The jungle was beginning to stink. Wet rotting vegetation, smouldering humidity. It wasn't inducing a great loving temperament in me. I certainly wasn't thinking kind thoughts of my companions then. I seriously doubted if I ever would again.
Blondie was pissing me off big time. It was the way she kept sucking up to Martin that was driving me insane. Touching him with her hands every moment she could get away with. I wondered how much longer he would put up with her. The heat was causing us all to sweat like pigs. My breasts were rubbing raw against my body; I constantly had to wipe underneath them with the bottom of my shirt.
Martin's shirt was totally soaked. I hoped he'd managed to grab himself a replacement from the wreckage of the plane. I know Miles' shirt was not going to last the rest of the day. It had been torn up the back during the crash and this morning looked as if the slightest branch snag would rip it to shreds.
As I walked through the dense bush, my legs bled from the consistent scratches. I could have done with a knife of some sort to cut my way through the bush. At least I knew I was heading in the right direction. The old girl scout days had stood me in good stead so far. I merely followed the signs then aimed myself north. There was no doubt in my mind there would be a river waiting for me. I couldn't hear it, and the ground signs had been hard to pick, but there was an abundance of tree life. I figured where there was more life there'd be water. Kind of logical thinking really. Hell, it sounded good to me.
I couldn't figure out how far I'd travelled by myself though. The sun seemed to have risen a quarter of the way up into the sky by the time I had a chance to notice it through the canopy. I figured it was about mid-morning.
At least it was a damn sight more peaceful walking alone than with the rest of them. Blondie's constant chattering, Martin's constant placating and Miles' complete silence were all as bad as one another. It was nice to walk without having to listen to anything except the wildlife. It hadn't seemed too bad so far. At least, I hadn't managed to stand on any poisonous spiders or irritate any snakes.
The jungle became thicker, harder to move through. Interwoven amongst the branches of an old rotting tree were about a dozen different varieties of vine. The problem was they seemed to spread themselves right across my pathway. I stopped for a few minutes to figure out my way mentally around the mass. I took a long cool drink from my water bottle, then thanked God we at least had water. I tried to figure my way around or through the jungle.
I had decided that the right of the main trunk was most likely the best way and forced my way through. My hair snagged on twigs which brought stinging tears to my eyes. I blinked them back as I pushed my way through. My running-shoe clad foot landed on something soft. Unable to get enough of my body through the hole in the branches, I tested half my weight on the front foot. It appeared solid enough. It felt a little squishy. I had put my whole weight on that foot; I used the branches and pulled myself through the tangled mass. I stopped when I stood straight and looked down at what I was standing on.
My scream echoed through the jungle for miles. The birds had flown off in shock, screeching loudly. I sprang back through the hole and fell to the ground weeping.
Thunderous feet crashed through the undergrowth.
"Bess! Where are you Bess? Shout so we can find you!" Miles' concerned voice sounded very good to my ears right at that moment.
"Over here. I'm over here." I shakily answered him.
He smashed his way through the jungle, still shouting. "Talk to me Bess. I need to hear you to find you!"
"Miles I'm here. To your right. I can see glimpses of you through the trees."
He appeared in front of me, his face showed deep concern. "What is it? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" He swept his hands over my feet and legs. Moved them up my body. If I hadn't been so shocked I'd have been turned on. I shoved his hands away.
"There's a, a body in the bush." I pointed where I'd seen it.
"A body? Where?"
God how did this guy get to be the company's operations manager? He seemed so damn dense at times.
"In there Miles. I stood on it. I was trying to get through the tangle of branches. I stood on his goddamn arm."
