The Codex

by Douglas Preston

We have begun our journey well,” he said when he had recovered. “There will be much humor and jokes on our trip. Otherwise the swamp will drive us mad, and we will die.”

And then it happened. Without any noise or apparent movement, Tom suddenly realized they were surrounded by men on all sides, with bows drawn to the limit, a hundred stone-tipped arrows pointing at them. It was as if the jungle had imperceptibly withdrawn, leaving the men exposed like rocks at low tide.