J'saad (part 1)

The plane circled high over the land called T’muri, like a hawk searching for some obscure prey. The thick tangle of jungle growth offered no hope of landing, so we circled its perimeter in search of a break in the landscape. A small stretch of beach appeared, offering a glimmer of hope, and we dropped altitude responsively. The young pilot alongside me muttered a solemn oath as the land rose abruptly in front of us.
“Damn mountains! Between them and the jungle, we ain’t never going to find no place to land…”
As the plane leveled off at a safe height above the mountains, I surveyed the land below us. T’muri, the hidden valley. And well hidden it was. The place was a veritable fortress! Along the southern and western horizons a vast expanse of mountains towered against the sky, fading off in a haze of distance, hiding whatever land lay beyond them. They tapered downward in a formation of terraces where they faced the valley, but the rocky cliffs and crags afforded no safe place to land a plane. To the north the land rose sharply from the valley floor in a wall of solid rock, then dropped off as quickly to the ocean below in sheer insurmountable cliffs. Here the ocean seemed to unleash all of its fury, as the waves beat resoundingly against the cliffs, vainly trying to destroy that which barred its way, only to explode on a frothing mist as they pounded against the impenetrable wall of rock. Thwarted here, they swirled angrily eastward toward the only inlet along T’muris waterfront. As much as they had pounded in fury against the cliffs, they swirled and frothed in triumph here. Yes, it was obvious that here the ocean’s battle had been won.
Remains of defeated rock jutted dangerously out of the ocean, jagged skeletons dismally silhouetted against the dark raging water. There was a certain primitive beauty in the fierceness of the waves, and I found myself enthralled with the way that they danced in circles, sucking downward, only to rush once more to the surface with a fury that sent them crashing against the rocks, threatening to tear them down. But the rocks stood steadfast, like sentries, I mused, forbidding entrance to man. For surely the waves would embrace any craft that ventured near, pulling it down in the swirling eddies, sending it crashing against the rocks, then carrying the splintered remains away in a chariot of foam.
Beyond this raging battleground lay the stretch of beach where we had attempted to land. Here the ocean found its repose, and the sparkling waves lapped gently across the sand, subsiding into glittering foam that belied their former fury. Here the ocean had finally made its peace with the land called T’muri.
“What the hell are you smiling about? I circled this damned place twice, and the only spot I can find to land is on that poor excuse of a beach. And there ain’t really enough room to set down there either.” The pilot’s words broke though my thoughts, and I once more realized the impossibility of penetrating the fortress that surrounded T’muri.
“Can’t you try again?” I pleaded. The pilot’s answering silence triggered sharp pangs of anxiety that stabbed inside my chest. “You’ve got to try… we’re here… so close… you can’t just give up now.”
His face turned away from me, he cleared his throat brusquely, then drawled, “Look, uh…. You gotta be reasonable. There just ain’t no way to get in there. No where else to even try. Look, I’ll even give you your money back, “cept for what we used for gas…”
I interrupted before he could say any more. “Give me a parachute then. I’ll jump.”
The pilot’s head snapped around. His mouth hung open in disbelief, and it took him another minute to find his tongue. “Are you crazy? If you bail out, there ain’t no way in hell you’ll ever get out of there again. If I can’t land this plane to drop you off, how the hell am I supposed to pick you up again? Look, even if I did try to land this crate on that stinkin’ beach, we’d probably get both ourselves killed. There just ain’t enough room down there to stop the plane. And even if we didn’t get killed after crashing into those rocks, we’d both be stranded, and I’ve got a whole different idea of how the spend the rest of my life than being stuck in some god-forsaken land with a bunch of cannibals.”
Cringing under the lash of his sharp tongue, I swallowed hard and answered back a little too meekly, “I don’t care. We’re too close for me to give up now. Either land this thing or give me a parachute. But I’m not turning back. Not now.”
He stared ahead in silence, pondering, as the plane obediently circled in a wide arc above the land. A sigh escaped his lips with a great whoosh as he conceded quite softly, “Okay, we try it again. But I gotta tell you, you’re crazy, man.” He paused a moment, then broke into a bemused smile, the first I had seen cross his lips. “I guess I’m crazy too, for listening to you. Ah, hell, ya only live once.”
He stuck his thumb in the air, and the plane droned as it plummeted downward, leveling into a final circle above the beach, then continuing the plunge toward the sand below. Neither of us dared to speak. We were too busy chanting silent prayers. I found myself remembering my family, my friends, my run down apartment on the wrong side of town that cried desperately for a coat of fresh paint, and I hoped I would get to see them all again.
“This is it,” the pilot croaked hoarsely. In answer, the plane jolted hard against the sandy ground, squealing shrilly as the pilot pulled hard on the brake trying to make her stop. We were jerked and bounced the full length of the beach, and the mountains ahead loomed dangerously near. “Hold on!” he shouted as we turned sharply toward the ocean. The plane skidded obediently in a half circle, sending a shower of sand and stone that pelted the jungle and enveloped the plane in a dusty cloud. The engine sputtered, then died, and we sat in silence while the dust cloud settled, listening to the steady rhythm of the waves lapping at the shore, uninterrupted and seemingly quite unperturbed at out intrusion.
I shook my head to clear it, wondering why I had expected something more than this quiet reception. But there I stood, alone on the beach, listening to the drone of the plane’s engine as it faded from sight. The waves were gentle as they washed rhythmically upon the beach, glistening in the sunlight, melting into soft foam as they touched the sand. The effect was so soothing that I was quickly caught up in their spell. I stood transfixed, forgetting where I was, forgetting why I was here. I felt myself become a part of all that was around me, as my breathing kept rhythm with the tide, and my heart beat with each wave that surrendered itself at my feet. The sun was gently warm, the air clear and pure. The sharp tang of salt from the ocean blended amicably with the wafting smells of the jungle, the rich fragrance of moist earth and the pungent aroma of the lush greenery therein, together tingling my senses, lulling me deeper in my trance. So quiet, so peaceful. Surely, I marveled, this must be my paradise.
The startled shriek of a routed bird awakened me, piercing through the veil of my dreamlike state, breaking the spell cast upon me. His large outstretched wings beating hard, the bird fled the dense jungle growth beyond the beach, straining to attain proper altitude. My eyes followed his path across the azure sky, and not until he was at a far distance did he circle in gliding descent. His flight was joined now by a flock of smaller birds who, chattering wildly, strained to flee with the same desperation. Something had disturbed them, that was quite apparent. My heart’s pace quickened as I realized that I was not alone. I scanned the edge of the jungle, but could see nothing. All was quiet and still.
Brought back to my senses, I noticed that the air had grown much cooler. The sun no longer warmed me. A chill crept slowly up my spine, and I found myself trembling. From cold or fear, I’ll never quite know. The waves, too, had taken on a new countenance, curling devilishly over my boots, tugging at the sand under my feet. A few had crept up to my bags of supplies, one washing around them with a splash, the next swirling full round I an attempt to steal them away in their recession back to the sea. I moved my bags further back, out of reach of the teasing waves. Their bottoms were already quite wet. I turned back toward the rising tide and wondered how long I had been standing there, mesmerized. But the spell was broken now, and the waves, as if in answer, laughed with mirth as they advanced upon the sand, mocking me for my foolishness. What kind of a place was this? I’m not crazy, I assured myself, but with each breaking wave, it sounded like… like they were saying… No! It’s ridiculous! I was just imagining it all. I swallowed hard to rid myself of the fear that knotted in my throat. I laughed aloud, quite on purpose, in spite of my fear, or rather because of it, hoping somehow to dispel it. Yet as I looked out to sea, the laugh I had let go was suddenly choked back, transformed to a sound as much as sobbing. For far beyond the chortling waves, the jagged rocks emerged from the frothing waves, bearing the semblance of giant fangs that stood guard at the only opening to the vast ocean beyond, threatening entrants to feel their gnashing, forbidding escape to anyone who looked out from within T’muri’s jars. I shuddered to think that I stood so helpless a prisoner in the mouth of this land, knowing that behind me stood the jungle, waiting to swallow and consume me.
I looked desperately to the sky, straining to hear the familiar drone of the plane’s engines, wishing I weren’t here at all. But the sky was silent, the plane long gone. It would be two weeks before the pilot returned for me. At first I had wondered if two weeks would be long enough. Now it seemed much too long a time to spend in a place such as this.
I shivered as a chill once more trembled down my spine. It was still daylight, but the sun had already lowered itself out of sight behind the mountains. I had better go and find a place to set up camp. I didn’t feel safe on the beach anymore. Picking up my gear, I turned toward the jungle, clearing my throat and letting go a deep breath. Whatever lay within, I may as well face now. The daylight hours would soon slip away, and it could take some time to find a safe place to spend the night. And though my spirit was reluctant, I moved onward. There was no turning back now.