Escaping Extinction - Part 1
Moonlight enveloped the raging river. Logs, debris, and dead animals lined its swollen banks. Trees sagged over eroding soil and boulders tumbled over each other as they moved downstream. Storms far to the north lined the night's horizon, endlessly blasting with silent heat lightning, fueling the flash flooding.
A lone helicopter buzzed the torrent, its searchlight combing the murky waters. It moved slowly, even hovering from time to time, lofting dirty spray skyward.
Haji awoke to the dimming thump, thump, thump sound of its blades. He gasped for air, spitting sand and leaves out of his mouth. Wiping his eyes, he saw the departing helicopter darting across the blue-lit grasslands, gaining in altitude. As he tried to stand he realized he was pinned under a log that was lying across his back.
"Nailah," he choked. "Nailah, where are you?"
He tired to move again, kicking his legs back and forth, shifting debris away from his lower body. After a few forceful kicks he managed to painfully remove himself from his entrapment, sliding backwards over branches, thorns, and rocks. He turned around, hearing the angry river behind him, trying to remember how he had fallen in and where. He was about five feet from its lapping flow.
"Nailah!" he shouted.
Only the raging water and insects shouted back. Haji stumbled out of the natural wreckage, making his way to solid ground. A piercing pain arose from his right side. He looked down to find his shirt impaled by a large splinter that was stained with blood. Haji decided it best to leave it in as he started to walk, to where he did not know. The brightness of the full moon made seeing the potentially navigable stars around it difficult. So, he followed the moon, knowing it rose in the east and set in the west.
Having only one shoe made walking difficult. It scrunched over the crusty soil and tall grasses that no doubt hid staking predators. With each passing hour he felt weaker and more vulnerable, yet his senses heightened to levels he had never experienced before. Haji's eyes could see well into the distance, he could hear every creak of a breaking twig and rustle of leaves, and he could feel that he was always being watched.
"Nailah," he called with a hushed tone, suddenly hearing what sounded like human footsteps. No one answered. "Nailah, is that you?" he called again, a little louder.
Something growled behind a grouping of trees about fifty feet to his left.
"Na-Nailah…" Haji stuttered, fear building in his chest. "Please… Please be you…"
Another growl came from behind him. It was definitely some kind of big cat. Haji twiddled his fingers, bringing them up to his mouth. Something moved to his right. For a split second he could see the glint of two eyes staring him down from amongst the brush.
"Oh no," he quivered.
A lion leapt out into the darkness, silhouetted against the moonlight. Haji ducked down, covering his head with his trembling arms. He could hear the lion's paws pounding on the ground running straight for him, eyeing his prey for the kill.
A loud, single gunshot shook the night, echoing for what seemed like minutes over the area. Haji looked up from beneath his arms. The lion was retreating back into the brush from which it came. Headlights quickly appeared, blinding Haji with their intensity. After taking a few seconds to adjust, he could see the vehicle they were attached to was militaristic in nature. It was imposingly armored, had four doors, was white and black, and had multiple antennas on its roof.
As it came to a stop a few yards ahead of him the right front passenger door hastily swung open. When it did, Haji read the word ISAF on it. A pair of big white boots slammed to the ground behind the thick door.
"Secure the area!" shouted the man who wore them as he jogged away from the truck towards Haji. The other three doors swung open as half a dozen other armed men fanned out, each one carrying an automatic rifle with an affixed flashlight.
Haji sat up in panic, scurrying backwards away from the approaching stranger.
"Woah, it's okay!" the man shouted, raising his gun to the sky in one hand, his palm in the other. "It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you, Haji."
Haji stopped when he heard his name.
"That’s it," the man smiled. "That’s it." He knelt down in front of Haji, laying his gun down. "We've been looking all over for you buddy," he said, seeing Haji's injured side. "Med kit!" he shouted over his shoulder.
"Who are you?" Haji anxiously asked, leaning away from the man.
"My name is Eddy," the man said as he extended his right hand, removing his white glove. "I'm with ISAF."
Haji didn't respond to the answer or the handshake.
Eddy could tell the boy was confused. He grinned, snapping his thumb. "I'm with, uh… I'm with UNIRO. Have you heard of it?"
Haji cautiously let his trust build, extending his bruised arm towards Eddy. "Yes."