AN: So this the revised edition of my first story: Joanna's 2nd Chance, this was literally the first story I'd ever attempted to write so I never really wanted to abandon it completely, I'm finally getting my inspiration for this story back & I hope to actually finish it this time! I might not get to upload very often because my life is very hectic right now, but I'll try to upload as often as possible.

I hope you enjoy!

"Haha! I whooped ya! I WHOOPED YA ALL! You'll think twice before messin' with Percival C. Mcleach! Hahahaha!"

I waved goodbye sadly as I watched my master struggle in vain against the heavy rapids, eventually disappearing over Croc Falls.

I can't believe it, my master is really gone...the human who gave me shelter, food, a name and a purpose is truly gone!

Although, he'd also beaten, abused and threatened to kill me so many times that I lost count a long time ago, so I'm not too sad about it.

I sighed in defeat and began to wander off into the desert.

Unfortunately it was still nighttime, so it was kinda cold, although the fact that I just swam in a freezing cold river to escape a bunch of crocodiles wasn't exactly helping anything.

Eventually I saw a tree-line that led into a rainforest (I think I remember my master calling it Fern Gully once before)

I figured I'd have better luck finding a meal in there than trying my luck in the scorching-hot desert, so I wandered off into the rainforest and decided to just find a place to sleep for the night before trying my luck at finding a meal tomorrow.

I eventually found a hollow log to hide in and curled up before falling asleep with only one thought on my mind.

'I'm on my own now.'

1 Week Later:

I've been wandering the forest for days, trying to get something decent to eat.

It seems to me that I've relied on my human master for so long that I've all but forgotten how to fend for myself.

Every time I manage to find something - usually eggs - I get attacked & chased off by other animals, and there's no human with a gun to protect me now. I've tried fighting for my meal, but unfortunately I'm not exactly the strongest lizard, so I usually end up eating any bugs, small lizards, birds or rats I can find, but they don't fill me, and the lack of a decent meal has started to take its toll on my body.

For the past 3 days I've been eating nothing but bugs, I haven't even managed to find a small lizard or a bird to eat and it's beginning to show.

My bones can be seen through my skin, I can easily count my ribs & my legs can barely move me from one place to another anymore.

'Why am I so useless?!'

My steps began to waver until I couldn't move another step, I collapsed & finally let the bitter tears that'd been building up fall from my eyes, eventually breaking down into heavy sobs & wails of despair before finally crying myself to sleep.