Read the first 4 stunning chapters:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

I was woken up by a loud, distracting noise. I felt tired and as I wanted to know what time it was I looked up into the sky to find the sun, however I couldn’t detect a single ray; everything was covered in dark grey clouds. The noise must have come from some sort of helicopter. Its rotor blades were cutting through the air, stopping everybody from sleeping as I recognized when I got up. Casemiro and Lyanna had also just been roused. All the memories of what had happened were gone for a second, they were pushed away by what others would call hope for civilization, in my case it was more the fear of failing, a distraction, not very convenient for me after all. I still had to fulfill what I promised short after our arrival at this island.

“We need to give a sign, so that they know we survived”, Casemiro said when he also realized that civilization was close. That meant no good for me, that was clear, but what options did I have? Tell them that they only imagined the noise even though we all know it was there and make them suspicious or do what is needed to gain attention and hope that you can lead them onto some sort of a wrong way? I am capable of influencing them especially Casemiro, however Lyanna would never completely follow me. She already knew too much, I saw her last night in the church and she saw me. Definitely she would try to explain all her experiences to him. Casemiro is not the brightest, but at some point, he would understand what was going on, so making him skeptical by not accepting his proposal would be counterproductive.

“How about creating a fire, the smoke would also be visible from further away.” Both of them agreed as besides the being recognized the heat would be useful for cooking, too. All of us were hungry. In addition to roasting some roots we also decided to eat the last few protein bars which we had saved from the plane together with a whole bag filled with a few useful object like those bars, duct tape and a knife. When I realized that we were going to look for that bag, my heart speeded up pounding and sweat broke out of every pore. I knew that the knife would be missing; therefore I only hoped that nobody had taken a closer look at the bag on our first day.

Casemiro went to get the bag. He turned it upside down in front of our feet, so we could pick out all the bars more easily, when a few seconds later Lyanna started gesturing wildly and intense. She made him understand that the knife had been removed, however, I told Casemiro that it was not of any great importance to us and that we should rather spend our time on collecting more wood for our fire than focusing on that object. “But…” he said whilst one could observe his brain working, “…the knife would be the only tool the murderer of Jeff and Catlynn could have cut out their hearts with!” “I guess you’re right with that, still, looking for it would take ages. We can’t waste our time now, not when aid is that close. Come on, let’s set up our fire!”

So all the three of us searched for material to burn and lightened it. We had all continued collecting wood when Casemiro as well as me were both just carrying a large pile of it and bumped into each other. I tripped over some of the sticks he had been transporting to land on my chest. The missing knife slipped out of my pocket. It was all covered in blood and immediately captured the attention of them both. To my advantage the disturbing sound of the helicopter from this morning had just returned before Casemiro had the possibility to through himself onto me. For a moment his complete attention was drawn onto the landing helicopter. I used the chance, reached for the knife and took a step back nearly bumping into the wincing Lyanna. The noise of crinkling leaves reduced its volume a little, as the rotor blades stopped moving, but winds and the thunder still were impressively loud. A storm was about to turn up, no doubt.

Two men in uniforms, probably the coast guard, appeared behind the opening helicopter door. When they saw the bloody knife they immediately pulled out their guns, wanted me to drop the cutting tool and to raise my arms, but that was the last option I thought about. “I had promised something, keep that in mind!” I told myself, therefore I took back another step and set the knife at Lyanna’s throat. The men didn’t seem to be sure about what to do now. Winds had become so strong that standing straight took a whole lot of energy. They probably wondered about how long they could still stay here without risking not being able to leave this island again, therefore they called over Casemiro. He was getting into the helicopter while Lyanna and I were advancing back into the dense forest. I could only perceive parts of what they said in all the noise. It was something about having to leave before their flight vehicle would not be strong enough to defy the gusts of wind as well as not having time to search for us. So they launched into their direction, we into ours.

When the dense forest had enclosed us, Lyanna held close by me with the knife still threatening to end her life any second, I started thinking about what I had done: I had let myself attract by that book lying in the church. It had been closed when I arrived and empty when I opened it; still its pages had somehow filled as I wanted to see what they truly were telling. They had persuaded me that I was the chosen one selected by the great master himself, him, whom we’re used to call Satan. I had been offered a trade: four murders, four hearts for my old life, for the standard I was used to. Terrible that this only was about cash and gold, but what was even more concerning were the set terms, if I admitted and failed my soul would be what I’d have to pay. And I agreed. Now I need to live with the consequences, need to fulfill what I started.

After a time which felt like hours, we finally reached the doomed village.

Fast, we crossed the open space in front of the church and entered having the wind smash the door shut behind us with a loud bang. I lowered the knife and pushed Lyanna in hard, making her fall to hit the cold stone floor badly. The light inhere was dim letting me only see contours as well as faint shadows. I knew what had to come now, the last innocent victim was about to be sacrificed. I set myself right above her forcing her to lay there, motionless. I was glad that she couldn’t cry out in that moment as I simply had already heard too many of those screams giving me the most horrible nightmares one could imagine. I closed my eyes so that I didn’t have to see her face contorting in pain and let my knife sink into her chest. I detached the heart from all the vessels it was connected to and seized it. I got up quickly dashing through the church to reach the altar where I positioned it right next to the other two hearts. I was pleased that I didn’t still have to hold on to it.

Then I took a step back, dignified, looking at what I had done; four lives for tons of gold, three lives for one soul. “How will all of this end? Becoming Satan’s instrument of harm or fulfill the task and rest in peace.” I asked myself even though I subconsciously already knew the answer. I let one final gaze glance over the altar, seeing the shadow of Lyanna’s heart still jittering. Then I laid myself onto the table and accomplished what would become one of my last breaths.

I raised my arm holding onto the knife in it tightly and let the blade dive under my skin. I pushed it in, hard. Blood spilled out of my now cut open aorta. It slowly ran down my arm until it reached the grip of the knife which had already become wet and sticky. The first bolt of pain hit me, but I knew that that only was the beginning. My vision blurred, nevertheless I only thought that I had to do it; it was too late to return now. My hand was quivering and I could nearly not hold onto the knife anymore, however, I still somehow made the blade cut around my heart. Every incision brought more pain; sometimes I could feel it, then it went gone again and returned a few seconds later striking me even worse. But that was the last I had to sacrifice; I had to accomplish it. With all of my remaining power I grabbed my own heart and set it next to the other three onto the altar.

The deal with the devil was completed.

I slowly closed my eyes and the last thing I felt was satisfaction.