Chapter-15: Beneath The Full Moon
Up ahead, the jaguar tried to move; but it only managed to rock and crash back down to the bloody stone blocks.
Diego reached the beast, struggling to stay on his feet. The jaguar looked up at him and flayed about like a turtle on its shell, unable to attack anymore.
Broken and covered in blood, Diego inhaled deep and plunged his dagger into the base of the beast’s skull. He held firm, gasping for air, all tense and quivering in place.
The moon beast opened and closed its mouth, slower and slower, until its jaws remained open. The jaguar’s eyes dimmed, and his eyelids half closed. Stumbling about, he removed the second dagger from the beast’s stomach, and plunged it into the jaguar’s throat, ripping and opening up. Blood gushed, foamed and steamed around him. Still, he continued cutting and digging until he ripped out the jaguar’s heart in a nauseating final yank.
Diego struggled to eat multiple bites of heart as he labored on staying awake. Hot blood and wet meat filled his mouth. Desperate, he ate and ate until a fifth of the large jaguar heart sat in his stomach. His arms, back and stomach ached from holding the heart. His body shook in cold spasms, covered in blood and sweat and black fur.
The little green bird flew in front of Diego, opening and closing its beak; but the warrior heard nothing. With one more mouth full of heart meat, Diego chewed and swallowed for his life. Pain spread through his face as he tried to eat more, but the numbness in his mouth and tongue finally stopped him.
Small spots of light formed in Diego’s vision, spreading and growing tighter to a center point. Frigid heaviness gripped every part of his body as he dropped the remaining heart to the floor. His hands closed in a sticky mess. And there, he slammed sideways onto his left arm, breathing hard and fighting to stay awake. Beyond his limits, a blinding light faded around Diego, and he teetered for half a breath and knocked out, losing all his senses. All quiet, all numb.
Pure warmth lifted Diego up into the air. His body vibrated as his broken bones snapped and cracked back into proper place. His tendons and muscles reattached in his arms, legs and back. And, much needed energy returned to him, revitalizing his far depleted body.
Diego’s hearing popped and crackled into a steady ring. And he could hear again. The little bird chirped with excitement.
“Well done,” said Chuey, “I thought for sure that you would take a loss from that full moon jaguar. You surprised me. Amazing, you have an ocean of luck that waves within you. Simple, simple, simple, those waves spilled out and graced you with a sloppy victory. Well done, a win is a win.”
Diego’s eyesight returned and he blinked one eye then another. He gawked at the warm sparkle of yellow light that engulfed him. He followed the light to its source. It flowed out from the middle of the little green bird’s chest.
Thank you
I appreciate your time in reading this blog post. Next Monday I will upload the last part of Chapter fifteen, Beneath The Full Moon, from my first novel: Guerrero of Passions.
Total Consciousness 