The Drums

Diary Entry #1:

Date: January 15th

         Today marks the beginning of my expedition into the mysterious and supposedly untouched location, deep in South America, which I have longed to explore for years. As I trek through the dense jungle, I can't help but notice a staggering sense of both excitement and apprehension coursing through my body, like some sensation of skittering insects of mixed excitement.

The thick vegetation obscures my view, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. But still, I press on, eager to discover what secrets lie within this uncharted territory.

Diary Entry #2:

Date: January 18th

       I have been trekking for days now, and still, there seems to be no end in sight of this thick vegetation, it feels increasingly difficult to have any hope of even charting this land. Not only that, but the eerie silence of the jungle is unsettling, with only the sound of my footsteps breaking the stillness. Should there not be any sound of insects, of rustling winds? I would even welcome the hissing of the snake, or the snarling of a jaguar – anything for this oddly deafening silence to end.

 Strange markings on the trees and rocks leave me feeling uneasy as if I am being watched by some unseen presence. This land is supposedly untouched by human hands, yet these markings feel as if they’ve been made unnaturally. Of course, there is the chance of encountering an undiscovered native tribe, but there is again the outlandish silence of this place that I cannot begin to describe, let alone explain. Despite my growing unease, I cannot shake the feeling that there is something out there, lurking in the shadows.

Diary Entry #3:

Date: January 21st

         Last night, I heard a chilling sound echoing through the jungle. It was a faint thumping like some drums being banged deep into the heart of the jungle; the constant thrumming sent shivers down my spine. I tried to convince myself that it was just a wild animal, but deep down, I knew that there was something much more sinister at play here.

As I continue my journey, I can't help but feel like I am being led deeper into a nightmare from which I may never wake.

Diary Entry #4:

Date: January 24th

         I have come across a series of ancient ruins that appear to be of unknown origin. The crumbling stone structures are covered in strange symbols that I cannot decipher, similar to those found on the rocks and trees on my path to this nameless, sleeping city.

The air around me feels thick, heavy, and oppressive – as if the very walls of the ruins are closing in on me. I can't shake the feeling that I am not alone here, that something is watching me from the shadows. I will make camp on the outskirts tonight and will begin my exploration first thing in the morning.

Diary Entry #5:

Date: January 25^th

The drums, the drums. The never-ending drums.

Diary Entry #6:

Date: January 26^th

       I have made a startling discovery today. Deep within the heart of the ruins, I found a chamber filled with strange, seemingly otherworldly artifacts; things whose uses I cannot describe a use or function for, these strange items whose designs appear smooth on their dark surfaces while twisting in obscure geometrical shapes of intricate precision. I find myself dumbstruck with awe as I imagine it would be difficult for modern artists to craft such displays so precisely, let alone this ancient civilization.

Once I managed to tear my mind from these mesmerizing obelisks, I noticed that the air was thick with the stench of decay, and a feeling of dread washed over me as I beheld the twisted statues and grotesque carvings that lined the walls. These carvings depicted what I can assume to be an homage to their primitive gods, as carvings of humans all circled around a creature of anthropomorphic proportions.

I began to understand that I had stumbled upon something far more sinister than I could have ever imagined, and wondered in awe at what could have happened to such a civilization as this.

Diary Entry #6:

Date: January 30th

       I awoke last night to the sound of the drums again, echoing through the ruins, though in which direction I could not say where. As I shook off my sleepy stupor, I then noticed there were voices whispering ominously, seemingly around the corners and just out of sight.

 The voices were faint and somewhat menacing, and they began filling me with a sense of indescribable dread. I tried to convince myself that it was just my imagination, yet as I was faced with reality, deep down, I knew that I was in terrible, terrible danger if I were to linger here.

 As I write this, I can hear the whispers growing louder, drawing closer with each passing moment.

And the drums, those damned never-ending drums, reverberating through my skull and banging into my brain.

I fear that I may never escape this cursed place alive.

As the explorer's diary entries come to an abrupt and unconcluded end, it becomes clear that they have stumbled upon a location far more terrifying and malevolent than they could have ever imagined.

The journal had been passed between researchers and aspiring explorers, each reading over and giving their own thoughts on the mystery of the missing explorer, and some even began to favor fantasies of finding this ancient city to explore for themselves.

The warning of this found journal of a lost adventurer would one day serve as a warning against all who would dare to search for this lost treasure, though it, for now, remains a half-finished sort of treasure map for the ignorant – for the ancient ruins hold dark secrets and unseen horrors, lurking in the shadows and waiting to ensnare any unsuspecting trespassers. The explorer's fate remains unknown, lost to the darkness that haunts the untouched location. Though what remains the biggest mystery of all that none can solve, is that this explorer’s journal was found resting snugly on an old drum back at the explorer’s initial campsite after making land, just at the edge of the jungle.