The Boonies!

I looked outside the window, trees covered the sides of the road, and the smooth scent of flowers filled my nose. I turned my gaze back to the book I was reading – The Neantherdals. I heard the boys making commotion inside the bus, too excited to go on this trip, but I was too occupied in my own world. A slap came at the back of my head which made others laugh.

“Hey, loser! Are you enjoying the trip?” Arun said. He stood tall and buff, almost making everyone look weak, not to mention we all were really weak. He sat beside me, and I quickly shifted to the window side as much as I can.

“Why getting so scared buddy?” he said while glaring all over me. “You know what Aditya, it makes me really angry when I see your innocent and timid face, always ignoring me and-”

I knew where this conversation was going. For the past 17 years, I have been hearing this, and the conclusion was not so good, I would either broke my nose by him or he would simply embarrass me in front of others. I tried to complain to my teachers about him, that I was getting bullied, but they were being least interested because his father pays a lot of donations to the school, hence every school authority has kept a finger on their lips. You may ask why I didn’t tell my parents about this, well because I just don’t have one. Period.

I looked at others who were watching the scene with amusement, I hope at least one of them would stop it. But everyone was rather finding it very funny.

“Are you listening to me?” Arun roared. I cowered back. He began to think about something, and then looked at me with an evil smile.

“Let’s play tag!” he said.

Every one started murmuring, how will they play inside the bus?

“Idiots! I was not talking about playing tag inside the bus, I was talking about playing it outside!” he now went to the driver’s seat and had a ferocious argument.

“I can’t stop the bus here, it is in the middle of nowhere!” the bus driver said focusing on the wheel and Arun at the same time.

“You said we arrived at the Western Ghats!” Arun said

“Yes we did but…”

“Then it is not middle of nowhere, we have reached our location, it’s in middle of Western Ghats, now stop the bus!” Arun grabbed the driver’s collar and made him stop the bus. Now everyone was shit scared. The teachers were reluctant to send the children, but who were they to stop Arun unless they wanted to make a lifelong nemesis.

Arun shouted for everyone to come down. Slowly-slowly everyone came down, I stood still in my tracks, too transfixed.

“Should I give you an invitation?” Arun said sarcastically from the window. I immediately hopped out of the bus and saw everyone gathered in a small circle.

“We will play tag in the woods, I will take the dian. And the one who is eliminated first, will get a special surprise from me” Arun smirked at me, everybody knew I was the slowest, they knew I was going to be that person, heck even I knew I was going to be eliminated first.

“Now run!” Arun shouted, everybody scrambled off into the woods. I looked where I was going, the deep dark woods cried the wind’s cry, the sun was sinking deep into the mountains, its orange light illuminating everything in front, but soon it will be dark.

But I am not afraid of the dark, I am afraid of what lurks in the dark.

~

Soon trees were becoming a more common sight to see, wherever I go the only thing I could see were trees, not to mention I was in one of the largest hubs of flora and fauna.

I stumbled a few times but I stopped in my tracks for a bit. Arun must be coming soon, but I knew it wouldn’t be for me, who would be eliminated first, it was going to be that idiot Aditya. Then why not just rest for a while? It’s not like we were going to have another story of tortoise and hare here.

I saw a tall tree which made a really nice shade, few birds sat on its branches staring at me with a peculiar stare, but the thing which was bothering me the most was the smell, this weird smell. Since I have stopped, my nose is twitching whenever this smell touched my nostrils. Should I run from this spot? Is someone here?

I took a stone and marked an ‘X’ on that tall tree, in case I get lost I would surely come back here and call for help. Well, I have seen few survival tricks, not to mention fighting with bears and-

Crunch! 

“Who is it?” I screamed. Ok, now I am freaking out. I looked from where the sound of the crunching of dry leaves was coming from, it was coming from the other side of the bush, and I stumbled back a bit and fell on my butt, shit not a good time. A small giggle erupted from the bush.

“Who….is it?” I gulped. An object came flying from the bush, I quickly hid behind the tall tree. I saw what the object was, it had some string attached to it, I peered my eyes, and it was an…ID card..... our college id card.

I slowly took a step, making sure not to make a single noise, but I was failing, because everywhere were fallen autumn leaves making a squashing and crunching sound every time I stepped foot on them.

I took the card in my hand and I checked the name on it- Aditya! This made my blood boil, this squeaky rat is trying to scare me. Not good Aditya, you took a panga from the wrong guy.

I threw the ID card forcefully on the ground. I could still hear the giggles which were getting louder with every step I took near the bush. I jumped behind the bush to surprise Aditya, but little did I know that would be my last date of showing the fake bravery, I should have run away as my instinct told me, I knew this laugh didn’t belong to Aditya but I still went, why? Why? Whyyyy? I am such an idiot! But now I have to pay the price of my consequences. Because what’s in front of me is not going to leave me alone, and after watching that thing I think I wouldn’t be able to live alone!

~

I looked back every time even when the slightest moment occurred, even the whistling of the wind froze me in my tracks. At this time, I didn’t know what I was afraid of, was it Arun or this forest. I grabbed onto my shirt more tightly, a constant question swirled in my head, how should I end this game? Should I give myself up, so the game would stop, because in the end Arun just wants me. It’s been more than few hours that I am walking aimlessly, the surprising fact is that I have not even met any one of my classmates, well can’t blame them, this is a vast forest.

I froze in my tracks. I looked ahead and my eyes gauzed out of the socket.

“Well-well, that was easy!” Arun said. I gulped. I ran in another direction and he chased me. I know I planned to surrender but looking at him, only made my adrenaline rush more. I stumbled through some dirt roads and hid inside a small cave, I saw Arun running at the speed of a cheetah, and went past the cave without noticing me. I let out a sigh of relief. I was safe- but just for now!

~

“Goddamit! I was this close to capturing that idiot” I took a halt to catch some breath, never knew this Aditya could run this fast. If I could have just not taken him for granted and would have taught him some lessons this wouldn’t have happened. I looked up, it was already dark. But unlike other idiots, who were told not to bring a phone, I sneaked one with myself. I switched on the torch.

Well not bad. I was in awe of the beauty of this forest, if it wasn’t for this game, I would have been out there sightseeing. Well, what? It was my idea? Huh- never mind!

But even if it’s not Aditya where was everyone else, I didn’t even meet or saw anyone.

I continued walking aimlessly for an hour or so. Damn man! I was frustrated and shouted, “the heck you all are?” No one gave me a signal as if they were mocking me. I saw a tall tree, a really tall one and it was…glowing!

I saw an embedded X mark on it, but instead of the X mark, it was the sight that made me curious. But I did sort of know how it happened.

Though being a rare sight, it happened due to some sort of fungi, it releases an oxidative enzyme luciferase which when coming in contact with a light-emitting substance like decaying wood, radiates light, making the trees glowing. I dunno if someone is as smart as I am. I smirked and patted my back. Well, last but not the least, this type of forest is also known as foxfire or fairy fire. You can thank me later for my info.

I was so engrossed in the forest, that I was not able to hear even my friend’s dying grunting.

Crunch! What was that sound?

~

I thought the cave was small, but the inside was hidden by spirally plant tendrils. What should I do? Should I go inside the cave and hide till someone comes and find me or should I wait for Arun to come and find me? Nevertheless, the first option seemed quite better.

I went past the plants into the deep dark abyss. Making wall as my additional support, I slowly took one step at a time. First right, then left, then right, then-

“Ew! What is this stench?” I looked back but there was no one, even if there was, it was so much dark, even the others wouldn’t be able to look if it was me. My subconscious told me to keep quiet and not to make a sound. I kept walking on and on and on, for what felt like an hour, but I didn’t look back, whenever I looked back, I thought someone was following me.

 My eyes were getting accustomed to the dark, my body shivered with the cold weather the cave had inside. I was beginning to lose my energy. After some moment, a speck of light was seen at the far end of the cave, I rejoiced and ran towards it. The light splashed onto my body, but the light was not the sunlight but a Fairy fire forest.

I was amazed, I didn’t know they still existed, I did see them on the discovery channel but I was not convinced I could see one from my own perspective. I began to wander in its magic. All of a sudden I heard a cry, not a normal human cry, I again clenched my shirt, just to find my id card gone, did it fell when I was running?

I hid behind a bush and made sure I was not able to be seen by whoever it was. The forest's light made it quite easier to see what was happening in the dark, but I wish I was not able to see what I saw. My friends, tied by the ropes on their wrists and ankles, hanging by the branches, and carried by the- who are they?

I saw the people who were carrying them, looking like humans but not humans. Their backs were hunched and they were having long arms and legs. They were way too hairy than a normal human can be, their face way more distorted, with hanging jaws and sharp teeth, their hair kept uncleaned, and not a piece of cloth on their body.

I saw a few of them carrying Arun too, he was unconscious. My curiosity got my best, I started to follow them, only to stumble on one. He looked at me and began grunting by clenching his teeth tightly, he sniffed me vigorously and grabbed my hand, and pulled me along with me, I tried to be free from his grip, but he was way too strong. I saw my id card hanging by his neck, waving too proudly.

He pushed me to the middle, I could see all these ‘cavemen’ sitting on their hind legs sniffing me vigorously, they looked at my escort, he told them something in the sign language, they all reacted to it by beating their chest and dancing on their limbs. One of the ladies from them made me sit down and gave me a cracked smile, I could see her broken black teeth, but I was way too traumatized to be scared now, I had probably pissed my pants too. I saw a huge fire crackling exactly in the center and the cavemen surrounded it. 

The other brought my friends and one by one laid them by the fire, the fire caught them, I jumped at once, only to make that lady make me sit back again by pushing my shoulders down. I began to cry, who wouldn’t? My friends were getting fried like a tandoori by some crazy cave people. I was scared now, I thought my faith was just like theirs.

I saw Arun gaining consciousness, he started to wiggle on the branch but was unable to break it. His eyes caught mine and he started to scream, “Hey Adityaaaa, what is this? Stop this please, man, they are going to kill me, please save me!”

His crying face made me cry even more but something happened, one of the cavemen, with a long beard came forward and looked at me from head to toe, and then looked at Arun. He grunted something but I did not understand. Then he pointed his index finger at me and paused for a moment and then directed his index finger at Arun and then paused again.

I didn’t understand what he was trying to say. He took my id card from my escort and the id card from Arun, he shook them in his hands and shoved them to my face, what did he wanted me to do? I looked at him, he looked at me and then at id cards, eyeing them from top to bottom and then looking at me. Was he saying these id cards are identical? Then he again made the same gesture by pointing at me and then at the sobbing Arun.

Oh shit! Thoughts began to assimilate in my head, was he asking me if we were friends? Was he asking me if Arun was my accomplice? Did they think I was different, that’s why they made me sit and now that Arun recognized me, they think I am with Arun? I looked at the caveman slowly coming towards me with a rope and a tree branch. Oh god!

I jumped at my stance and ran away from there as fast as I can, Arun was now already getting crisp with the rest of the friends, and half of the cavemen were following me now. I stumbled from many paths. I don’t know which thought is haunting me more, is it running from these people or betraying my friends and letting them die?

But the only thing I could think of was to run. I wanted to find that cave but I was not able to navigate myself. I was completely lost in the labyrinthine forests.

~

I covered my eyes to the sudden bright light. I stumbled few steps but I was out, I was out from that hell of cannibalism, dangerous monsters, and whatnot. I was free, it was my freedom. My legs were giving themselves up, but I didn’t want to give up, I want to run, I have never run in my life like this, not to mention the slowest one.

The world in front of me was getting blurry I could feel my soul leaving my body, all this year of running made my body degenerate. I fell on my head and only to find darkness surround me.

~

Beep…beep..beep…beep

What is this sound, so annoying?

I opened my eyes a little bit, light-flooded my eyes only to close again.

I tried to open it one more time, a face was just inches apart from me, the person was wearing a white coat with slender specs on his nose, his eyes piercing me.

“Where am I? “ I broke from his trance and asked.

“Hospital” he replied subtly.

So I was saved. God knows who found me, bless them 100 lives.

I looked at the nurse who was giving me some meds, I asked her politely, “What day it is?”

She looked at me irritably, “26 June”

“ Anddd?” I prolonged.

“Ahh..26 June 2045”

2045! Was I running for 15 years?! I asked for a mirror.

Yes, it’s true, even if the nurse was lying about the year, but the me in the mirror was telling the whole truth by speaking nothing. Longbeard, wrinkles, and too many scars filled my face. Tears welled up in my eyes.

The nurse took the mirror forcefully and told me to rest.

I can’t remember anything. I began to cry loudly which took the attention of all the doctors, everyone tried to calm me down.

If only I could have taken a stand and sat in the bus, if only I could have not been a coward and spoke my heart out, nothing like this would have ever happened.

~

Years went by rapidly, I was shifted to a mental asylum.

They were not believing me when I told them about the caveman, they think it’s not possible. They were thinking I was just making a story, I told them about my friends but they said they were not able to retrieve the body, of course, how would they, they were all eaten!

All these years I just realized one thing, evolution never told us where were the people who didn’t evolve? Where did they go?

Our ancestors never went extinct, they just went underground!

Hidden from everyone, living their life as they were living millions of years ago.

I know what I have to do now, I packed my bag which I kept hidden from everyone and every essential. I took a torch and some food.

It was time to have another episode of discovery!