Jungle Fever (ENG Version)

Chapter 19

Kit first felt the dull ache in his shoulder as he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and saw the blue sky above him. He breathed in and out. His limbs felt heavy, as if weights were resting on them, and even if the ground he was lying on wasn't really comfortable, it was enough to make him not want to get up. Rough sand stuck to his cheek, which was lying on the cool floor. It was hot and stuffy in his clothes, everything was damp and sticky. He could hear the sound of the sea and, if he concentrated, there were other sounds that he couldn't quite place. The memory of what had happened last came back with surprising clarity. He had been on the run and had been injured. Shell had been with him, frightened and frozen. Groaning, he straightened up and looked around as best he could with his aching body. The wound on his arm seemed almost insignificant; the slightest movement made his whole back ache, especially his neck. With a stiff neck, he tried to turn his head as best he could. He had been washed up on a large beach, with scattered fragments of wood lying around him. Shards of glass mingled with shells and seaweed. He squinted to get a better look at what lay in the distance, but quickly realised that he was alone. There was no sign of Shell. Kit had to get up and go and look for him. He looked suspiciously at his legs. He was sure that nothing was broken, but they were still extremely painful. First he took off his shoes and then carefully undid the button on his trousers. He carefully peeled himself out of the clammy fabric. His legs were covered in small cuts and large bruises. One ankle was slightly swollen, but at best only the ligaments were overstretched. When he was washed ashore, the waves must have dragged him roughly over small reefs and coarse sand several times. Discouraged, he pressed his face into his hands and massaged his temples. He had to stay calm. He was alive. His shoulder injury was burning like crazy, but it was no longer bleeding and seemed to be less deep than he had initially assumed. The fact that everything hurt had the advantage of taking the focus off his arm and making it seem less important. Nevertheless, tears welled up in his eyes. Blinded by the colour intensity of his surroundings and the absurdity of the situation, he felt like crying. He had to catch himself quickly and avoid the nervous breakdown. Kit needed something to do. He slowly straightened up despite the pain and gathered his shoes and trousers. Further up the beach, the vegetation began to grow. Small palm trees and sprawling bushes grew between the rocks. A good place to let his clothes dry and draw up a plan. Kit suddenly had to smile. There was one good thing about it: if he had been washed ashore in England, he wouldn't have had a chance to dry his clothes. When he made it to the first ledge, he carefully laid out his clothes and waited. If his fellow students knew he was on a beach somewhere in South America, they would be jealous.

"Sorry Jamsie, I don't have time for a coffee, I'm in the Caribbean. In South America. Central America? Who knew that? Yes, right by the beach. Marvellous view. Blue sea, white sandy beach. Just a few sharp shells. Yes, yes. The jungle is also right next door. You can really experience something there! I'd send you a postcard, but I don't think I'll be able to track down a postman," Kit mumbled as he watched his clothes dry. If he had engaged with Shell a little more and listened to him, it was quite conceivable that the boy could have given him useful survival tips for the jungle. But Kit had insisted on algebra, and that was what he got for it. His concern for Shell lessened as Kit realised that he clearly had a better chance of survival than he did. When his clothes were no longer wet, Kit decided to put his trousers and boots back on, improvise a kind of bandage for his shoulder from his jacket and roll up the sleeves of his shirt. The more he moved and his muscles loosened, the more the pain eased. When he finally felt ready, he set off to explore the beach. It was safer to move along the water than to crawl through the bush and the chance of spotting a ship or Shell was also greater. If he got lost in the forest, that would probably be the end for him.

The beach seemed endless to him. Kit had the feeling that he was travelling in slow motion. He estimated that he had been travelling for several hours, but every tree and bush looked the same, the vegetation didn't change significantly and there was no one to be seen for miles. He didn't even see any animals. He was thirsty and starving. But his only chance was to keep walking. As the sun slowly set, Kit missed a stone and fell lengthways. He tried to support himself and get up, but his arms gave way with every attempt. They trembled and despite all his willpower, Kit couldn't manage to get up again. All he could do was turn onto his back.