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Mitru
HIPComix Artist
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:17 am
Posts: 2748
Location: Bilbao (Spain)
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 TIGER CAT -Mystery in the valley- 01 Ten days earlier
Port of Spain - Trinidad -
The morning sun, a molten orange, bled across the Port of Spain skyline, painting the glass and steel towers in hues of fire. Inside the penthouse, the scent of fried bodi and coconut bake mingled with the sharp tang of freshly brewed coffee.
“Another one, Mama?” Johnny, eighteen, already towering over her, reached for the last piece of bake. His eyes, dark and quick like hers, darted to the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, its volume low, broadcasting the morning news.
Aunt Pearl, eighty years of wisdom etched around her eyes, clucked from her seat. “Greedy boy. Leave some for your poor old auntie.” She lifted her teacup, a delicate porcelain thing, to her lips. “These young ones, always hungry.”
“They’re talking about the Maracas Valley again,” Johnny mumbled, his mouth full, gaze fixed on the screen. A reporter, grim-faced, stood before a blurred forest backdrop. “Strange lights. Loud noises. They say it’s not the farmers this time.”
Jackie’s hand, reaching for the sugar, paused. Her brow furrowed. “Not the farmers?” The Maracas Valley, known for its lush, illicit plantations, rarely saw news other than drug busts or rival gang skirmishes. This sounded different.
“The report said it was ‘unnatural disturbances’,” Aunt Pearl added, her voice dropping, a hint of unease in its timbre. “Like something… not from this earth.” She stirred her tea, the spoon clinking softly against the ceramic. “My friend, Miss Agatha, her cousin has a farm up there. She heard a terrible booming sound, like thunder, but no rain. And the trees, they were swaying, but there was no wind.”
Johnny swallowed, his usual boisterous energy subdued. “They’re saying people are too scared to go near the place. Even the police are hesitant.”
Jackie pushed her plate away, the half-eaten bake forgotten. Her mind, usually occupied with quarterly reports and stock market fluctuations, shifted gears. A different kind of problem. A familiar itch, deep in her bones, began to stir. “Unnatural disturbances,” she repeated, the words tasting metallic. “That’s a new one for Maracas.”
“The news just showed a picture of some ganja plants,” Johnny continued, pointing. “All shrivelled, like they were burned, but no fire.” He shivered. “Looks like something sucked the life right out of them.”
Aunt Pearl set her cup down with a soft thud. “The spirits of the forest are angry, I tell you. Always meddling in places they shouldn’t.” She peered at Jackie, her ancient eyes sharp. “You’re thinking of going, aren’t you?”
Jackie met her gaze, a small, almost imperceptible nod. “Someone has to. If the police won’t, and the farmers are scared…” She stood, the silk robe whispering against her legs. A different kind of uniform waited.TIGER CAT -Mystery in the valley- 01: http://memberslogin.hipcomix.com/gallery3/index.php/Mitru/Tiger-Cat/MYSTERY-IN-THE-VALLEY Read on... ONLY in HIPcomix.com
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