LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 16: Passing through
As Jude gazed into the shimmering surface of the rock, he felt a chill creep down his spine. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the unsettling sensation that enveloped him as he stared into the depths of the polished stone.
Unlike the others, who beheld their own reflections with delight and wonder, Jude found himself confronted with a disturbing sight, a burning skull staring back at him with empty eye sockets, its fiery visage a stark contrast to the youthful images reflected in the faces of his companions.
With each glance into the rock's surface, Jude's fear deepened, his mind awash with unsettling thoughts and ominous premonitions. What dark forces lay behind this macabre apparition? And what sinister purpose did the rock serve, its surface twisted into a grotesque mockery of reality?
As the others reveled in their own reflections, oblivious to Jude's growing unease, he felt a cold sweat break out across his brow. Something told him that this was no mere coincidence, that the burning skull that haunted his reflection held a deeper, more sinister significance, one that he couldn't begin to comprehend.
With a sense of dread gnawing at his insides, Jude tore his gaze away from the rock, his mind racing with unanswered questions and foreboding uncertainty. Little did he know that the true nature of the rock's power was yet to reveal itself, lurking in the shadows of the island like a dark omen of things to come.
Susan asked,
"Well Jude, what did you see? You as a baby? Only Serina here saw her older form because she may wished for that. What a magnificent rock right?"
Jude looked at her and he said,
"No, I also saw my older form. Look at my arms. They are big. I have a strong body in the future."
He lied to them. He didn't want them to know what he saw. Susan said,
"What do you mean look! We can't see what you're seeing Jude, only you can see as you wish."
She smiled at him.
As Jude grappled with his unsettling discovery, a flood of conflicting emotions washed over him. Relief mingled with suspicion as he considered the implications of his solitary vision of the burning skull. Could it be a harbinger of his own demise, a grim omen of events yet to unfold? Or was it merely a trick of the mind, a manifestation of his deepest fears and anxieties?
Despite his efforts to rationalize the experience, doubts gnawed at Jude's mind like insidious whispers in the darkness. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the rock than met the eye, that its mysterious power held the key to secrets he dared not uncover.
As he observed the reactions of his companions, a seed of mistrust took root in Jude's heart. Were they truly oblivious to the sinister nature of the rock, or were they concealing the truth from him, their smiles and laughter masking a hidden agenda?
Caught between his desire for reassurance and his growing sense of paranoia, Jude struggled to make sense of the conflicting signals around him. Was Sophie truly on his side, or was she merely playing a role in the charade orchestrated by the others?
Lost in a maze of uncertainty, Jude found himself torn between trusting his instincts and succumbing to the doubts that plagued his mind. Only time would reveal the truth, but until then, he would remain vigilant, wary of the shadows that lurked just beyond the reach of his understanding.
As the group resumed their journey towards the river, their minds still reeling from the encounter with the mysterious rock, they passed by the site where the intense battle between the bees had taken place. Sophie recounted the harrowing ordeal to her companions, emphasizing Jude's bravery in protecting her from the swarming insects.
However, Sophie chose to omit the more intimate details of their encounter, opting instead to focus on the heroic aspects of Jude's actions. She felt a pang of guilt at the memory of their shared moment of passion, knowing that revealing the truth could potentially sow discord among the group.
As she spoke, Sophie couldn't help but notice Jude's lingering gaze upon her, a subtle reminder of the undeniable attraction that had sparked between them. Sensing his longing stare, she quickly averted her eyes, determined to maintain a facade of composure and propriety in front of the others.
Though she harbored conflicted feelings towards Jude, Sophie knew that now was not the time nor the place to address them. With the specter of the burning skull still fresh in his mind, the group pressed onward towards the river, united in their determination to uncover the secrets that lay hidden within the island's depths.
After hearing everything Stella said,
"I think our group was the luckiest among all of you. Because we found the ship with necessary things and still we haven't encountered any danger."
Leah and others from the team that went west, agreed to it. Aurora said,
"Who knows maybe our luck is the thing that keeps everyone alive in our group."
Layla said,
"Don't talk too much like that, just pray to God for more luck, and thank him for saving us. Just being reckless in this situation thinking that you are all lucky will end up in your deaths. You may have not seen a monster or any danger but you saw the rock. It's proof that the island is not normal. Be careful with each step."
Everyone agreed to Layla. Jude was looking at her with the thought of his wife. As Jude struggled to suppress the bitter memories of his past, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Layla, his mind torn between resentment and desire.
Despite his best efforts to dissociate Layla from the painful recollections of his betraying wife, the subconscious echoes of his trauma continued to haunt him, casting a shadow over his interactions with the group.
With each passing moment, Jude found himself locked in a silent battle against the tumultuous emotions raging within him, his inner turmoil threatening to consume him from within. Though he yearned to move beyond the grip of his past, the specter of his wife's betrayal loomed large in his mind, casting a pall over his perception of Layla and clouding his judgment.
Caught in the grip of conflicting emotions, Jude struggled to reconcile his lingering resentment towards his wife with the undeniable attraction he felt towards Layla. Despite his best efforts to resist the allure of her physical presence, his gaze inevitably strayed towards her, drawn by an inexplicable force that defied rational explanation.
As he wrestled with his inner demons, Jude found himself ensnared in a web of desire and despair, his heart torn between the ghosts of the past and the tantalizing promise of the present. Only time would tell whether he could break free from the shackles of his past and embrace the uncertain future that lay ahead.. In the middle of that his eyes caught on Layla's breasts…