Entering the tunnel, Ana quickly and carefully picked up all the cut branches lying about. The goat was bellowing loudly outside, and she needed to work quickly before it made its way back around. Jax had followed as soon as Ana started running and now assisted with the branches. Piling them to one side, Ana started stripping them of everything except the thorns.
“Hold tight, little furball,” she told Jax, placing the animal back on her shoulder. “It’s probably going to get a little wild in a few. Don’t move unless I tell you too, okay?”
Ana heard the goat’s thundering hooves as it came full circle. Crouching, she grabbed the first branch and slowly straightened. The goat stopped and stared, then lowered its head and charged. Waiting until the last possible moment, Ana took a step to the side, sucking in her breath to make herself as skinny as possible, and stabbed the goat with the branch. A thorn became lodged in the goat’s skin, causing the goat to come up short and rear on its hind legs. Ana stepped in and jabbed another branch into the goat’s belly, falling back after the thorn broke off. The goat dropped back on all fours and tried to pull the thorn out with its teeth, crying in pain as it did so.
Ana grabbed a third branch and jabbed again, this time embedding the thorn in the goat’s neck. The goat violently flung its head around, causing one of its horns to graze her arm. Crying out in pain, Ana jerked back, blood dripping from the cut. The goat, who had been unable to remove any of the thorns, was now frantic and began bucking and kicking while snapping at the embedded points. Pushing aside the searing pain now consuming her entire lower arm, Ana bent and picked up one more branch. Watching carefully, she waited until the goat looked up, then stabbed the goat in the eye, fury at the animal causing Ana to send the thorn deep. The goat screamed, turned tail, and fled. Ana could see the little ones trailing after it, making horrible bleating noises as they trotted after their mother.
When the little herd had disappeared from sight and the jungle became silent once more, Ana slid to the ground, dropping the knife in the process. The adrenaline was wearing off and a mild dizziness was setting in. Panting slightly, Ana rolled up her sleeve and looked at the arm. The cut was deep but not long. The bleeding was slowing, so she decided it wasn’t going to need stitching. Removing one of the bandages from her hands, Ana awkwardly tied it around the cut. Her shoulder and arm hurt, and both were probably going to be stiff tomorrow, but since there wasn’t anything to be done about it, Ana tried to ignore the slight throb. Hanging her head between upraised knees, she tried to relax.
Jax had jumped off Ana’s shoulder when she slid to the ground and now came around, crawling under the legs in an effort to get close.
“Hey, furball,” Ana said softly, reaching down to stroke her companion. “Just give me a few minutes, okay? We’ll leave as soon as I get my wind back.”
Ana continued petting Jax until she felt steadier, then rose and motioned Jax to the good shoulder. She picked up both the knife and the pack and returned them to their places as the pair exited the tunnel. Jax pointed back in the direction they had been travelling previously, so Ana turned and the two left the area without a backwards glance.
The pair had been travelling for several hours when Ana realized she had made a couple of serious errors. In her hurry to leave the small circle, she had not stopped to drink more sap from the downed tree before they left. It also occurred to Ana that the remaining fruit from breakfast should have been saved and stored in the pack for later. Those mistakes were now coming back to haunt her.
The jungle was hotter than ever. The humidity level was so high that Ana felt like a wet towel had been wrapped around her entire body. Sweat poured off her, drenching the clothes and increasing her thirst to almost unbearable levels. There was no breeze, and the pair had not seen any sign of water or fruit trees since the goat incident. They also had not seen any other creatures except for the bugs, and it was still eerily silent. The light was very dim, and Ana could not see any sun filtering through the canopy when she looked up. Overall, the effect was like walking through an extremely hot tunnel.
Ana had no idea how late in the day it was but suspected it was early evening, causing her to worry that darkness might take them unawares. She tried to remove Jax from her perch, but both the arm and shoulder had gotten stiff and Ana had trouble reaching the little animal. Realizing she wasn’t going to be able to either lift or hold Jax, Ana squatted and patted the ground.
“It’s time to find a place to spend the night,” Ana told Jax once the little animal had left her shoulder and sat on the ground facing her. “It’s starting to get dark and I don’t want to travel at night, if possible. I also would prefer to find someplace safer than just sleeping out in the open. Do you think you can help?”
As she spoke, Ana mimed walking, then sleeping, hoping Jax understood what was being asked. Ana only asked once, sitting back and waiting for Jax’s response when she was done.
While home, Ana had set about trying to teach Jax different words and phrases. Other than snoring, Jax never made any sound, so everything had to be done by speaking to the animal directly while using hand gestures. Ana had taught Jax to use the toilet (she was afraid to let Jax leave the confines of the house and Jax seemed too intelligent for a litter box), how to turn the water in the sink and shower on and off, as well as several other things. Ana knew from the last time here that Jax understood most of what was asked of her, so the requests became quicker and easier as the animal’s education progressed. Ana just had to remember that Jax took everything literally, meaning every step had to be spelled out.
Today, it only took one time for Jax to understand what Ana was requesting. Her companion stood up and slowly scanned the forest. Sitting back down, the little creature looked back at Ana while shaking her head. Ana pointed up and asked Jax if the trees were safe. Jax never even glanced skyward, just shook the furry head more violently.
“Thanks, furball,” Ana said, nodding slightly as she stood up. Jax was as lost as she was. Ana scanned the forest slowly and concluded that they would walk a bit more before she again asked about a safe place to camp. Patting the good shoulder, Ana invited Jax back up and set off once more, whispering to her companion that if the animal felt like there was a safe place nearby, she could tap Ana on the head.
Jax let Ana walk for about a half hour before Ana felt a slight tap. Stopping immediately, Ana turned her head and looked at her companion. Jax pointed to the left, so Ana changed course and headed in the new direction. The pair continued this way for a little bit before Jax tapped again. This time, her companion hopped down when she stopped. Gesturing, Jax loped easily towards a thick stand of low-growing palms. Ana could see the razor-sharp edges on the leaves, so she dropped to her belly and crawled underneath when Jax disappeared behind them.
Crawling out from under the palms, Ana stood up and brushed her clothing, causing a small dust cloud to form. Waving a hand to dispel it, Ana gazed around at the area. The ground was more open, having hardly any trees, and it was dotted with mushrooms and large patches of thick moss. There was no water to be seen, leaving Ana disappointed and a little concerned, and Ana could now see Jax furiously digging a hole. Joining her companion, she used the knife to help bring up clods of dirt, concluding Jax was after something important.
The pair had dug a hole about a foot deep before the knife hit something. Looking into the hole, Ana saw a large vine, light green in color and as thick around as a small tree trunk. Jax pointed at the vine, then at the knife. Reaching into the hole, Ana made a long slice across the top, pushing the knife in as deep as it would go. After a gash of about a foot long had been made, Ana saw the vine pulse as a thick stream of water shot up. Quickly sitting back to avoid the fountain, she watched Jax lean over and start scooping the water into her mouth. Ana followed suit, taking small sips as Jax was doing, and taking her time swallowing. The water had a faint metallic taste, and it was very warm, but Ana had learned to take the gifts where she found them. By the time the j
et subsided, the pair had replenished themselves, although the hunger pains were still there.
“Thank you again, furball,” Ana said gratefully. “Do you think it’s safe to spend the night here?” Jax shrugged and started refilling the hole.
Figuring that was an affirmative, Ana helped Jax, then wiped the knife clean. She flexed the shoulder, trying to work out the stiffness, and glanced around. The area was very small, and the razor-leafed palms surrounded the entire thing. Ana doubted anything would come through those sharp leaves and decided this would have to do. Clearing the area of the little mushrooms and making sure to push them away with her feet when they oozed a brown liquid, Ana shoveled dirt over the wet spots they left behind, making sure to cover the moist areas completely. The rumbling in her stomach was getting louder but Jax wasn’t making any attempt to find food, leading Ana to conclude nothing was available. Taking a moment to weigh the options, she came to a decision and sighed, laying down on the largest patch of moss and using the pack as a pillow. Patting to thick carpet in front of her, Ana invited Jax over, trying to get as comfortable as possible. Once Jax had curled inside the curve of Ana’s body, Ana closed her eyes and tried to ignore the multiple aches and pains, hoping to get some sleep.
3
Chapter 3
Week 1
Day 4
Ana knew it was time to change course. The pair had been walking in what appeared to be the same direction most of the day but still had not found anything to eat or drink. The scenery never changed and for all Ana knew, the two of them could have been travelling in circles the entire time. The light was still dim and the only difference between now and when they started was the air felt even heavier than it did before.
Ana was so tired. It felt like a supreme effort to continue walking and her thought processes had become slow and murky. She was having trouble concentrating and the desire to lay down and sleep was overriding her motivation to do anything else. In addition, a feeling of dread had overtaken her in the last hour and the further they went, the worse it got. Jax had ceased being active and Ana had to resort to prodding her companion multiple times just to get confirmation they were still on the correct path. Jax no longer held on to her shoulder and had almost fallen twice, so Ana had been forced to find another way of carrying the little animal. She had started by holding Jax, but her companion became a dead weight, causing the pain in her shoulder to spike and her arm to go numb. Ana then tried placing Jax inside her shirt but the heat Jax gave off soon became unbearable. Jax was now tucked inside the pack, still as a stone and just as heavy. Unfortunately, between needing to check with Jax on their direction and the strain put on her shoulder and back caused by having to carry the little creature, Ana needed to stop frequently in order to slide the pack around. After the fourth time, Ana realized that she couldn’t keep stopping like this. The constant delays were more than halving the distance they should be covering, and Ana could not afford to take any more time than absolutely necessary in her efforts to return to the rendezvous point.
Stopping once more, Ana desperately tried to peer into the gloom. It still looked the same, but the feeling of dread had become much stronger. She looked to the left and right and found it was just as gloomy, but the feeling of dread was not as strong in either of those two directions. Taking a moment to try and think it through, Ana eventually opened the pack and gently nudged Jax several times. Her companion reluctantly peered over the edge and blinked several times but showed absolutely no interest in the jungle itself.
“Jax, we need to find food or water, preferably both.”
Jax’s only response was a slight shake of the head.
“Fine. I take it there’s no food or water nearby. Then what about our direction? Should we try a different route? This one is getting us nowhere and I don’t like the way the jungle is beginning to feel.”
Jax did not bother responding this time, even when Ana bodily lifted the animal out and placed her on the ground. Her companion simply sat, staring vacantly into space. Sighing, Ana gave up and put Jax back in the pack, then tried to focus. Thinking was becoming too hard and trying to make a decision just didn’t seem that important. Ana had to force herself to concentrate.
The thirst had become all-consuming and the pit in her stomach had become painful. Ana’s sleep the night before had been deep and dreamless but not restful. In addition, Ana had no idea how long the state of unconsciousness had lasted since the light in the forest never changed to help indicate the time of day. She had had trouble getting going and had to shake Jax awake, which was highly unusual as Jax usually rose the minute Ana did. When asked about water, her companion had half-heartedly started on another hole, but the little creature’s effort to dig seemed lackluster at best. Ana had joined the animal, realizing Jax was never going to dig deep enough without help, but the task seemed almost insurmountable and it had taken quite a while for the pair to dig far enough down to find a vine. The water had refreshed them somewhat, but again, it did nothing to ease their hunger. Ana had rinsed her clothes after they drank, noting how filthy they had become from the combination of sweat and dirt. She had checked the goat wound and was unhappy with the way it had looked. Swollen and red, Ana knew it needed cleaning and disinfecting. Taking one of the soap slivers and making a small lather with the water from the vine, Ana had washed it as thoroughly as possible, but was afraid to use the water alone to rinse it. Instead, she had sliced a tiny piece off the soap, laid it over the wound, placed a piece of gauze on top, then tied one of the strips to secure it all.
Ana knew they needed to find water and food, in that order, soon. It had been more than twenty-four hours since they had eaten and probably over six since they had had water. The wound on her arm had started to throb and she was well aware a more thorough cleaning was needed in order to avoid the risk of infection.
Continuing to stand with eyes closed, Ana tried to remember what the coastline looked like. Guessing that the beach was a little closer to the left, she opened her eyes and picked up the pack. Checking on Jax, Ana saw that her companion’s eyes were closed, and the animal appeared to be sleeping. Slowly placing the pack over her shoulder, Ana winced as it settled. Rolling it to try and relieve the stiffness, she unsheathed the knife and turned left.
Ana moved slowly and steadily ahead, marking trees with an arrow as she went. Without Jax to act as guide, she was afraid of getting lost, possibly ending up going in circles. If Ana had had yarn or string, she would have tied it to the trees along the way, but the pack only contained a small amount of thread and some floss, both those supplies extremely limited. Ana tried scuffing her feet to leave a trail, but the ground was hard, and it took too much effort to even leave the faintest mark. She soon gave up, trusting that eventually a more hospitable location would appear, allowing her to make a better choice in which direction to head.
Ana started using the deeper sense of dread whenever she looked right to help keep her on course. She concluded that as long as the feeling stayed to the right, her path would continue in a straight line. Of course, there was always the possibility that the line was curving, but Ana had decided that at some point, the jungle had to end, and the beach had to begin. She just had to locate that point.
Slipping into a semi-daze, Ana’s actions became automatic and she didn’t immediately recognize the slight change occurring around her. Becoming more alert as the change intruded, Ana struggled to focus, noticing that there was now some leaf litter and small branches scattered on the jungle floor. Coming to a stop, Ana gazed around, taking everything in as she attempted to figure out what was different. Thinking the light might be little brighter and that maybe the trees had a slightly different appearance, Ana couldn’t quite put a finger on what that difference was. It was deathly quiet, and the dread was still there every time she looked to the right, but it seemed the scenery had changed ever so slightly.
Pulling the pack off her shoulder, Ana squatted and set it on the ground. Opening it up, sh
e saw Jax was still sleeping. Lifting her companion out, Ana gently shook the little animal until Jax blearily opened one eye, then set the creature gently on the ground.
“Wake up, furball,” she said, softly, not wanting to raise her voice for some reason. “I let you be as long as possible, but the need for water and food is now urgent and it cannot wait. You’re going to have to try and locate some immediately.”
Jax tried to crawl back into the pack but Ana placed a foot on it, earning a baleful look from her companion in response.
“Nope. Sorry kiddo, but that isn’t going to happen. Find the water and food first, then I’ll let you climb back in and go to sleep. But not before.”
Jax threw Ana another hostile look, then grudgingly stood up and looked around. Shaking slightly, the little animal started moving, trotting in the general direction they had already been travelling. Jax shied away from the forest to the right, never even looking at it, as she moved steadily forward. Ana followed, hoping that Jax would find something very soon. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep moving before the effort became too much, causing a collapse from either exhaustion or dehydration. In addition, Ana’s worry over the goat injury was growing.
Slipping into the semi-doze again, Ana’s thoughts focused inwards as she walked. She had stopped marking trees after the last stop, finding it too effortful. Once Jax found sustenance, Ana was going to try and get Jax to point them back in the right direction. She would mark trees again should Jax insist on going back to sleep, but Ana hoped her companion would come around once they had found food and water.
Ana never saw Jax come to a stop, tripping over the animal, and ending up on her hands and knees due to the lack of attention. Jax had scrambled out of the way when Ana fell, tugging on an arm when Ana had looked up. Looking ahead, Ana blinked several times, trying to bring what she was seeing into better focus. There appeared to be a patch of sun shining through the trees, lighting a small area ahead. Ana sat back and rubbed both eyes, squinting as she tried in vain to verify that the light was what it appeared to be. It definitely looked like a shaft of sunlight, but it was still too far away to make out any details. Looking over at Jax, Ana saw the little creature was also peering at the bright spot, trembling slightly in anticipation. At her companion’s obvious eagerness to reach whatever the brighter area was, Ana hastily stood up, Jax now dancing in front of her.
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