The Madland

Should I turn around?

Even in those crucial moments, the only thought in my mind was whether I preferred to die ignorant of the monstrous presence behind me. Because yes, his presence alone felt overwhelming, as if crushing my mind and heart.

Yet the growing curiosity inside myself was a compelling force.

I turned around and faced my destiny.

The golden eyes were looking directly at me, around thirty meters away. Its pressure alone made me fall to my knees. The surrounding jungle was no more than a little garden beside the colossal monster. I could see its slimy, brownish scales glowing under the full moon. Even so, it was so large that its tail was not visible, with its body lost in the immensity of the jungle.

From one second to another, the impossible reptile opened its mouth.

No, it didn’t swallow me. Instead, it spat streams of a black liquid to the ground. Larvae started to emerge, which later became worm-like creatures, until they reached their final form: dozens of two-meter snakes.

Their combined hissing was so intense that I thought I would lose my mind—if I already didn’t lose it. Will I die eaten by snakes? Not in my wildest nightmares did I imagine something similar. Still, in my last moments, I deemed a proper death for me.

Please, God, I never asked you anything before. But please, don’t let it hurt.

If my internal praying reached any God, I could never tell. Nonetheless, I heard the crying women next to me. She rested her head on the floor while crying, as if submitting to the hunger of the macabre creatures in front of us.

Something about it annoyed me.

The black worms slithered towards us at full speed. And without thinking, I confronted them using my chains as weapons. If all hope was lost, I wasn’t going to die so easily. In accordance with the rest of my life, I would die as a nuisance.

As planned, every one of them targeted me and embedded their fangs in all my body. Yes, it hurt. My only hope was for my “partner” to regain her common sense and start running. Before fading away, I saw her surprised face.

The black venom quickly overcame each drop of blood inside me. Everything went dark, yet I feel as if metal was being introduced to each corner of me. A heavy, liquid metal that pulled to a bottomless pit. At some point, I forgot about the pain—did I scream?—and thought that dying left a metallic taste in the mouth.

I was a floating being, alone in the universe's darkness.

Little by little, my consciousness started to fade away too: my sadness, my happy moments, my guilt, my failures, my family memories, my dreams and hopes of a better future…all besides one corner of my heart.

My anger.

Joan and her bullshit, my crappy ex-classmates, the foolish society: in my dying breaths, such memories were the anchor that prevented me from resting in peace. Despite my efforts in life, I was the one dying. They, and not me, should be the ones dying in the middle of nowhere.

A new sense of fury took control. Such anger healed my wounds, and while the black venom continued to spread inside me, this time the metallic weight that oppressed me transformed into a pushing force.

I recovered strength. I gained strength. I awakened.

As if only an instant had passed, I was again around the black snakes, which were directing their attention to the woman next to me. The giant serpent was still some meters away from them, waiting for the job to be done.

Look closely, earthworm.

The first head went with a ‘pop’. Then the second. And the third. My body was covered by all the splashed black blood of the snakes, as if I were wearing a slim, black dress.

Black was always my color.

With swift movements, I continued to smash those bastards’ heads with my bare hands, as a present to their “mother”—or whatever the ominous reptile was for them. Of course, they reacted, but it was helpless: their fangs weren’t more than mere mosquito stings. A fly would be a bigger nuisance than their bites.

Here, your sacrifice.

When the big serpent reacted, it was already too late: all the ground below me was a black puddle. I managed to avoid splashing them next to my partner and the other captives by closing the distance with the monster.

It let out a growl that chilled the jungle air. But not me, not this time.

Now that I had its attention, I was prepared for a fight I would certainly lose. Using the chains as brass knuckles, I planned to jump onto the beast before—my only consolation was to have the first move. However, destiny had other plans: something besides the serpent scales was glittering in the jungle.

With a smooth glide, I reached an area of cut bushes at the serpent’s right side. Yet no magnificent sword, strong spear, or flexible bow was to be found. My hands could only reach the handle of a simple machete used to cut weeds.

Luck is a capricious mistress.

The monster slithered toward me. In those split seconds, I weighed up the best course of action. And I threw the machete at it.

It landed.

To its left eye.

Capricious for sure.

A second growl invaded the jungle. The machete fell from its eye, but the damage was done, and blood poured out of its golden eye. In pain, the beast retreated to the dark jungle, leaving only a black trail.

The third sound that invaded the jungle night was my scream. A satisfactory scream that felt so good as a cold beer after a long summer day of work. The adrenaline kept flowing through my entire being.

This time, I won.

Nevertheless, there was still work to be done.

When I reached my “partner”, who stared at me speechless from the shock, I tried to articulate some words.

“Everything is ok now. I’m Ali…cia. Believe me, this is insane for me as it is for you. But I need your help to carry those girls. Please.”

The woman was frozen, as if expecting to be my next victim. Only when I touched her shoulder did she react.

“Call me…Kalandra.”

Kalandra and I carefully freed the rest of the captives from their chains. They showed no signs of waking up, but they were alive. So, without saying another word to each other, we quickly built two stretchers and dragged our partners on a road that seemed to lead to the raided town.

As the minutes passed, I felt my legs losing strength, and fear regained control over my mind. I became aware of the traumatic experience: I was about to die, killed by a giant serpent. Someone might still be looking for us, trying to chain them up again.

God, the beast could still be lurking in the jungle…

At a distance, the sun was rising. Its warm rays covered our naked bodies. I noticed how Kalandra let out a shy smile. I paused for a moment: my heart wanted, needed, to enjoy the view.

The sacked town below them, the trail of black blood, the machete in my left hand, and my right hand carrying eight unconscious women.

“Yes, this is Madland.” I smiled at a confused Kalandra. If it was a happy or a desperate smile, I couldn’t tell.

“Alicia, are you good?”

I couldn’t give her my reply. My legs gave way completely, and I lost consciousness.

In my last seconds, I heard the sound of horse hooves. And a horn.