📸 Photo

jungle had grown silent, magnifying the occasional rustle and cry. I found no place to take shelter, no boulder, tree trunk, niche, or cranny. Only the jungle provided such lairs, but I hadn’t the slightest desire to venture back into the jungle. Where was I going to sleep?

I considered stretching out on the sandy shore. I took the pack off my back. My entire body ached, my feet burned, and my stomach growled with hunger. I spread the poncho out over the muddy ground, stretched out on it, shivering with cold, and tried to cover myself with the mosquito nets. They were soaking wet. The river and the rain had gotten into the pack and doused everything. I prayed that the food hadn’t gotten wet. It was sealed up in waterproof bags. I would check tomorrow.

The last rays of the setting sun gave off no warmth, but one flat beam of light fell on the ground beside me and to my amazement drew my attention to the mouth of a cave just at the edge of the jungle. I crawled nearer and peeked inside but couldn’t see anything. All was blackness inside.

Just don’t let this be the den of a jaguar or some other wild beast.

I took out the flashlight and shined its beam inside. It was a cavern, round and deep, about seven feet long and four feet deep. Water had washed away the soil from an enormous gnarl of tree roots and left this hollow. I hurried in before total darkness settled in.