Jase & the Deadliest Hunt by John Luke Robertson

count goes on. “It’s chilled so you may fully taste the delicacy of the brain.”
    You jerk back from the dish. “Wait a minute   —this is dog brain?” You’ve eaten what some might consider unusual food before, but nothing like this. Where are the PETA police when you need them?
    “Yes, chilled Chihuahua,” the count repeats in a matter-of-fact way.
    When you get up the nerve to actually remove the cloth and see what’s in the container, you have to search. It takes you a minute to locate the small item.
    “This looks like an M&M.”
    “Have you ever seen a Chihuahua?” he asks.
    “Well, yeah, of course.”
    “They’re not very smart, you know.”
    Everyone is watching to see what you’ll do. It takes everything you have to put the spoon in your mouth. And a funny thing happens when you do.
    It’s not that bad.
    You swallow and shrug as the others wait for your reaction.
    “What’s it taste like?” John Luke asks.
    You’re still trying to figure out how to describe it.
    “Well, you know those little hot dogs in SpaghettiOs? It’s kind of like them. The flavor, texture, everything.”
    “Ew,” Willie says.
    “No, they’re actually pretty good. Got any more in there?”

    Go here .

DOUBLE VISION

    THE WEIRDEST THING HAPPENS. You feel like you just dropped in here from another world. No, make that another life. And in that life, you were Willie. Talking about nothing like he usually does and acting crazy.
    You touch your face to make sure the confusion is over. Feels familiar.
    Okay. I’m Jase, not Willie.
    Still, this is strange. You were in the middle of some kind of wild story, and now . . .
    What am I doing here? Oh yeah, that’s right. Hunting in a cave on a mysterious island . . . for some kind of dangerous creature.
    Cole, John Luke, and Willie are in here with you. You guys seem to be lost, and if you are, you know who’s to blame.
    “I swear we’ve already come this way,” Willie says.
    Yep, sure enough.
    It’s cold, and your footsteps echo through the cavern. You have a rifle slung over your shoulder, your flashlight illuminating the way. Everybody’s walking around and making more noise than hunters should. It’s like all of you doubt you’ll find anything in here.
    “I’m getting kinda hungry,” you say as the passage begins to slope downward. “Hey, Cole, you hungry?”
    You glance over your shoulder but don’t see anything. Then you shine your flashlight behind you and see nothing but rock.
    “Cole?”
    “What’s up?” Willie asks, a few paces ahead of you. “Hey, John Luke, stop for a minute.”
    “Cole was right there. Right behind me. Hey, Cole!”
    But you hear and see nothing. Worry sets in. “He must’ve accidentally gone the wrong direction.” You wave your flashlight frantically.
    “How’d he do that? Wouldn’t he just call after us?”
    “I don’t know. I’m gonna go look for him.”
    “No,” Willie says. “We have to stay together.”
    “Okay, then. Come on.” You double-time back the way you came without waiting to see if Willie and John Luke catch up.
    You want to walk faster but have to be careful since the ground is so uneven. You’re still calling Cole’s name and hearing no response when you arrive at a three-way intersection.
    “Didn’t we come from the left?”
    “I thought we came from the center,” Willie says.
    “No, didn’t we come from the right?” John Luke asks.
    Oh, this is great.
    You call out for Cole. And you finally get a reply.
    It’s a sound, not a voice.
    It’s the sound of a duck call.
    “Was that   —?”
    “Sure was,” Willie says.
    “You think it’s Cole?”
    “You think someone besides us is in these caves with a duck call?”
    You head in the direction of the call. But a few moments later, another one sounds. This is a different duck call.
    And it’s behind you.
    “What’s going on?” Willie asks.
    “Cole!”
    Now you hear yet another duck call   —a third kind. This one is