[Chapter 8] Youth is Wasted on the Young

Chapter 8: The Storm

For the Halloween season, this is a story with some horror elements while also being science-fiction. A new chapter will be posted each week exclusively for paid subscribers. If you want to become a paid subscriber, I’m offering a 14-day free trial.

If you want to read the entire thing now, you can pick up the book for free using Amazon Kindle Unlimited.

Without further ado, here is Chapter 8: The Storm

---

Mia could hear the low roaring of the storm as she hung on inside the zeppelin’s belly. As they crossed the gulf, they were struck by a violent gale which forced the entire flight into a harsh shudder as they began their descent through torrential rains.

Her knuckles had turned white as she held on tight to the nylon webbing on the side of the wall. She looked out at the cockpit’s viewport, she could only see a grim wall of gray. She had no idea how the pilot was able to manage. The world around them was just screeches of rain and wind. Occasionally there would be a bright flash of lightning which would hold the world in a moment of clarity before they were plunged back into the darkness.

The shrouded turbines were pushed to the limit as the pilot fought against the wind. Everyone felt a lurch, then heard a groan of stressed metal as the landing gear struck solid ground. She held on even tighter as the engines wound down. As the turbines shut off, she could hear the storm even better striking them in all directions.

As the ramp opened, there was a flash of lightning. She got a terrifying snapshot of where they landed. It looked like a small clearing a few meters from a cenote. It looked like a churning black vortex. Three large iguanas had been startled from their shelter under a rock and scattered away into the jungle’s undergrowth.

The wind quickly took its opportunity to blow upwards and at them while they were still inside the zeppelin. The rain was blowing horizontally, thrashing and drenching them.

“Cover the gear!” Quincey grabbed a poncho from the cargo and threw it over his backpack.

“We need to move now,” Singh said adamantly. “We aren’t going to get any better cover.”