This one takes a creative license thinking, so just run with me for a bit? When I first saw this prompt, I was absolutely clueless. I spent ages mulling over how to get the boys near to a forest and then inspiration struck me – and I think I'm actually going to expand this story into a separate story of its own, which possibly fits in with the 'Young Tracy's' and backstory series that I'm creating (let me know if you're interested in seeing that after reading this… glimpse).

I should have seen way earlier that this prompt was a brilliant draw for the use of some of my travel experience, but hey, this author is also a little bit of an idiot, clearly to have not picked up on that sooner!

There will also only be one update tonight, but two for tomorrow.

So, I will leave you with this nugget of information as it's probably what set me off, and all other details relevant to this fic you can find in the notes at the end;

"The central part of Tracy Island is a lush tropical forest, home to a variety of plants and animals unique to the island."

2: Forest

Summary: 'There's a reason no one goes into that forest alone.' Alan just hadn't expected what it really was.

Words: 2481

Spoilers: None

Usually Alan would pull Gordon in on his trouble making plans, but not this one. This one he wanted the glory all to himself. Apparently, the forest on the island – which Gordon had always liked to characterise as a jungle – was impenetrable, with crossing from one side to the other impossible. Alan had every plan to film his journey across the great green landscape and prove his brother's wrong.

Knowing the oldest three, they'd probably never even tried to venture in there, just listened to Dad's every word and warning against it like good sons.

But Alan wanted to know. He wanted to know what was in there. Gordon always described it like the jungle out of The Jungle Book, which John always claimed was due to the blonde knowing of no other jungle to compare it too. Virgil had painted it, but only ever from the outside, never anything else and Scott did nothing but tow the line that it was impassible.

Well, youngest and bravest had every plan to change that, so he had decided. He'd packed his rucksack with drinks and snacks just in case he was stuck out there for a while, and he'd made sure his camera had enough charge to film the whole journey. Yes, this was going to be good. He couldn't wait to see his family's faces when he proved them all wrong.

He prepared himself with a deep breath, before sneaking out of his room, and into the quiet, dimly lit hallway. He didn't switch any lights on so as to lessen his chances of waking anyone and he moved with a much speed and silence as he could. It was hard, because he was so excited to finally be doing this, but he wouldn't be doing it if he got caught, so he continued on course, quiet and determined, though excited.

He made it out of the house easily enough and then quickly dashed off into the lifting cover of night. It would be light enough by the time he made it to the forest, and there was no reason why he shouldn't be able to make it back before darkness fell again. He was hoping to make it back for lunch.

Alan felt apprehension creeping in the closer he come to the green forestry, but he pushed on still. He was determined to be the first to cross that land, to prove to everyone that there was nothing to fear in there, that it was possible to go in and come back out. That was his reason for being here, and he was prepared, he wasn't turning back.

Deep breath in, and off he went-

"Where are you going?"

Oh no… That was Gordon. He sighed as he turned around to see the smiling, smirking form of the brother closest to him in age, just as he'd predicted.

"I thought I didn't wake anyone."

"You didn't." Gordon smiled, wide and bright like usual when he was planning trouble, and for once Alan worried he too was in the impact zone for said mayhem, even though he was usually excluded due to being part of the trouble causing.

"Good."

"Because we were already awake."

And that was Scott. Unless Gordon had suddenly become some kind of expert in ventriloquism, which Alan couldn't rule out of the realm of possibility. But, no, Scott appeared behind the swimmer and Alan felt his heart sink. His escapade was clearly flawed and there was likely little chance of him getting in the forest now.

Great. All that planning for nothing.

And it really was for nothing, because soon John and Virgil appeared to stand at the eldest's side and Alan knew luck couldn't have been rooting for him.

"Don't tell me you all just happened to be awake?"

That was an odd thing to happen at… six in the morning. Well, odd for Virgil and Gordon at least: Scott was military trained, and John was an astronaut, so for them it was perfectly plausible.

But Virgil laughed.

"I woke them." Gordon explained and Alan felt somewhat betrayed. "I knew you were planning something, and you left me out. Cheek of that."

"And this is to teach me not to?"

"Hey, little brother, what can I say? If you'd let me in on the plan… This wouldn't have happened."

Yeah, he felt very betrayed.

"Anyway," Scott began, arms folded, brows raised, "What are you doing heading for the forest?"

"I'm going in."

This time, they all laughed. All four of them.

"What? What is so funny?"

"You're not going in there."

"Yes, I am, Scott. I'm going to prove you all wrong."

"What are you trying to prove wrong?" Virgil enquired, brows frowning incredibly akin to Scott's.

"That there's no reason why we can't go into this forest."

"Other than the fact that it's nearly impossible to navigate?"

"And covers most of the island, and is mostly impenetrable?"

"And it's darker in there than it ever is out here, even in daylight?"

"And it's massive." Gordon finished off, only for three older sets of eyes to turn to him. Alan found that rather comical. "What? You three took all the good points."

John shook his head. Virgil chuckled.

"So, Alan, knowing all that, you're still planning to go in?" Scott began, "Because you know, despite all that, there's a reason no one goes into that forest alone."

"I know, it's because Dad said- Wait, did you say alone?"

"Yeah."

"Alone, but not, not at all?"

"Correct."

"At least we know he can still hear ok- ow!"

Virgil had whacked Gordon's chest in response to that.

"But I thought no one had ever been in there? It's not allowed."

"With good reason." John muttered, although Alan could expect that from his second brother.

"They've been in there." Gordon began, something in his tone sounding remorseful. "I would have loved to have a wonder through."

"Feel free, but I'm never going in there again." John stated and Gordon smiled. Alan had a feeling his trouble making partner knew the story he didn't here.

"Me neither." Virgil agreed. "The art wasn't worth it."

"Art?" He was well and truly confused. "But you never paint the inside of the forest."

"I did intend to, but I never really got a look at anything different from the outside. I was too busy trying to find a way out."

"You've been in the forest? Why wasn't I told this sooner? Ok, you have to tell me this story now!"

"Ok," The eldest relented. "You see, Virgil here thought it would be a great artistic opportunity to see the inside of the forest." Scott began. "So, he 'wisely' ignored Dad and went in there."

"And got lost." John concluded.

"I prefer to say I misplaced my sense of direction."

"Whatever you like."

"So, John and I – good brothers we are - went in after him, and we were pretty lucky in being able to find him, but-"

"We also ended up getting lost." John added, "For all Scott had promised me he'd be able to get us out with his amazing sense of direction."

"I did get us out, thank you very much."

Gordon suddenly started chuckling again, and Alan knew there was more that he was missing. This wasn't a simple lost and found.

"Yes, after we ran into half of the unique wildlife out there." John contributed.

Virgil groaned. "Don't remind me! I'm still haunted."

"I looked it up on the internet, I don't think it's that scary." Gordon added and Alan really wanted to know what he was still missing. Virgil didn't scare easily either, but his middle brother was cringing and moving away from Gordon as he spoke. "Lots of legs, quick moving and slimy."

"And bites." The astronaut added almost bitterly.

"What does?" He was sure his brothers could be talking about any number of things, especially if there was wildlife in that forest he'd never seen before.

"Centipedes." Gordon answered, clearly still on a mission to tease Virgil.

"But they're tiny." He'd seen some which had made into the house. They were always nothing scary, just little fast-moving bugs that usually got themselves stuck in the bath before they met their end.

"No, eight inches long-"

"The size of a golf tee, give or take." Virgil helped with his visual imagining of the now big issue which dwelt inside the scary forest.

"-And with a dangerous bite." Scott explained.

"Poisonous bite." John corrected, with venom of his own.

"Woah, really?"

"You should expect there to be something poisonous on this island, little bro."

"I know, Gordon, but a centipede?"

"Yeah. Definitely a centipede." Virgil agreed with shivers going down his spine anew.

"But – hang, I don't get… how that's relevant to you getting lost?" Alan asked, it being his turn to frown now, and Scott sighed as John and Virgil's eyes turned to him. Gordon was smiling like a clown.

"Ok, so John and I rushed after Virgil, forgetting that neither of us had shoes on. I had socks on, but John had bare feet. After we'd managed to find Virgil, we were trying to find our way back and found the centipede's instead."

"Right…"

"It has to be this way."

"How do you know that, Scott?"

"I don't, John, but I'm pretty sure we came this way… See look, there's a tree."

"It's a forest, Scott!"

"There are trees everywhere!"

"Virgil, I don't need you stating the obvious too."

"You're the one stating the obvious, not me. I just pointed out what you clearly didn't see!"

"I did too see the trees, hence why I said it."

"Not at all helpfully."

"Well it wasn't helpful of you to just run off here."

"I didn't think it was going to be this…"

"What? Everything Dad said it was?"

"I just thought I could use the scenery."

"Great, did you hear that John? We've got ourselves lost for the sake of scenery."

"I really couldn't care why. Let's just get out of here."

"Great idea, John. Pity Scott's getting prematurely old!"

"Hey! You try remembering anything round here-"

"Stop arguing."

"-it all looks exactly the same, there's nothing to remember!"

"Well maybe you should have thought more about rushing in after me!"

"Maybe you should have thought more about not rushing in-"

"Ow!"

"John? What now?"

"I've got bare feet-"

"Should have put some shoes on then."

"-And I think something just bit me."

"Probably because you've got no shoes on."

"Virgil…"

"Here, hold onto me before you fall over."

"Can we jus- eww! What are all those things!"

"They've got loads of legs."

"They're centipedes."

"They're disgusting!"

"I think that's what bit me."

"They don't bite… do they?"

"Why are you looking at me, Virgil? John's the genius."

"Genius or not, I don't know. I don't have x-ray vision to see through my feet!"

"Great… just great."

"Well, you obviously made it back." Alan summarised once his elder brothers finished recounting their encounter, Gordon having enjoyed the whole thing despite the youngest being able to tell he'd heard it all before. Honestly, having lived long enough on the island, he was used to the bugs, though he wasn't very keen on the thought of centipedes anymore either. And the things had been known to make their way towards the house… little tiny ones, but still. "You found a way out?"

"Eventually." Virgil groaned. "It took ages."

"Yeah, and I even had to carry John."

"Considering you were the one who pulled me out the house without leaving me any time to get my shoes, Scott, I don't think that piggyback was unfair."

"Me neither."

"Hey, we were only in there because of you, so you don't get a vote!"

"Besides, I couldn't have walked back anyway, considering the fact I'd been poisoned."

"Yeah ok, but Brains said it wouldn't have been fatal."

"We didn't know that!" John and Virgil chorused, and even Gordon wasn't smiling now.

"Nor did Dad. He all but blew up when you returned, and I had a front row seat! Heck, you all say I'm loud; I say that's where I got it from."

"Hang on- So, let me get this straight." His brothers turned their focus to him. "Virgil went into the forest even though we're not meant to. You two went in after him and got just as lost. John got bitten by a poisonous-"

"Venomous." Scott interjected.

"-Centipede and somehow you found your way home. Did I miss anything?"

"Well, you skimmed it down a lot." Virgil corrected.

"But I don't think you missed anything." Gordon interjected.

"Right. So that's why I shouldn't go into the forest alone?"

"Yeah, and why you shouldn't go in there at all, little brother."

"You do not want to get bitten by a centipede."

"No?" Gordon asked, clearly trying to find some humour, but John refused to oblige the swimmer.

"No. I don't care that it's not fatal, it still hurts like level four on Schmidt index*."

"Well, I think we should head home before anyone else wakes up." Scott decided, making his opinion and it was met with three more sets of agreement before those blue eyes turned on him. "Alan? You coming with, or are you still going through the forest?"

He gave the forest one last glance. He still could if he wanted to, but his opinion on braving the forest had changed drastically since he left the house.

"Maybe I won't bother."

"Good call."

"Oh no, don't you all go getting the wrong idea. My decision has nothing to do with any of you." Alan assured. He wasn't certain that his brothers believed him from the skeptical glances, but he was definitely going to run with his story. "I just wanted to be the first. There's no point bothering if I've already been beaten to it."

Pushing past, Alan tried to further his argument by being the first to walk back up the hill. There really was no value in It for him if he wasn't the first, and his brother's cautionary tale had made it seem… well, it confirmed everything he'd always been warned of when it came to the forest.

They all headed back up to the house, with no one else any the wiser that the forest had ever been on the exploration list, but at the same time, Alan had a feeling he was going to be sharing Virgil's bug based shivers for quite some time now. Whilst he would have believed Gordon to pull such a prank, John wouldn't lie about being bitten by a centipede, which meant the things really were as horrible as he thought they were ugly.

No, there was a reason why not one went into that forest alone, and it was the same reason that no one should go in at all.

*Schmidt string pain index – list the pain sale of different large order insect bites. It ranges from 1-4, with four being described as 'blinding' levels of pain.

So, when I travelled to the rain forest, I was warned to look out for "the eight-inch centipedes" with a sting "worse than a hive of bees". So for anyone unsure, 8 inches is the equivalent size of a golf tee, or a little bit more than a brand new, sharpened pencil with an eraser on top. Basically, the locals don't like them, they've just become used to them.

If you do want to look it up (which I wouldn't personally having already done so), the species of centipede to likely inhabit Tracy Island would be the Amazonian giant Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) which grow to 8 inches minimum, with a maximum length of 12 inches (so the size equivalent of a full ruler). It is reported to have a venom which isn't fatal, however one four-year-old child has reportedly died from it. Its classification has remained venomous, not poisonous however, and it is thought anyone in good health and not of an extremely young or old age would be able to survive. Many people have been reported to fall ill after being bitten by a giant centipede. With recent discoveries of the first amphibious centipede, and reports of two more poisonous Scolopendrra Subspinipes (Thailand and Mexico), it is likely that the main genus of the Scolopendra family will soon be reclassified.

Before anyone asks why I've said it's nonfatal in this story, that is because I have referred to it as matches its current classification, although if that is ever redefined (which I think it should be), I will edit this to match.

So, personally, I think I am very lucky to not have encountered one whilst I was in the rainforest! I felt very much like Virgil as I walked around, constantly on the lookout with goosebumps going up my arms. I had some excellent guides though, and attribute my survival and learning to them. If I sent this their way, they would probably laugh at what I'm using all that knowledge they gave me for!