The door to the helicopter slid open as Mike stepped out onto the concrete. He grabbed his camera, notepad, and pen and began to snap pictures. “Damn!” he thought out loud, “I forgot to take pictures while we were flying!”

  The pilot stepped out behind him. “Do not worry, se?or, you will get your pictures on the way back,” he said as he looked around.

  “I guess I will have to,” Mike muttered.

  Suddenly, something moved in the brush! Mike zoomed in with his camera to see what it was. At first, he couldn’t see anything, but then he saw the animal’s tail move. It was a small thing, about the size of a chicken, looking like the ones he saw on the pad before they landed. He quickly took a picture before the animal hopped away.

  The pilot took out a small revolver and started to load it.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Woah! What’s that for?” Mike said, surprised.

  “It is for the animals if they try to attack,” the pilot said as he continued loading the rounds into the gun.

  Mike and the pilot trekked through the undergrowth, looking at an old map of the island.

  “Not much further until we reach what’s left of the visitors’ center,” Mike said.

  “Ah, good sir, I am getting tired,” the pilot panted as they walked.

  Mike looked over at the pilot. “You don’t have to call me sir, just call me Mike. And what should I call you?”

  The pilot said, “I am called José.”

  “Alright, José, let’s keep on moving.”

  It wasn’t long before they saw the crumpled building. Its roof was caved in, and the glass windows and doors were broken.

  Mike stepped over the glass and onto the building. They saw a small desk with computers on it, light falling down onto them from the caved-in roof.

  “Let’s have a rest here, José, and then we’ll look around some more,” Mike said as he took pictures of the abandoned building.

  José opened his backpack and took out two canteens filled with water and two granola bars.

  “Here, Mike, I have water and granola bars for us,” he said as he sat down in one of the dusty office chairs.

  Mike walked over and took a canteen and granola bar. “Thanks, José,” he said as he unscrewed the cap of his canteen.