Lapis Lazuli in a Jungle Tale

Chapter 1: A Survivor of Tragedy

In the lush jungles of India, a team of ten explorers was setting up camp under the shade of the canopy. The explorers were high-class scientists sent to conduct research on the ecosystem. One of the explorers was a botanist named Blue Diamond who almost nine months pregnant with a daughter.

Her husband was sentenced to 20 years in jail for drunk driving after crashing into a tree. So, he was pretty much out of the picture. Blue would have to be a single mother, but that was okay. She was capable of raising a child on her own.

Because the botanist was so pregnant, six doctors and nurses had to accompany the researchers in case Blue went into labor. And sure enough, when the pregnant scientist reached the end of her third trimester, the contractions started to kick in. Of course, the big red flag was when her water broke while resting in her cot.

Two of Blue's colleagues rushed the laboring scientist to the medical tent immediately. There, the doctors and nurses prepped Blue for the birthing process.

Once she was ready, one of the nurses (who took the role of the midwife) instructed her to push with all her might.

Blue did as she was asked and after many labored grunts, groans, and screams; her daughter was out of her womb and into the big wide world. The baby cried loudly, her first sign of life.

The doctors quickly gave the newborn a examination to make sure that she didn't have any illnesses or defects. And they were happy to report a clean bill of health.

After the baby girl was cleaned up and swaddled, she was brought over to her tired but joyful mother. Blue took the baby into her arms and looked at her child with misty eyes.

"Hello, my little one." the botanist nearly sobbed. "I love you so much. You are so beautiful."

"Just like her mom." one of Blue's colleagues commented. The other one nodded in agreement.

"Have you decided on a name yet, Ms. Diamond?" a nurse asked.

"Yes." the first time mother answered. "She will be called Lapis Lazuli."

"And what a lovely name it is." the nurse smiled.

Blue Diamond stroked Lapis' fine hair as the newborn opened her eyes to reveal two royal blue orbs. The child looked precious in everyone's eyes, including her mom. For a moment, life in that research camp was perfect.

But, not everybody rejoiced in Lapis' birth. Someone was spying on the baby girl entering the world and he was not happy. That someone's name was Jasper.

Jasper once lived in a kingdom of jungle dwelling protectors of nature. But when he suggested killing the urban humans who "invaded" the environment, he was banished. Afterwards, he became a rogue savage as well as a loner.

This killer vowed to exterminate any human that came from outside the jungle. And now, the scientists' camp had become his hunting ground. Jasper was going to wipe out everyone and take Lapis as a trophy of his destructive accomplishment.

For the next few days, he schemed and conspired his hunting plan. Meanwhile, the scientists continued in their research and experiments. Blue Diamond had to stay behind to take care of Lapis and work from her camp. But, the botanist cherished every moment she nursed, cleaned, and cradled her daughter to sleep. She loved her child with all her heart.

Finally, Jasper was ready to put his sadistic plan into motion. It was to be executed that night.

Phase one, getting the people in the camp scattering so that the psychopath could pick them off one by one. The jungle dwellers lacked the knowledge of modern technology, but they did have the common knowledge that uncontrollable fire would send any human running for the hills.

So, the assassin got a fire going and fanned it into a roaring blaze. Anything dry that the flames touched caught fire as well.

When one of the scientists started smelling smoke and saw the approaching inferno, a sense of panic resonated throughout the camp. Blue Diamond was especially fearful as she held her crying baby, whose safely was threatened by the raging wildfire.

Someone tried to call for help on the CB radio, but the signal wasn't very good. All it was giving off was static, very bad static. Others tried to put the fire out, but the extinguishers could only do so much. The flames were simply untamable.

Finally, the leader of the scientists proclaimed, "We have to evacuate the camp!"

"But, all our hard work." one biologist argued.

"We don't have a choice." the lead scientist shot back. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

He wrapped an arm around Blue Diamond's shoulders as everybody fled from the burning campsite. Meanwhile, Jasper watched as the researchers scurried away from the wildfire like ants. Now it was time for phase two of his plan, going for the kill.

Lapis finally stopped crying and was sound asleep as her mother and the lead scientist trekked through the forest. That was when a blood-curdling shriek echoed through the wilderness. Blue held her baby close, hoping that the loud sound didn't wake her child.

Just then, a zoologist emerged from the growth looking completely out of breath.

"Coral, what happened?" the head of scientists asked.

"There's a wild lunatic in the forest!" Coral panted. "He's killing everybody!"

Another horrifying scream sounded off through the trees.

"You and Lapis have to get out of here now!" the lead scientist told Blue. "No matter what happens, you can't let that brute find the baby! Go!"

Terrified, Blue Diamond went running while protectively holding her daughter. She kept racing until she came to a river. Along the side, she saw a basket that was just about Lapis' size. That was when an idea came to the botanist and she fished out the basket. What she was about to do was going to break her heart, but it was the only way to save her daughter.

"I hope whoever finds you will take good care of you." the botanist wished as she gave her little girl a kiss goodbye.

She placed her sleeping baby in the basket, placed it back on the river, and sent it floating downstream. Blue Diamond watched the basket get smaller from view with tears streaming down her face.

That was Jasper came towards the river. Blue hid herself in the bushes and kept quiet as he approached. The hunter saw that Lapis had already floated far away down the river and her mom was nowhere to be found. To say that he was angry about this turnout was a bit of an understatement.

The savage let out a bellow of indignation and disappeared into the forest.

Once the coast was clear, Blue came out of hiding and knew that the basket was long gone by now. With her colleagues dead, the botanist decided to find a village to take refuge in. There, she would wait until her child was old enough to find her again someday.