Valley Of Shadows

The stuff of legend might just have to remain so. Nature wanted to keep her secret.

“It’s beautiful.” Mandy Thomas let her eyes wander over the lush valley below. Mist clung to a waterfall capturing noon day sunlight. Shadows danced together weaving patterns that transfixed her gaze.

“It is.” Evan Hunter sat down beside her on the edge of the mountain overhang above the valley. There was only one way to get here, hike. The hand drawn map he’d made was wet with dew and perspiration. He had to take better care of it or he’d never discover the way out.

He spread it out on a rock to catch as much sun as it could, then turned his gaze to the woman at his side. She was in her mid thirties, tall and lean. Dark hair masked a pixie face as the wind curled it around her skin. “We have enough daylight left to make it down there. Ready?”

“Am I ever.” Mandy stood up, brushing off her pants while still gazing far down below.

“Watch it.” Evan reached for the map. It was too late. Mandy’s foot had disturbed the rock it was on. Both map and rock rolled over the precipice along with Evan’s hope of return. “Oh, no.”

“What?”

“Those were the directions on how to get out of here and back to civilization. There’s not another human being within hundreds of miles.” Evan wanted to shoot himself for not leaving tell tale signs on the way getting here. They’d been in a time crunch and had to hurry it up.

“What’s the problem? We’ve got supplies for a week. There’s the emergency compass, and that river below the waterfall must lead somewhere. Aren’t we supposed to follow the water downstream to reach some kind of human habitat?”

“That river goes underground at the other end of the valley. It took us a week to get here knowing our way. Getting lost going back will take a lot longer.” Evan’s mind was racing for options that might offer a better chance. “We’ll still need water. Our canteens and storage jugs are on empty. We might as well go down.”

Evan kept his tone of voice neutral. He wasn’t feeling that way at all. Alone he could survive forever in the bush. Mandy? Not so. “Let’s go.”

The way down was treacherous and slow. It was growing dark, the shadows thickening when they reached the waterfall. “Fill the jugs. I’ll do the canteens.” Evan knelt to begin the task. The mirrored image in the water of a man partially hidden in the bush made him reach for the pistol on his belt.

“Drop it.”

A rifle pointing at Evan made Mandy gasp as she turned away from her task. “Who are you? What do you want?”

“That’s a real mystery, isn’t it pretty lady. For starters I want something to eat. Both of you step back away from your packs.” The stranger and rifle moved slowly forward. “Back farther, into the water until it is up to your waist.”

A warning shot fired between the couple hurried them on. “You have to leave us something,” Mandy cried out. The stranger lifted both packs and grunted. “Maybe I’ll toss a few things along the trail. Taking time to pick that up will slow down any idea of catching up with me.” With that, the stranger disappeared into the darkening night.

“No way can he go far in this absolute blackness. The mountains around the valley narrow inward and are so sharp there’s no hint of moon or stars.” Evan helped Mandy out of the cold water and shook himself off.

“He must be pretty disparate. Did you notice the sack tied to his waist?”

“Yes. He kept touching it to reassure himself it was there. Could be he found the mystery they say is here. ”

A faint glow emerged at the base of the waterfall, turning into luminescent light. “How lovely,” Mandy leaned down on her knees to discover the cause. The velvet softness of moss greeted her touch. “Why, it must store daylight and keep warm with it at night.”

Evan came over to see. “There’s more than moss down there, look.” He pointed at sparkling rocks tumbling together nestled in a hollow by the moss. “I think that’s what the man had in the bag.”

Mandy reached down to retrieve one. “Every color of the rainbow. Rare and worth money?”

“Haven’t a clue.”

A sharp cry of ultimate pain echoed through the night. Evan looked at Mandy. “Something stopped him. We’ll have to wait until dawn to see anything.”

“He may still be alive.”

“He’d shout for help if he was.” Evan shook his head. The darkness was absolute. They lay huddled together. Light was a long time coming. They still had their canteens and water jugs to fill and did so.

“There’s something in the water,” Mandy felt funny. She rubbed her eyes. The shadows in the valley mingling around the waterfall wove restlessly taking form. A creature unlike any earthly thing she had ever seen emerged from behind the fall.

“Evan. I’m scared. Do you see it?”

“Lay down. Play dead.”

A low steady chuckling noise emanated from the beast, reminiscent of a burbling stream. The living nightmare created a wave of shadows cooling the air as it spread bat-like wings to fly over them.

“Breakfast, I imagine. It could have been us. The dead man saved our lives.” Evan helped Mandy to her feet. They bypassed the trail, before making the arduous climb up the mountain path. Luck made their return one without further misadventure.

“We made it.” They emerged at the camp of a lonely hunter. Asked about their trip, Evan said, “That’ll have to remain a mystery.” His hand smoothed over rainbow flashing stones in his pocket.

Mandy nodded, accepted hot coffee and smiled, “You’d never believe what we told you.”

The hunter, wise to nature’s strange ways, nodded. “You're traveling light. I’d stay away from the Valley Of Shadows, if I were you.”