Nibowin: The Island of Death

By Sipho Moloi

A group of university graduates is flown to a private island, in the North Pacific Ocean, for a fun vacation, However, things quickly turn deadly when they encounter sinister forces. Bodies quickly pile up as terrifying creatures hunt them to the death. With help being too far away and there being no escape, will the group survive their vacation or succumb to the island of death?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sipho Moloi
• Release date: Aug 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781999513832

Sipho Moloi

Ever since he was a child, Sipho Moloi has been writing sci-fi and military stories. He wrote fan fiction for Resistance 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. There are three important factors in his writing: gripping plot, intense action, and compelling characters. His current work in these two genres are The Invasion of Planet Earth and Armored Piercing. 

Book preview

Prologue

The screaming woke him up. Chief Ishkode of the T’lok tribe was sleeping in a hut with his wife and six-year-old son, who were also awakened by the screaming.

Papa, what’s going on? asked his son, Makwa.

Ishkode listened carefully to the screams to determine the situation, just as his father taught him long ago. He realized the screams were of terror. He looked sternly at his wife. Dakaasin, watch over Makwa and do not leave this hut until I tell you. Understand?

Dakaasin nodded and kept her son in her grasp. Ishkode grabbed his spear and left his hut. He looked around and did not notice anything alarming at first. Others were out of their tents and they were alarmed but uncertain of what was going on.

Then Ishkode focused his attention on a burning hut in the distance. As a warrior, he was trained to run into danger no matter the situation. When the tribe was in danger, all that mattered was protecting it at all costs.

Ishkode ran towards the fire. When he got there, he found a tribesman ripped to shreds: his arms were torn off the rest of his body. No man could have done this. Maybe an animal like a bear, but there were no bear tracks. The tracks that were there were unlike any normal animal seen in nature.

Suddenly, more screaming came from other directions. It became clear that the camp was under attack. He shouted like a hyena, his call to arms. Then he ran in the direction in which the screaming was loudest. He arrived at a destroyed hut and found a tribesman with his torso ripped off. The tribesman looked at Ishkode faintly and passed away. Whatever did this to him was no animal, but something far worse.

There was another scream very close by. Ishkode looked to the left and saw a tribeswoman holding onto the trunk of a tree. It seemed like something was trying to pull her away. Ishkode, help me!

Ishkode rushed to the tribeswoman, but she was pulled away into the forest. He tried to see where she went, but the forest was pitch black at night. There was only one thing that could carry an adult human away so quickly.

Ishkode!

Two of Ishkode’s top warriors arrived: Animkii and Dibikad. All T’lok tribespeople wore breechcloths and tunics. Non-warriors wore tunics that were knitted with wool. Warriors wore tunics that were made out of wolf skin. A tunic made out of bear’s skin was exclusively worn by the chief.

Chief, what’s going on? asked Animkii.

Ishkode faced them with determination. It’s the demons. They have come to feast.

Worried looks washed over his warriors’ faces.

We were barely able to fend them off last time, said Animkii. They killed twenty of our people.

They have already killed more tonight, but we will hold them off like we always do. There was another fire near the center of the camp. Animkii, rally all of our fighters to that fire. Dibikad, protect my family. Make sure none of the demons go anywhere near them.

Yes, my chief, complied his warriors.

Ishkode ran towards the fire and found multiple huts burning and ripped body parts littered all over the ground. He made his way around the burning huts and saw three warriors pointing their spears at another hut.

Chief, a demon lies in there, said one of the warriors.

Ishkode nodded. Stand ready.

A black tentacle shot out of the hut, wrapped around a warrior’s legs, and pulled him inside. After five seconds of screaming, the warrior’s head was spat out and rolled over to Ishkode’s feet.

Move back!

They stepped back and then a figure lunged out of the hut and landed in front of them. The demon was an arachnid with tentacles instead of legs. It bent the tip of its tentacles like a foot to stand and walk around. It had six eyes that were so small that they were almost impossible to see. It had a piranha-like mouth with sharper teeth. It stood three feet tall, was two meters wide, and its black skin was so dark the demon blended perfectly in the night darkness.

Ishkode was always disturbed by the sight of the demon, but he remained brave. Attack!

They rushed towards the demon. The demon grabbed one warrior and tripped the other. Ishkode slid under it and stabbed it in the stomach, breaking his spear in half. He had killed many demons this way before, but this one seemed to have a new endoskeleton protecting that area. A tentacle wrapped around his ankles and tossed him away. The demon bit off the head of the warrior in its grasp and tossed the headless body aside. The other warrior swiped at one of its tentacles and his spear broke in half. It wrapped a tentacle around his neck and lifted him up.

Ishkode got back up, pulled out his knife, and ran towards the demon. A tentacle wrapped around him and he was lifted up—another demon had taken hold of him. He swiped at the tentacle but his knife clinked against it. The second demon drew him close and hungrily opened its mouth. He stabbed it in the head and the demon shrieked in pain. He stabbed several more times and the demon dropped dead, releasing him from its grasp.

The first demon focused on Ishkode and roared at him angrily. It ran towards him and then two spears flew into its head. The demon froze and collapsed.

Animkii arrived with over a dozen fighters. The demon is dead.

Ishkode got up. Good work.

Are you alright, Chief? Animkii asked worryingly.

Ishkode nodded and went to the warrior in the demon’s grasp. He found him still and pale. The demons have evolved.

We know. Their skin is now thick like armor. The only soft spot is their head.

Ishkode sighed. Why do our people continue to be punished like this? Another fire lit up in the distance, where his hut would be. Oh no!

Chief, you go. We’ll clear out the demons.

Ishkode nodded and ran off.

***

When Ishkode made it to his hut, he found it on fire. Suddenly, there was a shout nearby. He followed the sound and found Dibikad pinned underneath a demon. He jumped on top of the demon and stabbed it in the head multiple times. The demon collapsed on Dibikad and Ishkode rolled off. He quickly got up and went to Dibikad.

Hold on! I’ll get you out. Ishkode tried to pull the dead demon off Dibikad, but it was too heavy.

Forget it, Chief. Your family ran into the forest. You must go after them.

I will not leave you like this!

Dibikad grabbed Ishkode by the shoulders. Go, Chief! I’ll be fine.

Ishkode reluctantly agreed and ran into the forest.

***

Ishkode scoured the forest in search of his family. Luckily, he did not have to look for long. He found his wife and son by a cliff overlooking a river. Dakaasin! Makwa! He hugged his family, relishing in their warmth.

The demons came, said Dakaasin. "Dibikad told us to run into