine and through a patch of foliage from here. Hopefully that will hide us until we can get there.”
Agatha and Amie ran as fast as they could through the thick, damp jungle. The cannibals pursued them relentlessly, their grunts and barks echoing through the forest. Agatha's machete was gripped tightly in her hand, her heart pounding in her chest.
As they stumbled over fallen trees and dived through thick vines, the girls could hear the vicious snarls of the cannibals gaining ground. Amie, her eyes wide with fear, stumbled and fell, scraping her knee on a jagged rock. Agatha quickly helped her to her feet and they continued to run, the jungle floor becoming increasingly treacherous.
Suddenly, Agatha spotted the small hut nestled in the clearing ahead. It was their only hope of evading their pursuers. As they approached, Agatha carefully pushed open the wooden door.
Inside the hut, they found a small fire stoked with embers, and a rack full of taaffeite. Amie's eyes widened at the sight of the gemstones.
“Aren’t those the stones that you were looking for?” Amie asked, pointing at the basket filled with the gemstones.
Agatha picked up one of the stones and examined it.
“It sure does look like it”, Agatha answered. “My luck to have this just fall into my hands while I am trying to escape from a tribe of hungry cannibals.”
Her mind racing with thoughts of their value and how they could potentially save her and Agatha, Amie began to think of a plan.
"Agatha," she whispered, her tone urgent, "do you think there is a way we can use these gemstones to trade for our freedom, or at least get us far away from here."
“Good idea”, Agatha replied. “But what makes you think that the cannibals are interested in taaffeite? There is nobody else here that would be. What we need to do is to find a way to get back to the boat and get the hell out of here. But at least someone left me a pile of them to take with me.”
“It was all over their idol”, Amie answered. “Maybe they think it is a sacred stone.”
“I get the feeling that there is a lot of it here” Agatha pondered. “Besides, they seemed a lot more keen on getting a taste of you than collecting rocks. I am not sure that a bunch of stones are going to change their minds about that. I don’t think I want to try to negotiate with them, anyway. Let’s call that the plan of last resort.”
A thought occurred to Amie.
“If someone left a basket full of taaffeite in this hut, and the cannibals are not interested in them, then doesn’t that mean that someone else is here?”
Sounds of someone approaching started coming from the outside. Someone was approaching the hut. They had been discovered.
“The cannibals!” Amie gasped.
As Amie and Agatha huddled together in the small hut, the wooden door began to swing open and a figure entered. It took a brief moment for Agatha and Amie to recognize a familiar face.
“Jungle Judd!” exclaimed Agatha, a sound of shock and surprise in her voice.
“That’s right, little lady”, he said with a patronizing tone. “Surprised to see me? I brought a friend along, too.”
As Judd stepped aside another figure entered from behind him; one the Amie did not recognize, but Agatha did.
“You!” she gasped.
“Mark,” he said back to Agatha. “In case you didn’t get my name last night”.
“What are you doing here?” Agatha asked.
“You stole my map! And my stone”, he said. “I went looking for you and this gentleman said you and another girl got a boat for the Oooga Booga.”
“I see you met the cannibals, too” chuckled Judd. “They’re in quite the frenzy lookin’ for ya.” He winked at Amie. “I told you you’d get yourself eaten here.”
“Are we safe here?” asked Agatha. “How long until the cannibals find us?”
“We set a mark on the hut”, Jungle Judd answered. “To them it’s a tabu. It’ll keep ‘em away for a little while but we can’t stay here for long. Their hunger for you will eventually overwhelm their fear of a fake tabu.”
“So they know we are here?” Agatha speculated.
“Hard to say”, Jungle Judd answered. “Wouldn’t surprise me if they did and are just biding their time.”
They were the last people that Agatha had wanted to see, but their presence now offered a glimmer of hope. The question was, what were Mark’s intentions? Agatha eyed Mark suspiciously. He wore the same smug smile she'd seen on his face in the tavern in town. Mark hadn't come for a bargain; he was after revenge.
He walked up to Agatha and put out his hand. “I’ll take my map back now, thank you”, he said.
“The stone you can keep. As you can see, I have others” he said, gesturing toward the pile of taaffeite. “And thank you for helping me to realize what it really was.”
Agatha rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew that this was not the time for confrontation, but she couldn't help feeling irritated at the situation she found herself in.
“You can have your map back, but I want something in return.” She said, crossing her arms. “No harm comes to us tonight.”
Judd chuckled, and Mark raised an eyebrow.
“Alright, little lady. No harm comes to you. But what do you want in return?” Judd asked, leaning against the wall.
Amie, who had been silent throughout the conversation, spoke up. “We need a way out of here. Can you help us?”
Judd and Mark exchanged a glance. Judd scratched his beard, considering the situation.
“We can deal with the cannibals, no problem. But you’re going to have to do something for us in return.”
Amie narrowed her eyes. “What do you want us to do?” she asked.
“Well, I don’t know about Mark here, but I think I want a taste of what those cannibals are after”, he said, his gaze boring into Amie’s.
“You mean you want to eat me, too?” Amie shot back sarcastically.
“Only in a manner of speaking”, he said. “I thought you were cute back at the shop, but you look a damn sight better naked. I think you catch my drift?”
“You want me to fuck you”, she said with an exasperated tone.
“As if your life depended on it”, he answered. “Which, it seems to me, it does.”
Mark was incredulous. “You want to wango tango with her now with a tribe of cannibals bearing down on us? What are you crazy?”
“I’ve been called that”, Jungle Judd responded.
“You’re a sick fucking pervert!” Agatha interjected.
"Pervert or not," Judd retorted, "these cannibals are hungry, and I've been known to be practical. It's the jungle, after all. Survival of the fittest, and the weakest end up as dinner."
Amie's eyes widened and she looked at Agatha, who squinted her eyes and briefly looked away, then nodded begrudgingly. "Alright," Amie sighed, "we'll do it. But just this once. And only if you get us out of here."
“And you’re wearing a fucking rubber! Non-negotiable”, she added.
Judd smirked and gestured for Amie to follow him. "Come on, then. Let's go give those cannibals something to talk about."
Feeling betrayed and violated, Amie followed Judd outside. As she stepped out into the fading sunlight over the jungle, she could hear the sound of pounding drums and animalistic howls. This was not the life she had ever imagined for herself.
Outside the hut the jungle shadows were moving and seemed to emerge of the trees. But it wasn’t shadows. The cannibals had them surrounded and were closing in.
Suddenly, Judd stopped and turned to Amie.
“Looks like this may have to wait, sweet cakes”, he said. “Go back inside.”
“And send Mark out”, he added.
Amie reluctantly did as she was told, but her heart raced in fear and anger. How many more indignities would she have to endure? What was worse, she wondered: having to submit to Jungle Judd’s perverted lust, or more molestation and death at the hands of the cannibals?
As Amie re-entered the hut she told the others the bad news.
“The cannibals have us surrounded”, she said dejectedly. “Judd wants Mark out there with him.”
Mark nodded and exited the hut. As he left Agatha glared at Judd through the open door, planning her revenge for later. She knew that she and Amie were at the mercy of these men, but she refused to be a victim.
Inside the hut, Amie huddled with Agatha, her mind racing with thoughts of their perilous situation. She couldn't believe she had been so naive to think that they could escape unscathed.
As the minutes ticked by, Amie could hear the cannibals drawing closer, their grunts and howls growing louder. She could feel the throbbing in her temples, the sweat on her brow, and the beating of her heart. She knew that time was running out.
Outside, Judd was trying to find a way out of the situation. He knew that it was only a matter of time before the cannibals found them. He glanced over at Mark, who was standing nearby, still holding the map.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck Judd. Keeping his voice to a near whisper he turned to Mark and said, "You know, Mark, I think we could make a pretty penny selling these women to them. Just think of all the money we could make! They are the main obstacle to getting at the main source of the taaffeite stones. We want the stones, they want the women.”
Mark looked at Judd with a disgusted expression. "You're sick, man."
"I know, I know," Judd replied. "But we're in a tough spot here. These women are the key to our survival. We need to think of a way to keep from getting ourselves killed."
Mark sighed. "Alright. Let's hear it."
“You gotta gun, right?” Jungle Judd asked.
“Yeah”, Mark said, “But not enough bullets to take on an entire tribe. Kill one and we’re dead.”
“You’ll only need one shot”, Jungle Judd explained. “Fire it into the air. In this case I think the big noise is worth more than the lead.”
The pounding drums and animalistic howls filled the air as they made their way towards the surrounding cannibals. They moved slowly and cautiously. The cannibals closed in, spears and clubs ready to strike. Mark drew his pistol and fired a shot into the air.
The cannibals, startled by the sound of the shot, stopped their advance.
“It worked”, Judd said. “For now, at least.”
Jungle Judd raised his hands, his fingers outstretched to show that they did not carry a weapon.
“Talky Talk”, he shouted. “As if these bastards have any idea what that means”, he muttered to himself.
The cannibals did not seem to comprehend the message, and the tension remained high as they stared at Jungle Judd and Mark. Amie and Agatha watched from inside the hut, fear etched on their faces.
Jungle Judd, sensing that time was running out, approached the cannibals, spreading out his hands to show that he meant no harm.
"We come in peace," he said in a loud voice, hoping to be heard above the pounding drums and animalistic howls. "We are here to trade. We have things of value to offer."
He gestured at Mark, who pulled out the map and the precious taaffeite stones, holding them up for the cannibals to see. The cannibals, while still wary, appeared to be interested in the offer.
Jungle Judd and Mark exchanged a look, knowing that they had to keep the cannibals distracted if they were to have any hope of escaping with the taaffeite stones and the map.
A small group of the cannibals stepped forward, their weapons in hand but not raised in threat.
“Seems that maybe they want to talk”, Jungle Judd said to Mark.
“How are we going to communicate with these people?” Mark asked. “Do you know any native language?”
“A smattering of a few dialects. Maybe something is similar. You?”
“Not really the native languages”, Mark answered. “Except for those spoken around the fishing village. I guess we do the best we can.”
“And where words fail, gestures and signs”, Judd said. “The deal can’t be very complicated.”
Jungle Judd and Mark strode forward cautiously. The cannibal delegation came slowly forward to meet them.
Mark held up the stone. The chief grunted. The grunt did not sound as though he were impressed.
The chief made a motion with his hands. He had seen that gesture before. It was often made by men to indicate a curvy woman. He then cupped his hands over his chest.
“Breasts”, said Jungle Judd. “He’s talking about tits”.
“And hourglass curves” added Mark. “Kind of the universal symbol.”
They looked at eat other. “Amie”, they both said in unison.
Judd nodded that he understood.
The chief repeated the gestures. He then pointed into his mouth, then licked his lips and rubbed is belly.
“It looks like the chief’s got a sweet tooth”, chuckled Jungle Judd. “And they don’t come much sweeter than little Amie.”
Mark gave a pained expression. “I hate this”, he said.
“Would you rather have your skull decorating their cave?” Judd asked rhetorically. “Hold up the stone”.
Mark held up one of the taaffeite stones. Judd gestured toward the stone and then toward himself and Mark. He then repeated the curve gesture of the chief, and then gestured toward the cannibals in a giving motion. The chief smiled and licked his lips.
“Seems he understands”, said Judd.
The chief reached onto his belt and retrieved a cylindrical wooden object. He opened the top and reached inside, pulling out two sharp feathered darts. He made a quick pricking gesture toward his neck, and then repeated the curvy gesture. He then offered the darts to Judd.
Judd took the darts. He held them up, showing them to Mark.
“Might just make things a bit easier, eh?”
“I guess you’re not going to be getting your tumble with Amie”, Mark said with a sarcastic tone.
"No. No I guess not” said Judd, a tinge of regret in his voice. “Can’t be helped. Shame for all that lovely flesh to just end up as a pile of poop in a cave cess pit.”
Judd turned to Mark. “You know Agatha’s going with her, right? I don’t see any way around that. You two have a thing going?”
“Nah, not really”, answered Mark. “Last night I thought maybe. Hell of a nice looking woman. Tight athletic body, sharp… we did end up in bed. I don’t know if anything happened, though. I was too drunk. But that was her plan, I think. Then she betrayed me; stole my map and ran off. Looks like I get to return the favor, now. Doesn't exactly even the score, though. My betrayal is worse.”
Mark dipped and shook his head. “All of which led to the mess we’re in now”, he said regretfully. “I hate to see her end up this way, though.”
“Come on”, said Judd gesturing back toward the hut. “Let’s get going.”
The two men slowly backed away from the cannibals and then turned to walk back to the hut. On the way, Judd handed Mark one of the darts.
“Distract her and then get her in the neck with this”, he said. “Let’s hope it acts quickly. I don’t think she’ll take it well. I’ll take care of Amie.”
“And follow my lead”, Judd added. “I’m going to lie through my teeth to them.”
Meanwhile Agatha and Amie were peeking through the door trying to get a glimpse of what was going on with the negotiations. They couldn’t see much; just a lot of gesturing.
“They seem to be communicating somehow”, Amie said. “Looks like a lot of gesturing and sign language.”
“Well, they’re not dead and the cannibals aren’t charging the hut,” said Agatha, “so… I’ll take that as a positive sign.”
“I guess they don’t have as much of a taste for men as they do for women”, pondered Amie. “I never got the chance to communicate anything. They just grabbed me and carried me off. And then started licking me”, she shuddered.
“Well, you do look a lot tastier than either of them”, Agatha joked in a fainthearted effort to lighten the mood.”
“That’s me”, Amie chimed in. “Tasty Amie. It’s a curse, I tell you.”
“I still don’t trust them”, Agatha said. “Why the hell did they come here. I know it wasn’t to rescue us. But now we kind of seem to be in their debt. I don’t like it.”
I can’t make out what is going on”, Amie said and scooted away from the door. “I wish there was something here that I could wear. I feel even more vulnerable being naked, especially around those guys.”
“We can find something to wrap around you when we get back to the boat” Agatha advised. “Too bad we can’t get back to where that plant is. Some of your clothes were still there.”
Agatha went to the door to see what was going on. She saw the two men returning. The meeting has apparently concluded.
“They’re coming back”, Agatha said to Amie. “They’re both alive and seemingly unharmed.”
The two men returned to the hut and came inside. Agatha and Amie watched them with growing anticipation.
“What?” Asked Agatha. “Did you make some kind of an agreement with them?”
“Hopefully one that doesn’t involve me going into a boiling pot?” Amie added.
Mark shot a glance at Judd, giving him the floor to explain.
“Well, it’s all about the taaffeite”, Judd explained. “Those stones are sacred to them and they don’t want anyone taking them. Near as I can tell, the penalty for stealing their stones is ritual sacrifice and then, well, dinner. If we want to leave here with our meat still on our bones, we need to leave the stones alone.”
“But I wasn’t stealing their stones!” Amie exclaimed.
“They didn’t know that”, Judd speculated. “There you are in their cave looking like…” He hesitated and stammered a bit, “…looking like that… and they just jumped to the conclusion they preferred anyway.”
“So we can leave as long as we don’t take any taaffeite?” Agatha summarized.
“In a nutshell… yes!” Judd replied.
“So we can just go?” Amie asked.
“Well, we have to give them back all of the taaffeite first” answered Judd. “And then we can go back to the boats.”
“After all we’ve been through?” Agatha said. “Seems a bit too good to be true.”
“Well, sometimes things actually are what they are”, Judd said.
“Then I want to go back to my plant” Amie said boldly. “I can get my sample, and retrieve my clothes. Then this whole ordeal will not be for nothing.”
“It’ll be getting dark soon”, Mark objected. “I think it would be better if we just leave. We’ll find you something to wear.”
Jungle Judd laughed. “I rather like you better the way you’re dressed now”, he said. “But OK. Let’s go get your clothes. Might give us some alone time, too”, he concluded with a wink.
Amie looked disgusted, but at this point she would do anything to be able to leave with her sample, and her clothes.
“You two gather up the taaffeite so we can return it to the natives.” Judd instructed. “Amie and I have a date. With a plant, apparently”
“I’ll go with you”, Agatha demanded. “Someone needs to look out for Amie. Mark can gather up the taaffeite.”
“Do you trust him with that?” asked Judd. “I wouldn’t”.
“I wouldn’t trust you if I were Amie”, Agatha replied.
“I appreciate your concern, Agatha”, said Amie appreciatively, “But if there is any way that I can get my plant sample and my clothes I need to take it. If Jungle Judd can help me do that then… I have my part of a bargain to keep, too.”
Agatha gave a painful expression on her face but realized that Amie had made up her mind. She went to her rucksack and pulled out a flashlight.
“You’ll need this”, Agatha said, handing Amie the flashlight and the map. “And be careful. Don’t let it eat you again.”
Amie and Jungle Judd left the hut to seek out Amie’s plant leaving Agatha alone with Mark.
“I need to ask”, Mark said to Agatha, “why did you steal my map and my stone and leave me in the hotel?”
“I recognized that your stone was taaffeite, not spinel like you thought it was. I saw a way out of my situation.”
“Why not just tell me what the stone was and what your plan was?” asked Mark. “I could have helped.”
Agatha paused a moment for thought.
“My independent mindedness, I suppose”, she answered. “And I really don’t trust men.”
“But you don’t even know me”, said Mark.
She looked at Mark intensely. “I have good reason not to trust men”, she said. “Any man I have ever trusted has led me to major disappointment. And I don’t know you as anyone other than a drunken horny guy in a bar trying to get into my pants.”
“Did we…?” Mark started to ask.
“No”, Agatha answered without hesitation. “You were too drunk and you passed out.”
“And you let that happen because you wanted the stone and the map?”, he asked.
“Yes”, she answered.
Mark took a moment of silence. Agatha watched him, trying to see if she could make out what he was thinking. He looked conflicted, as if he was struggling with something.
“So”, Agatha started, “Can you tell me the truth? Are the cannibals really going to let us go if we return and leave the taaffeite? Or is Judd’s bargain your freedom and the taaffeite for Amie?”
She paused. “…and, presumably, me?”
Mark looked at Agatha, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. “You’re right.” he said, his voice low and serious. “They don’t care at all about the taaffeite, they just want to take Amie as a sacrifice”.
Agatha’s eyes widened in horror. “Amie? No! She’s innocent! She’s not done anything wrong, other than being reckless and naive.”
Mark nodded; his expression grim. “But they don’t see it that way. To them, she’s just another exotic treat. And if we want to leave this place alive, we might have to make that deal.”
“I won’t let it happen”, Agatha declared, her voice shaking with determination. “I’ll find a way to rescue her.”
“But how? Mark asked, his eyes filled with concern. “We’re not exactly in a position of power here.”
“We have skills”, Agatha said. “I can fight. We can make it work.”
Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know, Agatha. This whole situation is dangerous enough as it is. If we try to save Amie, we might end up sacrificed along with her. Judd is sure that is what is going to happen. Sadly, I think he is right about that.”
“So he made a deal with the cannibals to give them Amie?”, Agatha said incredulously. It was a statement as much as it was a question.
“And we could leave with the taaffeite… and our lives”, Mark replied.
“And where am I in this plan of Judd’s?” Agatha questioned.
“He figured you would never go for it.” Mark answered. “And if you didn’t, you go to the cannibals along with Amie.”
“He left with her!” Agatha gasped. “Is he taking her to the cannibals now?”
Mark looked as though he were on the verge of tears. “I think that is his plan”, he said. “He didn’t share a lot of details with me.”
“I can’t let this happen!” Agatha shouted. “Fuck the taaffeite! I need to stop him.”
Agatha pulled her machete and bolted for the door. Mark blocked her and grabbed her with both hands.
“If you go charging out there, you’ll get yourself killed, along with the rest of us!” He told her. “If we want to stop Judd’s plan then we need a better one.”
He relaxed his grip, a tone of exasperation added to his voice. “I just wish to hell that I had one!”
Judd led Amie out into the jungle. He scanned the shrubs and trees for any sign of the cannibals. If they were here - and they almost certainly were - they had hidden themselves well. He paused and looked back at Amie.
“You know where this plant is, don’t you?” he said. “Maybe you should lead the way.”
Amie rolled out the map. “Well, let’s see”, she said. “This is where we left the boat. The plant was up here from there… This is the hut… So, the plant should be…”
She looked up and surveyed what she could see of the skyline and pointed a finger, “…that way. I think.”
“I want you to know: this is not a good idea”, Judd told her. “It is going to be dark soon and if we even find this plant of yours, we may not be able to find our way back.”
“I need for this entire ordeal to mean something”, she said. “I came here for that plant and I don’t want to leave without it. Or my clothes. And that is where they are. By the plant”.
“I understand”, Judd countered, “but this is very dangerous. We should go back to the hut.”
“I will go on my own then”, she said defiantly and plunged ahead into the brush. She didn’t get far before she stumbled over something and fell.
Jungle Judd thought, “this is my chance”. He reached into his pouch and pulled out the dart. He then ran to help her up.
“See?”, he scolded. “Can’t this be done another time? We can find some other options to get your plant. Another time.”
She started crying. “This whole thing has been such a mess. How could any of this possibly have happened?”
“The Oooga Booga is a very strange place”, Judd said. “We don’t belong here. Nobody belongs here!”
He put his arms around her. He held her tight while she sobbed. Then he raised the dart to prick her in the neck with it. His hand stopped. He tried again.
“Come on!” he thought to himself. “This needs to be done. It’s our only way out of here.”
He realized he could not bring himself to betray her like this. He dropped the dart. Emotion overcame him and he double over and began to cry himself.
Amie didn’t know what was going on.
“I can’t do it!”, he sobbed, “And I have just signed our death warrant.”
“What do you mean?”, Amie asked with concern.
“The damn natives don’t care about the taaffeite”, he admitted. “All they want is you.”
“What?” Amie gasped. “You lied? You made that whole thing up?”
“I figured it was the only way for the rest of us to get out of here”, he went on. “To sacrifice you. And then we could leave with the taaffeite. But I can’t. I can’t do it.”
“Was Agatha in on this?” she asked.
“No”, he said. “I figured that she would never go for it. Mark had another dart and we would give her to the cannibals, too.”
“Agatha was suspicious”, Amie said. “I should have listened to her. Now I’m going to get her killed too.”
“So what? You suddenly had an attack of conscience?”, she asked.
“God damn it!” He growled. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Amie laughed. “Are you kidding me?”
“I wish I were”, he said. “It’s stupid. It’s impractical. I’m more than twice your age. I’m a silly old fool of a man that is going to die because I fell for a young girl.”
“What can we do?”, she asked, a tone of panic beginning to set in.
“We need to go back to the hut. Grab all the taaffeite and try to make it back to the boats under the cover of darkness”, he said.
“WIll that work?” she asked. “Why wasn’t that the plan all along?”
“It almost certainly will not work”, he replied. “But if I can’t give you to the cannibals then it’s our only hope.”
Judd grabbed Amie’s wrist and started to make a run back toward the hut. They got not more than a few steps until the cannibals charged out of the forest brandishing their spears in attack position. Jungle Judd drew his machete to make a stand against them. The cannibals closed in and surrounded them.
Amie was terrified. “No, no, NO!”, she screamed. She grabbed Judd’s arm and looked up at him.
“If you can get me out of this”, she told him, “I’ll give you the best fuck of your life!”
“Well, that’s a better incentive than the taaffeite!” he laughed.
Just then a feathered dart struck Amie just above her left breast. She reached to pull it out.
“Oh, no”, she said. “That’s not good.”
“There’s too many of them”, Judd said. “And those spears look mighty sharp.”
“I feel funny”, said Amie. She stated to crumple in Judd’s arm and she fell to the ground. Judd raised his machete and prepared to charge the cannibal throng when a spear came out of the darkness and struck him in the heart. Amie saw him collapse to the ground before everything went black.
Agatha and Mark heard the cannibal drums start up again along with the shouts and hoots of the cannibals. The sounds were farther away than they had been before.
“Something has happened”, Mark said.
“Judd has delivered her to the cannibals”, Agatha speculated. “Or they have attacked them outright. They wouldn’t have had time to make it to the plant. That was a stupid idea!”
Mark looked up in thought.
“OK, here’s a new plan”, he said. “If the cannibals are distracted with Judd and Amie this is our chance to get out of here while they are otherwise occupied. We take as much taaffeite as we can and make a run for the boats.”
“But what about Amie?” Agatha asked.
“There is nothing that we can do for Amie now”, Mark said. “But maybe we can save ourselves.”
“I can’t just leave her!” Agatha exclaimed.
“Go after her and you join her in the pot”, Mark told her sternly. “Or, we leave now with enough taaffeite that you can get out of port town and go wherever you want to.”
Agatha could not deny Mark’s reasoning. Could she live with herself if she abandoned Amie? At least she would be living. If Amie was already lost then Mark’s plan made the most sense.
“Oh, God NO!” Agatha screamed. “I hate this! But you’re right. Now’s the time. Let’s go.”
Agatha emptied the contents of the basket of taaffeite into her rucksack. “Do you know how to get to the boats from here?” she asked excitedly.
“I think so”, said Mark. “Let’s make a run for it as fast as we can!”
Mark opened the door of the hut enough to peek out at the surrounding jungle. All appeared to be still. He surveyed the surrounding area in the dying daylight but saw no sign of any stirring at all.
“It looks quiet out there” he said. “I think the cannibals have gone after Judd and Amie. Maybe they’re not interested in us. This may be the time to make our move”.
Agatha was conflicted. She felt horrible about leaving Amie to the cannibals but had to conclude that Mark was right. There was likely no way that they could rescue Amie and escape the cannibals themselves.
Cautiously Mark and Agatha exited the hut. Without the map it was difficult to know exactly where the boats were from their location but Mark had a pretty good idea.
“There should be a stream near here”, he said. “If we follow that stream it will lead us to the beach. From there we can follow the shore until we find the boats”.
“Do you know which way the stream is?” Agatha asked.
Mark looked to find the last of the setting sun. “That’s west”, he said. “The stream should be roughly east of the hut”.
Mark and Agatha crept out of the rundown hut, their feet crunching on dry leaves and twigs. They made their way through the dense trees, following the setting sun towards the stream. Both had bags slung over their shoulders, filled to the brim with precious taaffeite that could lead them to a better life. As night fell, they relied on the silvery glow of moonlight reflecting off the water to guide them downstream towards the beach. However, their journey took an unexpected turn when the stream turned into a narrow ravine, blocked by piles of debris that they had to navigate around in order to continue forward.
“We’ll have to go around this” said Mark. “We’ll have to climb out of this ravine and do our best to follow edge to the beach”.
“We lose our cover” Agatha warned. “And most of our light source”.
“I think the cannibals are busy with Judd and Amie” Mark speculated. “There has been no sign of them. Hopefully we’ll be OK”.
Agatha and Mark cautiously climbed out of the ravine, their hearts pounding with each step. The thick foliage made it difficult to see ahead, but the sound of rushing water still echoed in their ears. They clung to the edge of the ravine, trying to maintain as much darkness as possible while keeping their sense of direction.
As they carefully maneuvered around the obstacle, Agatha couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The dense foliage seemed to close in around them, the rustling of leaves in the night breeze sending shivers down her spine. Mark, ever the pragmatist, tried to keep her focused on their goal.
"We'll just have to keep moving, Agatha" he reassured her. "We're almost there."
Despite her unease, Agatha could not deny that the journey was breathtaking. The jungle seemed to open up before them, revealing a vast landscape of twisting vines, towering trees, and exotic flowers. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint aroma of something sweet and otherworldly.
Mark, still holding the precious taaffeite, whispered, "I feel like we're being watched."
Agatha nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the shadows for any signs of movement. They clung to the side of the stream as it was their only direction to get them to the beach where the boats were waiting for them. The path, what little of it there was, was sloping down and it looked like up ahead the ravine ended and they could use the stream again. Agatha thought that the beach must be close.
The dense jungle suddenly erupted with a cacophony of terrifying shrieks and pounding footsteps. A swarm of cannibal warriors, their bodies painted with intricate designs, appeared from the foliage, their teeth bared and spears raised. Mark frantically reached for his gun, but a sharp spear pierced his arm, causing him to stumble towards the edge of the nearby ravine. As he struggled to maintain his balance, his gun slipped from his grasp and tumbled into the depths below. In an instant, the cannibals were upon him, pouncing on him with ferocious strength as they dragged him to the ground like a pack of wild animals.
Agatha's heart raced as she stood in the center of a circle formed by bloodthirsty cannibals. The tips of their spears quivered just inches from her body, sending shivers down her spine. She gripped her trusty machete and prepared for an attack. As a spear darted towards her chest, she deftly swung her blade and shattered the wooden shaft. As she swung her machete again a dart struck her throat, followed by one to her breast. With a fierce roar, she shattered two more spear shafts with her machete before turning to make a desperate leap into the ravine below. However, before she could jump, a crude net was thrown over her and yanked back by unseen hands. Her feet slipped out from under her as she fell to the ground, completely at the mercy of the cannibals surrounding her.
Agatha's body froze in terror, her muscles rendered useless by the poison on the native darts. She desperately tried to move or reach for her machete but it was like her limbs were encased in concrete. The cannibals swarmed around her, their rotting breath and gnarled fingers closing in on her paralyzed form. She strained to turn her head, to see if Mark was still alive, but her neck refused to budge. As the cannibals hoisted her up and carried her away into the darkness, Agatha's vision dimmed and she succumbed to the suffocating grip of unconsciousness.
Agatha became aware of the sound of drums. The sound was associated with pain. She felt pain in almost every part of her body, but especially in her wrists and ankles. As she slowly regained consciousness she came to understand why. She was tied at her wrists and her ankles and hanging from a long wooden pole that was suspended above the ground, although from her vantage point she could not tell how. It was dark except for torches that lit the surrounding area. She could not tell if they were in the jungle or in the cave. She could smell the smoke and see the flickering yellow light from torches and burning fires. As she tried to force herself to full consciousness she stretched and twisted her body to attempt to see where she was and what was happening around her.
Agatha's muscles strained against the bonds that held her captive, her wrists and ankles chafing against the rough ropes. With a sharp inhale, she pushed through the pain, determination burning in her eyes. Slowly, she twisted her body, each movement sending jolts of agony through her. The torchlight flickered across the damp walls of the cave, casting eerie shadows that danced around her.
Agatha's muscles protested every movement, aching and trembling with the effort. The ropes dug into her skin, leaving angry red marks on her wrists and ankles. With gritted teeth, she twisted her body, straining to catch a glimpse of her surroundings.
Through the flickering light of the torches, Agatha could make out the outlines of shadows dancing on the walls of what seemed to be a vast cavern. Strange symbols and drawings adorned the rough stone surfaces, depicting scenes of hunting and sacrifice. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and something more primal, a mix of sweat and fear that made her stomach churn.
As she peered into the darkness, Agatha's eyes widened in shock at the sight before her. Dangling from wooden posts were the severed heads of Mark and Judd, their lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead. The flickering light cast eerie shadows on their faces, enhancing the horror of the grisly display.
A shiver ran down Agatha's spine as she realized the fate that awaited her if she did not find a way to escape. The drums continued to beat relentlessly in the background, creating a sense of urgency that fueled her determination.
Forcing herself to look away from the grisly sight, Agatha strained to search for any sign of Amie. She called out in a hoarse whisper, "Amie? Are you here?" Her voice sounded weak and small in the vast darkness of the cave. The distant beat of drums reverberated through the chamber, adding an ominous rhythm to her words.
With a sharp pang of despair Agatha strained to listen for a response. She could hear what sounded to her like whimpering, a feminine voice crying in distress, but something was blocking her cries. Agatha felt certain that the voice she was hearing was Amie’s, but from her position she could not see what was actually happening to her. At least Amie was still alive, she though. At least for now, that is. How much longer either of them would remain alive was the most important question of the moment. She well knew what their intentions were with Amie, but what were their intentions with her? Would she end up like Amie, cooked and eaten? Or would she end up like Mark and Judd, her head a trophy adorning their cave?
As if to answer her question a group of cannibals gathered around Agatha, roughly inspecting her body. Physically Agatha was quite different from Amie. Where Amie was soft and curvy, Agatha was lean and muscular. The cannibals’ hands felt her taught muscles as she struggled to lift and contort herself to find Amie. One of them produced a stone knife and began to cut off her clothing. The knife slashed through her tight dancer's outfit, leaving her exposed to the cannibals’ eyes and hands. Agatha grit her teeth as the knife sliced through her clothing and underwear, each stroke bringing her closer to the fate that awaited her if she did not escape. The cannibals stroked her taught belly and felt the muscles of her legs and backside. They chattered and chuckled among themselves as they cut the clothing from her breasts and squeezed them as if evaluating how good they would be for eating. One cannibal opened his mouth and sucked her breast in between his teeth, his tongue twirling over her nipples and around her breast. Another turned his attention to her navel and belly, licking the sweat from her abdomen and belly button.
As the cannibals inspected her body she struggled and squirmed, her strength surging through her body as adrenaline pumped through her veins. She wriggled her hands, trying to slip her ropes free. The rough fibers bit into her skin, but she did not let up. Her nails dug into the ropes, her skin splitting and bleeding.
The cannibals' wild, piercing war cry echoed through the cavern as they feasted their eyes on the now naked woman before them. They ripped her from the pole she was tied to, leaving her helpless and exposed, and hoisted her high above their heads. In a twisted display of primal dominance, they paraded her around the chamber for all to see, their lust and hunger evident in their frenzied howls. She could feel their hungry gazes physically devouring her naked body, sending shivers of fear and revulsion down her spine. As they circled around the chamber Agatha could see the idol, roughly carved in a stylized representation of a woman’s torso.
After parading her around their congregation the cannibals bring Agatha to a vertical post near the idol and push her up against it, binding her hands and feet to the post. From her new perspective Agatha could see more of the scene around her. Her eyes searched to see if she could find any trace of Amie. She looked for the sound of the whimpering that she had heard earlier. She found Amie in the midst of a group of cannibals. They were standing near a cauldron with a fire burning under it. Amie had a fruit or vegetable that Agatha could not identify stuffed into her mouth. This was what was muffling her cries.
Amie's body shimmered in the flickering light of torches, coated with a slick layer of oil that made her skin glisten like a freshly caught fish. Garlands of unknown vegetation adorned her neck, waist, and thighs, a cruel mockery of adornment. As she was held by tribal members, the cannibal chief smeared her bare flesh with a pungent mixture of jungle herbs and spices, his eyes glinting with primal hunger. Amie's desperate gaze locked onto Agatha's, silently pleading for help that would never come.
Agatha could respond only with a guttural scream of fury and impotence. The cannibals surrounding her laughed and howled in response. One approached, its teeth bared in a grotesque grin as it hungrily licked its lips. Reaching out a hand, it traced a line from between Agatha's heaving breasts down to her navel, then brought the finger to its mouth in an obscene display of anticipation. The other cannibals descended upon Agatha like vultures, their tongues lapping and teeth gnashing at her exposed skin. Tears streamed down Agatha's face as she endured their savage feasting, her expression one of utter hopelessness and despair.
A sinister hush fell over the cannibal tribe as they gathered around Amie, their eyes gleaming with hunger and anticipation. The chief's grin widened as he looked upon Amie's oiled and seasoned body, admiring his meticulous preparation. He raised a hand to silence the restless murmurs of his followers.
"TUM TUM," he bellowed, signaling for the next step.
The cannibals eagerly lifted Amie, struggling and screaming against her gag, and carried her towards the roaring flames of the cooking pot. A frenzy of excitement erupted from the onlooking crowd as they dropped her into the searing vessel, their cheers drowning out Amie's desperate cries for help.
Agatha's heart sank as she looked up at the top of the cave, searching for any sign of hope or salvation, any sort of Deus Ex Machina event that could free herself and Amie from their fate. All she saw was the raw taaffeite embedded in the rocks, which seemed to glisten and taunt her, a cruel reminder of her dire situation.
As the tribe erupted into cheers and the drums began to beat again, Agatha could feel a sense of dread wash over her. The cannibals circled around Amie in the cooking pot, their rhythmic chant echoing off the walls of the cave. In a moment of twisted irony, Agatha couldn't help but find dark humor in their actions.
"They're working up quite an appetite," she thought bitterly, her mind racing with thoughts of when she would be their next meal.
The chief, who until now had his attention focused entirely upon Amie, now turned his gaze toward Agatha. He came over to her and looked her over, drinking in the sight of her bound and naked body. Agatha looked back at the chief in defiance.
“What did you do with Mark and Judd?” she asked. “Did you eat them, too? Or is it only women’s flesh that you want?”
The chief's cold, dark eyes were fixed on her as she stood before him, shivering with fear and uncertainty. He reached out a rough hand and ran it down her body, pausing at her stomach and tracing the same path as the previous cannibal had done. Agatha's breathing quickened as he moved to evaluate her body, squeezing her hips, ribs, and firm abdominal muscles. His hands then moved up to her breasts, where he pinched and prodded them with a mixture of lust and hunger in his eyes.
With a wicked grin, the chief leaned in and licked her belly, slowly making his way up to her nipples which he sucked on voraciously. He leaned in closer and licked a trail from her collarbone to her navel, savoring the taste of her sweat and fear. With a wicked grin, he bit down on her breast, sucking hard until she winced in pain. He then moved lower, running his tongue along the center of her stomach before stopping at her navel, where he prodded and tongued with perverse enjoyment. As his hands roamed over her hips and buttocks, Agatha was unsure if he was assessing her sexually or just examining his next meal. His laughter echoed through the room as he squeezed her backside, his saliva still wet on her skin. Agatha squirmed and tried to pull away, but he held her firmly in place as he explored every inch of her body with his tongue.
Finally, his hand moved to squeeze her buttocks, causing him to chuckle with delight as he licked his lips. He seemed particularly pleased with this part of her body, relishing in its firmness and fullness.
As his hand still gripped her rump, he leaned in once more and savored the taste of her skin, moving down the linea alba of her abdomen back to her navel which he tongued skillfully. The sight of the helpless woman before him seemed to only increase his appetite for her flesh.
As he stepped back, he spoke to his tribe in their guttural language. They nodded in approval, and one of them approached her with a large knife. Agatha's heart pounded in her chest as she prepared herself for the inevitable pain. But instead of cutting into her with the knife, the cannibal began to cut away at the binding that held her to the post she was tied to.
Still bound at her hands and feet the cannibal warriors lifted Agatha up and carried her toward the idol. They placed her face up on the altar before the idol and pulled her arms over her head, exposing the vulnerable front of her body; her breasts, belly and pubic region. Agatha figured that this was her turn, that she would be prepared and seasoned for cooking like Amie had been. Would she join Amie in the pot, or did they have some other indignity planned for her?
Agatha did her best to raise her head and look up to see what was happening around her. She could see a group of the cannibal tribesmen gathering around her. She looked beyond them to catch a glimpse of Amie in the cooking pot. Many of the tribe members were still gyrating in a frenzied dance around the steaming cauldron. There was still some movement in there. Agatha could not imagine the ordeal that Amie was going through. But she thought to herself, she might start getting a pretty good idea really soon.
The chief signaled to his warriors who came up and tightly held Agatha’s arms and legs. She struggled against their hold but they were surprisingly strong and more of them than she could resist. Suddenly, the chief climbed up onto an altar and ripped off his loincloth, revealing a massive erection. It was clear to Agatha what he intended to do – she was about to be brutally raped.
She fought with all of her strength, but it was no use against the group of warriors holding her down. One of them cut the bindings on her ankles, causing her legs to spread apart. The chief positioned himself over her, his eyes filled with anger and hatred. He paused for a moment and then turned his head towards the nearby cauldron where Amie was cooking. Agatha followed his gaze and saw the wound on his throat from when she had bravely fought him off earlier, saving Amie's life. It was clear that this was an act of revenge meant to punish her for daring to defy the tribe and protect Amie. The chief's non-verbal communication spoke volumes – this was just the beginning of her punishment for her actions; death and consumption were not enough in their eyes.
The chief's member was a grotesque monstrosity, dwarfing his small stature. As he forced it into her, she could feel every inch of its jagged, unnatural shape tearing through her delicate tissues. The thought crossed her mind - was this creature even human? Or some kind of aberrant mutation? With each thrust he filled her with his sickening fury and hatred, reveling in the pain and degradation he inflicted upon her. His grip on her breasts was like a vise, crushing them until they were bruised and bleeding. And yet, with every bite into her flesh, she couldn't help but wonder if he was going to just eat them raw right off of her body without cooking her first like they were doing with Amie.
The chief's heavy body pressed down on Agatha. She struggled against him, but his weight was too much for her frame to bear. He grunted and groaned, his face contorted in pleasure as he forced himself inside her. There was nothing erotic about this brutal assault.
As he finished, the chief pulled back and looked at Agatha with a triumphant expression, his breath heavy and labored. Suddenly, he leaned down and sunk his teeth into her stomach. Agatha cried out in pain and tried to push him away, but he just laughed and jumped off the altar.
Another cannibal warrior took his place, jumping onto the platform and continuing the assault. Unlike the chief's passion, there was only a cold interest in Agatha's flesh as meat in this exchange. The humiliation continued as one after another of the faceless warriors used her for their own pleasure. Agatha lost count of how many times she was raped by these nameless men, knowing that the chief was allowing each of his favorites to have a turn with her as the chief watched, sharing his attention with his warriors’ assault on Agatha and the cooking progress of Amie.
After each of the gathered warriors had their turn, the brutal assault mercifully ended. Agatha lay on the altar stone, panting and bruised, trying to regain her strength as the next phase began.
A new group of cannibals emerged from the shadows, their faces twisted with hunger and malice. They were in charge of preparing Amie for cooking, and now they turned their attention to Agatha. The pungent scent of hot oil filled the air as they coated her body with it, deliberately focusing on her breasts and belly. Despite her revulsion, Agatha couldn't deny the soothing effect of the warm oil on her wounds. But she knew its true purpose - not for healing, but for flavoring and tenderizing her flesh for consumption.
Next came a mixture of herbs and spices, which they rubbed all over Agatha's skin. She could feel the sharp sting of salt in her cuts and bruises, causing her to wince in pain. As she lay there, covered in oil and seasoning, she couldn't help but laugh bitterly to herself at the irony.
"Salted and assaulted," she said through gritted teeth. Her laughter was tinged with despair as she realized the cruel fate that awaited her. Even in this dire situation, she found a small sliver of dark humor within herself.
The cannibals meticulously oiled and seasoned every inch of her body, turning her over to ensure no spot was missed. The scent of exotic spices filled the air, a blend of salt, pepper, and unfamiliar herbs that she couldn't quite place. She couldn't help but wonder what she would taste like when they were finished with her.
As she lay face down on the altar, the tribe approached with a long pole and pushed it into her back. Her arms and legs were tightly bound around it, leaving her in an uncomfortable position. This was a new experience for Agatha; Amie had not been prepared in this manner. She nervously awaited their next move, wondering what fate they had planned for her.
With the pole securely bound to her body, a group of cannibals lifted it up and carried Agatha away from the altar. She was put on display as they paraded her through the gathered crowd of tribespeople, who reached out to touch and inspect her flesh. Some even went so far as to lick her seasoned skin. Chants and cheers erupted from the crowd as she passed by, surrounded by curious onlookers.
“Tum Tum… Tum Tum”. It was a familiar chant that Agatha had come to know all too well.
The cannibals encircled the large cauldron bubbling over the fire. Agatha held her breath as she watched them turn Amie's body over in the steaming broth. Her once voluptuous and desired form now floated on top of the human stew, her belly and breasts protruding above the steaming broth. The cannibals' mouths watered at the succulent display before them, but Agatha could only feel horror and sadness. Even in death, Amie was still a sight to behold, with her curves and soft breasts floating in the bubbling broth like an otherworldly delicacy. She couldn't deny that it looked quite appetizing, but her heart weighed heavy with sorrow and despair for what had led to this gruesome feast.
Her bearers moved on, their rhythmic steps carrying her beyond the cauldron and towards an ominous pit dug into the earth. As they approached, Agatha's eyes widened in horror at the sight of two vertical support poles on either side of the pit, each with a "Y" slot carved into the top. The pit itself was filled with a fiery bed of stones and wood, glowing with intense heat.
Without hesitation, they lifted the pole that she was tied to and lowered it into the "Y" slots over the pit. Agatha's heart raced as she realized what this meant: she was about to be roasted alive. Unlike poor Amie, who had met her fate in a bubbling cauldron, Agatha was going to suffer a slow and agonizing death roasted like a luau pig.
But in that moment, as she dangled helplessly over the searing flames, Agatha no longer had the strength or will to fight. The physical and emotional toll of her ordeal had rendered her defeated and numb. She could only resign herself to her gruesome fate and let out a resigned sigh.
Agatha could feel her skin sizzling and blistering under the intense heat, scorching her breasts and belly as she was slowly rotated over the glowing pit of fire. The cannibals surrounding her salivated greedily, their eyes filled with hunger as they watched her turn. Each turn brought a fresh wave of agony as the roasting heat seared her arms, flanks, and legs. Through tear-filled eyes, she gazed up at the ceiling of the cave, taaffeite crystals mocking her with their cool indifference to her suffering. The stench of burning flesh filled her nostrils as she prayed for a swift end to this torment, but each rotation only prolonged her agony. She knew that death would be a merciful release from the Oooga Booga jungle and its cruel inhabitants.
The drums began to beat again and the tribe resumed their dancing and chanting. Agatha’s consciousness faded, her thoughts and dreams playing their own dance in her dying thoughts. She drifted off into merciful unconsciousness to the beating of the jungle drums.
Those inhabitants danced and celebrated throughout the night. The next day would bring an unforgettable feast the likes of which they rarely had the pleasure to indulge themselves in.
As daylight crept in through the dense jungle canopy, the flames began to die down. The roasted carcass of Agatha swayed above the pit, her skin charred and blistered from the relentless heat. Tribal warriors gathered around the pit, their eyes gleaming with anticipation as they prepared to feast on their coveted prey. Agatha was lifted out of the roasting pit and her body carried to the altar.
Amie had been laid out on the altar, surrounded by the jungle fruits and vegetables with which she had been cooked, the steam still rising from her glistening body. Agatha was placed along side her. The Chief stood at the altar, colorfully adorned in his ceremonial finery. This was a special occasion and the tribe gathered around him in anticipation for the feasting to begin.
The chief began by slicing a section of Amie’s belly. He carefully cut a steak around Amie’s navel with the tender muscle, fat and skin around it. He held it in his hands and rose it up, presenting the meat to the idol as an offering.
“Tum Tum”, he said raising the meat offering and his face to the idol. He then turned around to face the gathered tribe.
“TUM TUM!”, he shouted victoriously, holding the meat offering up for all to see.
“TUM TUM!”, they all shouted in unison as the chief put the meat into his mouth. He chewed slowly, savoring the flavor with an expression of ecstasy on his face. He closed his eyes and swallowed.
“Tum Tum”, he said with a satisfied smile.
He then carved more of the meat from Amie’s belly. The meat was placed on leaves and distributed to his favored warriors who ate the meat with savored bites.
The chief then turned to Agatha’s roasted body, similarly cutting a slice of meat from her belly and repeated his actions.
One of his warriors, a burly man with a scarred face and piercing eyes, held onto a large wooden fork. He took a deep breath and plunged the fork into Agatha's blackened flesh. With a grunt, he pulled off a piece of her flesh and ate it, signaling to the gathered throng that it was good.
The cannibals wasted no time in tearing into the delicate morsels of Agatha's once-beautiful form. They gnawed on her limbs, savored bites of her breast meat, and fought over slices of her belly - their lust for flesh insatiable. The tribal drums beat in unison with their grunting and slurping, creating a cacophony of sounds that echoed through the distant jungle.
Amie was carved like a Thanksgiving turkey, her flesh distributed to the tribe. They ate with gusto, savoring every morsel of delicious woman flesh.
As the women’s carcasses were reduced to well gnawed bones the gathering degenerated into an orgy of feasting and copulation before their idol. This was a day that would be long remembered and spoken of for generations.
At the beach the abandoned boats had been discovered by a contingent of the Sultan’s constabulary. A scout has heard the drums beating and smelled smoke the previous night and spotted the boats and informed the Constable.
“We went to the store to find out if the owner there had rented the boats”, one of the deputies said, “But the store was closed and the owner was missing.”
“The Australian?” inquired the Constable.
“Yes”, the deputy replied. “I think they call him Jungle Judd.”
“I wonder if he is part of this group?”, the Constable wondered. He ordered a quick search of the area to see if the boats owners could be found. After a time the searchers returned without the boats occupants, but not entirely empty handed.
“I found some women’s clothes and a knapsack by that plant”, one said.
“I found another knapsack with taaffeite stones”, said another.
One of the deputies return with a grim expression on his face.
“I heard drum sounds coming from the caves,” he said. “And the unmistakable smell of roasting meat”, he added.
“Well, it looks like the cannibals had themselves a good night,” quipped the Constable. “It looks like they got at least one woman, too. I’m sure they liked that.”
“What do we do?”, a deputy asked.
“Nothing,” answered the Constable. “This area is forbidden for a reason. Tow the boats back to the port. I will take the taaffeite to the Sultan. We don’t want it known that those gemstones are here. We don’t want those cannibals getting too fat, now do we?”