The African Adventure

A Complicated story of Jungle Lust and Lost Innocence

A 2019 Sethp Romcom for the ages. This is my first original story in a long time...shaking the rust off. Stay tuned there are more stories coming, I promise. Special thanks to Pennlady for helping with editing! She's amazing as always. However, all mistakes are mine and mine alone. Enjoy!

*****

Kevin double checked that he had his passport and ID, and then said another prayer in thanks to Jesus for giving him this opportunity to travel and help those less fortunate than himself.

He had just turned 18 and, by the grace of God, had been accepted into the church mission program. There were twelve members of his congregation traveling together to a remote tribal village in Africa to build a school, teach English and, of course, spread the gospel!

Kevin's parents would be joining the group a week later and after a two-month mission they would all head back home to the states and Kevin would enroll at the community college. This was already shaping up to be the best year ever.

"Hey Kevin, can you help me with this pack?"

He turned around to face Katie Hutchins. She was a couple of years older than Kevin and the newest member of the church. She was tall, slender and pale with a long thick mane of red hair. She was just about the most beautiful girl that Kevin had ever seen.

He had heard the rumors that she had lived a very sinful, wild life before joining the church and accepting Jesus Christ as her savior. He could see it in her eyes, a sort of intensity and seriousness and meloncholy behind all of her smiles and laughter. He'd even heard rumors that she smoked.

"Yeah, let me grab that for you," Kevin replied, placing her pack in the shuttle van that would take them to the airport.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm so excited. Aren't you?"

"Yeah, I've never traveled anywhere," Kevin said, a little too quickly. He got nervous every time he talked to Katie. He was hoping to ask her to the church social in the fall. He had noticed another problem lately too. His penis started to stiffen at inappropriate times, like every time he saw or thought of Katie Hutchins.

The Pastor had thought it was a good idea to get the younger members of the mission used to seeing naked tribes people and had given them all National Geographic magazines to look at. Kevin's cock seemed to love those women just as much as it loved Katie. It would grow every time he saw a topless tribal woman. It seemed like the bigger their boobs, the harder Kevin got.

He always wore oversized shirts to hide his big/little problem. Praying usually helped as well. He knew that God was testing him and he knew that he was not going to fail the lord. It was a natural hormonal thing. With God's help, he could handle it.

Katie was talking to him. "Oh, I have traveled, but nowhere like this," Katie said, snapping Kevin out of his thoughts. "I'm excited to get away from all of the distractions. No TV or internet or..." She looked away, frowning a little.

Kevin didn't know what to say. He was saved from trying, by the driver.

"Load up, we're heading out!"

The small group finished packing themselves and their gear into the bus and they were off to the airport and to their great African adventure.

Katie and Kevin sat together on the plane and spent the majority of the time reading their bibles, praying and getting to know each other. Katie was really starting to like Kevin, maybe even in a romantic way. He was younger but pretty mature for his age, and more importantly he had a true love for the lord she knew he would never give into temptation and hurt her like every other man in her past. There was no pressure of sex or partying or worse.

She hadn't talked about it to anyone except Pastor Dawkins and his wife, but Katie had been in the porn industry before getting out and straightening her life out. The church was a big part Katie's new life. She was happy that Kevin would never find out about her filmography. Her career as the interracial, deep throat queen was safely buried in the past. Katie didn't mind the sex, she loved that part, it was all of the other stuff that went with it.

As their flight finally reached its destination, Katie knew this was going to be the best year ever.

Later that evening, Pastor Richard Dawkins gathered everyone in his room at the hotel for some last minute direction.

"I am so blessed to have you all on this trip," he started. "I just got done speaking to our guide, Paul, and they're all ready for us. You've all got your rooming assignments. All of our huts have wooden floors and mats. It won't be as rough as some of you were thinking and civilization is only a few hours away. He did caution me on one thing and he was very adamant about it. Stay within the village boundary and use the buddy system."

Kevin spoke up, concerned. "I thought the village was safe."

"It is," Pastor Dawkins replied. "But Paul told me that several kilometers to the east, in the hills, there is a tribal conflict that's going on. He reported that several people have been killed and just last year several missionaries were kidnapped. We should, I mean we will all be just fine. It's just a precaution. Several of the tribes, deeper into the hills have reportedly never had outside contact. But, in reality, the bigger danger is the wild boars in the area, so just stay within unless it's with the group or with one of our guides and we'll all be safe. Let's get some shuteye. We leave here at seven a.m. sharp. Gather round, please."

The group moved closer, holding hands in as close of a circle as they could make in the smallish room. Katie took Kevin's hand in hers and smiled at him before bowing her head in prayer. Kevin's face flushed red and his heart sped up. He truly was blessed.

The next morning, the missionaries loaded into a rickety old bus and headed off towards the village. Kevin and Katie sat together again, talking excitedly the whole trip. It was a two-hour drive, but it passed quickly.

"You know what the best part of this trip as been so far?" Katie asked.

"The amazing scenery," Kevin replied too quickly.

"Not for me," Katie replied, looking right in Kevin's eyes. "I was always trying to live up to other people's expectations and now I can just be me. The best part of this trip has been getting to know you and feeling alive for the first time in a long time. "

"Thanks," Kevin said, feebly. "I mean, that's what I was going to say too, but—I—"

Katie laughed. "It's okay. I know what you mean. Oh, look, we're here."

The bus stopped at a large dirt parking lot. There where some fruit stands near the side and several other busses.

Pastor Dawkins stood up at the front of the bus. "This is it. We have to walk the rest of the way. It's about an hour hike. Everybody ready?"

"Yes!" Everyone shouted together and then laughed. The group got out and geared up.

A tall black man walked over to the group. "Hi guys," he said with a big smile. "I'm Paul and I'll be your guide today. Everyone stay within view of each other. I'll take the lead and..." He looked around at the group before pointing at Kevin. "You'll take the rear and make sure everyone keeps up. Just yell if you have any problems. Can you handle that?"

Everyone looked at him, and Kevin suddenly felt embarrassed but also proud that he was picked for this important job. "Got it!" he yelled, giving Paul a thumbs up.

As everyone lined up and followed Paul down the trail into the jungle, Katie moved over to Kevin grabbing his hand. "He picked the right guy," she said smiling at him. "Can I walk with you?"

"Of course," Kevin said, beaming. He noticed that Katie was struggling a little bit with her pack. He made a mental note to switch with her when they took a break.

The group followed Paul along the wide trail. On either side, the jungle was so thick you could barely see into it more than a few meters. Loud birds and other creatures provided the soundtrack on their adventure. After twenty minutes they came to a rope and wood bridge cutting across a deep ravine with a river at the bottom. Kevin estimated that it was a good twenty meters down to the river.

"Okay everyone," Paul said, getting the groups attention. "This bridge may look a little scary but it's very sturdy, I check it every week. I'll take the heavy stuff across and all you guys need to do is worry about your packs. Don't look down, and grab the ropes as you're walking across and no horseplay. We'll take a break on the other side and then we're half way there."

Pastor Dawkins and Paul took several trips across the bridge and then the first of the missionaries started across.

Kevin asked Katie if she wanted to switch packs.

"No, I got it, thanks," she said.

"Okay," Kevin replied, thinking he might have offended her by asking. No one else seemed to notice that she was struggling with it.

Katie started across the bridge with Kevin right behind her. Kevin kept close to her. He felt it was his responsibility to keep her safe. Paul had picked him, after all.

They were almost across, when Katie's right hand slipped off the rope guide. She over compensated and Paul could see her ankle twist and her pack start to slip off her shoulder. For one heart wrenching moment, it looked like Katie was going to slip through a gap between the ropes on the side of the bridge. She managed to get her grip and land on the wooden walkway but her pack had slid off her shoulders and was heading over the side.

"My pack!" Katie shrieked.

Kevin, partly embarrassed for not moving quickly enough to help Katie as she was stumbling on the bridge, dove for Katie's pack. He managed to grab it as it tumbled over the side, but the combination of his forward momentum and the pack's weight pulled Kevin through the gap in the ropes and over the edge.

Everyone screamed, including Kevin as he watched the river rush up towards him. The next few minutes were full of terror as he plunged under the water and was swept downstream by the strong current, barely able to see or breathe. He ended up smashing into a rock and making his way to the muddy side of the river, crawling up the bank until he was out of danger.

Kevin had no idea how long he had been taken down the river and could only lay there trying to catch his breath for a few minutes. He was painfully aware of his failure to keep hold of Katie's pack and as he lay there sputtering in the mud, he also realized that he had lost his own pack too.

He stood up and looked around. He yelled for Pastor Dawkins, but all he could hear in reply was the sound of the river. He must have been swept downstream further then he thought. He felt a little bruised but relatively intact. He decided to make his way up stream until he could see the bridge. He bowed his head in prayer, thanking Jesus for keeping him safe and asking him to guide him back to the group, hoping against hope that Katie would forgive him for losing her pack.

The river's edge was treacherous and rocky. He was having a hard time with it and decided to move further into the jungle, finding it easier to move. He could still hear the river to his left and knew he was making progress.

After making good progress through the underbrush, Kevin paused to see if he could hear anyone from his group.

"Nothing," he muttered. "Lord, how far away am I?"

Kevin froze. Something was moving in the jungle to his left, between him and the river. He tried to think what Pastor Dawkins had told them about the wild life in this area, but was drawing a blank. Were there lions or panthers in this area? He didn't want to find out alone and without a weapon, right then. Kevin slowly backed away from the creature, not taking his eyes off of the spot where he believed it to be. He backed into a tree, sidestepped it and continued backwards. He then tripped backwards over a large root and fell hard onto the ground and down a little hill he hadn't noticed. He slid down and backwards, trying to grab hold of something to slow himself down and then the earth fell away beneath him and he was plunging through the air.

Kevin screamed until he splashed into cold water again for the second time that day. He was knocked dizzy this time and barely made it back to the surface sputtering and choking. As his breathing normalized his panic subsided. The river was now calm and narrower and flowing slowly. He could see the shore a few feet away. It was muddy and flat. He made his way over to it, and plopped over onto his back almost crying.

"Lord, thank you. I still have faith," he managed to croak as he coughed up more water.

After a few minutes, Kevin got to his feet and took in his surroundings. The jungle was denser here and he could see the exact spot where he slid off the cliff over in the distance. This couldn't be the same river could it? Kevin spun around a couple of times trying to figure out which way he should head now.

The cliff was on the other side of the river but it looked easier to travel on this side. He made a decision to travel up a few hundred meters on this side and cross the river on the other side of where he splashed down. It didn't look as steep that way. Feeling a little bit more confident now that he had a plan, Kevin made his way into the jungle.

Kevin was making good progress when he heard a commotion up ahead in the distance. It sounded like people having a loud argument. They weren't speaking English. Kevin froze. He had no idea if he was in the conflict area or not. Would they kill him if they found him here? The voices got louder and he heard a man scream in agony and then there was a rush of people coming towards him.

Kevin dove into the thick foliage to his right and froze. He could see the ground where he had been standing but that was it. As the commotion got louder, he saw two sets of feet rush past his hiding spot. Then another pair of feet appeared and turned around. Whomever the feet belonged to let out a blood-curdling scream and Kevin saw a few drops of blood splatter onto the ground and then the man fell over dead. Soon there were other people all over the spot. Luckily they never saw Kevin. There was much yelling and shouting in a language he had never heard before and the men rushed off away through the jungle.

Kevin stayed in his hiding spot for hours, curled up, hugging his knees to his chest barely daring to breathe. There had been no more people and few sounds except for the occasional bird squawking off in the distance. It was starting to get dark out, but he dared not venture out for fear of snakes and other predators. He had seen a movie just before they left where the natives had set up painful traps. No, Kevin was going to stay right where he was all night.

Somehow, Kevin fell asleep and awoke with a start. It was raining and the ground was turning into mud. He stuck his head out of his hiding space and saw that coast was clear. He stepped out into the clearing and looked down at the dead man. His skin was a very dark black which contrasted his bright white eyes staring up at the sky. There was a long spear sticking up out of the man's chest. Kevin shuddered and turned to his right. In the morning light it appeared he'd followed an actual path. He hadn't really noticed it yesterday.

Kevin decided to make his way up the path the way the men had come from. He went slowly, ready to dive off the path at a moments notice. His stomach growled. He was starving. He hadn't eaten anything in nearly twenty-four hours.

He figured he was now at the spot past the cliff where he should make his way across the river. He made his way to the shore but with the rain hadn't noticed or heard that there was someone already there.

As Kevin broke through the foliage onto the river's shore he nearly screamed and froze in terror. There was a canoe pulled up on the mud and three naked men were sitting down sharpening spears talking animatedly. Kevin backed up slowly, but just before he had made it into the cover of the forest, one of the men looked over at him. He yelled something incomprehensible and pointed at Kevin. All three men sat there staring at him.

Kevin was unable to move. Should he run or talk to them. He prayed to Jesus to tell him what to do. Jesus remained silent but the men helped make Kevin's decision for him. The first man to notice Kevin jumped up and threw his spear at Kevin, missing him by inches and impaling his spear into a tree next to Kevin's left ear. Kevin screamed and ran.

He ran in the direction directly opposite of the river, crashing through underbrush and small trees with a speed he didn't know he possessed. He dared not look behind him but knew the men had given chase. He could hear them running and yelling behind him. At some point, the yelling was becoming fainter until Kevin tripped over a rock and fell down hitting his head on another rock. Everything went black.

Kevin awoke with a start for the second time that day. It was now dark and the rain had stopped. How long had he been unconscious and where was he? He was still alive and that was a good. He pushed himself up to his hands and knees, felt extremely dizzy and decided not to try to stand up. He

Crawled forward to the nearest tree and sat with his back to it trying to clear his head. He had no idea where he was or which way was which. His stomach rumbled. He was so hungry and thirsty that he felt like he was going to die. If he could make it back to the river, he could at least drink some water.

After taking some deep breaths and clearing his head, Kevin stumbled up to his knees and started walking towards where he thought the river must be. Kevin walked for hours until he collapsed onto his knees. He knew he was going to die out here in the jungle alone. It was a test, he knew. Just as God had tested Job, in the Old Testament. Kevin bowed his head in prayer, assuring God that he hadn't lost his faith and that he was still grateful for everything he'd been through the past few days.

"Amen," Kevin said and then jerked his head up. He thought he had heard someone yell his name. It sounded like Katie. He jumped up to his feet, nearly falling back down. He was so weak. He looked around and yes, there was light coming from several hundred meters to his right. He had found the church group. He knew his faith had been rewarded. He tried to yell, but his throat was so dry and his head started throbbing. With renewed will power and faith he stumbled toward the light one step at a time.

It seemed to take hours to make it to the light. Had he misjudged the distance or was he really walking that slowly?

He himself at the edge of a massive clearing, bathed in the lights of many fires. Kevin was about to triumphantly make his return from the dead when something stopped him. He stumbled against a tree and looked ahead.

It was some kind of massive tribal celebration. There were several wild boars being roasted on spits, tables piled high with different foods and pots that Kevin could only assume must be full of water. Water that he needed, if he wanted to stay alive. Most of the tribe was around a central area of the village chanting and dancing. Kevin noticed disgustedly that most of the villagers were naked. "Sinful savages," he muttered under his breath, praying to Jesus for the strength to look away.

He involuntarily salivated at the spectacle of all that food on the table. There was nobody around it. Maybe he could sneak over. His head started to clear a little bit. He was formulating a plan.

He took a closer look at the celebration. Most of the warriors were covered in mud and then had painted white designs over top. He was actually standing in a big puddle of mud. He could sneak in grab some food and get his strength back and make his way back to the river. As he stood there watching, he noticed several men of the tribe would wonder here or there on some errand or another. Nobody would even notice him walking around to the food table. Kevin's stomach cramped up so hard that he doubled over and grunted out loud. His decision was made for him. Jesus would provide all the spiritual protection that he needed. That was clear from how many life and death situations he'd already been delivered from so far, on this adventure.