Wild by Ele Fountain

Author:Ele Fountain
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Disconnect

The sky is turning purplish grey. Thunder rumbles above the trees. It feels as if we are drifting slowly through another world. A world where guidebooks and planning don’t count for much. There are no car doors slamming. No radios or sirens or alarms. It makes me feel as if I’m drifting too. I have a sudden urge to open a fridge door or turn a tap on. To do something which connects me to a place where people are in charge. Not plants.

A strange chirruping fills the air, getting steadily louder. Like thousands of insects warning us to turn back, to go away. It’s bizarre that so much noise can be made by something too small to see—at least from the boat.

Sitting in a line makes it hard to talk. Not that I want to, but I might feel less like I’m slipping away from reality. From Dad. Pakoyai spends her time watching birds flying low across the water, catching insects, only turning her head when there is a loud squawk or cry.

After an hour or so, the river narrows, its edges blurring as vegetation creeps in from the shore. Trees balance on stilt-like roots, suspended high above the water. Decaying logs drift in clusters and grasses sprout amongst the gentle ripples. Paulo lowers the revs, allowing us to manoeuvre around the obstacles, or nudge them gently aside.

A few minutes later, Mum taps me on the shoulder.

‘Paulo says we’ll be at the set-down point in twenty minutes. Can you let Pakoyai know?’

‘I heard,’ Pakoyai says. ‘Twenty minutes.’

‘We’ll eat when we stop,’ Mum adds. ‘It’s easier than passing food along the boat.’

Better than me dropping it overboard, is what she means, but doesn’t say.

When she mentioned lunch, my stomach began to growl. I’m also desperate to stand up. My legs are twitchy after four hours of sitting. Flies and mosquitoes buzz constantly around my head, and even though I’m covered in insect repellent, red patches bloom on my hands where some have taken a bite.

I have no idea how Paulo knows which way to go. I can’t see any route through the swamp. I’m also wondering how we get from the boat to the shore. I’ve seen nothing resembling solid ground.

‘Have you ever left the city before?’

Pakoyai’s voice takes me by surprise. She has twisted round on her seat to face me.

‘Er, sure, lots of times.’

I wonder why she suddenly needs to know.

‘Have you ever been to the rainforest?’

The answer to that question must be obvious, but she’s staring at me, waiting for a reply.

‘Nope.’

She nods slowly, as if mulling something over.

‘Then I have one piece of advice,’ she tilts her head, ‘it might save your life.’

I wait for the life-saving tip, my interest piqued.

‘Don’t touch.’

‘Don’t touch what?’ I ask.

‘Don’t touch anything.’

‘Brilliant. Thank you,’ I reply. ‘I feel ready now.’

Pakoyai raises her eyebrows.

‘She’s right,’ Maria says softly from the back of the boat. ‘It’s a good way to avoid anything which stings or bites.’

‘Or is poisonous,’ says Pakoyai.

I want to snap at her.

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