Jungle

What makes a man great? Is it his determination to be great? Does one have to accomplish unimaginable challenges to earn the title of greatness? All of these questions swarmed the mind of a young Daniel Richardson who dreamed of a life of praise and adorement that would give him vast amounts of respect yet he didn’t want it to just fall into his lap. Daniel wanted to earn his fame, and be known as a man that is in his great place in life because he worked harder than anyone else. His strong willed personality was met with an adventurous spirit that stemmed from a natural sense of curiosity. He didn’t have much friends in high school for most viewed his intense personality as borderline aggressive as he felt as though he always had to prove himself. That meant that in no circumstance could he be the lesser or take a loss in any occasion for it would mean that another person was greater than he.

This mindset of constantly having to prove himself came from the fact that he had a broken family back home where his parents were to busy shouting at one another to even notice their child. Daniel felt as though he was just a shadow in his home that only existed when his parents took the time to actually acknowledge him. There was no encouragement or guidance present as he felt that he was growing up on his own. He had merit to feel that way as any outside interest Daniel had was ignored. His parents left empty seats at his soccer matches and never asked what he was up to at school. Their neglectfulness made a deep gash in Daniel’s psyche, that caused a nagging sensation of inadequacy that would not quiet no matter what Daniel accomplished. In moments of complete frustration, Daniel would go outside on nature walks to cool his head before he did something irrational. He was an outdoorsy person who was always left in wonder from natural phenomena. He would often stop and stare at odd looking plants and insects that practically looked like they came from another planet. Daniel felt lucky to have his house be next to what seemed to be the outskirts of an extensive forest. On most days he would travel out there to clear his mind and enjoy the sereness of being surrounded by nothing but trees and grass. He would walk into the thick batch of trees and feel as though he had been transported to a place far away from his home, and that is just the way he wanted it to be. He liked to brush his hand against mighty oaks that stood tall and fortified almost as if they were guardians of the forest. The wood felt rough, and course beneath his fingers, as he wondered just how old the sturdy tree was. He enjoyed everything about the forest from its distinct earthy smell, to the crackling sound old leaves made as he stepped further along his path.

Daniel felt as though the world melted away as he would lie down on the forest floor and lay his head on one of the trees. He looked up at the immense amount of green shrubbery that blanketed and covered the skyline. He was in awe as bits of sunlight broke through to the ground and danced around as the time passed. Everything was so still, and peaceful it almost seemed like the forest was from a fairy tale and there was a strong possibility that a mythical creature may meander in front of Daniel. He enjoyed every second of his own personal paradise.

It was no surprise to anyone when Daniel decided to move away and travel as soon as highschool ended. His parents did not object obviously since they were thoroughly indifferent as to where their son was. He had saved up for a months for a one way ticket to Switzerland and enough money for a shabby shack right next to legendary hiking trails. Once in Switzerland, Daniel was introduced to august scenery that made him marvel at how wonderfully gorgeous nature can be. The landscape that lay before him was a diverse one, as rolling hills of numerous dark green trees were juxtaposed next to snow white mountains that cut the skyline with their jagged peaks. He reveled in standing at the edge of a shimmering crystal blue lake in the middle of a spring green pasture, while staring off at titanous, snowy mountains that beckoned toward Daniel. He lived the life of a peasant but it was all worth for the memorable experience of having several stunning trails to hike through.

Daniel spent a year just quenching his nature-loving thirst as he exhausted the trails around there until he knew every trail forward and backward. It was a splendid time for him as he explored the various mysteries of the rocky hikes of mountainous Switzerland. Despite having fulfilled his natural fascinations, he still felt as though something was missing from his life. It took deep retrospective thinking to discover the one thing that was lacking within himself. Daniel self-reflected at a dazzling vista point overlooking miles of green pasture and a robust looking forest parallel to a glistening light blue lake. It was there that he realized that he had not accomplished enough in his life to call himself great. He had a gnawing urge to create a legacy for himself instead of being a nameless nomad that lived quietly among the rest of society. He felt as though he wasn’t good enough and it was in the back of his head wherever he went. At night he would toss and turn constantly having to deal with the whisperings of his inner mind telling him that he was a failure, and that he used the the trip to Switzerland to escape any responsibility. He was extremely tough on himself as he somehow got it into him that he was chosen to be one that will have his name remembered for years to come.

Daniel was literally on the brink of depression when at last the opportunity of a lifetime was presented to him. While going to a local cafe Daniel encountered an obvious foreigner that sat staring intensely at his laptop. Daniel really wanted to know what was going on with the focused tourist so he asked what he was studying. The traveler looked up and explained that he was an archeologist examining the discovery of an extremely rare gemstone in the heart of an Indian jungle. It was the pink star diamond, the most expensive diamond in the world, that is valued over half a million dollars. This intrigued Daniel as he sat down and talked to the archeologist about the discovery. Apparently he was one of the few to know about it for it was his friend ,who was also an archaeologist, to discover it but unfortunately he and his team had lost communication and were presumably dead after several weeks without one correspondence. The archaeologist at the cafe was not about tell any major media about it for it might spur some malicious people to go out and sell the stone for their own personal benefit. The archaeologist could not retrieve the stone himself for he was much too withered from the years and his bones were brittle. This led to the conversation turning into a deal being made between the two men. Daniel offered to retrieve the precious stone, and all the archaeologist had to do was pay for his ticket and credit him as the one to salvage and return the priceless rock. It seemed crazy but at this point the archaeologist was desperate, and so he agreed to give Daniel his one shot at ever lasting glory.

. . .

Sweat doused every inch of his clothing, as he was surrounded by what seemed to be a vast sea of green vegetation that was as dense as an anvil. The humidity was drowning him as it seemed that with every step he took, the harder it was for him to breathe. The enormous, suffocating jungle was sucking the life right out of him, yet he refused to stop as his determination far outweighed the discomfort, and agony his body felt. Daniel Richardson was not about to turn away from what may be the greatest treasure ever unearthed by mankind, because there in the unmarked land of what seemed to be unconquerable jungle, lies a gem stone the size of a human heart, that can make any man, richer than they ever could imagine. Not to mention the publicity and praise for the sheer bravado of going into the unexplored empire of jungle that seemed to be teeming with wildlife that would have no remorse in being the demise of any foolish adventurer who happen to cross their path. Daniel wasn’t even thinking of the dangers that may come from taking this rigorous voyage, for he was wrapped up in the glory that would sweep him away into the heights of legendary status. All his life he was an audacious type that was never afraid of going out and delving into an unknown territory, especially if it would bring him recognition. He was not without his faults as at times he could seem needy for attention but he could not help it as he had the undeniable feeling of being someone destined for something above the confines of mediocrity. To say that he thought he was special would be an understatement but one has to be this unreasonably confident to even think of starting this unreasonable expedition.

Daniel packed light as he knew the journey would be long and tiresome for the shrub that stood in his way would prove to be an endless source of exhaustion as he macheted through all of it. He was having a hard time remembering his exponentially depleting energy, or the menace of wildlife as he gazed upon the magnificence of the all encompassing forest. Mysticism seemed to surround the jungle as Daniel looked all around at the vibrant mosaic of every imaginable shade of green as streaks of sunlight stained the almost perfection collection of living flora. It really did seem as though the jungle was alive as short gusts of wind made every aspect of the herbage move and rustle like it was trying to tell the young explorer something. The intensity of the jungle was not to be ignored as the heat it emitted penetrated deep into Daniel’s being, refusing to let him forget where he was at that moment. The smell within the forest was what can only be the described as the essence of spring. It smelled as though it had just rained as the smell of wet dirt and vegetation wafted among the endless barrage of mighty, archaic trees. The entity of the jungle was not a quiet one as various shrieks and songs from unknown animals came from all angles to create a very bodacious symphony of nature. The foreign place, Daniel entered was a surreal, dream like landscape that was almost like an alien planet that was testing the traveler tos see if he  could survive all the obstacles it lay before him.

Daniel ventured for what seemed like miles of solid jungle shrubbery. There was an ache in between Daniel’s thighs from hours of trudging through dirt and rocks. He decided that it was time for a break from the demanding hike. He unzipped his backpack and took out a hefty brown canteen that contained vital water that he desperately needed. He quickly unscrewed the top of the container and guzzled down a rich flow of cold water that cooled him internally and gave him a resurgence of life as he caught his breath and was able to lean against an enormous tree that rose high above him. At that moment Daniel could clearly hear the chirps and noise of the forest. The noises were everywhere and inescapable. They were getting louder and louder as if they were reaching a crescendo of calls. Then there was a roar that muted the entire jungle and seemed to shake the very ground Daniel stood upon.

Suddenly it seemed like time froze as movement and sound stopped and the only thing that Daniel could feel was his racing heartbeat. A low growl stabbed fear deep into the heart of the young man. It was undoubtable at this point. It was behind him.

Daniel slowly turned around and found himself face to face with a tiger that was larger than life itself. It’s body was as thick as a tree trunk and its coat was an electrifying orange streaked with distinct black stripes. Its teeth and intimidating fangs bared as a haunting growl continued to break the unsettling quiet of the jungle. Daniel was paralyzed as he looked into the beast’s enormous, amber eyes that revealed a ferociousness deep within the animal that would not be satisfied until his prey was dead. Daniel knew as the tiger crouched that he needed to move immediately. It seemed to take a mountain of courage just to wrap his hand around his machete. There was a silence as Daniel felt a strange dream like feeling as though the moment was not actually happening.

The enormous tiger’s golden amber eyes fixated on the weary, meek traveler that stood shaking before him. This was his territory, for he has earned the right to call the jungle his land. He had been born there and it was his duty to protect his place of  sanctuary from any foreign invaders that may come up and try to take everything away from him. He knew he was a very territorial animal that was obsessed with the notion that he should be the only one to take advantage of all the jungle had to offer. This encounter was not the first the beast had. The tiger remembers dismembering a group that came through the forbidden place, and he remembers how angry he was that anyone dare take what was rightfully his! It’s his home and he has the birthright to defend it with all his might.

He remembers the previous time with vivid clarity, as he’d been stalking the group for the entirety of their day’s journey and simply waited for them to pick a spot to set up camp. There was only four of the clueless, explorers and they seemed to have reached their physical limit from the high intensity hiking they did in the brutal jungle heat. They were all to the point of exhaustion, and the tiger knew that the timing was perfect for a quick fatal strike to end the worthless lives of the invaders. The tiger was a methodical hunter, for he knew that it was best to have patience and find an opportune moment to attack instead of trying to fight when the opposing side is at their strongest. The cunning tiger used this method often, and it is why it had practically earned the title of king of the jungle. All who saw him in combat died a very painful, agonizing death no matter whether it be explorers, or even other tigers. He knew he was the best at what he did and that gave him the confidence to take out opponents with a fiery ferociousness that ensured that death was inevitable.

The tiger’s rage was at all time high when he approached the four explorers campsite in the dead of night. He didn’t want to wake the rest of the crew up so he took his time and creeped up on one individual tent at a time. When the tiger was close enough he ripped the tent open and sunk his extremely sharp teeth into the throat of the unlucky man that was sleeping inside. The tiger felt a slight surge of adrenaline as he felt the neckbones give a soft crunch underneath the massive pressure of his strong jaws. Blood ran everywhere, as there was no sound being emitted from the victim’s mouth as his windpipe had been crushed. The beast had truly perfected the vicious craft of silent killing. The tiger felt absolutely no remorse as he saw the body have spasms and jerks before finally laying still forever. He continued the same process for all the different hikers until the area no longer resembled a campsite but rather an absolute bloodbath. The tiger stood tall in between the bodies for he knew he had just done what he was meant to do. He knew that there was no creature alive that could defeat him, for he was born for combat, and killing. He was the sole owner of the jungle. He ruled all with an iron fist, and there was no way in hell that anything could take that away from him. The mere thought of anyone trying it made the tiger’s rage reach uncontrollable, dangerous heights. This is why the tiger’s blood boiled when he saw Daniel enter his jungle. The tiger let his anger build and build as he stalked him down to his point of depleted energy. He didn’t bother to sneak up on him, for he knew the battle would be a short one. He let out a very intimidating growl that hyped up his senses and got him ready for his final attack. It was finally time to prove once again why he was the undeniable, undefeated, king of the jungle.

The two stood twenty feet away from each other and both were aware of the severity, and savagery that was about to ensue. Daniel’s will to survive was at a peak as his life of yearning flashed before his eyes. Both simultaneously tensed up and pounced.

The  ferocious monster’s body lurched forward first as it swung its heavy paws at the much smaller opponent. Daniel was not about to let himself be struck, so he used the machete to slash at the outstretched paw before it got to do any damage to him. The strike was effective as the machete had made a deep gash in the tiger’s large paw, and it roared back in hatred. The tiger was surprised to have taken an injury from the weary traveler, and the thought of losing his territory filled the beast with an animosity that resulted in a paroxysm of flying paw strikes that took Daniel by surprise and terrified him as the large tiger flew through the air. The tiger’s strong hind muscles allowed him to close the gap between him and Daniel in half a second and gave the explorer almost no time to react. Daniel was only able to jerk his machete up in a weak act of defense. The claws dug deep into Daniel’s arms but what hurt the most was the crushing weight of the tiger’s body that was now on top of the meek explorer. The two were now in a vice horizontal to the floor, with the Tiger’s claws digging into Daniel’s arms and Daniel’s blade between the Tiger’s teeth so as to keep the final killing bite from coming.

Daniel felt extreme claustrophobia as the tiger’s hefty, disgusting breath filled his lungs and his body was completely trapped under the immense weight of the massive animal. Daniel was losing feeling in his lower half but he could still feel the heavy breathing of the animal, as the claws greatly stung his shoulders, Underneath him, Daniel could feel the warmth of a pool of his own blood forming, as he looked up at the tiger’s focused eyes. The tiger was desperately trying to get past the machete blade but it was right in between his bite. Daniel stared at the animal’s intense eyes and he knew that the tiger has just as much drive, and motivation as Daniel had to survive. For an instant, Daniel thought to himself some weighty feelings of demise; What if he didn’t survive this situation and he was just another meal for the animal?  He thought of his past journey up to this point, not just in the jungle but in his life. Had he really come this far, to be slain by a beast of the jungle? The tiger could feel a bit of give in Daniel’s resistance so it charged its mouth forward trying to get a deadly bite into Daniel’s neck.

Daniel suddenly snapped into realization that this was not the time to for doubt, and this was not any dream world that he had been shoved into. This was a real life and death situation and he was going to die in this foreign place if he did not give everything in him at that moment. Adrenaline surged through Daniel’s body as he pushed the blade deeper into the tiger’s mouth. Tiger was howling in pain but it also knew that it was now or never to deliver the bite to end the brutal battle. The tiger thrashed around in fury and it’s paws repeatedly beat on Daniel’s arms but he persisted and continued to drive the blade into the tiger’s clenched mouth. Daniel found himself screaming as he felt strength that was not present beforehand. The jungle was now filled with Daniel’s shouting and the tiger’s loquacious groans of pain. Daniel’s only thoughts at that point was that he was going take the blade straight through the tiger’s f*****g skull.

The tiger felt a pain that he had never felt before in it’s entire life. For the first time in the animal’s life it felt fear. Fear of losing it all in a conflict that should have ended in a matter of seconds. At that instant the tiger’s resentment and respect for Daniel was at a maximum, yet there was no way in hell that king of the jungle was going to give his life without a fight to the end. The creature used its strength to wrap it’s paws around Daniel to try and scratch and squeeze the life out of him. Daniel’s body was in significant amounts of pain but he felt none of it. His adrenaline pumped out a concentration that would not be broken by the agony of his lacerations. His muscles ached from pushing the machete forward, but he could see the blade moving and cutting the animal’s face. Blood poured onto Daniel’s face as the tiger continued to squeeze.

Daniel felt his consciousness slipping as the torturous embrace was crushing him into submission. This was an absolute test of willpower as it seemed like the opponent who wanted to survive more, would end up surviving. Daniel gave one final blast of his fleeting strength, as the tiger’s talons cut into Daniel’s back. Daniel saw spots in his vision, while he felt the blade move deeper into the animal’s skull then it had ever gone before and then finally he felt a limpness. He had no idea which body gave out first before he was greeted with sweet unconsciousness.

When he awoke it was pitch black and for a split second he thought he had died and was a conscious mind in limbo, but then reality struck as he had a stinging pain going throughout his whole upper body. He could not see the cuts but he could feel them. He could feel the dirt and debris inside the cuts and it hurt him to the core. He had to disinfect them quickly before it was too late. He searched for his backpack in the dark of the obsidian black jungle. Each movement hurt the numerous gashes he had around his shoulders and upper back. He was sore, and in misery as he got on all fours to feel around for his bag. His hand then rested on the paw that had done the damage to him. Daniel was shockingly reminded of his barbarity in a moment of complete chaos. The tiger had rolled over and died beside Daniel, and now laid there as a reminder of the savage combat. Daniel sat back, still in pain, and reflected on what had transpired. It all happened quite rapidly and in all honestly he could not remember parts of it. That or he did not allow himself to think of the moments of sheer terror. Unknowingly his eyes began to water and he began to cry tears of passion. He had managed to come away victorious from the deadly battle, but he broke down from the pure intensity of the unforgettable event.

He finally composed himself and set out to find his backpack once more. His eyes adjusted to the darkness as bits of moonlight cracked through the jungle’s shrubbery overhead. He found the backpack at the base of the tree that he first decided to take his break on. He quickly, and urgently unzipped it and pulled out a first aid kit to treat the wounds he had on his upper torso. He took some disinfecting alcohol and put on a gauze, which he then used to dab at his abrasions. The sting of the wounds was biting at him as the discomfort and pain he felt was unbearable. He sat down and took it with an exhausted mind, before he applied bandages and wraps for all the scrapes the tiger had inflicted. His shirt was severely torn so he reached in the bag and produced a new one.

After he was done treating the injuries that he had sustained, he laid back on the tree and thought for a long period of time. He began to question his motives. He wondered if he was insane for taking on the enormous challenge alone. He questioned whether the recognition he would receive was worth his life. Did he really felt so belittled that he needed to go out and risk his life just to feel as though he was not a complete loser? In retrospect he had felt like he had acted rather rash, and irrational but he knew he was desperate to achieve what others could not. He did not want to go on in that matter. In a sudden resolve of maturity he realized that he was living life for the acceptance of other people instead of himself. He did not need the admiration of anyone to feel like his life was worth living. He wasn’t a puppet controlled by his fears of inadequacy. Daniel achieved enlightenment at this moment, as he believed now that he was human being that deserved respect and had the right to be happy with or without anyone’s approval.

His resolve did not hinder his quest for he believed that he should be a man that lives up to his past agreements and does not break a promise. He no longer cared if the diamond would bring him fame, for all he cared about at that point was the verbal agreement between him and the archaeologist.

He set up his camp site near the tree for he decided that he was way too exhausted from the unexpected near death experience and it would be too dangerous to hike in the pitch black of the night. He lay down inside the tent, still in quite significant pain, and listened to the jungle’s strange, unique sounds that were all around him. The temperature had dropped greatly and Daniel was made even more uncomfortable than when he was in the heat. The cold helped to numb his body from the anguish he was feeling but he was still in his own hell. The loneliness of the night can pierce through into the hearts of the strongest men, with it’s ice cold claws. Daniel’s psyche was being slowly broken down as all the torturous events were swirling around in his mind like a vortex of depression. He greatly wished at that point to be home, whether it be his shack in Switzerland, or his uncaring parents’ house. All he desired was a warm bed to sleep in, and to forget the reality he was now facing. He needed to escape reality, for he knew that he could not bare to think about his situation all night. He took ten deep breaths and closed his eyes. He let his mind wander to find a happy place he could visualize, so as to alter his mental state. His mind arrived to the peaceful forest behind his childhood home. He imagined himself relaxing on the comfortable forest floor while he looked around at the dainty flora around him. Daniel felt at peace with himself there and that’s where he remained for the rest of the night as he let his body ache and discomfort melt away into a faint afterthought in the wake of his blooming blissful mentality.

In the morning his soreness was a bit more subsided and he was able to move around without much difficulty. He pulled out his map from the large backpack he had been carrying around. The archaeologist had marked the location on there with a red marker and by Daniel’s calculations he should reach the priceless jewel by the afternoon if he hurried up and began immediately. He quickly packed up his things and took an extra strength advil to deal with the pain as he started his trek once again.

It seemed to Daniel that the shrubbery was getting thicker and thicker as he went along on his journey. Thankfully, Daniel did not run into any more dangerous creatures but he did see exotic wildlife that he would of never saw back home. High above him in the canopy of the expansive jungle, were strange monkey like creatures that moved in large packs and had bright orange bodies. The peculiar, small animals intrigued Daniel and he wondered what other beautiful, unusual creatures were hidden in the alluring jungle. Daniel stopped thoughts of further exploration immediately as he did not want to get distracted from his final goal. He was going to leave the jungle with the pink star diamond or he wasn’t leaving at all. That was his ultimatum and he was going to stick with it to the very end.

After hours of extensive hiking, and numerous water breaks, Daniel finally reached a clearing to a wide, green pasture riddled with petite flowers Daniel knew nothing about. Beyond that Daniel could hear a strong rush of water nearby. He was close to his destination, for he could see on the map that the diamond was near a body of water. He raced through the lush and leafy pasture, and as he progressed he heard the roar of water getting louder and louder. At the end of the field he was greeted by a basin that was filled with the water from a monumental waterfall rising high above to shake hands with the puffy white clouds circling it. The thunderous water made deafening crashing sounds, as the mist created from it’s dissent blinded all in a blizzard of steamy moisture. The imposing waterfall was quite a wonder to behold and it’s rocky structure made sure to leave a fearsome impression on any spectators.

Daniel was a bit confused as to the exact location of the jewel for the archaeologist marked the waterfall as the place to find it. Daniel squinted his eyes through the cumbersome  

mist so as to get a good look at the mighty waterfall. He noticed a small opening half way up the rocky side of the waterfall. He wondered if that could be the hiding place of the elusive diamond. After examining the entire area, he could not find any other possibility, so he decided it was worth a shot to try and see if it was inside of the dark crevice. Daniel climbed down to the base of the waterfall and was bombarded by soaking wet steam that drenched all of his clothing. He could barely see but he realized that he would need to free climb the up the rocky side of the waterfall if he was ever going to take a look inside of the crevice.

Daniel took of his backpack off and shed his densely wet shirt. It was time to ascend. He took grip of the first rock and he instantaneously noticed how slippery, and moist it was. He needed to go slow if he was ever going to reach his destination without falling. He inched his way up the rocky upward climb, meticulously planning every movement of his arms and legs. His vision was wildly impaired from the constant rush of mist while his muscles ached from the voyage and the primal combat he endured. Some of his cuts reopened as he saw blood starting to appear on the the rocks below him. Still he kept climbing up higher, trying not to focus on any distractions that would make him stop his once in a lifetime quest. Daniel didn’t know where his energy was coming from for he had felt completely drained from the start, yet he forced himself to keep a constant upward climb no matter how slow it was. He repeated to himself that movement was life, and being stationary was death.

At last he hand gripped the edge of the crevice and he used all his might to wiggle himself inside the small opening. Once inside, he was completely encased in darkness and had little room to even crawl. The opening was not a superficial one as he realized that he could crawl forward. Daniel thought that the pink star must be within this hole so he army crawled further and further into the shadowy abyss. His bare torso scraped against the unforgiving rocks beneath him. He felt the warmth of his own blood again. Daniel was beginning to feel dizzy as he felt his intensity start to die down. He could not even see his hands in front of him and the the scrapes he was accumulating made him reach new levels of hardship. His body was being damaged after every inch of progress as he felt the rawness of this stomach and arms.He found himself again screaming mentally to just keep moving forward.

Daniel stopped. The cave was too small to move any further. In one final desperate attempt Daniel extended his arms forward. His fingers grazed the surface of a very cold, yet smooth object. Daniel inched forward a bit and gripped the object that was as big as his heart and as hard as the journey he had just completed.