Bianca took her pocket knife sharpened to a lethal point and removed leaves and small branches from the larger branch she had found. When she was finished it would be perfect for walking up the increasing incline. As she worked on the stick Bianca listened to the waking jungle. Birds and other animals chattered and moved about the trees and brush surrounding the trail. Her brow furrowed as she thought of the trail. It was very well defined, not what you usually see when animals meandered through a forest. It was about 4 feet wide and it appeared to be free of stones, sticks or other unsafe obstacles. Bianca shook her head and smiling she mentally chider herself; "a monkey safety patrol, right?"

First Cooboration

The rain had stopped some time ago, but every breeze caused a mini rain storm from the trees above. Where the trees cleared they could see the sun streaming through, causing the steam to rise up from the forest floor like a sauna.
The sun cut through the swirling fog like unearthly rays reflecting a heavenly light. The air was so heavy they weren't sure if their clothes were drenched from the rain or the humidity. (tmb)
They were all anxious to begin the journey again, but hesitated to savor the beauty of the sunlight dancing off of the water droplets.
Each person in the crew was just beginning to suspect that this journey was in itself the destination; the relationships that would be formed, the skills they were honing, could only be formed as they traveled the same road.
Each person was thinking their own private thoughts, yet they were remarkably similar; each longed to reach their destination, but at the same time, longed to remain in that moment. That moment held a beauty all of its own; kindred spirits connecting on a level beyond mere words, the excitement for the discoveries they would make, and the peace that held them riveted there. (tah)
"We should turn back." Mike's voice brought everyone back from their private reveries to the present. "If we don't head back to the beach now, we will run out of light."

"Mike's right. Everything is soaked. We'll just take back what we have already gathered and start again in the morning." Mack, short for Col. Frank McKenzie, was the official leader of the group and his statement moved everyone into action. The four men in the group each stooped to pick up an end of the poles on the pallet they made to carry their finds. Sharon followed behind carrying the back pack full of fruit, their water canteens and the torch. (tmb)
It was an uneventful return to the beach. When they arrived they began doing their best to dry things out, sought and found some dry wood for a camp fire, and by sunset were sitting around it sharing a light meal of fruit and nuts.
Sharon sighed, "I really would love a long hot bath."
The four men in the group snickered and shook their heads, but leaving the comforts and pleasures of the world behind to come on this journey had not been easy for any of them.
The conversation began to dwindle, and the yawns began to increase. Soon Mack ordered them all off to bed and said he would take first watch. Everyone was soon asleep listening to the waves roll in and crash on the beach. It had been a long day. Mack added fuel to the fire and walked the perimeter once before sitting back down to plan out tomorrow's day.
Mack looked up toward the heavens and ran his hands through his short brown hair. He opened his hands and held them, palms up, as he sought guidance from the Creator. He smiled as he thought of how he'd been chosen to lead this particular contingent on this journey. He'd thought of himself as average, yet here he was, leading these pilgrims toward Veilhella, the eternal kingdom.
Many had journeyed before them, but few were chosen to enter. There were also rumors of many who'd begun the journey, and turned back due to the horrors they'd encountered along the way. This was the difficult of his task; how to plan for the unexpected. There could be no agenda on this journey, only obedience. If he did not hear clearly the directions, they could take one of the many paths that would lead them in circles, again and again around the same mountain.
And some mountains were meant to be climbed, yet others were fictitious and meant to be removed. The creator was a constant voice saying step this way, stop here, turn back, run, walk, sit, stand; yet there were also other voices. Mack shuddered involuntarily at the thought of obeying another voice, yet he had heard and seen some of the nightmarish results of just that. "Unus", he prayed softly, "Right now I hear, right now I abide, and this moment I give you my ears." Immediately peace flooded over him like a wave. With a piece of parchment and his writing utensils he passed the remainder of his watch. (tah)
Bianca squinted her eyes as the first rays of light peeked over the tree tops. Who needed an alarm with sun this intense? It was less than an hour since sunrise and already the humidity was so intense she could feel a trickle of sweat making its way down her back.
Bianca sat up and pulled her sneakers out of her pack pulled her long blonde hair back into a pony tail and standing she straightened the running shorts and tank she had slept in. Carrying her sneakers & water pack she Stepped over the still sleeping forms of the rest of the crew and headed for the trees to answer nature.
Bianca walked slowly toward the water stopping periodically to stretch different parts of her body before she dropped her sneakers and water pack and running plunged into an incoming wave.
Feeling refreshed she continued her morning jog down the beach stopping occasionally to examine stones, driftwood, or anything that she thought might be useful.
One of her stops was to fill up the water pack from the fresh water pool they'd found not far off the beach area. She also picked and ate a couple bananas for her breakfast. Soon she was jogging along the wet packed sand and praising the creator for the beauty of this world she found herself in.
Today she would run along a trail she had spotted yesterday further down the beach. It appeared to head north sloping up the only real mountain on the island. Bianca suspected that the stream that fed the fresh water pool that was their water supply came from this mountain.
From what she could tell yesterday as they'd passed it while fishing and gathering plant samples the trail seemed well worn by a herd of perhaps antelope - or something else.
So far, Bianca and the rest of the team had spotted at least one herd of antelope, a couple jaguars, what appeared to be a coyote or perhaps a fossa, and several lizard and bird species. They had also found evidence of some large, highly developed animals such as gorilla and heard what may be other cats.
Bianca found the trail without any trouble. The opening stood out in the otherwise thick, impenetrable jungle. As she started in Bianca tried to shake the idea that the trail seemed "cut" rather than trampled. (tmb)
Lost in thought as she traveled the trail Bianca did not notice the changes around her. (pkj)