Sacred Lands
Finding My Ending

Thirteen years passed since that day with Faye’s grandparents. The story that was told to her had worked better than either adult had imagined. Faye’s grandfather taught her all he knew and trained her in botany and horticulture, while her grandmother taught her the meaning of flowers and mythology.

Faye never asked to be read that story again, making her grandparents breathe a sigh of relief, this story was based off a journey that sadly killed Faye’s mother, it was treacherous and one they never wanted anyone to trek through.

The story was forgotten, but quickly remembered when several scientists sent her an offer to join them to replace the same sacred lands that were mentioned during the story, the group would travel to southeast Asia, to replace a new species of plants that intertwine together. Faye immediately agreed to go, while her grandparents (especially her grandfather) was more reluctant.

“Faye, did you even check their backgrounds before agreeing to go with them?” He stared at Faye from her doorway as she continued to pack.

“Of course, I’m not that hasty! I did a soft check and everything checks out. Now pocket guide or the Royal Manual?”

“Both Faye! Make sure to bring extra pencils and notepads, here I'll give you the new ones I bought. Also your first aid kit, a catalog of all the plants from there-”

“Dear, I think Faye knows from all the expeditions you took her on. She’ll be fine.” Her grandmother said as she walked passed him to hand Faye a book. Pausing to look at the book her grandmother gave her and gave a slight smile, flipping through the old storybook and placed a pressed flower bookmark in the book. There was no point in trying to argue about taking the book, her grandmother would only say ‘A book is meant to travel when it’s needed.’ just like any other time it came to taking books, she thought she didn't need, but actually did. She placed the book in her bag.

“I’m going to get my ending grandpa, this was the whole reason why I studied botany, horticulture, and mythology. It was because I wanted to replace my ending so badly.”

Her grandparents could only smile sadly and think the same thing, ′She has her mother’s light and attitude.′

“Our beloved granddaughter, go forward and replace your ending.” Her grandmother said in a joyful and commanding voice.

~XXX~

“Alright, everyone!” The captain of the expedition yelled getting everyone’s attention, “This is the gray area, stay close to one another, have your radio on you at all times. Team B will stay here and explore this part while Team A goes a little further. We do everything by book, no short cuts!”

It took a good hour or so to finally set up camp, when the camp was set Faye and some other people from her group split up and walked setting up markers and barriers upon the land. The village the group stopped at had warned them that the land they would be traveling upon was under the protection of an unforgiving deity.

“Faye! You know a lot about mythology right? Anything we should be worried about?” Asked a muscular man from beside Faye.

Faye stood up and chuckled, “Myths are stories that people make up to help them understand things. Like take the soil, the side we’re on right now,” Faye paused picking up two soil samples, “The soil is wet and soft in my right hand, while the left side is dry. The villagers would say it’s from the sky deity showing favor to a certain tree in the forest, but you and I know better.”

“True. I heard you ask about the last explorers that came on a similar journey, why, if I may ask.” The muscular man questioned.

“My mother came on a similar journey, but she was on an expedition to replace the intertwined flowers rumored to be near here. I wanted to see what we could be up against, my mother was a part of the team, and she died. They said when she dug the flowers she was bitten by a rare form of snake venom. She may have died, but she died a hero to the science community.”

“I’m sorry to hear that lass. I read the article, said the venom was fast, but extremely painful.” Faye shook her head and shivered slightly.

“What? Don’t like snakes?” Muscularly arms asked.

“I don't! One time I was on an expedition with my Grandfather when an anaconda landed on my head and I had to fight against it while my Grandfather and the other explorers laughed from the sidelines.” Faye explained blowing a piece of her black hair out of her face, “Stupid thing wasn’t hungry or anything, but boy could it hiss! I wanted to go home right after that. My Grandfather told me that ‘I had a tale to tell everyone now.'” Faye stated shivering slightly once more.

The muscular man gave a wholehearted laugh at her story, “Well you don’t have to worry about anacondas dropping down, they typically like to stay near water, it’s rare for them to climb trees.”

Faye, Roy (muscular man), and Parker (snake expert), all started talking about their experiences with snakes. Roy got bit in the buttcheek, while Parker was attacked by a flying snake. Each person was laughing so hard that they didn't hear the trees rustling.

Just then a call from the captain came in, “ALL TEAMS TO GROUP A, WE FOUND SOMETHING THAT OUR HERPETOLOGIST* FRIENDS WOULD BE VERY EXCITED TO SEE!”

"Copy that, group A3 heading to you right now,” Faye said into the radio.

As the three walked to camp A, there was a cold feeling even though they were in the middle of the monsoon season. They stopped walking, Faye knew the two men beside her felt the eerie force pressed down on their psyche, everyone’s hair on their backs stood up, their fight or flight instincts were activated. Hearing Group A2 caught up to their group making the three adults snap out of the terrifying state they were in. Faye knew that everyone had felt that pressure, but also knew that none of them would talk about it, at least not now.

The two groups walked together towards a pile of rocks near a wide-mouth cave and entered.

“So what was that exciting replace?” Parker asked as he climbed down the ladder. As he turned around he nearly shit his pants, and judging by everyone else’s face, they felt the same way.

“Parker are snakes supposed to grow that large? As a matter of fact, are Diamondback rattlesnakes supposed to grow that large?” Faye questioned with a slight gulp.

Parker wiped his forehead, and took a drink from his canteen then spoke, “Snakeskin is supposed to be a tad bigger than the snake, but even by this account...”

Faye practically clung to Roy’s arm. The anaconda looked like a pet compared to the diameter and length of the snakeskin before her.

“If only the head wasn’t missing from this specimen, then we could get the real length of this sucker. Well, we know what we’re looking for even though Diamondbacks aren’t native to this part of southeast Asia.”

The herpetologists and the other scientists agreed to split up, because the snake experts got their prize to bring back, now the others wanted something to return with as well. Faye went with a group to explore another ten miles to see if they could replace anything. Faye kept her dark russet eyes on the setting sun, if they weren’t careful they wouldn’t make it back to base camp before nightfall.

The sun was setting faster than Faye would’ve liked, but the group continued to walk forward into the dense rainforest. The further they walked the further out of range the group became. Faye called out to the two men in front of her, Scott and Corey.

"Guys we should head back to the camp! It's not safe during the nighttime." Faye yelled trying to get their attention, she wanted to turn back and walk back to base camp, but she knew that she couldn't make it before the sun went down and it turned to darkness. Nighttime is a dangerous place to be, especially alone. Faye hadn't even realized that she stopped walking to think over her options, when Scott came at her like a runningback and picked up Faye, continuing to run with Faye thrown over his shoulder.

Scott was taking her deeper into the uncharted rainforest with Corey running next to Scott, "Wait guys, we're getting farther away from base camp. Yall are running in the wrong direction! Turn around!" But they ignore Faye and kept running into the forest. Faye finally decided to look at what could possibly be chasing them and she nearly passed out. It was a pack of humongous snakes slithering after them and Faye let out a loud piercing scream.

Scott tripped over something which caused him to let go of Faye, when Faye looked back Scott was being dragged away and being tossed between the snakes, Faye snapped back into reality when Corey started dragging her behind him. She picked up her feet and ran. As she ran she listened to the snakes rustle everything in their environment, when Corey was picked up making Faye follow.

Corey swung Faye and tossed her back onto the ground just as he was eaten, Faye ran until she reached a misty around and all around the mist there were snakes raised up one by one, surrounding her, then she felt something scaly wrap around her and lift her up tightening its hold every time Faye struggled. The last thoughts were running through her mind:

There was once a king who married the daughter of the snake deity, the couple had a child, whatever happened to the child? I'm going to replace-

"My ending." Faye gasped out before blacking out.