If only I listen to the forest ranger, we will not lose in this thick scary forest.

        “We’re lost,” Rahim said in a barely audible whisper.

        “Why don’t we follow the trail?” Johan suggested in same tone.

        “There is no trail to follow,” I snapped with a flicker of irritation. “Rahim is right, we’re lost in this jungle.” We sat sadly. Suddenly we heard loud peals of thunder. The long branches of trees started gesticulating wildly in the storm. Sheets of water cascaded from the sky. We ran for cover and the darkness was slowly enveloping the jungle.

          “We will find our way out here tomorrow,” my voice broke the silence.

          “That is, if we survive the night,’ Rahim murmured. Overcome by a hopeless sense of despair, we floundered. We crawl under some shady trees to spend the night. Although we were exhausted, we could not rest our minds and bodies. The hours dragged by.

           At daybreak, we decided to walk again. The ground was soggy after the downpour of the previous day and we could not ignore the gnawing pains of hunger and thirst. Suddenly above the silence of the jungle, we heard the gurgling sounds of water. Then from a leafy screen, we saw the glistening of a winding, silver stream. After quenching our raging thirst, we continued walking until we came upon a footpath. Our spirit rose. The thought of being reunited with our families were uppermost in our minds. Our pace quickened.

         After an hour’s walk, we reach a junction. Ahead was a bumpy road littered with potholes filled with water. Then, from the distance came the spluttering sound of engine of a vehicle. As it came into sight, we saw an old pick-up truck driven by an old farmer.

          “Want a ride?” the old man asked.

          “Yes,” we replied simultaneously. We climbed the pick-up truck. It was a bumpy ride but we did not mind.