Zac E

Brian was sitting on the plane daydreaming and was clueless about what it would be like on his and his mum Margaret's trip to the Amazon Rainforest. His mum was always planning weird trips like this. “Mum, where's Dad?” Brian asked.

“So are you excited to go on the trip?” She always changed the subject whenever I ask questions about my dad, family or anything to do with my past. Although I love my strange mum, I just feel like something isn’t right, Brian thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by the captain's voice. “We have begun our descent. You are not allowed to get out of your seats.”

Brian screamed out, “FINALLY!!!” Everyone looked at him weirdly. Brian had always been scared of flying on aeroplanes. The plane landed with a thud. Margaret and Brian walked to retrieve their bags. They were waiting at the baggage claim for what seemed like an eternity. Luckily, Brian had brought his favourite book ‘Bear Grylls’. He adored those books. The book was an interesting distraction from all of the noises and chaos at the airport, Brian had never seen so many people in one room at once.

Brian’s reading was interrupted by a deep voice. “Are you Margaret and Brian?”

Margaret said, “Yes. You must be Zarbu?”

Zarbu nodded and said, “the drive to the cabin will take about 8 hours and we will have meal breaks on the way.” They walked towards a big brown Jeep with huge chunky tyres, threw their bags in the back and drove away. Brian was starving he hadn’t eaten since they were on the plane. So he asked Zarbu if he could have something to eat, Zarbu said, “sure we have an entire lunch and dinner for everyone.” Brian devoured his lunch and was so exhausted from the twelve hour flight, he fell asleep instantly. When he woke up, although it was dark, he saw something leap in front of the jeep. It was so fast Brian didn’t even know what it was, but it caused Zarbu to swerve and lose control. The jeep tumbled down a massive rocky cliff. Zarbu, Margaret and Brian were thrown around the jeep like ragdolls. Brian was terrified, his whole body was shaking and he was covered in sweat. The jeep reached the bottom of the cliff. BANG!!!! it smashed into a tree. A branch came flying like a bullet through the front window, missing Brians head by millimetres. It came to rest on the edge of a river.

Brian crawled out of the smashed wreckage, he had cuts and bruises all over his body. He looked at Zarbu and Margaret to see if they were okay. He checked their pulses, he instantly knew that they were both dead. Brian sat on the ground. He was in shock. Tears started to drip down his face. He had no family and he was all alone in the jungle. He cried until there were no tears left inside him.

After what seemed like hours, Brian dragged himself to his feet. He knew that he had to pull himself together if he was to survive in the jungle alone. He looked back up to where they had started to tumble down the cliff. It was at least a kilometre from where Brain stood. There was no way he could make it back up the cliff. There was not a person or building in sight. All Brian could see were the giant trees and the river.

Brian knew that he needed shelter. Even though the jeep was completely smashed the back seat was his only option. He found some blankets in the back of the jeep and covered up Zarbu and Margaret. He knew he had to be strong but tears still dripped down his face whenever he went near the jeep. Somehow, Brian managed to sleep.

The next morning Brian walked along the river, to see if he could find a clearing, path or anyway out of the jungle. He was startled by some rustling. Suddenly, a jaguar leaped out from the bushes. Brian knew he had to get away so he sprinted as fast as he could, dodging and weaving through the trees. He finally saw the jeep and leapt through the back window like an acrobat, smashing into the back seat. Luckily the jaguar couldn’t see him and eventually walked away.

While he was hiding in the back of the jeep, Brian found a katana (samurai sword). It was long and shiny with a black handle. He screamed out, “YES!!! He thought to himself that it would be useful for chopping branches and trees. Brian headed back to the river. There was a sudden splash in the water and out of nowhere came a huge anaconda. Zarbu had warned him about the giant man eating anaconda’s, but Brian had not believed him. It was as thick as a tree trunk and so long that you couldn’t see the end of it. The snake looked at Brian with it’s red soul piercing eyes. Brian didn't move. He just stood there in shock. Remembering that snakes have poor vision, Brian slowly pulled his katana out of its sheath and slice! Chopped the anaconda's head off. Blood gushed everywhere, like a waterfall, the blood spread through the river turning the water a crimson red colour.

Brian was relieved that the anaconda was dead, but it was hard for him to feel that way because he was frightened and alone in the jungle, his mum was dead and he only had one sandwich left. There was no way that anyone would find him because the thick canopy covered and shaded the whole forest floor. He thought to himself, I am going to die. Everytime he sheltered in the jeep it made him sad. As he knew what was under the blankets, he knew that he had to be brave and get rid of the bodies. He used all his strength and dragged his mum and Zarbu's bodies into the river. He cried as he watched them float away.

Brian was emotionally and physically exhausted but he knew he had to be strong. He again went to sleep in the back seat of the jeep. When he woke up he looked out the window and saw the same black jaguar lurking nearby. He quietly reached for his katana and climbed out of the other side of the jeep, walking silently and slowly so the jaguar wouldn't notice him. But the jaguar saw him and pounced at him. Brian dived out of the way, he quickly got to his feet and sprinted away, he was looking over his shoulder at the jaguar when he tripped and his head slammed into a tree, there were stars then everything went black.

The next Brian knew, he was in hospital, he was in a semi-conscious state. His head hurt, he didn't know how long he had been there or how he got there. In the distance he saw two blurry figures, they felt familiar to him, but he was so exhausted, he wasn’t sure if he was dreaming. He slowly woke up, the two people he thought were in his dream were standing next to the bed and were smiling at him. It was a man and a woman. They simultaneously blurted out, “we are your parents!” Brian was confused. “What do you mean?” he whispered. Then a doctor said, “these are your real parents Toby and Emma. You were abducted by Margaret when you were only one year old”.

“What is happening?” Brian asked cluelessly.

“I will leave you to talk” said the doctor.

Brian, Toby and Emma talked for hours. Brian told them that he had lived with Margaret in a small town and he didn't think he had any other family. Toby and Emma told Brian that he was abducted from a playground when he was a baby and that they had been looking for him tirelessly for the last twelve years. They had never given up hope of finding him.

Later that day, the doctor returned to check on Brian and told him he was well enough to go home. “How did I end up in the hospital?” asked Brian.

“Another jungle guide saw the shimmering reflection of the katana and rescued you,” said the doctor. Although Brian was relieved to be safe, he felt confused and overwhelmed.

ONE YEAR LATER

Brian was living with Toby, Emma, his younger brother Jeff and his dog Alfie. Although it took him a while to feel settled, he had grown to love his real family. He still thought about Margaret and knew that deep down she had loved him.