Jungle Survival

• Braiden Cox, Grade 6, Gorokan Public School
• Short Story
• 2016

Excellence Award in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

A Southerly is coming in. I should try to find some shelter. I’ve sat and I’ve waited but still nothing! The sun is so incandescent that it’s burning the back of my neck with its white hot heat. It’s been over a year now so the case has probably gone cold trying to find here, deep in the Amazon Jungle. Just one year ago, I was trying to find new animal species for the University back home when my car swerved off the track. A big hullaballoo probably started back home when they could not find me. “I’ll die if I don’t find shelter soon,” I whisper to myself as I begin sweat. The flutter of wings draws me close to a large clearing which was occupied by a large group of “BIRDS!” I yell at the top of my voice. ‘Now look what you’ve done.’ I think to myself. Some of the startled birds flee whilst others stay behind. I pick the birds to pieces then I decide. At least it’s food.
I shelter under the massive trees as I get a campfire going. If you are wondering how I caught one of the birds, don’t bother, you don’t want to know. “What’s that noise?” “It sounds like a car!” Suddenly it hits me. “They must be looking for me!” I begin to run. Fog and the dense humidity clouds my vision as I search in the complete darkness. I look for hours on end but I then decide to give up the chase. It was hopeless. I would never find the end of this forsaken jungle and I will never find that car, my only hope. I lay down on the mossy forest floor listening to the whispers of birds and nocturnal animals The next day I strode down to the stream to collect some water, go on my daily hike to find an exit(even though there probably isn’t one.) and then, after about two hours I choose to just sit down and rest. “Help!” I hear a woman screaming. I search for the woman before I find her trapped beneath an utterly massive tree. “I coming,” I yell back as I struggle through the thick foliage and though the daily downpour. I fear I won’t reach her in time. As I reach the tree I try to save her but it was too late. Everything goes black.
“W-Where am I” “W-What’s happening!” I look around and see that I’m in a hospital room. It’s crisp clean floor and walls are beaming out white light. “You’ll be fine, you’re safe now,’ Whispers a voice from across the room. “You will be fine by next week, all you have received is some broken bones and you are a bit not right in the head that’s all.”. “What happened, did the other woman survive?”. “What other woman?” the doctor asked. Well at least I’m back home. Funny, the jungle felt like my home.