Strangers Like Us: Chapter 2

"ENOUGH!" Jane finally erupted and everyone stopped. She placed a hand to her chest and took a deep breath. "Alright," she began. "Let's all just calm down for a moment and-"

" 'Calm down'?!" Anna repeated, pushing some honey blonde hair from her eyes. "I've never been so…so…un-calm in my entire life!" She jabbed her index finger into Jonathan's chest. "This is all your fault! You and you stupid search for-" she stopped abruptly and stared at the other woman. "Jane Porter…"

Jane laughed nervously and wriggled her bare toes in the dirt. "Mmm…yes….that's, uh, that's me!"

Anna's jaw dropped and she shook her slightly, as if snapping out of a dream. "You're really…I mean, you can't be!" She stammered helplessly. "You're, well, gorgeous!" She smiled a little. "I'm sorry, I'd always pictured you a bit more…plain…"

Jonathan gestured his thumb at Tarzan, who was sniffing him. "I take it this isn't Dr. Porter, though, correct?"

Anna glanced at the wild man and blushed slightly. "Whoever he is, he saved my life," she said, smiling. "Thank you, Sir."

Tarzan watched as the fair-haired human held out her hand. He uncurled his fingers and placed the palm of his hand to hers. "Tarzan," he told her and Anna's blush deepened.

"Friend of yours?" Jonathan asked Jane, cocking an eyebrow. Unlike Anna and Jane, he spoke with a crisp, Irish accent. One Tarzan had never heard before.

"It's a long story, but yes," Jane replied. "Tarzan is, well, he's…" she had to pause a moment. What was Tarzan anyway? He was definitely more than a friend, but how much more?

Jonathan stretched, dusting off his baggy trousers, and held out his hand to Jane. "I've got time-tell me about it back at camp?"

Jane shook his hand, and then dusted her skirt off, suddenly feeling embarrassingly unclean compared to the journalists. "Sorry," she said. "You must think I'm a mess."

Jonathan rolled his eyes and replied, "Come on, I'll put on some tea." He winked at her. "I grill a mean fish."

Anna glanced at Tarzan as they started off, a strange expression on his face as he watched Jane and Jonathan walk ahead. The blonde woman, curvier and paler than Jane, Tarzan noticed, smiled at him. "Would you like to walk me to camp?" she asked sweetly, holding out her hand.

Tarzan only shrugged slightly and followed her. He didn't even notice he had reverted back to all fours. After they left, Terk emerged from the bushes and took Jane's sketchbook. Her portrait was only half finished.

---

"I still can't believe it," Jonathan said as he handed Jane a plate of grilled fish and rice. "Jane Porter-alive and surviving in the African Jungles!"

Anna, who had temporarily disappeared to change into a sundress, returned and asked, "What about your father?" she smiled at Tarzan, who was sniffing the skewered fish over a small fire.

"He's here too," Jane replied. "He spends most of his time exploring." She turned to Jonathan as she ate. "This is really good," she commented.

Anna handed Tarzan a cup of tea and he dipped his fingers into it. Amazed by the hot liquid, he dipped two more fingers in. Anna laughed and asked Jane, "Who is this handsome bloke, anyway?"

Jane felt a twinge at the comment, but replied, "His name's Tarzan. Daddy and I found him living among the gorillas." She smiled at the wild man and added, "They're his family."

Though he didn't understand every word she had said, Tarzan got the idea and beamed proudly.

"We decided to stay because we love it here," Jane continued. "With the gorillas, I mean."

"And Tarzan too?" Anna raised her eyebrows. She didn't know if it was just her or not, but Tarzan seemed far more interesting than a bunch of overgrown monkeys.

"And Tarzan," Jane agreed, somewhat hesitant.

Jonathan finished serving fish and was cut short of talking when he handed Tarzan a plate and it shattered before him. The ape-man stared down at the broken glass and then at Jonathan. Jane swallowed a mouthful of rice and stood up from her place on the ground. Nudging Tarzan away from the mess, she explained to the others, "He uses his knuckles more than his fingers. He's never held a plate before."

Anna stopped chewing and glanced at Jonathan, who paused thoughtfully and said, "No matter! I, um, I don't think I have any bowls-"

"Jane teach Tarzan?" The jungle man suddenly spoke, somewhat meekly.

"Of course, Tarzan!" Jane replied softly.

Anna set her plate down on the fold-out, bamboo table and asked, "May I try?"

"To hold a plate?" Jonathan teased.

"No!" Anna rolled her eyes. "To show him." She looked at Tarzan, and then at Jane. "Please?"

Jane, for some reason, didn't really want her to, but she smiled and nodded anyway. "Go ahead." She watched with discomfort as Anna took Tarzan's hands in her own, and uncurled his fingers. She placed another plate in his palms and maneuvered his digits correctly around the china, explaining her actions in monosyllables. "See?" She squealed, grinning as he successfully held it by himself. "It's simple, innit?"

Tarzan stared at the plate. There wasn't anything that amazing about it. He turned to Jane and saw her frowning. He immediately tossed the plate like it was on fire and crawled over to her.

"Hmm! Hmm!" He remembered where he was. "Jane does not like…" he glanced up to remember the word. "plate?"

Jane jumped at having her train of thought broken. "What? Oh! No, plates are good, Tarzan." She laughed. "People eat off of them."

Tarzan observed her face, having forgotten about the plate. He twisted his hand around and lifted a piece of her hair from her eyes. "Jane is sad?" He asked softly.

She blushed, moving his hand away from her face. "I'm fine, really."

Tarzan continued to stare. Jane's brows furrowed slightly and she repeated more sternly, "I'm fine, Tarzan." She turned to Anna and Jonathan, who were both gawking. "Um, so, the fish was lovely!" She smoothed out her skirt. "I should get going." She tucked some hair behind her ears. "I need to find my father."

"Wait!" Jonathan stood up and knocked his stool over. "You're just going to leave?! We have to come with you! I have to meet your father and get and interview going and everything else! The ship will be here in a few weeks!"

Jane spun around. " 'Interview'? What are you talking about?"

Anna stood up. "For everyone back home! They'll be so glad to know you two are alive! It'll be huge!"

Jane huffed. "Pardon me, but we don't want to be found. We're happy! Daddy's never been so happy in his life, and-"

Jonathan cut her off. "You must come back! Or at least give us the interview! Our story could become famous!"

Tarzan looked back and forth between them. He may have been ignorant to these things, but he did know one thing. They were trying to take Jane away. He suddenly stuck his chest out, pounded it, and grabbed Jane. He scuttled up a nearby tree with her and huffed at the gawking journalists below.

"Tarzan!" Jane stared down at the other humans, slightly embarrassed by Tarzan's behavior. It didn't help that he began to climb higher.

"Wait!" Anna called as they disappeared into the thick foliage above. She turned to Jonathan and said, "I hope she's alright."

Jonathan sat on a tree root. "I'm sure she's fine. That crazy bloke's not dangerous. Just, well, crazy."

---

Tarzan finally set Jane down when he was sure they were far away enough from Anna and Jonathan. Jane grunted as Tarzan plopped her down before him, and they stared at each other for a moment.

"Well?" She smoothed her hair back. "What was that all about?"

Tarzan paced nervously, then squatted back down in front of her. "Jane is going?"

Jane gave him a funny look, and then realization crossed her face. "Oh, no! Of course not, Tarzan."

The wild man continued to stare at her, unconvinced. Jane put her hand on his and said gently, "Tarzan, I belong here. I'm not going anywhere."

Tarzan's face softened and he swung his legs over the thick branch they perched on, kicking his feet. He felt relief wash over him, and he was happy. For the time being, anyway.

Meanwhile, down below, Anna and Jonathan began tidying up dishes. Jonathan sighed as he picked up pieces of broken plates and said, "I don't understand what's she's so upset about."

Anna glanced at him. "You heard her. She wants to be left alone." She smiled and her clapped her hands together. "This means we can go back to England now, right?"

The man frowned at her. "What? Anna, we found Professor Porter and his daughter." He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't you think we've worked too hard just to go back empty-handed?"

Anna shrugged him off. "But they want to stay here," she pointed out.

"We're not going to take them away," Jonathan replied, rolling his eyes. "We just want to know about their lives here in the jungle, to learn about-"

Anna cut him off. "You say 'they' like you mean it," she snorted. "You just want to know about her." She cocked an eyebrow. "I saw the way you looked at Jane Porter."

Jonathan blushed and cleared his throat. "She's a remarkable scholar, you know." He sighed and ran a hand through his messy black hair. "Her father talks about her in all of his books." He smiled. "She illustrates them, by the way."

Anna tugged at her ponytail and spat, "Alright, alright! We'll write the article and get the interviews!" She glanced at the shattered plate on the ground. "So what do you think of Tarzan?"

Jonathan shrugged. "He's a character, that's for sure."

Anna picked up one of the broken pieces and smiled dreamily. "Now there's something to write about," she held the shard up to the sunlight. " 'Mysterious stranger in the jungle rescues journalist'." She sighed. "Handsome, mysterious stranger."

---

To Be Continued…