Dr. Alex Nolan II's Arc

Chapter 1 of 13

The canoe scraped against something solid beneath the surface, then tipped hard to the left. Nolan braced himself as water poured over the side, cold and sudden. The patches he'd slapped on days ago tore loose with a wet sound, and the hull started taking on water fast. He had maybe two minutes before it went under completely. He grabbed his pack and threw it toward the bank, then kicked away from the sinking hull. The current pulled at him as he swam, his boots heavy with water. The submerged log that had gutted the canoe lay just below the surface, its dark branches spreading like fingers. He hauled himself onto the muddy bank and looked back at the wreck. The canoe was already half underwater, wedged against the roots. Nolan stood and scanned the wall of green ahead. No river meant no shortcuts. He'd have to cut straight through the jungle on foot, which would add days to the journey back. The artifact sat wrapped and secured in his pack, the reason he'd made it this far. Getting it out meant proving he'd been right all along. By the time the light started to fade, his legs were shaking. He found a crude shelter someone had built and abandoned — dark sticks lashed together with vines, moss covering everything. It would keep the rain off. He dropped his pack inside and sat with his back against the frame. Three more days through the jungle if he pushed hard. Maybe four. He pulled the artifact closer and closed his eyes.