Read When The Jaguar Sleeps: A jungle adventure for Free Online

said Didier. Again he saw Marie-Claire’s unconscious body lying in front of him . ‘He cannot walk. Are we going to leave him here? You know perfectly well that alone in the jungle he doesn’t stand a chance.’
    ‘You can’t only think about Sandro. What about us? If we stay here much longer we will die as well. We have to make a choice. Maybe we can find a village nearby, get help and then come back for him. Do you want this place to become our common grave?’
    ‘If you want to go, then go,’ said Didier. ‘I’m staying. Surely somebody is looking for us and finally they are going to find us. It is just a matter of time. We have to be patient and wait.’ Feeling anger boiling inside him, Florent turned away with a sullen face and they did not speak to one another for the rest of the morning.
    Just before noon, Didier took the machete and without saying a word entered the neighbouring tangled thicket, where he cut a narrow passage, advancing slowly, but steadily. First he’d torn a shirt into small shreds and while walking he put these on the branches he passed, marking his route so he’d be able to find the way back. Inside the rainforest, under the shady trees, light was dim and the air even more clammy and stifling. High above thousands of boughs were closely tangled together and intricately woven into one giant ceiling. Only here and there a small gap let in scanty rays of light. Mingled birdsong sounded peculiar under the great leafy dome, vibrating and hanging in the air. The birds were chirping, screeching, whining, shrieking and whistling so loud that it sounded as if they were trying to outdo each other.
    Darting cautious glances around the thick foliage, Didier kept walking slowly. The whole area was swampy and muddy and he felt his feet slipping occasionally on the moss-covered rocks and rotting leaves, sometimes sinking deep into the damp, loamy soil. He climbed over fallen tree trunks blocking his way, their bark partially rotten, partially moss-covered. Never before had he seen such an abundance of plants. He could not help but admire the shades of green and the extraordinary diversity of shapes created by nature. Cautiously he avoided touching the tree trunks and branches, conscious that some of them could be dangerous and poisonous to humans. Even brief contact with their bark, thorns or juice could cause abdominal pain, fever, extensive burns, festering wounds, or loss of vision. Moreover deadly insects and poisonous snakes could be nesting on them, impossible to discern with the naked eye, so perfectly did they blend into the background.
    Didier began to recognise some of the vegetation. He noticed fruit trees, banana and pineapple, and palm trees covered with clusters of açai berries. However, much to his despair, the fruits were growing so high up they could not be reached easily. But he’d brought with him a rope and a stick and with these eventually managed to pick some fruits.
    An hour later he returned to the shelter carrying an armful of bananas and pineapples. He threw them on the ground in front of Florent.
    ‘This should be enough for this evening, if not I will bring some more.’
    ‘At last. It took you ages. You can’t imagine how glad I am to see you back. I was afraid you’d never return,’ Florent said, breathing a sigh of relief.
    Sandro woke up. He did not look good. His cheeks were sunken, his skin pale grey. He looked around confused as if he did not understand where he was. An intense, unpleasant smell of sweat emanated from him.
    ‘How are you?’ Didier asked.
    ‘I feel very sick, everything hurts, I have no strength left,’ he blurted out in a weak, raspy voice.
    They tried to feed him, but he only managed to swallow a few bites.
    In contrast, they both ate greedily, and almost directly started to feel much better. Florent’s earlier anger and restlessness seemed to have disappeared.
    Afterwards they took a short nap.
    Another hour dragged past. Time stood