We spent the night in an icing temperature. We were awake till day break. Having survived that cold, we will never die of cold. When it was clear that we could see images we wanted to return to our canoe but we discovered those beast gathering around our canoe..”
“Beast?” Dylan asked curiously.
“I mean those savages”
“Ok. So did they see you guys?”
“No, but they have a very strong sense of smell. If not that I saw them first and we ran off immediately they would have seen us. Wherever we settle to rest we notice them tracing us”
“That means they will get here soon”
“Possibly”
Nazi and Mata arouse immediately with fear. But they were urged to sit down.
“I thought I saw four of you. Where’s Rickie?”
“We lost him” Mata replied.
“Where? In the sea?” Sonia asked in dismay.
“No, here” Dylan said feeling abysmal.
Mata took the chance of narrating their ordeals from the beginning to the present.
“Can we go back to where you left your canoe? At least let’s roast some fishes” Dylan demanded.
“We can’t go back to that place” Bond said out of terror.
“Are you guys hungry?” The innocent looking girl asked.
“Starving”
“I got some grape here. We couldn’t roast fishes last night” she dipped her hand into her bag and brought out the fruits. It was small and won’t reach all so Nazi and Mata told them to give it to Dylan who was shaking.
“I have two fishes here” Sonia said searching her school bag.
“You want to give it to them?” Bond asked.
“Yes, any problem?”
“Why not give them one and reserve the other one. That’s the only food we are hoping on. As a matter of fact I’m beginning to hunger”
“You ate not too long”
“But I ran. It all evaporated through sweat”
“But you are still better than them. See, they look worse”
Bond didn’t say more. He kept quiet but not happy with the gesture. As soon as the three brothers collected the fish and was sharing it among themselves, they requested to know the girl with them. She introduced herself as Dina. And from the her story she wasn’t Bond’s girlfriend as they thought. She was Sonia’s friend who chose to join them on the fishing trip. Soon after the introduction something stung Sonia on her buttocks. She leaped quickly with a shrill scream.
“It is scorpions!” Bond announced rising immediately. On hearing him the rest followed sequence.
They were big black scorpions coming out of the hole in the log. Instead of running back into the tunnel to take refuge they were coming out against them which made those guys to be scared and fled from there.
“Why you?” Mata demanded.
“Who should it have been? Me right? Because she gave you fish, isn’t it? Nonsense!” Bond quarreled.
“I didn’t talk to you big Bond” finding it funny.
“You better don’t”
Dylan knows some leaves used to calm pains which he learnt from his mother. He looked around for it but couldn’t find it. As they were walking, carrying Sonia who wouldn’t stop crying they were still hoping to find the leaf.
“Will she die?” Zack asked in despair. He was holding her waist as they go. Sonia sweated profusely and was unpleasing like a pregnant woman.
“No, she won’t. The leaf will stop the pain at once. Just pray we find it fast” Dylan strengthened Zack.
“That leaf can not be find in this forest” Nazi Said breaking the fence of hope Dylan built.
“Why?” Dylan asked.
“Because nothing good comes from here”
Dylan kept quiet. His brother was right. Since they got to that part of the world nothing good have come their way. They faced one problem or another. No experience will be considered better. It get worse instead, especially now that they can not find their way out.
Zack and Sonia kept rising and falling. Sometimes Dina offers to help. As Sonia could not cease crying for a second, the pressure became unbearable. It made everyone of them more nervous for she was getting weaker and not better. They feared she will die. The old wet leaves slipped Zack, so as he was a support to Sonia she followed him to the ground. They other guys helped them to their feet.