Sanctuary of the Damned

By Larry Cockerham

Paul knew his job was dangerous. Twenty years before, two of his team members had been killed by a large pyroclastic flow from an active volcano. Haunted by the incident, he was determined to keep it from happening again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Larry Cockerham
• Release date: Dec 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386097365

Book preview

Sanctuary of the Damned

Larry Cockerham

Quotes are taken from the English Revised Version, 1885

Copyright © 2017 Larry Cockerham

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1979470568

ISBN-10: 1979470561

BISAC: Fiction / Horror / General

Cover Art by The Cover Collection

http://www.thecovercollection.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious.  Any

resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all of the horror and thriller fans everywhere.

Contents

Contents

1 The Preparation

2 The Arrival

3 The Encounter

4 A State of Confusion

5 The Shadows

6 The Cave

7 Strange Happenings

8 The Attack

9 The Monastery

10 The Refectory

11 Risky Business

12 The Mountain Trail

13 The Ferry

14 Body Count

15 Beyond the Cave

16 One More Night with the Demons

17 Night of Fright

18 Hurry Up and Wait

19 The Boat

20 The Eruption

21 Troubles, Troubles

22 The Intercession

23 Port of Call

24 The Engagement Party

25 Jakarta Nights

26 Back in Seattle

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

––––––––

To my wife, my fellow-helper and loving companion, and to our children, who inspire us each day.

The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men which were of old, the men of renown.

—Genesis 6:4 (RV)

1 The Preparation

PAUL KNEW HIS JOB WAS dangerous. Twenty years before, two of his team members had been killed by a large pyroclastic flow from an active volcano. Haunted by the incident, he was determined to keep it from happening again.

Landing at the international airport in Jakarta, he booked three nights at a local hotel. While there they waited to link up with two other teams from Australia and New Zealand. The Indonesian government had asked them to monitor one of the active volcanoes on an uncharted island in the archipelago. That afternoon, the others showed up. Everyone met downstairs to consider their itinerary. They remained close to the front where the guests entered.

In the center of the vast lobby, several massive silver tinted columns soared to the ceiling. All the basic pillars and exterior were done in this metallic finish. Two staircases straddled each side of the room and curved upward to the second floor of the building. The steps were carpeted in a dark maroon tint. Positioned in the middle of the area was sectional seating upholstered in a lavender hue with added high-backed cushioned chairs. The arrangement centered over a large white oval rug. In the front entrance area, more seating for the guests stood behind tall glass windows that gave the interior of the hotel an open-air feel.

The teams included them—Paul and Geri Martinez—with Dr. David Lee, who retired as a geology professor from Portland, Oregon. He was brilliant, yet slim and athletic for someone in his late fifties. His partner died battling cancer a year ago. The second unit comprised James Anderson and Dr. Anne Shaw from Wellington and Murray Thompson from Auckland, New Zealand. The third group comprised Jack Fisher, William Barrett, and Dr. Emily Scott, from Melbourne, Australia.

Paul spoke first. The oldest of the group, he had the most experience. With his tall frame and prominent brow, he commanded respect from those around him. He was a night owl and an insomniac. Has everyone agreed to make the Krakatau tour in the morning?

Sounds good mate, Jack Fisher responded. I can't speak for everybody, but I'm game. The typical Aussie; Jack was particularly direct and down to earth. He was an inexperienced twenty something temp worker employed to support Dr. Emily Scott set up the monitors and equipment and other pressing tasks. His blond hair, tan body, and piercing blue eyes were certain to get the opposite sex's attention.

I think it would be a good opportunity for those of us who haven't made the tour, Dr. Anne Shaw suggested, pushing a lock of her long ash brown hair from her slate gray eyes. She was quite beautiful for an older woman; athletic, tall, with chiseled features and an accent as strong as her disposition. It's been several years since I've visited Krakatoa, so I'd love to see it again. When it erupted back in 1883, it was one of the loudest explosions ever recorded in human history. It killed over 36,000 people.

Everyone looked at Geri, the petite strawberry blonde with cat-like eyes and a slight southern drawl. She had tried for years to suppress her upgliding diphthongs and dropped R in words, but they still slipped through. She flirted with pretty much everyone. I'd love to. I've read several books on it, but this is my first trip to Indonesia. She looked over at her husband. I think Paul's been here once.

Paul scanned the group. Both James Anderson and Murray Thompson had master's degrees in geology from the university in Wellington and had been co-workers for several years at a research and consulting firm in New Zealand.

James was of medium height and weight, dark hair, wore glasses and loved routine. He did the same things at the same time every day. Murray, on the other hand, was overweight, balding, and was never on time for anything.

William Barrett worked with a seismologist firm out of Melbourne. He was short, pot-bellied, and a good-natured fellow. He was a walking encyclopedia of mostly useless trivia.

Paul stood to address the group. All right. If everybody's agreed, we'll meet here in the morning. We need to go ahead and book our transportation.

After everybody signed up for the tour, they decided to visit one of the restaurants in the city. Dr. Emily Scott recommended a popular one downtown as she had eaten there before. She was one of the youngest and most attractive of the group. Her closely cropped sandy blond hair highlighted her cocoa brown eyes and sculpted facial features. She had achieved a doctorate from the prestigious University of Tasmania in Earth Sciences. A quiet person, she was always sensitive to the feelings of others.

Since there were a total of nine people in the group, the restaurant had to place Paul and Geri at a table by themselves while the others were able to sit together. Still, they were close enough to join in the conversations.

Paul was still trying to decide what to order from the menu. I think I'll have the Surabaya Rawon. How about you, hon?

That sounds good to me, Geri replied. Why don't you just ditto the order?

Paul placed his menu on the table and took in the ambience of the restaurant. It was a charming restaurant located on the second floor of one of the local buildings. Entertained with contemporary music, surrounded by fashionable French interior, featuring unusual ironwork, beautiful chandeliers and unique paintings by some of Indonesia’s most famous artists, the elite interior was a perfect location for a picture-perfect amorous meal.

Paul leaned in toward Geri. I think you'll enjoy the trip out to the island. There are so many things to do here. I just hate we won't have time to take it all in.

I know, Geri agreed, as she casually flipped through a travel brochure she had brought along from the airport. Suddenly she looked up at Paul. How far are these islands?

It's about forty miles across the strait, Paul replied. About an hour and a half by speed boat.

Speed boat?

It'll be fun. I think they have sailboats on the return trip.

Geri didn't care for any kind of activity that involved water. Oh, okay.

After dining, everyone headed back to their hotel to get some rest before the morning tour.

Back at the hotel, Paul and Geri checked their luggage. The other two teams should be bringing most of the technical gear; monitors, seismometers, tilt meters, and other equipment. They're so much closer here than we are.

Geri smiled. What are we bringing, dear?

Paul scowled. What are we bringing? Twenty years of experience for one thing.

Geri laughed. I'm going to get ready for bed. Don't stay up too late."

WHEN EVERYONE ARRIVED at Carita Beach, they boarded two speed boats that sported two large outboard engines. It was a forty-mile trek across the Sunda Strait to the Krakatau islands. The strait crossed between the islands of Sumatra and Java and connected the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Paul, Geri, Anne Shaw, David Lee, and Emily Scott boarded one of the speedboats. Jack Fisher, William Barrett, Murray Thompson, and James Anderson were sitting in the other.

Geri frowned as she looked out across the strait to the distant Krakatau islands. That looks like a long way over there. Couldn't they build a bridge or something?

Paul laughed. Well, actually, they had proposed a bridge at one time, but the idea was eventually shelved.

One of the tour guides stood to give an announcement. Keep your eyes peeled on the way over for flying fish, tuna, dolphins, and other aquatic wildlife. We will first sail around the Anak Krakatau or the baby of the Krakatau volcano, then the Krakatoa volcano. There you can see the steam coming off the lava. Then we'll take time to let you get some pictures before landing.

Everyone enjoyed the trip over to the islands except for Geri, who white-knuckled it all the way until they landed on the black sandy beaches of Anak Krakatau.

Stepping onto the soft hot black sands of the island beach, the group waited for the tour to begin.

See, honey, the water was crystal clear around the island, Paul said.

Geri was not amused as she looked up at the smoking volcano in the distance rising above them.  

Everyone began following the guide as they first moved through dense jungle, and began climbing the one hundred eighty meters to the first level. The landscape resembled the surface of the moon and was covered with only volcanic rock and sand.

After arriving, Paul approached the teams. Is everyone ready to move up to the second level?.

How much further is it? Geri asked, wiping sweat from her face.

Not far, hon, Paul reassured her.

Everyone began following the guide up to the top of the volcano. In less than an hour, they had made it to the highest elevation.

Wow, would you look at that view! Dr. Emily Scott announced as everybody enjoyed the exquisite panorama.

From the top, everyone could see the outer Island of Krakatau and the other islands around Krakatau (Sertung Island, Rakata Island, and Panjang Island). Sumatra and Java could be seen in the distance. Everyone was amazed at the hot volcanic sand and smoke steam coming out from rock hole Van.

It's truly amazing, Dr. David Lee said, nodding in agreement.

Eventually, everyone decided to begin the next leg of the tour. From there they traveled to Rakata Island for diving and swimming.

After a day of snorkeling at the Legon Cabe Chili Bay coral reef, everyone ate a light meal and headed back to Carita Beach.

Once they got back to the hotel, Paul teased Geri. You should have gone snorkeling with us. There were some beautiful exotic fish around the coral reef.

No thank you, Geri replied. I'm not a water enthusiast and never will be.

You only live once, honey, Paul advised. You ought to try it.

Paul, you know I have a phobia of water, Geri reminded her husband.

All right, but we may never get back this way, Paul advised. Sometimes you just need to take the plunge.

Geri