It was pitch black and empty with only stone walls to guide the way. She was afraid as she walked the unsecured path , afraid to feel alone, afraid for what may come. As she walked deeper and deeper inside the tunnel she heard a single, terrifying scream unlike anything she has heard before.A cold chill when down her spine as she jumped in to Arnold's arms. "Don't worry Helga I'll protect you and I won't let anyone hurt you, you're my greatest treasure" Said Arnold as he held her tightly in his arms. Helga pressed her lips in to his and breathe him in as she embraced him and whispered "Don't leave me" with tears in her eyes. Arnold gazed at her and kissed the tip of her nose and said "I told you long ago...I won't give up and I will never, leave you."

Helga opened her eyes to find Jorge staring in silence at the fire, he looked concerned and in despaired. Helga sighed remembering her dream and noticed Arnold wasn't with them still. Arnold my dearest beloved, how can I doubt your existence in this world, when you have shown so much strength and endurance in my life. My dream remind me just that and it's true, the precious words you kept telling me over and over again when I almost died in your arms, you said...I won't leave you and I won't give up... and I won't either...I'll continue to be strong and will never stop fighting to survive, because that's the Helga G Pataki you expect me to be. I love you Football Head, for my soul will endure and I will always have you in the highest thrown of my beating heart, where you will always rule wearing the heavy decorated crown, of my love. Thought Helga as a single warm tear run down her cheek.

Jorge noticed Helga moving. "How do you feel?" He asked.

"I can't say." She replied with sadness.

"Come and eat something, I have berries and I was able to a fish, apparently my fishing skills are not that bad."

Helga was quiet staring at the fire "I'm not hungry." She said with a low voice.

"You have to eat something or you will pass out again. Come on at least have some berries and take more of this tea."

Helga grabbed the hot cup of tea "Was I drinking this? What kind of tea is it."

"It's from a special medicine plant it helps to regulate blood pressure among other things. Come on drink it, you need to stay strong."

Helga begin sipping the tea "It taste horrible!"

"I never said it tasted good." He smirked at her.

"You know Jorge, I never thank you for saving my life and..."

"It's okay Helga and you don't have to, I did what I believe was right and I wasn't going to let you died. That's why I want to become a doctor some day, I feel the calling to help others and to save lives."

"And you will become an amazing Doctor one day." Said Helga looking up to Jorge.

Jorge sighed "Helga, I apologize for...Ummm...earlier, about the kiss. I shouldn't have kiss you back." Said Jorge blushing with a guilty smile on his face.

"You were very lucky Arnold didn't saw that or he would have punch you in the face...but, I can't blame you though, I mean... if I was a guy and a beautiful smart blonde girl kissed me like that, I think...would have done the same." She laughed.

He smiled "Then I'm lucky Arnold didn't saw me stealing a kiss from his girl...it's good to see you laugh, I sure hope you began to feel better in some way."

There were both in silence for a minute.

"So...do you think Arnold survive?" He asked her gently, almost not wanting to bring that conversation up.

"My heart tells me that he did and...I want to try to find him tomorrow and will take it from there I guess. Crimity! My backpack where is it!?"

"Here, you had it on when I found you."

Helga stood up quickly to snatch the backpack

"Oh Jorge thank you, I could kiss you again."

"Really!" He raised his eye-brows.

"No, not really, it was just an expression" she smiled as she opened her backpack."Anyways, the journal should be here, I also had that wallet with the sacred rock and..." she was staring in to space.

"Que pasa...I mean, what's wrong?"

Helga looked at Jorge with wide eyes "I gave the wallet to Arnold and he...had the rock in his pocket when we jumped in to the river...OH,MY, GOD! Do you know what that means!?"

Jorge looked confused "Ah nope, I'm lost."

"Come on Jorge think, if Arnold had that rock with him when he jumped in the river, there's a very good chance he could be alive and he may even find us."

"How can you be so sure Helga!? Do you really believe his the chosen one!?"

"I believe in him, Arnold told me about the prophecy and the sacred rock, the eye of the forest like he called it and... if the legend is true...he's alive."

Miles away in a small wooden shed, Arnold opened his eyes slowly. He was laying on an old sleeping bag with a warm wet rag on his head. The small shed was empty with only some covers folded in a corner next to a large tear up bag and a small wooden table against the wall.

There were three oil lamps made out of old tequila bottles on the table and some herbs smashed on stone bowl. "Where am I" He whispered as he sat up removing the rag from his head. Strangely, he felt something on his right hand, as he opened his fist he saw the trapiche rock he had been holding all that time. He immediately try to put it inside his pocket for safekeeping and noticed a large hole on his pocket.

What happen? And why is the rock in my hand? He thought. Suddenly his heart accelerated almost jumping out of his chest as he remembered "HELGA!"

The moment he stood up everything around him turned in circles, as he lost his balance and fell on his knees. The strange man opened the old wooden door to the shed to find Arnold kneeling touching his head.

"You shouldn't be up boy, you need to lay down." Said the man as he place a dead wild rabbit on the table.

"I can't lay down I need to find my..."Arnold began gasping trying to catch his breath.

"Here let me help you." Said the kind man as he help Arnold lay back down on the sleeping bag.

Arnold tried to take a good look at the man even if his sight was a bit blurry from the fall. The man had long brown gray hair pulled back in a ponytail with a medium size beard, glasses with tired beat up eyes, he looked in his fifties. He took his old hay hat off and hang it on a nail on the wall.

"What happen, where am I?" Asked Arnold trying to breathe.

"This is my raggedy shed but it beats sleeping under the rain and I found you barely alive by the river."

"Did you saw a blond girl with me!?"

"Blond girl, in this part of the jungle ha ha you were dreaming boy, I found you alone with a...harpia eagle standing next to you."

"A what!?" Arnold asked confused.

"Harpia eagle, also known as the Harpy eagle one of the most powerful eagles that ruled the sky...but..."

"But what!?" Arnold asked

"It's just that, that specific color eagle has been extinct for over a hundred years. You either had a ghost by your side or...you are just to damn lucky. Here eat this" the man handed Arnold the stone bowl with the smashed herbs and seeds.

"What's this!?" Arnold look down at the bowl.

"Energy food, just eat it!"

"How do I know you're not trying to..."

"BOY! If I wanted you dead I would have thrown you back in the river, just take it! If you still want to find your blond girl you need to gather your strength, that is if you are willing to walked miles in to the hot jungle to find her."

Arnold began eating the herbs slowly with his fingers.

The strange man smiled "Good make sure you eat it all...I'll make a fire outside and will have rabbit for dinner, you may go outside after you finished, if you're thirsty there's clean water in this cup."

The man took the dead rabbit and stepped outside the shed. Arnold couldn't stop thinking about Helga and about the last memory he had of the river. I remember helping her swim...we were dragged down some rocks and...that's all I remembered. What if...she didn't make it and drowned! NO! But wait, Jorge jumped on the river, I remembered looking back and I saw him trying to swim. I wonder if he made it out safely and maybe...just maybe he help Helga...I mean he was right behind us he should have seen Helga in trouble. I need to think positive, Helga is very strong I know she pull through...But how can I confirm this? Wait, the rock! Arnold took out the rock from his other pocket and held the rock tight in his hand. Why isn't it working...last time I held it like this and I was able to see the full jungle...unless something change. I still don't know what happen to me after I was knock out and how did I manage to survive the rapids after I was unconscious? And the strange man said the eagle was next to me...but who is he!? He thought.

After he finished eating the herbs he walked out the shed to find the strange man preparing the rabbit to be cook.

"How do you feel now?" The man Asked

"Much better thank you." Arnold Replied

"Excellent and wait in till you have a piece of this delicious rabbit, you will feel so much better... have you had rabbit before?"

"Ummm...no sir?"

"You may call me Jones" said the man.

"Thank you Jones for everything you have done for me, I'm Arnold..."

"I know" answer the man.

"Ugh? You know my name?" Asked Arnold surprised.

The strange man looked straight at him "No, how can I know your name?"

"You said you knew." Said Arnold again.

"What? No, I didn't but...If I did, sometimes I say things that don't make any sense. That's what happens when you leave alone in the jungle for as long as I have."

"Who are you!?" Asked Arnold staring at his eyes.

"I use to be pilot who...made a lot of mistakes and I decided long ago to stay behind."

"Excuse me but, what do you mean by mistakes?" Asked Arnold

"It was my fault kid, it cause me my job, my life...I crashed a plane in the jungle long ago and I lost my best friend and my... well it doesn't matter anymore...why are you here? Don't you know the jungle is a dangerous place!?"

"It's a long story and honestly I regret coming to this jungle." Admitted Arnold looking down.

"Oh yeah, well right now it's too late for regrets kid."

"With all do respect sir...I'm not a kid."

Jones laughed "You look like a kid to me."

"I'm Arnold sir...Arnold Philip Shortman and why are you being kind to me?"

Jones was serious looking at the stars as if he wanted to say so much but at the same time, he couldn't. He looked at at Arnold and said

"I been here doing nothing for so long, I figure it was about time for me to do some good...that's all. Being in this jungle isolates you from the world."

"Then why are you still here!?" Asked Arnold

"I have my complicated reasons...so, who's the blond girl?"

"She's my...well, girlfriend now seems like such a small title to who she really is."

"Who is she then?" Asked Jones while placing the rabbit on the fire.

Arnold exhaled thinking about her.

"She's everything in my life"

"I see you're in love"

"Yes sir I am" Said Arnold with a soft smile. "How long have you been in this jungle?"

Jones exhaled "Too long, at first I was thinking about staying a couple of months, then I realized years passed by like nothing and..now to be honest, I don't know how to live outside this jungle...what's your long story? A young man like you here with his girlfriend doesn't sound like a good getaway for a young couple"

"I lost my parents at the jungle when I was a baby their bodies were never found till now...I came to identify them and to...burry them." Arnold was looking down trying to control his emotions.

Jones was silence for a moment.

"Then, why are you here at this forsaken jungle then?" Jones asked again.

"To find the truth about my parents...I want to know what happen to them in their last days at this jungle and...if they were murder."

"Look Philip, the past is behind you and it's never good to walk back...just keep walking ahead, there's nothing you can do about your parent's death, even if you do find out what happen to them...don't waste your life trying to repair the past...or you won't enjoy the present and before you know it, you wasted your entire life on something that can't never, be change."

Arnold was silent analyzing every single word Jones had said.

"Sir, I respect your point of view and your words have a very rich wisdom but, this is not about changing the past, is about bringing closure to my parents death and about trying to find some light in to the past...but I never imagine the danger that waited me here."

"You mean another danger besides the jungle?"

Jones asked.

"Yes, the jungle is not as dangerous as the one that wants me dead."

"Who you're talking about!?" Jones asked upset.

Arnold sighed looking at the ground "You know sometimes I say to much and nobody can help me besides...You have lived in this jungle for a long time, you must know the green-eyes."

Jones scratched the back of his neck pondering. "I heard of them but, I never seen them, they are as mysterious as that eagle I was telling you about."

"What do you know about the green-eyes?" Asked Arnold.

"Nothing important, just that...they hide in the jungle...The rabbit is ready, here have a piece." Said the man as he place a piece of meat in a large leaf. "Here you go, eat up."

His stomach twisted as he stared at the meat.

"Mmm...I think I'll pass."

"The way I see it Philip you will need all your strength to look for your girlfriend tomorrow, that is if she's still alive..."

"Helga is alive!" Shouted Arnold

"If you were barely alive when I found you, what makes you think she survive the river!?"

"Because someone else was trying to swim behind us...a friend and I believe he helped her."

"What if they both drowned." Said Jones as he ate.

"That's a possibility too...but, I can't just think that way, besides in my heart I know they made it out of the rapids."

"Why were you and your friends at the rapids?"

"It's a long story Jones...I just want to find her." Arnold was feeling nauseating by the piece of meat.

"You don't look to please holding the meat and If I were you! I would do or eat anything, to find the jewel of my heart." Said Jones with a penetrating stared at Arnold.

Arnold notice something in his eyes, for what it seem like a deep secret full of pain.

"Pardon me to ask but, have you ever loved someone Jones?"

"Eat Philip " Said Jones again.

Arnold POV

Jones looked very mysterious to me, like if there's something important about him that he doesn't want me to see...then again, maybe I'm just imagining things. After all he's a lost man that has been alone in this jungle for a long time. Still his right, I need to eat something if I want to be strong enough to look for Helga. What would my grandpa say if he was here; Eat up...you'll need plenty of fuel for tomorrow Shortman.*

Arnold smiled recollecting his grandpa.

"Thinking happy thoughts?" Asked Jones as he was watching Arnold

"I was just remembering my grandpa.

I think about him a lot, like every good advise he ever gave me, I keep it with me always."

"That's what happens when you lived with someone for so long, their words get attached to you, even more when they're not with you."

"Yeah..." then Arnold thought about what Jones said "How did you know I lived with my grandparents?"

"Ugh...I don't" Jones answered as he continue to eat.

"You just said that's what happens when you live with someone for so long... I never told I lived with with them!"

"You know Philip you take things too seriously... I honestly don't remember what I said."

Arnold stared at him suspiciously.

Meanwhile a couple of miles away Helga was standing outside the cave, staring at the moon.

"Where are you Football Head?" She said to herself.

Jorge was walking up to her.

"It's dangerous to be out here, the carnivorous animals hunt at night, it's safer if you come back to the cave and be by the fire."

Helga exhaled feeling a cold emptiness in her heart as she walked back to the cave. She grabbed Mile's journal and sat by the fire and began turning the pages trying to find something that would help their situation.

"Where you referring to Arnold when you said, Football head?"

"Yes I was" she answered softly flipping the pages.

"Why do you called him that?"

Helga smiled thinking back to her childhood "I remember when we were little, I used to compare his head to a Football and since then, I been calling him Football head."

"How long have you guys known each other?"

"All our life's" she sighed.

"And how long have you been his girlfriend?"

"Crimity a long time, even if it doesn't feel like it, it will be five years this December"

"Five years ! Whoa, the longest I been with a girl is three months, I guess I'm not as interesting as other guys."

"Don't think like that Jorge, you're smart, funny and..."

Jorge stared at Helga waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"Ccccuuuute" She had to push that last word.

"Don't tell Arnold I said that."

Jorge laughed "Of course not...I guess you had a hard time admitting I was cute."

"Don't flatter yourself, I just don't like to talk openly about somethings."

"Well I'm sure glad you think I'm cute" he smirked at her.

Helga was watching Jorge throw more wood in to the fire to keep it going.

"How old are you Jorge?"

"Nineteenth"

"You look younger thou" Said Helga smiling

"I been told that before, I'm actually going to be twenty this year."

"And you just graduated?" She asked.

"Yes, I started school late, but hopefully I'll be able to start college this August...that is, if we make it out of here alive."

"I'm sure we will...we have too." Said Helga staring at Jorge's eyes.

Later that night by the river's bank a couple of man were tracking the footsteps on the soft soil.

"Look there's some footprints here." Yelled one man. Another man pointed at some blond hairs he found on the dirt. "This are them, call the boss and tell him, we found their tracks."

Notes:

This chapter was longer then I anticipated.

Helga is being very strong trying to have faith that Arnold survive the rapids and Arnold's dream made a full circle.

To know what I'm talking about, check chapter 2 from Book 1. There's also another connection there when Helga and Arnold dreams or visions have flashbacks but I'll talk more about that later.

I really like the conversation Arnold had with Jones, (by the way he was named after my all time childhood hero Indiana Jones) about the past and trying to fix mistakes. I also liked how Jones is forcing Arnold to eat rabbit meat LOL

By the way rabbit meat is a very common for those that live in the wild.

My grandfather was a hunter and he hunted rabbit a couple of times and my grandmother cooked it. I grew up with my grandparents just like Arnold and let me say, even if my grandmother gave me rabbit to eat, I never ate it. LOL.

Anyways back to the story, now with a new character in the story, everything will get even more interesting ;)

Thank you for reading

post your comments I love to read them.