Echoes of the Jungle, A Night of Terror

 Lost in the Depths of Fear and Darkness

This night was an almost tangible one, it pressed against them like the humidity of the jungle overhead. James had found himself lost within this network of old trees and shrubs, with only the hardly illuminating light from the flashlight. His was a well-greased man, a seasoned traveler used to the wilderness and all its whims; but tonight, the darkness troubled him.

Even the sound of his feet sinking into the autumnal carpet of dislodged leaves provided the only disturbance to the stillness of the surrounding wilderness. It was as if the jungle itself waited for something, breathing in anticipation. James felt that he was always being observed, sinister eyes lurking in the shadows, with concealed malice.

The heat increased with every step; the atmosphere was thick and muggy, enveloping his body with clammy sweat. Even though it was still early morning, sweat was dripping on his temples. He realized that he should have retreated long before this and return back to the safety of the camp. But sheer obstinacy made him follow a trail further into the thickness of the forest, in pursuit of some dream that had been lost to him by the power of fear.

The branches above stirred, and the pattern of moon beams and shadows changed on the forest ground. Echoing through the trees were sounds of voices or rather some strange whistling and clicking sounds which appeared to be mimicking his every step. James felt the thundering of his heart as if it was as wild as the jungle that leaped and throbbed around him.

Suddenly, he came upon a glade; this is an area of the forest in which the trees grow close together but still create a small, circular area of grass illuminated by moonlight. The feeling of relief only lasted for a brief moment until he realized the forest was quiet in an unnatural way. Even the wind appeared to be averse to making the tiniest of sounds within this area of the forest.

As he cast his gaze around the circumference, a sense of foreboding came over him and his flashlight seemed to struggle. And then he saw it—a figure standing at the edge of the clearing; enshrouded in darkness but the silhouette distinctly human. James froze all he could do was hold his breath for what felt like ages.

”Hello? ” he shouted, or at least attempted to, his voice wavering.

No answer came. The figure did not move, and it continued to stand there staring at James as if daring him to challenge it. He was debating in his mind whether it is safer to confront the predator or run away from it, a move that also comes with a cost. But before he could decide, a low growl got to their ears, causing him to stand up straight and look around with caution.

Every now and then, he felt something stir: the slightest whisper of two crazed eyes, lurking in the darkness. The feel of the jungle at night made him believe the beasts where real although he could not see them, it was like they were behind the fog.

Sorrow filled him with fear he came to realize that he is enclosed, trapped in this sinister, preternatural glade of silvery leaved grass. He trembled, trying to find the pack with his hands, gazing frantically, looking for some kind of weaponry at least. But the jungle appeared to be unforgiving for his efforts to run away – darkness shrouded the area.

Groans and grunts emerged from the unknown; deep and ominous and from the visceral part of the human soul. James stopped breathing and he felt his heart beating heavily in his chest as he rotated on his axis trying to identify where the terrible sound was originating from. He opened his eyes in terror and realized that around the thicket only mutants were present, their monstrous forms barely visible.

Gasping slightly he sprinted towards the nearest building and set off that spoke in his head to tell him he had to get out of this blazing inferno! Branches reached out and took a hold of his arms and legs pulling him deeper into the ground and he felt a searing pain as he embraced the jungle’s tender bosom. Any noise around him or something just nearby- the noise of leaves, the noise of twigs –put the terror in the man and demanded from him the physical and psychological optimum.

Time was of no significance as James was running, the beautiful jungle degenerated into the world of horror and every twist seemed to be aiming at restraining James from escaping. He got psychologically disturbed like he could collapse anytime, gasping for breath and appeared tired. But he could not help it—not when the jungle had not permitted him to go with the flow and allow, to be its prisoner.

But just when he was tired of running he glanced to his side and saw a trail, a road, as thin as a line, winding like a serpent through the dense underbrush. Only hope sustained him, fear of the unknown making him get up and walk as he wished the path will lead him to the camp. The night never ceased, and with it went all reality; every insane moment followed another in that horrible time.

Last but not the least, do you remember James – he came charging out of the jungle like a wounded lion and entered the small open space where he had set up camp. He felt such a release he fell to the floor and finally with exhaustion and the effects of danger shook in every limb. Other explorers immediately flocked to him, their expressions of worry morphing into joy as soon as they saw him.

‘You know what the hell is going out there?’ And James could only look around aiminglessly, he even did not know what he has to say, as the terrible things occurred right before his eyes. The forest remained a silent observer and survivor, which left him with wounds that none could heal him of a lifetime of nightmares after this memory vanished into oblivion.

James, finally gaining his senses when the first light of the day shone through the canopy of trees on the horizon, swore that he would never again enter the dangerous jungle. Because, in his effort to satiate his curiosity, he had come to understand a lesson, that was priceless and could in no way be justified by his desire to risk dying. The jungle was not only the land of wonder and exploration, it was an area full of the obscure unknown dangers and unexplained phenomena, when the dream and the horror were intermingled to the point of obscurity.