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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
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  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
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  60. 59
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  66. 65
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  70. 69
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  72. 71
  73. 72
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  75. 74
  76. 75
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  78. 77
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  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

Eko, of course, is a far better and more experienced telepath than I am. Given time, I have no doubt she’ll find the right frequency to exchange cogitations with these tribesmen. I just hope she makes friendly contact before they put us in a giant pot and light a fire under us.

The warriors slow. One of them tilts his head back, puts his hands to his lips, and makes a high-pitched birdlike trill that echoes away through the trees.

A few seconds later we hear an answering trill.

Is he doing a Tarzan routine and exchanging pleasantries with the forest creatures, or is he letting his tribe’s lookouts know that we’ve arrived?

We walk forward, and I have the creepy sensation that we’re being watched. I scan the underbrush, but I can’t see anyone. No eyes scrutinize us, no spears or blow darts aim at us, and no feet softly pad after our own. Still, I sense their presence. Eko, I think someone’s out there.

Yes, I feel it, too.

Can you see them?

Of course not. We’ll only be able to see them when they choose to reveal themselves.

Are they going to kill us?

If they wanted to, they would have done so back at the river.

Why? Wouldn’t it make more sense to have us march back on our own, and then slaughter us? It would save them the trouble of lugging our bodies through the forest.

They’re used to carrying dead animals home from their hunts. If they wanted to kill us, they would have done it without bringing us home and exposing their children to whatever unknown dangers we represent.

I hope you’re right. So what should we do?

Nothing. Just be your normal friendly self. Whatever happens, don’t run away or act violent.

I try to obey Eko’s instructions and put aside all thoughts of fight or flight. But the feeling that we’re being watched intensifies. Did someone shake that vine, or was it pushed by the wind? Is that a monkey screeching overhead? It sounds vaguely human, and I see one of the warriors smile and nod his head slightly.

We burst through a layer of brush and suddenly the welcoming committee is waiting for us. There must be twenty of them. Women. Kids. Toddlers. They’re almost all completely naked. Some of them hold clubs and spears.

They react at the sight of us. I realize for the first time how strange we must look. Eko is a foot taller than the tallest of them, and I have six inches on her. Then there’s my blond hair and blue eyes. If what Eko said about them is true, they’ve never seen any outsiders before. We must look like Martians.