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The Longest Nights
It started at the end. The end of our town and the beginning of the wilderness with
all of its beauty and poison. The poison, of course being the lure of the wild. Entrapping those
who do not know the dangers of the woods. With his brown hair blowing in the wind, Tim
throws his hand out the window trying to balance pennies on his fingers. “Look! Jake I got it
look!” The jeep hits a bump in the road “Damn, why didn’t you look?”
“Would you just shut up, I’m trying to drive.” I replied “Do you want to make it in one
piece?” Our fishing trip to Ontario included a 7 hour drive and 80 mile flight into Makokibatan
lodge. College has only been out for spring break for a day and we’re already leaving. The last
thing I remember seeing and hearing is the plane taking off and the drone of the engine. We fly
over the lake and everything is still, except for an area of rapids leading into a river. When we
land on the water it looks like glass shattering. The still water is suddenly filled with life.
“No signal.” Tim is always obsessed with his phone. “Good, now you can pay attention
to something else” Our guild smirks as he walks down the dock “Hey, you must be Jake and…
let me guess… Tim? I’m Michael.” We introduce ourselves and he guides us to our cabin.
“There isn’t even a TV.” Tim says with disgust. We both look at each other swiftly “I call top
bunk!” I spit out as quickly as possible. “No fair you always get the top.” He’s right. We take
our gear and find our boat, number three my lucky number.
Most of the day is uneventful. We haven’t caught anything but small fish and it’s getting
late. “Remember where the river starts?” I ask Tim. “Yeah, it’s just past this island. Let’s head
over there.” We start to catch fish after fish, any kind imaginable, it’s a feeding frenzy! With all
the excitement we didn’t notice the rapids until it was too late.
When I wake up I’m alone. My ears are ringing so horribly I can barely hear. Scream, All
I can think of is to shout for help. We couldn’t have gone too far down river. Even if someone
answers, I wouldn’t be able to hear with the pounding in my head. When I conclude that no one
is around to find me I begin to walk. I don’t see signs of Tim anywhere. More importantly I
don’t see anything but trees and river. Luckily my pack stayed on my back through the rapids. I
dig for anything to help me. Rifling through my bag I find my bottle and fill it to the top with
water. It’s getting dark, I need to start a fire. I grab some small sticks and my matches.
Thankfully my mother bought me a waterproof container. Once the fire is large enough and my
clothes are drying I look myself over. Still don’t see any major injuries, only small cuts and
bruises. I should have known that Tim would forget to put down the anchor. This is all HIS
fault, when I find him I’m going to… No, I can’t be angry now. I must keep my head. Sleep
came slowly that night.
I couldn’t have had a worse night. I woke up sweating. The dreams are terrible. Water
bubbling, wood snapping against rock, and the endless screaming. If only I could remember
what exactly happened. Knowing we came from up river, I decide to walk in that direction.
Walking alone is horrid. I’m tired, in pain, and the river just keeps flowing as if nothing
happened. Finally I reach a waterfall. Shredded wood still on the rocks. Thinking if I have to
make another fire, I grab as much as my bag will hold. That’s when I see it, my life saver! A
bush full of berries. Until now I haven’t even noticed my hunger. I’ve never been happier to see
food. After stripping the bush to its leaves, it’s time to make another fire. I’m thirsty but the
water I collected is filthy. Once, I read in a book you could boil water in a leaf, this would
purify the water and not burn the leaf. To my advantage it was true! But by this time it was dark
again. With a full stomach, tonight’s rest will be much better than the last.
I’m awoken by a sound, slowly I realize I can hear again. Then it hits me. That’s the
sound of a helicopter. I’m saved! They found me, yes! Searching frantically for any sign of my
saviors, I spot them, but they don’t see me. They point ahead and away from me. The helicopter
flies out of my sight. Devastated and crushed thoughts run through my head, why wouldn’t they
look? They had to see me. Why? NO! Sprinting, trees hit me, lashes cover my arms. The sound
of the engine is closer than ever. All I can do is hope and run. There is a clearing ahead with
men. Am I hallucinating? What did those berries do to me? I hug the first person I get to. I
don’t who it is or why, but they hug back. Now I know it’s real. I hear his voice, Tim. I had
forgot all about him until now, but then I realize who I’m with. “How did you find help so
quickly?” I forgot the sound of my own voice. “I jumped out of the boat before it went down.
How did you survive?” “I don’t even know, I’m just glad I found you. Take me back home
please I just need to rest.”
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