Green

It was less a monastery than a squat stone refuge, half-swallowed by the mountain. Inside, the monks’ bones lay scattered across the floor. Skulls cracked open. One skeleton had its bony fingers wrapped around another’s throat. They hadn’t died of old age. Something drove them to madness. Maybe it was the curse tied to the treasure we came for.

In the corner sat a burlap sack. I reached in and pulled out a handful of the gems. The moment I touched them, a pulse of energy surged through me—tingles ran down my spine, my heart pounded, the room tipped sideways. A fleeting hunger, a moment of desire gripped me.

Each stone was smooth and perfectly round, like river pebbles worn down by centuries of rushing water. But the legend tells a different story.

They say these aren’t gems at all, but the eyes of the dead—fallen beasts that once roamed these mountains. Guardians of something older than the monastery itself. And the beasts haven’t vanished. They still wander the peaks, protecting the eyes of their ancestors.

Total nonsense. Every treasure comes wrapped in a curse. Nothing more than a way to fend off the feeble-minded.

We stepped outside and fired a flare, signaling base camp that we were heading down. After an hour of descent, we stopped. At this altitude, the sun vanished fast—and with it, what little warmth it provided. Two more nights on frozen ground, eating beans. Then, once we were safely home, we’d split the treasure four ways, equal shares, and enjoy nothing but the finest hotels.

Bernard, Robert, and Helen went to collect firewood while I set up camp.

Alone, I opened the sack and let the green gems tumble through my fingers. They had a strange effect on me. Maybe it was the curse. Or maybe an irrational fear that a beast might come crashing through the trees.

Enough foolishness. Curses, beasts—bedtime stories for children. The gems were going to make the four of us rich. Enough to live in luxury or wallow in sin.

Still, it didn’t sit right—splitting them equally. I found the monastery. And Helen—sure, she did the research. Maybe she deserved a little more. Robert? He was along for the ride. And all Bernard did was complain about the cold.

For a moment, I lost myself. It was four equal shares, as it should be. These were my friends; we had all risked our lives climbing this mountain. But still… I lingered, letting each gem slide through my fingers.

#

There was a rustling sound a few yards away. “Is that you, Bernard? Let’s get this fire built.” Bernard was a fine chap, a little too British for my taste, but he had a good heart.

A low guttering growl came from the bush. I reached over and picked up my sidearm, checked that it was loaded and scanned the surrounding landscape. “Guys, you out there? Not funny.”

“Help! Stay back. Help, Jack! Help!”

It sounded like Helen, but I didn’t see her. My heart was pounding and a bead of sweat stung my eye. Damn it, I told those three to watch out for each other.

“Help! He’s got me. He has green eyes.”

The beast—but it’s only a myth.

“Jack, help. He smells worse than you.”

The bush erupted with laughter as Helen, Bernard, and Robert stumbled into the clearing, grinning like idiots.

“You assholes.” I lowered my gun. “I nearly shot you.”

“Relax, mate,” Robert said, wiping his eyes. “We checked the entire area. No sign of your precious beast.”

Helen, still laughing and balancing an armload of firewood, stepped forward—then her foot caught a rock, and she went down hard.

“Shit,” she said. “I rolled my ankle.”

“Bloody hell.” Bernard kneeled beside her and examined the injury. “There’s your curse, Jack. Bad sprain. And a nasty cut. She must’ve scraped it on the rock.”

Night was settling in fast, and the temperature dropped with it. We built a fire and ate a double helping of beans—better to eat them than carry them.

Robert was half-dozing when he suddenly bolted upright. With all the beans he ate, I figured he was about to let one rip, just to offend Bernard’s delicate English sensibilities. Instead, he stared into the darkness.

“Did you mates see that? Green eyes. Right there in the bush.”

I chucked an empty can at him. “Nice try. You’re not getting me twice.” Robert was my best friend. We had been on a half-dozen adventures together. If you ever were in trouble, he was the guy you’d want by your side.

“I’m serious. Deadset. Something’s out there.”

“Go to sleep, you wanker,” Bernard said. “I’ve had enough of this curse-and-beast bollocks.”

“I heard something too,” Helen said. “Shouldn’t we take turns guarding the camp?”

“Wild animals,” I said. “The fire will keep them away.” Helen wasn’t one to scare easy, but she always insisted on taking precautions. She probably saved us a few times that we never realized.

“Helen’s right,” Robert said. “I’ll take first watch.”

“Fine.” I checked the knot on the sack of gems and set it next to our supplies. “Bernard, I’m thinking you should only get half a share. I mean, you haven’t exactly pulled your weight.”

Bernard’s mouth fell open, and he took a few breaths before responding. “That’s rubbish. I financed the operation. And I certainly didn’t hike halfway up the world’s ass-end to be treated like a junior partner.”

“We’ll pay you back. But a full share? That’s a hefty return.”

“Jack, this isn’t like you,” Helen said. “You’ve always been about the adventure, not the money. Four equal shares, as always.”

“You’re right. Equal shares.” I looked away. “Hope that makes you bloody well happy.”

#

A cold shiver roused me from my sleep. The fire was nearly out—just a few glowing embers. Robert sat upright, stiff as a board. His eyes were open, blank, as if in a trance.

I tossed branches onto the coals, coaxing the fire back to life. Then, walked over and waved a hand in front of Robert.

No reaction.

I gave him a shake. “Robert, wake up.”

He blinked, then sprang to his feet. “Stay back, Jack. I’m warning you.”

“You fell asleep. Nearly let the fire go out.”

He glanced around the camp, then locked eyes with me. His hand was shaking.

“You okay? Was it a bad dream?”

“Dream... yeah. It felt real. I dreamed you—ah... Jack, you tried to... no, you wouldn’t... never mind. Just a nightmare.”

Bernard rubbed his eyes. “Bloody hell. I was enjoying a perfectly miserable sleep.” He glanced at Helen—sweat on her brow despite the cold. “Oh brilliant. We have a problem. Helen, wake up.”

Helen groaned, tried to sit up—then sank back down.

Bernard rolled up her pant leg, exposing her injured ankle. It had swollen to twice its normal size, and green pus was oozing from where she had scraped it.

“Her wound is infected, and is spreading fast. We have to get her off the mountain before she goes into septic shock,” Bernard said.

#

We gathered our gear, and I glanced around for the sack of treasure.

“Who has the gems?”

Everyone looked at each other.

“No one? Where the hell are they?” I turned to Robert. “What did you do with them?”

“Me? You were the one holding them.”

“You took them while I was asleep. Where are they?”

“I didn’t touch them.”

He had to be lying. Why else would he agree to take first watch?

The three of us searched the area for nearly an hour while Helen, burning with fever, tried not to moan. Bernard checked on her repeatedly.

“We can’t wait any longer,” Bernard said. “We’ve got to get her down the mountain.”

“We’re not going anywhere without the gems.” I glanced at Helen. She was in rough shape. No way she took them. But she did insist on setting up a watch. Maybe she and Robert are in cahoots. Stashed them somewhere and are planning to come back alone.

“Bernard is right. We have to go,” Robert said.

Maybe Bernard, with his fake concern for Helen, is in on it too. The gems were mine. No way I was letting some Brit and Aussie steal them out from under me.

I rushed Robert and slammed my shoulder into his gut, knocking him flat.

“Tell me where they are, or I swear I’ll kill you.”

“Jack, stop!” Helen cried. “He’s your friend. Why would he take them?”

“I always knew he was a greedy bastard.”

“You guys are like brothers,” she said. “Jack, it’s the curse.”

“Bull.” I turned to Bernard. “What about you? Why are you so eager to leave?”

“Are you daft? Helen needs medical attention.”

“Helen?” I looked at her. “You want to leave too? Is this a setup? All three of you in on it?”

She groaned, her voice hoarse. “Jack… I’m burning up. No one’s trying to cut you out.”

I pulled my gun and pointed it at Bernard and Robert. “No one’s going anywhere until we find the gems. Bernard, tie Robert up.”

“You’ve gone mad.”

“Do it—or I’ll shoot him.”

Bernard tied Robert, after which I tied him.

“Jack,” Robert said, his voice trembling. “That dream I had—it’s coming true. You went mad. Threatened to kill us all. I think you would’ve, except—”

I pressed the barrel of my gun to his temple. “I’m not crazy. Where did you hide them?”

Bernard struggled against his ropes. “Think, Jack. The monks—remember how we found them? Whatever drove them mad, it’s happening to you. The gems are cursed.”

I turned on him, fury rising in my throat. “You think you can gaslight me? It’s not going to work. The gems are mine!”

I grabbed a heavy branch and swung it hard. It cracked against Bernard’s skull, and he dropped to his knees.

Helen screamed. I spun toward her.

“I’m not buying your sprained ankle, either.”

“No…” she pointed, eyes wide.

At the edge of the clearing stood a creature—ten feet tall, its fur turned white by the mountain’s frost. Glowing green eyes locked on me. At its feet sat the sack of gems. My gems. And I wasn’t sharing them with anybody.

Man has killed every beast on this planet—forty-ton whales, bull elephants, million-head herds of buffalo. We are the apex predator, not some green-eyed yeti.

I raised my gun. The dumb animal just stared.

I fired. A bullet struck dead center in its chest. The beast staggered back a step, then lunged forward. One massive hand knocked the gun away. I dove for it, but the beast seized me, hurled me like a rag doll, then flung a dead tree trunk across my legs. I couldn’t move—pinned.

The creature lumbered over to Helen, leaned down, and placed a hand on her wound. The green pus drained away. Her eyes closed in sudden relief.

Then the beast kicked the sack of gems toward me—and disappeared into the brush.

“Jack,” Helen said. “It’s giving us a choice. The same one it gave the monks. We can take the gems—and the curse—or we can leave the mountain and never return.”

“How do you know that?”

“When I was burning with fever, I saw it. I thought I was delirious, but now I know what it means. The beast was there. Not threatening, not angry—just watching. I saw monks fighting over the gems, tearing each other apart. Monks, for God’s sake. And I saw the same look in your eyes, Jack. The beast doesn’t kill. He doesn’t need to. Greed will do it. Those gems will never leave this mountain.”

Helen rose, tested her ankle, and managed a faint smile. She untied the others—leaving me trapped beneath the weight of the tree trunk.

Bernard rubbed the knot on his head. “You two ready to get off this bloody mountain?”

“What about him?” Robert asked, nodding at me.

“He can piss off,” Bernard said. “Leave him with his precious gems.”

“Fine by me,” I said. “I’ll figure a way out. Then the gems will be all mine.”

“He’s the only one who touched them,” Helen said. “He’s infected with the curse. We’re leaving the gems—but we’re taking him.”

Robert tied me up, and together the three of them forced me down the mountain.

I still feel it—the pull to go back, to find that clearing, to reclaim what’s mine.

So far, I’ve resisted.

So far.