Day 1…
Darkness…
Sound…
Feeling…
Something was pelting against her head repeatedly. It was cold and wet.
Hallie's senses slowly came back to her. She opens her eyes heavily to find herself lying face down against the cold, soggy mud. The air smelt fresh and damp.
Tap, tap, tap…
Hallie felt really numb. As she sits up, she failed to notice her hands are sinking through the soft mud. "Oh," she groans, rubbing her throbbing head. "Did I fall out of the bed again?"
Hallie felt like she was thrown in the spinning washing machine and then spat out. Something is continuously pelting against her face.
Tap, tap, tap…
Hallie blinked in confusion when her dizzy spell has faded. She was completely soaked through to the bone. She wiped away the mud that was stuck to her face.
It was a rainfall. It rained hard and fast.
Open-mouthed, Hallie realized she wasn't in her bedroom anymore. She stared up widely at the moonlit sky. This place looks nothing like the forest near the backyard. The tree trunks were 25 feet tall with large, dark green leaves. They are too wide to climb and the shallow roots are mostly covered in evergreen.
The black, thundering clouds can be seen through the thick branches.
Hallie is in the middle of a jungle! She stood up unsteadily and looked down at her wet and mud-stained clothes. Mom would kill her if she saw Hallie in this state. But how did this happen? Her memories are so disoriented that it was like waking up in a nightmare.
Suddenly, multiple animal noises were heard in the distance.
Hallie spun round frantically, gasping for breath. She doesn't even know where she is! It was so pitch dark. There could be anything out here: tigers, lions or bears waiting to eat her!
Then Hallie snapped out of her panicked state when she heard static noise erupt from inside her jacket pocket. "Mommy?" crackled a voice.
It was Melody. She was here too.
Hallie rummages in her front jacket pocket and pulls out her walkie-talkie. It went quiet as soon as she squeezed the button. "Hello?" she said, talking into the speakerphone. "Melody? Is that you?"
The walkie-talkie hissed with crackling static. "Hallie? Do you read me, over?"
Squeezing the button again, Hallie hollered in a panic tone. "Where are you?!"
Then Hallie releases the push-to-talk button to listen. It was clear at first but grew distorted and garbled. Something was interfering with the broadcasting signal.
"I don't know!" Melody cried. "I can't… see our house… anywhere!"
Hallie can barely make out what her sister was saying. She was losing her fast. Hallie has to keep Melody's hope alive so she doesn't get too hysterical.
"I'm gonna find you and we're going home together. Okay, over and out." Hallie promised.
Melody's voice continued sputtering out single, incoherent words until it was complete static.
Hallie switches the walkie-talkie off and slips it into her front jacket pocket. Her first priority now is to find Melody.
For some reason, Hallie couldn't tune in a radiowave because there's nothing to receive. It had to be this jungle interfering with the broadcast signal. The walkie-talkies had the only batteries so they must be preserved for emergencies only.
Right now, Hallie can hear nothing but the heavy rainfall in her ears.
Melody had to be around somewhere, in this dark, creepy jungle. Her little sister may be good at hide and seek but this is way beyond ridiculous.
Hallie forced her tensed feet to move, determined to relax. Mud sucked around her black, All-Star shoes. But as she turns her head, a huge tarantula is resting on her shoulder. She screams, like a victim in a horror movie. She was loud and long. It reacts with shock and starts crawling down her chest.
Hallie jumps back, frantically attempting to brush the spider off her. Adrenaline rushed to her head. She moves back in a blind panic when –
THUMP!
Hallie had tripped over something and fell on the wet, leaf-strewn ground. "Ow…!" she lets out of her quaking lips. Her eyes were wide. She was terrified and giddy. The tarantula brought back her arachnophobia she harbored since childhood. Seeing one is enough to make her skin crawl.
Hallie felt intense relief to see that the creepy crawly is gone. When she looked over her left side, she realized she had tripped over her rucksack. Her favorite blue baseball cap was resting there too. She picks it up and places on her wet head.
Feeling her way inside the rucksack, Hallie pulled out her flashlight. It should come in handy. She can hardly see without it. She slung on her heavy rucksack and starts marching into the jungle to find Melody, despite what may be out there.
Soon after passing a few bushes, Hallie continues to shout, hoping to find her sister. Hearing nothing but her echoes, she was beginning to lose hope when –
"Here! I'm here!" cried a familiar voice.
Following it, Hallie came across a figure of a solemn-faced sad kid sheltering alone a small cave ahead. Her face is tear-stained and sweaty. Her blonde hair shimmering under the moonlight.
"Melody!" Hallie cried happily.
Melody ran toward Hallie, capturing her into her arms. She never lets go of her sister's waist.
The Thorne sisters stood there hugging underneath the pouring rain for what felt like an eternity. They were so close to being separated which would have been devastating to both.
"You're so mean." Melody sobbed, "Why'd you leave me alone?"
"Don't be so dramatic." Hallie said. "I would never leave you, Melody."
"What happened to you? I heard you screaming."
"Oh." Hallie said, looking horribly embarrassed. "It's nothing."
"Was it the spiders again?" Melody giggled.
"No." Hallie said in an emphatic tone. Then she notices something is missing from her sister. "Where's your rucksack?" she asked.
"I lost it." Melody said meekly.
"You what?" Hallie gaped "I don't believe you!"
"Don't be mad," Melody cried, taking a step back. "I don't remember where I put my bag. It was gone when I woke up. I can't find my teddy bear Mr. Snuggles either."
Hallie sighs in frustration. Her sister's rucksack contained half of their supplies which is now more critical than ever. If the food and water is not used sparingly, they would perish.
"Right now, we should get out this rain. Let's take shelter in this cave." Hallie said, observing it behind her little sister.
Melody was about to step inside when Hallie waves her hand out to stop her.
Cupping her hands around her mouth, Hallie hollered: "HELLO!"
Her voice echoed in the tunnel. She had to make sure there are no bears inside. But she dared not tell her little sister that.
Hallie checked to see the cave was completely hollow but small which was perfect for their size. Their footsteps echo against the stony floor. Because they were soaking wet, it was utterly freezing inside the cave.
"Hallie, it's so cold." Melody gasped, shivering. She sat down against the cave wall, looking miserable and pale.
Hallie, too, was trembling from the cold. She was rubbing her arms to keep her temperature up. At this rate, they could catch pneumonia. There's no hospital within sight if they get sick and they don't have medicine. It would be serious for the both of them at their age.
There was a pile of dead leaves, twigs and a dry log near them.
Inspired by an obvious idea, Hallie smiled as she unslung her heavy rucksack and drops it on the floor. She rummaged through her front jacket pocket and pulled out the cooking matchbox. Luckily, the rain didn't soak it. She gathers up whatever rocks she could find and lined them around in a neat circle. She picks up the dry log and places it in the center. Then she sprinkles the dry leaves and sets the twigs in a 'tepee' shape within the stone circle. With a swipe, the match is lit up and Hallie carefully drops it onto the prepared leaf pit.
Hallie blows the ember gently as it spreads more and more through the firewood. Finally, it ignites as the flames blaze calmly through the crackling wood. It was low but enough to keep the girls warm. The cave was tranquil and relaxing. It was lit by the glow of fire. The smoke was billowing outside the cave exit so there's no harm for them either.
Soon, the rainfall begins to settle and has moved on to its next destination. Water was dripping from the stalactites, creating tiny echoes upon impact.
Hallie kneeled down and hovers her hands over to feel the heat. She takes off her black jacket and rests it on the floor to dry against the fire. Watching those cavemen documentaries on the TV has finally paid off.
Hallie went back to her backpack again, unzips it and pulls out a maroon blanket. It was wide as Superman's cape but soft as cotton. She sits down next to Melody, wrapping the blanket around her sister and herself.
Melody pouts at the idea of not sleeping in a bed again.
"Better than freezing to death, kiddo." Hallie explains.
The dancing fire was lullabying them to sleep. This time, Melody wasn't in the mood for a bedtime story. She was too scared. "Where's Mr. Snuggles?" she asked sadly. "I can't sleep without him."
"Pretend I'm Mr. Snuggles." Hallie said. "I'm sure we'll find him tomorrow."
This makes Melody feel better as she bares an innocent smile. She closes her eyes and lies against her big sister, hugging her tightly.
"I wonder where we are?" Hallie said aloud. "It's not like I can call 911."
Melody raised her eyes in confusion. "Don't you remember?" she asked.
Hallie searched her brain to find the right memories. She revisited the mental pictures in her mind, leading to when she went into the woods beyond the backyard with Melody. Upon reaching the clearing, things began to unravel and became clear as glass.
The Thorne sisters waited too long in the clearing. It was way past their bedtime. Their grandparents will be worried about them if they find out.
Hallie wanted to go home. She was scared for no apparent reason, perhaps that Mom will get angry and ground her for life.
Melody insisted on waiting for her imaginary friends. Then…
The three alien entities appeared in a theatrical approach. They were each coloured blue, yellow and green.
Hallie was terrified of them beyond measure, despite never meeting them before. They wanted to take Melody away, but Hallie wouldn't let them. She was so angry that she wanted to hit them. Then the wormhole appeared in the woods…
Instead of escaping, the sisters somehow both ended up transported in this jungle that somewhat resembles Africa. Wherever it is, they are in the middle of nowhere and far away from home.
"Hallie?" Melody asked.
"What?"
"I want Mommy." Melody said softly. "I want her here with me."
"Me too, Melody." Hallie yawns, as she drifts to sleep. "Goodnight, kiddo."
The last thing they saw was the burning ember of the firewood in the darkness...
