SciFriday Challenges (Anthology)

Challenge 11 - Plant Food

Word Limit: 1400-3200 or 4 Wattpad pages max.
Synopses: Deep in the jungle is the plant Elliott has been searching for his entire life. He's not the only one. Many before him have found it but now it's Elliott's turn to be face to face with it.

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Elliott's plane landed on a dusty runway and came to an abrupt halt that had the other passengers gasping with fright. First the flight attendant welcomed the passengers in English and then repeated her words in Spanish. A small cheer erupted from passengers who were most likely returning home from spending time in America. Elliott was too eager to dilly dally so he squeezed out into the aisle and reached up to grab his duffel bag from the compartment. He then made his way passed other passengers, muttering apologies in the best possible Spanish he could muster. He even pronounced his S's with a lisp the way he learned from Spanish classmates while studying abroad in Spain. Of course that was many years ago and his accent was now pitiful.

Elliott exited the plain down a flight of metal stairs and was welcomed by the heat like a heavy slap to the face. Things didn't get any better once everyone climbed into the shuttle van that would take them to the arrivals gate. The air conditioning was broken, making it feel like a furnace and right before Elliott felt on the verge of passing out, they reached their destination. From there he made a beeline for the gate, through the airport and right back outside again where his ride was waiting.

"Yo soy Elliot" He pointed to the cardboard sign the man was holding. "Quiero ir a la... la... jungle."

"Si, la jungla. Yo te llevo. Me llamo Ronaldo."

"Umm... uhh... mi Español no es muy bueno." Elliot replied sheepishly.

"Do you espeak e English, Sir?" Ronaldo asked with a smile.

"Yes. Yes I do!" Elliott smiled back.

"Ok. I am Ronaldo." He pointed into his chest. "I take you where you want. Welcome to my country."

Ronaldo motioned over to his Jeep Wrangler and opened the passenger side door for Elliott. He climbed in and anxiously waited for Ronaldo to begin driving. All of his years of studying exotic plants and he was now going to finally see the plant of his dreams. It was a rare pod that took ten years to bloom and once it did it was twice the size of a human. Its nectar was stored in a bowl-like container of pedals which attracted prey to drink it. Except its nectar was poison. Carnivorous plants always fascinated Elliott ever since he was a kid and watched Little Shop of Horrors for the first time. Which only encouraged him to stay focused during science classes and read everything he could get his hands on about caniverous plants. He knew exactly what he wanted to do when he grew up.

"So why you want to go to jungle?" Ronaldo asked, breaking Elliott from his thoughts.

"I'm a botanist." He smiled while drumming his fingers on his knees. "There's a rare plant I would like to study once I get there."

"Oh yeah? So where you come from?"

"Well I got my Masters degree at Berkeley in California. So that's where I live but originally I'm from London."

"My son live in California. San Diego. I visit him next summer." Ronaldo swiftly reached behind his seat and into a container, all while maintaining his eyes on the road. He pulled out folded foil and handed it to Elliott. Then he reached inside a cooler and pulled out a Toña beer and offered it as well. "Part of tour was promise a lunch." Ronaldo smiled. "My wife make tacos."

"Thank you. It looks delicious." Elliott replied after unfolding the foil.

He began sinking his teeth into the soft tortilla and tender barbacoa meat that had a nice balance of lime juice, cilantro and onions. He didn't realize how hungry he was until he devoured all three tacos and really wanted more. He cracked open the beer and let the fluid trickle down his throat and for the first time since landing, he felt a cool relief.