Page 31 of Lost Paradise

“Or they’re cannibals.”

“That’s just what you see in movies. Hannibal Lecter was just a made-up character. Just legends and tales.” Zane responds.

“What the hell are you on about, mate?” I ask, looking at him perplexed.

“Cannibalism has been well documented in much of the world, including Fiji, the Congo, New Guinea, and parts of New Zealand,”Byronthe Brainexplains. “Some tribes eat members who have passed on.”

“That’s disgusting,” Eve recoils.

“There are different types of cannibalism, such as survival cannibalism, which is the consumption of others under conditions of starvation such as shipwreck, military siege, and famine, in which persons normally opposed to the idea are driven by the will to live. Then there’s medical cannibalism—”

“Stop!” Eve interrupts Byron, “Just stop!”

Byron’s a right encyclopedia of information.

“So, do we start eating each other?” I say, staring straight at Eve and purposely licking my lips. “I’d like to start with Eve! Who’s in?” I raise my hand up with eagerness.

“Pipe down,” Mr. Coldwell announces. “No one’s eating anyone here.” I guess he missed the meaning of my eating Eve. “Astro, you’ll need to return that to where you found it. You can’t keep it here tonight.” He hands me a torch and the skull.

“You’re expecting me to go alone?” I stare at him.

“And stay there too,” Zane adds.

“Great idea!” Eve adds, and Zane wraps his arm around her protectively. The geezer is so desperate for action from her that it’s actually gut-retching to watch.

“I’ll go with you,” Jack says, grabbing a torch, “I want to see this place.”

“Jack, remain here,” Mr. Coldwell commands.

“You can’t stop me,” Jack says. “In case you look around, we’re in a jungle, not Hawthornes Valor’s dean’s office.”

That earns a raised brow from the assistant professor.

“Fine,” he mutters, grabbing a torch, “We’ll all go. I don’t like the idea that there might be potential hostile natives on the island, and you took something from them.”

“You know,” I say, “if they’re cannibals, most likely, they ate this baby,” I say, holding out the skull.

Suddenly, our attention is drawn to the hacking noise that comes from Eve. As she turns away, she stumbles towards the nearest bush. Her hand clutches her stomach as she retches. The sound is guttural and raw, echoing through the silent night air.

The slight pang of guilt quickly passes, and I drop my head back into hysterical laughter. As Eve empties the contents of her stomachinto the bush, I can’t help but feel a certain satisfaction watching the princess succumb to her primal fate.

Mr. Coldwell steps forward without hesitation, ignoring the tension lingering in the air. He approaches her with a gentle yet determined stride.

Placing a comforting hand on her back, he offers silent support. He doesn’t say anything and instead simply stands by her side as a steady presence. Zane quickly takes his cue to follow. Eve’s shoulders slump with relief as she feels both men on either side of her. She leans into the older man briefly and then straightens herself up, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“I’m fine. It’s probably just all that fruit I ate earlier,” she says, grabbing a torch from the fire.

“Eve, you don’t have to go, darling. One of the lads can stay here with you,” Mr. Coldwell says, looking at her with concern.

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” She says, determined. He looks at her skeptically, and without wasting another minute, I turn around and head back into the dark jungle, feeling Jack follow me. Within seconds, I know the rest of the pack is following me.

“This could be a trap,” I hear the pathetic athlete say to someone behind me.

“He’s incapable of masterminding such,” Eve says, and while I’d love to retaliate, I stay quiet because they don’t even realize I’m already on my way to leading this pack.

“So, how far is this place?” Byron calls out.

“Keep your knickers on, ladies,” I say as we venture deeper into the dark jungle.

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