Literary Thriller. 146 pages. 57, 747 words.
On a private tropical island far from any other shore, the wealthiest and most powerful come together to plan their various schemes and indulge insatiable appetites. With them naturally is the standard retinue of servants and invitees; the latter serving as stage props and attractions for the amusement of their capricious benefactors. But through the eyes of a chance first hand observer, the story here will play out in a way that will horrify even them. [Contains graphic violence and sexual content]
EXCERPT:
Shuddering as it descended towards the brilliant shield of the sea, the sword plunge of the plane’s dive was a probing strike at my resolve and I glanced for a second at the pilot to see if there was anything kamikaze-ish in his demeanor. Just as when we boarded though, he appeared to be nothing less than the paragon of a reliable chauffeur. For a moment however I did consider calling out to get his attention, to maybe gauge our situation, but he seemed preoccupied with his dials and the radio so I allowed the urge to pass. My wife, beside me of course, and her two parents in the row ahead of us, didn’t seem overly disturbed either so there wasn’t really even a proper opening for comment. To divert myself, I stared out the window at the island that was now filling a large portion of the view to my left. Still slightly above it, I could make out something of the expansive compound that was spread out over the eons old peak of worn-down volcanic rock; a geological interloper that, for thousands of years, had pierced-in-solitude this lonely region of the ocean. What amazed me most perhaps was the density of the trees in the pristine forested region that surrounded its peak; the foliage as green as solid emerald and a green in distinct contrast to the more varied grasslands alloyed with manifold wild flowers and the rich textures of underlying soil. The name Cornucopia was no doubt appropriate in a symbolic sense but, strictly going by appearance, the island struck me as more like a crown than anything else.
