Adventure

Introductions

"Jim, be very Jim."

The two men walked cautiously through the humid jungle, one carrying a large camera that was trained on the other male while the latter held a long black microphone.

"This is Jim and Jim from Jim news, and we are here in a jungle in Africa near Pretoria. The Coat to Coast Continental news got here first and made an article about a hunting accident that had occurred here months ago, however, we believe that they missed some crucial details." The male holding the mic stated to the camera, a strand of his raven black hair hanging in his face.

"The person that had been involved in the accident supposedly disappeared, but what if they aren't dead? Maybe they're still here in this jungle?" The male continued in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Wait," Jim froze when he spotted a black leather journal lying forgotten on the floor, its cover stained with blood and dirt.

"I found something!"

Jim hastily scooped up the journal and brushed the dirt away the best he could, his chocolate brown eyes wide in wonder as he opened up to one of the pages of the journal and began reading it aloud.

"Even if I had the ability to speak, I don't think I would be able to explain what I was truly thinking the first time I met that man in the bar..."

"Another round?"

I nodded in appreciation to the bartender as they wordlessly slid me another ice cold pint of Jameson whiskey from across the pub counter, condensation slowly trailing down the side of the glass before dripping into the dark mahogany bar.

As I took the glass in my hand, I heard someone barge inside rather loudly through the door, causing me to turn on my stool to see who the noisy newcomer was.

Probably an alco back for more...idiot. I thought with a twinge of disdain as I took a long swig of my drink, relishing the warm feeling it made burn in my stomach.

The stranger had short raven black hair with a long black mustache and was dressed in a long sleeved tan coat with matching long pants, black military boots, a round hat, and round wire rimmed glasses that shielded his chocolate brown eyes.

The man signaled for the bartender to come his way as he casually sauntered up to the bar, taking a seat on a stool next to me before he removed his hat and placed it on the bar.

"Hello there good sir, my name is William J. Barnum, but my friends call me Colonel." The dark haired man introduced himself as the bartender hurried toward him.

I took another swig of whiskey while using my free hand to make several signs to try and communicate my name to him, the male frowning in confusion.

"Oh! Um...I'm sorry, I don't understand." William replied with a frown, watching me as I retrieved a black journal and a pen from the inside pocket of my cobalt blue vest.

Cursive letters slowly appeared on one of the blank pages as I wrote, the letters beginning to take shape as I created more of them.

"Jameson...Jackson." William read aloud slowly as I put my pen down, flexing my fingers with a series of soft cracks while William's expression brightened.

"A pleasure to meet you Jameson! Bartender, I'll cover his next round and give me a Bloody Mary while you're at it my fine fellow!" William boomed joyfully.

I shook my head as I put my journal and pen back in my pocket and stood to leave, William's hand reaching out and latching onto the sleeve of my white undershirt with enough force to make me pause.

"Wait! I have a proposition for you." William announced, piquing my curiosity slightly and enticing me to listen for a little longer as I left a stack of cash on the bar to pay for my partially finished drink.

"What's say you and I go on a safari hunt?" William whispered in a low tone brimming with child like excitement.

I shook my head again as I somewhat forcefully pulled my arm free from William's grasp and began to walk towards the door, feeling William's gaze burning into the back of my head.

"What if I told you that you would receive a fortune?" William added hastily, the male glancing around as if worried that others had heard him.

Everyone else in the pub was already drunk and were either asleep in a booth or talking in slurred voices to friends.

I retrieved my journal and pen once again and quickly wrote down my answer in a blur, my hands trembling slightly as I showed William the page.

What would we hunt?

"Shoot down an elephant for its tusks, they're worth a fortune each. One for you, and one for me. What say you?" William proposed, offering a hand to the Irishman.

Jameson hesitated before writing more, his expression conflicted as his hand moved across the page already filled with words.

I have a life here that I can't risk to lose, my career is too important.

"But you look like a dapper fellow that could use a bit of adventure in your life." William protested while smiling knowingly, taking his drink in his other hand.

"How about this. Take your time to make a decision tonight, then tomorrow we'll meet up here at the same time and talk." William offered.

I bit my lip as I flipped to a new page, its white surface already stained black by the ink that had bled through from the previous page.

I'll consider it.

"Wonderful!" William exclaimed, clinking his glass against mine before tipping his head back slightly and taking a drink from his Bloody Mary.

And by consider it, I mean that I'll pretend to so I can leave and never have to see your crazy face ever again, I thought wryly as I stuck my possessions back into the pocket of my vest and finished off my drink, walking out of the pub to return home.