How This Came Together
In Treachery, the forest’s silence is a sign of a deeper danger. As Caleb leads a small team through the forest, survival demands choices that may unravel everything the colonists have built. Beneath the shadowed canopy, betrayal cuts deeper than any blade, leaving scars that will shape the path ahead.
Join me for a tale where every action may hint at betrayal. Trust between allies teeters on a knife’s edge, where even the smallest misstep could shatter the fragile alliance.
Music Pairing
This chapter is paired with my original blues piece called “Creeping”. It contains a deliberate rhythm that underscores and amplifies the unease between the three races. It also echoes the slow unraveling of trust between them all while one team stalks through a forest.
Behind the Scenes
When I was originally writing this tale, I needed something to upend the fragile alliance that I created. In the previous entries, I’ve highlighted the political prowess of Tarian. In contrast, with this installment of the series, I wanted to explore the idea that not all fractures come from common enemies. Sometimes betrayal begins as nothing more than a hint, and grows into something impossible to ignore.
📌 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for weekly original stories, original blues music, and magical storytelling.
🛡️ New episodes every week, don’t miss what’s coming next.
If you enjoyed the story and are looking for something else consider my book, Dead Man’s Hand
Click here or use Rumble, if you prefer, to experience this mingling of story and music that is good for the soul.
Treachery
Caleb raised a fist and sank to one knee as he stared into the forest through his rifle’s sights.
Derek coughed into his clenched fist. “Nobody else can see your hand signals.”
With a glance at Derek, Caleb’s mouth went dry as he stared into the dense woods, every breath tight with unease. He raised his radio and chirped, “Comms check.”
“Here,” Zeke’s voice echoed from the radio.
“So are we,” Mika’s response came a moment later.
Derek kneeled beside Caleb, examining their trail. When he couldn’t find anything, he tapped Caleb’s shoulder. “What are you expecting to find?”
Caleb exhaled slowly as he lowered his weapon. He leaned against the tree, rubbing his nose as he continued to study the foliage. With a grunt, he spun to look at Derek as he pulled the radio to his lips. “I want everyone to fall in on me, double time.”
“Roger that,” Engrim said smoothly.
“Copy,” Zeke said.
Derek arched backward as he sighed and climbed to his feet. He brushed his palm against rough bark as he passed another tree. With a cough, Derek pulled his canteen from his belt and took a long drink. With a sigh of satisfaction, Derek wiped his mouth as he stared into the thicket. “Caleb, I know you. Before they fall in, tell me what’s got you freaking out.”
“I’m not positive,” Caleb said, tapping the canteen.
“But your gut is screaming at you.” Derek capped his bottle as he looked past Caleb. “Something’s bugging you.” He tossed the container into Caleb’s waiting hand and finished, “You might not want to tell them over the radio, but I can see it. Tell me what’s bothering you.”
Caleb shook his head before taking a sip from the canteen. “I can’t explain it, Derek. It’s something, but I can’t put my finger on what’s bothering me.”
Derek shook his head after scanning the forest. “It bugs me when you can’t explain something like this.”
“Is something wrong?” Mika asked as she and Engrim came into view.
“That’s the question at hand,” Derek said as he took his canteen back. “Caleb is antsy.”
“He’s always antsy. That doesn’t mean anything,” Zeke said, tapping Caleb’s back. He leaned against a tree. “What’s got you all knotted up?”
Caleb took a deep breath before looking down his weapon’s sights. With a slight shift of his focus, the leader latched onto the sounds of rushing water. “Can anyone hear that?”
“Do you mean aside from the sounds of nature on this rock?” Engrim asked.
“Yes!” Caleb said. “What can you hear?”
Mika rubbed her forehead. “No—“
“Aarrgh!” Derek screamed as something tore him from the ground.
“What the—“ Engrim said, collapsing to the ground.
“Derek!” Caleb screamed and whipped his rifle to his shoulder.
“Help me!” Derek screamed as wooden fingers tightened around his stomach. He reached for his knife as a chorus of screams from his friends echoed against the trees. When he ripped the blade out of its sheath, he dragged it along the branches holding him.
The blade tore through the bark and fibers, eliciting a ghastly scream, yet the spindly limbs tightened their grip. Before Derek could react, another branch wrapped around him, with a quick jerk of the branches, the soldier’s cries went silent.
“Derek!” Caleb fired at the moving tree. The tree bellowed in answer. Caleb took a step towards it when several guttural cries issued from behind them.
“We got incoming little green ones!” Mika said, firing her weapon.
“Mika, you and Engrim take care of them,” Caleb said, grabbing his companion. “Zeke, you’re with me.”
Mika nodded and pulled Engrim into a better defensive position. Meanwhile, Zeke turned toward the fleeing enemy. “How do we take care of that? Are you carrying something to light it up?”
The wooden creature pulled its arm back and threw Derek’s body at Caleb. Caleb dove out of the way, turning the motion into a roll. He rushed behind another tree. “Do you have any explosives?”
“I don’t. Do you?” Zeke peeked around his shelter.
“Fine!” Caleb rummaged through his pack. “I’ll find something to use.”
.
.
.
Or if you would simply prefer to read the story, click here.
Have a wonderful day my friends!