The Amazon

The Amazon - Part 1

Jason cursed inwardly as a warning light flashed on the instrument panel, indicating that the oil pressure was dropping. Almost immediately he heard the sound of the engine change from its customary purr to a ragged growl and he knew he was going to have to attempt to land.

He squinted his eyes half shut against the harsh glare of the sun as he scanned the ground below him, trying to find a break in the thick forest. Looking past his starboard wing he saw a small river, and as his engine finally spluttered and died he pointed the plane towards it.

Without the engine he would have expected silence but the wind rushed noisily against the cockpit as he fought the now sluggish controls to hold the plane in a stable glide. He was only going to have on chance at this, a fact he fortunately did not have time to dwell on as he touched down on the smooth surface of the water.

The plan bounced once like a stone skipping across the surface then one wing tip dropped to catch the muddy water like an oar. Jason lost any semblance of control at that point as the aircraft spun out of control, finally coming to rest against a tree on the bank.

Jason was lucky. Apart from a few bruises he was unhurt, although his problems were only beginning as he was a long way from civilisation. He rummaged for the survival kit he always carried and clambered out of the wreckage. Relieved to be on firm ground he consulted his map and tried to estimate his exact position.

He had come down approximately 50 miles north of the nearest village, he decided. A half hour journey by air but on foot he knew that it could take him a full week to cover that distance through the jungle.

The forest came right to the edge of the river, and Jason shuddered as he realised for the first time how lucky he had been to still be alive. He had landed on what seemed to be the only clear stretch of bank on the whole river.

Hoping his luck would hold, he started to follow the river south. As there was no real river bank to walk on he had to fight his way through the heavy undergrowth. When darkness fell it was sudden and totally impossible to travel further. As settled down for the night, listening to the sounds of the jungle for anything that may present a threat, he judged that he had covered about two miles.

The following day he did a little better, managing to cover about twice the distance, but it was at a cost. Thirst was a problem and he had already drank most of his canteen. His last thoughts before he fell into an exhausted sleep where that he would have to find water and improve his pace if he was to have any chance of survival.

When he awoke as the first shafts of light pierced their way through the thick foliage hundreds of feet above him, he sensed immediately that he was not alone. He quickly leapt to his feet and, turning round, found himself staring at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Tall for a woman, she was dressed in only a loin cloth and moccasins leaving her full rounded breasts bare. A quiver of arrows was slung across her back and she had a knife strapped to her upper thigh.

'I'm hallucinating,' Jason thought as she took a step towards him.

She spoke then, in a language he did not recognise, and seemed angry when he did not respond.

"I don't understand," he said loudly, as though he expected volume of voice to strengthen understanding.

Without warning she launched herself across the gap between them, knocking him to the ground. Weakened from the crash and still tired from the unaccustomed exercise of the previous two days, he was no match for her. Although, as she straddled him pinning his arms to his sides between powerful thigh and keeping him face down on the ground despite his frantic struggles, he admitted to his chagrin that she could probably have bested him anyway.

"I am Kali," she said then, "you are my captive."

"You speak English," he blurted in surprise.

"Missionaries," she explained simply.

With an ease that was almost casual so confident she was of her own ability, she took his wrists and tied them behind his back. She allowed him to get up then and was with detached indifference as he jumped to his feet, pulling vigorously at the leather thong which secured his hands.

He stopped struggling to watch her warily as she came towards him again, this time holding out a length of rope. Again his show of resistance was stopped with little effort on her part. She nimbly stepped towards him and punched him solidly in the solar plexus.

The air whooshed from his lungs and he fell to his knees. While he was doubled over gasping for breath Kali matter-of-factly tied an end of the rope around his neck, knotting it under the chin.

"Up," she ordered gruffly, and pulled him to his feet. Without giving him further time to recover, she tugged at the improvised leash and led him into the forest.

Feelings of fear and humiliation warred within him. He was definitely afraid of what this woman was going to do with him, and humiliated at the knowledge that he was helpless to prevent her from doing whatever she wished.

As he followed her through the forest with his hands tied behind him, he was unable to push low branches and foliage out of his way, and was greatly relieved when they reached a clearing and stopped.

"Kneel," she ordered.

Jason hesitated until she pulled the knife she wore from its sheath and held its point mere inches away from his throat. He swallowed the lump which had suddenly appeared in his throat and quickly did as she asked.

"You will kneel whenever we stop," she explained. "It’s not fitting for you to stand as an equal."

As Jason knelt he was aware of her watching him closely, as though appraising his worth. He felt nervous under her stare but did not move or try to speak. Several minutes passed before she seemed to make up her mind about something and Jason did not have to wait long before he found out what it was.

Stepping up behind him she held the knife once again to his throat, this time resting the deadly edge of the blade against his skin, directly across his adam's apple. "I am going to permit you to choose your own fate," she told him, "either slavery or death."