Prodigy Returns (book 3)

Chapter Nine

The purple haze of the moonlight provided Alex with just enough light to see her surroundings. She gathered as many sticks and fallen branches as she could find and made a small pile near the edge of the cliff. She arranged the little sticks in a pyramid formation over a large stone and then used her lighter to ignite some tinder. As the flames grew, climbing up the sticks, she added more wood. Within minutes, she had a raging fire that provided some much needed heat and psychological comfort.

She had survived the wilderness before, but never like this. Even during her time on the island one year earlier, she was always protected within the secure confines of the pod. Tonight would be the first time she'd sleep outside under the stars without any protection. A part of her was excited, but what was especially concerning were the unknowns. She had no idea what kind of critters would crawl on her throughout the night and try to sting or bite her soft flesh. There were also many creatures inhabiting the forest, many of which she had encountered and who had already tried to kill her.

Despite the fact that she was lost and had no idea where the ship was, she had found a relatively safe spot to camp for the night. With the cliff on one side of her, it limited the number of options a predator had to sneak up on her, but also the number of places she could run and hide.

Sitting cross-legged with her back facing the cliff, she poked and prodded the flames with a big stick to stoke the fire. If she needed to, the stick would also be her weapon.

Taking the last piece of meat from her pocket, she tossed it on the firestone. As her dinner cooked, she gazed out at the natural beauty of the landscape and contemplated her life choices. She analyzed her time since leaving the facility. In one year she had found her parents, been arrested and thrown in jail, been broken out of jail, travelled to space, saved a planet, became stranded on a deserted island, and narrowly escaped death several times in between. A year after that she had travelled around the world, became insanely wealthy, was kidnapped, found true love, and now she was sleeping under the stars on a distant planet — or as her father would say, 'a galaxy far, far away'.

As she reflected on her life, it didn't seem real. She analyzed the choices that had led her to being in her current position and wondered how many were a product of her free will or of fate. Eventually, she arrived at the events of the past 48 hours. She had survived attacks from three monsters and what appeared to be a mechanized humanoid. Letting out a deep breath, she stared up at the giant floating orb in the sky and questioned what the purpose of her life was.

Some time had passed before Alex removed the meat from the fire and peeled back the leaf wrapping with a stick. Piping hot stream burst from the opening and nearly scalded her hands. She knew any injury could severely inhibit her survival so she exercised caution.

Alex's throat was dry and felt like sandpaper whenever she swallowed. If some large beast or stinging insect didn't kill her, she would certainly die of thirst if she did not go back to the creek or find another source of water. That was absolutely critical, even more so than obtaining food.

After waiting for the packet to cool, Alex delved into the giant breast of bird meat. Without any utensils, she tore off large chunks with her teeth. Although she had nothing to drink, having food in her stomach was a huge win. The protein and nutrients were sure to go a long way.

As she ate, she would intermittently hear strange noises coming from the jungle that scared the heck out of her. She was concerned that the fire or the smell of  cooked meat would attract the wrong kind of attention, but there was no way she would do without either of those two things.

Alex continued to eat until she was full. Normally, she didn't have a large appetite, but she devoured most of the breast with an insatiable hunger. What remained of the meat was still enough to feed her for another meal, but she couldn't risk having it around. She tossed the rest of the meat over the edge of the cliff.

She was tired, but wasn't eager to fall asleep. Embracing the serenity of nature, she began to meditate, focusing on the rhythmic crackling of the fire. Using her mind, she attempted to send her mother a message. While her mother was likely still sleeping, she told her that she loved her and missed her very much. Alex began to cry as she allowed the emotion to seep into her peaceful mental state. She regretted not spending more time with her mother, regretted leaving Earth, and regretted leaving Milo. Although she had never successfully communicated telepathically to anyone other than her mum, she sent a message to Milo. Thinking that her mental connection may only pertain to family members, she sent a message to her father. She wasn't sure what to say, but she wished him well. She remained hopeful that he was still alive, but knew his chances of survival were slim.

The jungle seemed to come alive at night. The cacophony of sounds were almost deafening. It added to her already anxious state, making her feel agitated and her stomach uneasy. If she listened carefully, she could piece together a narrative in her mind. Nocturnal predators chased after unsuspecting prey. The subsequent screams and warning calls of the victims could be heard throughout the forest. Scavengers approached the fresh kill in packs, grunting and yipping as they competed for their share. There were also some unnerving noises that made the little hairs on the back of her neck stand. Ferocious roars and what sounded like whooping mating calls. Most were in the distance, but every so often, a noise would seem like it were only a few metres away and it would spook her. She remained still, clutching her stick, and eventually the tension would dissipate.