Chapter 5 Waterfall Cave

From the top of a rock, a lush tropical jungle extended endlessly ahead. I couldn’t see where it ended, even with my perfect vision. The forest was so thick that we couldn’t see the treetops. A thin layer of mist suspended in the air. It made me wonder if we were on an island or if we were actually attached to the mainland. As I took in the view, a sudden urge to get on my knees to thank God took over me! I couldn’t wrap my head around how fortunate we were to have escaped death. Viewing from up high, the seaside was fenced by cliffs along the coastline and only opened up to a narrow beach on one part. That meant that if we had been a little off-angle, we would have been crashed onto the rocks and kicked the bucket rather than washed ashore. “What if we walk across the jungle? Will we get to the mainland on the other side?” There was an optimistic look in Hailey’s eyes. “No.” I shook my head assertively. “We’ll die in the middle of the way, and our perished bodies would turn into fertilizer for the trees.” “Why?” Those girls’ faces dropped in disappointment. They had taken my words as gospel. In other words, they now had complete trust in me. “Have you heard of Kumon Bum Mountains?” The girls shook their heads. Their ignorance was so cringey that I pulled a wry face. “It was located at the northern tip of Myanmar and touched the bottom part of the Himalayas. During World War II, China sent a troop to help Myanmar fight the Japanese force. Defeated, the Chinese withdrew into the thick jungle of Kumon Bum Mountains. Forty thousand people went in, and guess how many walked out alive? Four thousand. Luckily, the Americans found them and airdropped an abundance of supplies. If not, it was highly possible that no one would have made it out. A tropical jungle is full of danger. We are easy prey for different types of animals, plants, and environmentally triggered diseases like Malaria... Their insects, leeches, and mosquitoes are so big and poisonous that one bite could be lethal. If those fighters turned out so badly, imagine us.” The girls became speechless. I noticed that Tina’s eyes had turned teary. “The good part is that our circumstances are fundamentally different. We are here because of a plane accident. I’m certain the airline, even the whole world, is looking for us. Therefore, there’s no need for us to cross this jungle. All we need to do is settle down in a safe place and wait for rescue. Although full of danger, tropical jungles are also bountiful! Trust me, it’s mind-blowing.” I smiled at Tina as a comforting gesture. Sometimes, the panic in our heads hits harder than the hardships in reality. Thus, I had to cheer them up. Actually, I had a bad omen ever since I landed on this island, but I couldn’t put it into words. This tropical scenery clarified everything for me. As we knew, our flight was a direct flight from Beijing to Dubai. My understanding of geography told me we only flew above one sea—the Arabian sea, which sat between the Iranian Plateau and the Arabian Peninsula. Hmm... We should be stranded in a desert climate and not a tropical one. Unless... the pilot strayed from the assigned path. I recalled how Jude avoided the question when the balding guy had asked where we were. As a co-pilot, he must have flown this path before. Yet, instead of knowing the answer off the top of his head, he seemed dazed. This is fishy. I have to get an answer from Jude the next time we meet. At the moment, we had to concentrate on finding a dwelling spot. One to protect us from tropical rainfalls and wind. “My goodness... Look there!” Yara exclaimed enthusiastically. We turned to see a waterfall that glimmered in the sun, refracting the sunlight into tiny rainbows. There was nothing more the girls wanted in this instant other than water. They urged so strongly that we had to redirect our path. We walked along the edge of the jungle toward the water source. After climbing down a cliff, we finally got close to the waterfall. The misty, fresh forest air cast away the saltiness of the ocean breeze. We involuntarily inhaled deeply to soak in this blissful moment. Tina’s stomach growled again. She buried her face in her hands in embarrassment, but no one laughed at her this time. In fact, we were all starving by now. Half an hour later, we reached the bottom of the waterfall. Judging by the fierce plunge, the water appeared to be falling from a very high point. A crystal clear stream flowed underneath it and traveled into the deep jungle. “Hold on!” I opened my arms to stop them and came to inspect the bank of the stream with our only possession—my axe. Usually, a water source was a hot hub for animals. I was relieved that I didn’t find any footprint or faeces upon close examination. I bent down and took a sip of the water. It tasted delightfully sweet. This was accumulated rainwater filtered by the limestone, making it safe to drink. Still, the mineral content might be too high for long-term consumption. “Okay. You can come.” I waved my hand, then took a few big gulps. “This is safe, but we can’t drink too much of it. This is hard water and might contain a certain amount of insect eggs or snake eggs. Nonetheless, it’s okay in small doses.” They listened carefully and only took small sips. Later on, the girls gathered together for a private conversation before Hailey walked toward me with a simper. “Zayn. We need to talk.” She laid her hands on my eyes. “The ladies need a shower, but we all agree that you’ll wanna watch. So, I’m here to help you be a decent man.” The sound of water splashing was enough for my imagination to picture the rest of the scene. Two girls stripping down to sit in the clear water. Pearls of water sliding down their smooth skin and water glistening in the sun... “Ew! You drooled. What the heck?” I snapped back to reality and let out a helpless smile. “You’d better cover my ears as well.” When Yara was done, she came from behind me to replace Hailey. Her attitude was much nicer than Hailey’s. At least she apologized to me. I claimed openly, “There’s no need for this. I grew up showering with Hailey all the time. I even know she has a mole on her chest.” “Tsk tsk.” Yara giggled coyly, whereas Hailey cursed me in annoyance. I laughed light-heartedly, enjoying this entertainment. Abruptly, the sound of water shooting down stopped. “Hole...” Presuming a threat was present, I reacted speedily by removing Yara’s hands. I was presented with Hailey and Tina’s bareness, along with their bosoms moving up and down the rippling water surface. Ooo... Hailey’s size is more impressive. I only managed to steal a glance. Then, I followed their gaze to discover that the vanished waterfall had exposed a dark hole in the rock. The stream’s water level dropped. Soon enough, their bodies were fully exposed. That was when they realized my eyes weren’t covered anymore. “Ah!” Their ear-splitting scream caused multiple birds to shoot up from the trees. “My eyes! I can’t see anything!” I put up a show by shutting my eyes and reaching my arms out like a blind person. After that, I walked past them to arrive at the bottom of the cliff. With the axe tied to my lower back, I spat at my hands and retreated for a run-up. I sprinted toward the rock wall, then hopped to land on a two-meter high point. After several attempts, I swung my body up to the dark hole. Immediately, I felt the dense humidity inside. I closed my eyes for a second. When I opened them again, my eyes had already adjusted to the low level of brightness. This cave was around ten square meters. Its walls were free from water droplets, indicating that the humidity is from the lack of sunlight. It was good to know. An environment too humid could have a negative impact on our joints, resulting in degenerative or rheumatoid arthritis. This would be an easy case. I just had to make a fire to toast it dry. When I jumped off the cliff, the ladies were already fully clothed. Tina looked away from me shyly, but Hailey glowered at me as if she wanted to kill me. Before she could bark at me, I clapped my hands. “Ladies, I found our next residence. We begin our cohabitation here!” “Do you mean...” Yara’s jaw dropped as she pointed at the cave. “That?” “I sure do! What do you think?” Yara inhaled sharply. “Are you out of your mind? How do we climb eight meters up there?” I debated point by point, “If you can’t do it, then neither can Jude’s people. When they harass us in the future, I just have to block the entrance, and no one will be able to come up. Sure. We can find a lower cave, but we would put ourselves in greater danger. Aside from Jude, we also have to worry about snakes, animals, bugs... They are all deadly! I gathered that this waterfall can perfectly conceal us every time it rains and long after that. Not to mention all the water we can get from here.” I concluded, “Safe, close to water, leeward and overlooking the surrounding... Do you think you can find a better place than this?” “The only issue is, we can’t climb up there.” Yara was embarrassed to repeat it. I flashed a cheeky grin. “Just give your bodies to me...”