Academy Island

Mistaken

The chirrup of insects filled my ears, loud and unnerving as I stepped into a barrage of huge shiny leaves, all weighed down with humidity. My bare legs brushed hard against cool smooth leaves and slime, making me cringe. I had no idea what was out here, insects, animals, frogs.

Snakes.

I stretched my t shirt further down my thighs, shivering and looking around myself carefully for anything that slithered. Crouching in the safest looking spot, covered by the immense leaves, I was able to part the green enough that I could look out at the empty beach I had just vacated. My breath caught when I noticed the footprints, definitely mine, that led right to me. My foot moved of it's own accord, backing me further into the jungle and letting the leaves spring back from where I had parted them. I halted, thinking of what was the best thing to do. I was out here with no idea of where I was, no shorts, no nothing, and there was a man out on the beach. I could hear him now, and the dog, or Max as he'd been called, running along the sand. I couldn't let him see me, at least not until I found something to cover myself with. I looked around at the leaves, large enough, but...

"Luke, I've had it with your pranks. I'm giving you to the count of three, and then I'm letting you have it. One."

I forgot the makeshift skirt and stilled, scared. The man thought I was someone else, and was threatening me somehow. I chanced a peek out at the beach, my finger barely shifting the stem so I wouldn't make much movement. I couldn't see anyone at first and moved myself so I could scan a wider area, finally pausing when a straw hatted figure could be seen, the dog at his side and a stick in his hand. He lifted it to his shoulder, pointing the other end towards the jungle, right at my hiding spot. A short, sharp click pricked every hair I had up at attention. That was no mere stick.

"Two."

How I got up that palm tree ten feet from where I crouched so quickly and quietly, I couldn't even figure out myself. Although the splinters pricking along my inner thighs gave me a pretty good idea of at least one method I'd used. I quivered and pressed myself closer to the trunk, trying to keep my breathing limited to through my nose to be as quiet as possible. I could hear my heartbeat in the ear I had pressed to the wood, hammering painfully. I couldn't see the man from my perch, the fronds were too thick around me. I didn't want to die. I had already gotten so far, surviving the sea and the beach's waves, just to get shot in the jungle with no underwear on. I hugged the palm trunk tighter, praying he hadn't seen me climb up here, that he would miss...and that I wouldn't be caught up in a tree with my bottom exposed for all the whole world to see.

"Three."