Ch 25 - A Terrifying Roar

The next day's dawn was lazy, even though we

were up early. It was already a habit for us to wake up

with the sun, as we didn't have enough time for more

sleep, anyway. Lucy and I left behind our bunk and went

back to the kitchen, where Alma was already working by

a wood stove, frying in a huge pan some filleted meat,

accompanied by eggs. I hoped the meat was bacon, but

even the smell was different. It seems that the fight

against waste was continuing.

We then greeted Mrs. Boseman and asked her

about her husband and Frost.

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— Oh, Alexander has already gone out to see his

animals; he loves to watch them early in the morning,

when they are still more dormant. He usually doesn't

come back until he has fed them.

— But...it can take hours before they have

warmed up enough to be active! — I commented in

astonishment.

— Exactly. So don't expect to see him before

noon. Is your friend awake yet, by the way? I stole some

of the wild boar that Alexander uses to feed the animals,

and set it aside to prepare for him, — she said; these last

words whispered and accompanied by a wink.

— That's very kind, Mrs. Boseman, — Lucy said

with an approving expression.

— Why, child...not everyone has good taste like

you! Sit down, please; eat while it's hot!

Obeying our generous hostess, we sat down at

the table to enjoy the locally produced meat, along with

the eggs, which I really hoped were not of the same

species. As Keene was slow to wake up, after having

coffee with Alma, we made our way to the veranda,

where Frost was supposed to be.

The scene on the veranda was slightly comical.

On the rocking chair sat the heavy dean, still wearing his

usual outfit, and on top of him, the huge dog, whose

body bent around the curve of Frederick Frost's belly,

with its head resting on his chest, just inches from the

dean's face.

Lucy coughed lightly, just to wake them both up,

without either of them jumping to their feet, which

would be dangerous for those involved. Our president

opened the eyelids of his tiny eyes, just enough for us to

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see his pupil, and found himself face to face with

Sicarius. The huge dog had also woken up and, seeing

Frost's eyes open, gave him a vigorous lick on the

cheeks.

— Don't...don't report this to anyone at the

University, — he ordered before the dog came down and

allowed him to stand up. — Speaking of dogs, is that

hyena up yet? — he asked.

— I don't think so, sir, — Lucy answered.

— So much the better. It will be just like the old

times, then — just Lane and me!

The memory of old times and Frost's background

terrified us at that moment.

— What about the airboat, sir? None of us can

pilot it, — I reminded him.

— Well, damned lack of expertise... get that

worm, please.

As we entered again, we heard a continuous

conversation coming from the kitchen, but perhaps the

correct term is...a monologue. When we reached the

room, Keene was at the table, taking the seat Lucy had

previously taken. In front of him, the huge slice of

roasted wild boar was filleted and garnished with sprigs

of rosemary. Jacob's companion was still talking,

perhaps not so much to him as to herself:

— Do we need more medicine for him? I would

say yes, but why not also use a natural tea? — And so

she asked questions that she herself answered.

In the meantime, Keene nodded slightly while

politely cutting his meal. Finally noticing our presence,

Alma addressed us:

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— Children! How is your friend out there? I hope

Sicarius didn't bother him. — Lucy returned:

— No, I assure you that they have already gotten

along. Doctor, we need your presence to guide the boat.

— Oh, Lucy! Since the day you dragged me out

of my house I've barely had a chance to enjoy a cup of

tea, and now you want to keep me from drinking coffee,

too?

For some reason, Lucy snorted at this comment,

as if this was more than just Keene's usual tricks, as if

she too had been deprived of something.

— No problem, — she said, pretending to smile.

We'll wait for you outside. I hope you can make it past

Sicarius on your own. — Saying this, we turned toward

the door once more.

— What? No, wait, please! — And with that, he

quickly chewed the portion he had on his fork and

begged Alma to save the rest. With her approval, we had

our biomedical doctor back and another trick had

succeeded.

⬫⬫⬫

Using the three of us as shields, Keene walked

past the dog that had so frightened him and finally

managed to reach the gate, locking it as soon as we did.

Now out of danger, he seemed to build up incredible

courage and the same desire for authority that he

displayed when his life was not at stake. At his

command, we then sat down in our seats in the airboat;

Frost, this time, being the first to buckle up.

— So, — Keene shouted, — how do we know

where the creature is? This bloody farm just got 20

kilometers longer!

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— Exactly! — replied Lucy, — Boseman said

that he was fencing the edge of his land when he spotted

the animal! That means that same distance in that

direction! — What Lucy had in front of her now was a

perfect image of the dense cypress forest we had left

behind, showing that the alligator ranch was the only

obstacle for nature to proliferate there, as well. Just by

looking at the tight spacing of the trees, our pilot let his

arms slacken in dismay.

— Great! — he mocked. — And how are we

going to get this tank between the trunks?

— Need I remind you that this is a farm, Jacob?

— Frost asked ironically. — He had the place fenced!

Take us to the end of the property and there should be an

open path to the fence!

Keene looked over the water, gazing at the black

figure that circled our boat, and decided that he didn't

need to be reminded where we were. Bringing the engine

back to life, he got us out of there immediately, heeding

the Dean's advice. At the far end, there was indeed a

wider opening, through which a machine, such as a

bulldozer, had previously made its way across the

swamp. We could sail it at high speed, which for us

meant 35 mph. On the few islets that had naturally

formed there, the alligators were resting, their huge

mouths open and their bodies resting in the sun, until

they had warmed up enough to become active. To our

right then stood the metal fence — a double net of

twisted diamond-shaped wire, both to protect the animals

and to protect themselves from the animals, many of

whom rested to the left of us, on the bank dug by

Boseman. As we advanced into the heart of the swamp,

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however, their numbers began to thin out, as if they

avoided going much further in. A few weeks ago their

territory had been extended, but the animals refused to

spread out on the new ground, which was now beginning

to get drier, while the swamp was replaced by mud and

the mud was replaced by the dry, crumbly ground that

our boat could not pass through. So the four of us went

down on the waterless and overgrown bank of the farm.

— The last corner of the enclosure is right there,

— Lucy whispered. — This must be where the sighting

happened.

— We shouldn't go ashore, — Frost protested

with a shiver. — Those creatures were faster than

Boseman; we wouldn't stand a chance if we encountered

one!

— Maybe I'll have a chance if I leave you

behind, — Keene hissed.

— Shush! — said Lucy, calling for silence.

Ahead of us, a shadow loomed, half-hidden by the

underbrush. We remained static, trying to discover its

nature, before the dean acted. Without much dexterity, he

threw a pebble directly at the shadow. The being emitted

a high-pitched sound, very different from what you

would expect from a monstrous creature. This was

followed by a shrieking voice:

— Why, you wretch! — Recognizing the timbre,

Frost rushed to the man's aid, as he now understood that

he had hit Alexander Boseman with a stone.

— Mr. Boseman, I'm awfully sorry! — the dean

pleaded, helping the man to his feet, — We mistook you

for one of the creatures.

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— Oh, — complained the old man, — and here I

thought that only the city slicker hated me…

— But what were you doing here? — Lucy

questioned him, — Don't you know how dangerous it is

to be alone here?

— Nonsense! I deal with mortal creatures every

day; do you really think I'm afraid of anything? — And,

disengaging himself from Frost's arms, he added:

— You're the ones who should be careful.

Especially you, partner! — This last one, directed at

Keene, made him raise his frown and stare at the old

man for a long moment. Slightly offended, Jacob turned

to the grey-haired menace:

— It seems curious to me that you are here. Your

wife told us that you would be feeding the alligators at

this hour.

— Well, that's what I'm doing! Look — I no

longer have the cuts of wild boar that I brought with me.

— Yes, I see.

— Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to

the ranch; a customer is coming today to trade some

animals with me. — Concealing his face with the brims

of his wide-brimmed hunter hat, Boseman passed by us,

still rubbing the arm that Frost had hit with a stone, and

being followed by a terrible odor, which came on as he

left the bush he was crouched in. Getting into his narrow

wooden canoe, he then paddled back to the farmhouse,

following the path between the cypress trees, which was

impossible for us.

— What a liar — Keene hissed, shaking his head

in condemnation.

— Oh, Jacob! — interjected Frost.

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— No, he's right, — Lucy said placidly.

— He is? — the president asked her, surprised.

— Yes. He says he was feeding the animals; well,

which animals? — Looking around, the dean realized

that Lucy was right. The pattern we saw before extended

to where we were now; there were no figures in the

water, no animals on land; the whole area was eerily

quiet.

— Don't you understand yet? — Jacob Keene

asked acidly. — The alligators avoid this area, because it

poses a danger to them. Who knew that a reptile could be

smarter than the president of a university, huh?

— You scoundrel! I should... — Frost's voice was

interrupted by a low sound, like the low-frequency roar

that crocodilians emit. From somewhere behind us, the

sound echoed, and I felt it vibrate my eardrums and chill

my heart.

— Let's find out what Boseman was up to here,

— Lucy announced. Saying this, she moved the tall

grass that surrounded us out of the way, came to her

knees and moved the leaves from where Boseman had

been standing before. Once again, a putrid odor rose up

and invaded our senses.

— Good heavens! — Frost complained.

Grabbing by the tailbones, Lucy lifted the body

of a creature, already badly decomposed. Turning her

find over, she exposed the inside to us, showing us that

this was not a whole body, but something that had been

sliced in half as if by steel blades. I turned to the others,

noticing now that Frost's eyes were wide with dread and

Keene's were half-closed with a pleased smile.