The Word of God
Authors: Christopher Cummings
The Word of God
The Army Cadets
C.R. Cummings
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*The Word of God
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The Word of God
The Army Cadets
C.R. Cummings
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DoctorZed
Publishing
Copyright © Christopher Cummings
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This 2nd edition published 2015 by DoctorZed Publishing
DoctorZed Publishing books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:
DoctorZed Publishing
10 Vista Ave, Skye, South Australia 5072
ISBN: 978-0-9942084-4-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-0-9942084-7-7 (e)
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Creator: Cummings, C. R., author.
Title: The word of god : the army cadets/ Christopher Cummings.
Edition: 2nd edition
ISBN: 9780994208446 (paperback)
Series: Cummings, C. R. The Army cadets
Subjects: Adventure stories, Australian.
Military cadetsâQueensland â Fiction.
Dewey Number: A823.3
This is a work of fiction. The places are real but the names, characters, events, and dialogues are creations of the author or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any individuals, alive or dead, is purely coincidental. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Cover image © Prometeus |
Dreamstime.com
- Sharp Sword Photo
Cover design © Scott Zarcinas
Printed in Australia
DoctorZed Publishing rev. date: 11/1/2015
Dedication
To the Officers of the Queensland Police Service who courageously protect the people of Queensland and in particular those police who bravely serve in rural and outback stations such as Herberton.
Contents
Chapter 3: ON TOP OF THE PYRAMID
Chapter 6: GORDONVALE BY NIGHT
Chapter 9: BESIDE THE MULGRAVE
Chapter 10: ALONG THE TRAMLINE
Chapter 14: NIGHT BESIDE THE RIVER
Chapter 15: PETER'S SUSPICIONS
Chapter 22: THE LUCK OF THE DEVIL
Chapter 37: INSPECTOR GOLDSTEIN
Map 1: Walsh Pyramid
2 pm Sunday, 22 June
T
he eight teenage army cadets trudged along the dirt vehicle track at the base of Walsh Pyramid. On their left was a field of sugar cane, three metres tall and almost ready to harvest. On their right loomed the bush clad slopes of the mountain. All wore army camouflage uniforms and slouch hats. They wore webbing and carried packs and stout wooden staves. Sweat and grime marked their persons and they looked tired.
Cadet Under-Officer Peter Bronsky, 17 years old, brown eyed and brown haired, wiped sweat from his face and looked up the steep slopes at the distant peak.
“How high is this thing?”
The fair haired youth beside him, CUO Graham Kirk, studied the map in his hand before replying. “Says nine hundred and twenty two metres here.”
Peter made a face. “Nearly a thousand. Sounds a lot. Do we really need to climb it? I've been up the blasted thing half a dozen times already,” he grumbled.
Graham chuckled. “Haven't we all!” he replied. Both had climbed the mountain with the Cubs and later with the Scouts, and even with school groups. The Pyramid was one of those places most of the local kids climbed at some stage in their lives.
The group arrived at a point where a weathered wooden sign noted the fact that the barely distinguishable trail in the long grass was the WALSH PYRAMID WALKING TRACK. Nearby in a grassy clearing beside the field of sugar cane two black four-wheel drive vehicles and two cars were parked.
With a grunt of relief Peter swung off his pack and looked around. He pointed to the cars. “Must be a few bushwalkers up the mountain.”
Graham looked and nodded. “Yes,” he agreed. “Neither of those are the OC's car.”
An attractive blonde girl who also wore CUO's rank slides on her camouflage uniform frowned. “He did say he would meet us here didn't he?” she asked.
“Yes Gwen, he did,” Graham replied. “We are early. He said three o'clock.”
Peter smiled. “That's good,” he said. “That means we won't be climbing the Pyramid today.”
“Why not?” Gwen asked as she dumped her pack with a thud in the shade of a tree.
Peter gestured upwards. “Because it takes about three or four hours, depending on how fit you are,” he replied.
At that Graham snorted. “Oh come on Pete! Don't be a sook! We've still got time,” he said. “Three hours up and one back down. We could do it.”
Peter chuckled. “Off you go. We'll see you in four hours.”
“Weakies!” Graham jibed. “Where's your spirit?”
Gwen Copeland made a face. “I've temporarily worn mine out.”
The last five cadets; three girls and two boys, joined them. One of the boys, a solid, slightly chubby CUO with pale, freckled skin, wiped perspiration from his face and grumbled: “Strewth it is hot! This is supposed to be winter and it's as hot as a summer day.”
“Yes Dean, it is a bit warm,” Peter agreed.
An overweight, red-faced girl dumped her pack and slumped onto it. “Do you really think we will have to climb this thing?”
Graham nodded. “Yes Charmaine. I reckon it's a cert,” he replied. “Captain Conkey did promise a hike with some challenges in it.”
A look of dismay crossed Charmaine's face. “Oh I hope not,” she replied while fanning herself with her hat.
CUO Stephen Bell, dark-haired, freckle-faced and with glasses placed his pack beside the others and looked up at the mountain. “I agree with Graham. Ever since we re-crossed the Mulgrave at the bottom of Bell Peak we have been heading for the Pyramid. I think⦠hello, who's this?”
They all turned to look as a man dressed in black came hurrying down the rough path. The man was obviously in haste as he slipped several times and was panting as though he had run a race. As the man reached the bottom of the track Peter felt a tightness grip his insides.
I don't like the way this bloke is hurrying. I wonder if there has been an accident up on the mountain?
he wondered.
The man scrambled down over the last few rocky patches and stumbled out onto the open ground. By then it was plain that he was very agitated, and that he was heading for them. As the man ran over to them Peter noted that he was about thirty, with a reddish complexion and black eyes. In his hand the man carried a small radio.
As he reached them the man cried out: “Army! Thank God! Oh quick! You must stop them. If you don't they will kill the prisoners! Quick!”
Peter felt his heart quicken as a spasm of alarm gripped him.
Prisoners? Kill them?
He stepped forward as the man began to gabble excitedly at them. Without thinking he placed his hand on the man's sleeve. “Calm down! Who will kill who and why?”
The man stood for a moment, gasping for breath, his eyes wild and staring. Peter noted this with rising anxiety.
This guy is in a real state. I hope he isn't dangerous
, he thought.
The man shuddered, closed his eyes, gulped air as though he was drowning, then pointed up the Pyramid. “Devil Worshippers. They have three prisoners and are going to kill them at sunset. They make human sacrifices to Satan as the sun goes down.”
Peter felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he shivered involuntarily. Devil Worshippers!
Before he could speak Graham cut in: “Devil Worshippers! Here? In North Queensland!”
The man swallowed and nodded. “You must believe me. Yes, Devil Worshippers; Sons of Satan. They are evil. You must hurry. Oh please hurry. I don't want to be responsible for any more killings.”
Any more!
Peter's mind raced, attempting to sort out what was going on. The thought that the man might be mentally unbalanced flitted across his mind and Peter glanced at him to check if he had any weapons. None was visible. “So how do you know this? Who are you?” he asked.
“My name is Michael Skarzcy and I am one of them,” the man wailed. “Oh please hurry. They aren't far ahead of you. If you move quickly you will catch them up and be in time.”
Gwen curled her lip in disbelief. “How do we know this isn't just some sort of a wind-up; to send us up the mountain as a sick joke?”
“It's no joke!” the man cried, his anguish sounding genuine to Peter.
Gwen persisted: “So why are you telling us? How do you fit into this? What's the story?”
“I told you. I am a Devil Worshipper too,” the man replied, his agitation at not being instantly believed growing by the second. He hopped from foot to foot and his eyes flicked from one to the other rapidly. Peter nerved himself to be ready to physically grapple with the man if he became violent.
