14

Welcome to the Jungle

" Aimee! Aimee...Aimee wake up" Aimee heard a voice calling into her though it was very faint. She opened her eyes to notice that she was lying down in a forest. The moon was at its peak and Aimee could hear the crickets singing and faint voices of people laughing.

"Aimee! Get up" the voice whispered again as Aimee recognized the voice. She turned towards the direction of the voice.

"Henry? Where are we? Aimee said as she tried getting but saw it was impossible because both her hands and feet were tied up same as Henry's.

"I don't know. I guess it's some kind of village or something. The robbers from the bank brought us here."

"What? Why? This can't be happening. What do we have to do in a of these?? My Grandma...she may fall sick again...I really need to see her." Aimee said in fear as she tried to loosen herself but her efforts were useless.

" Aimee... I've tried it, didn't work. The ropes are made of very strong fibre."

Aimee soon gave up on hearing Henry's words,

"So,what are we going to do,seat here till they exploit and kill the both of us" Aimee asked with cracked voice. She was really scared and all she could think about was her grandma... then,she remembered Anna.

"Have you seen any little girl? Are we the only ones taken hostage?"

"No... not at all, I guess we are over ten. I was sleeping when I heard some noise that woke me up. I kept lying down with my eyes open and saw some men taking people that were awake. So, I had to shut my eyes so they won't know I had woken up."

"So how about the little girl?" Aimee asked again, she was so concerned about the little girl as she was too small to get into this kind of incident.

"Oh...she was taken moments ago. She was still asleep when they took her."

"What? What did they want with her? What do they want with any of us?" Aimee asked as she shivered in fear.

" I'm so sorry that you had to get into this mess on your first day in the office. You should have stayed till the next day... at least you wouldn't have gotten into this mess."
Henry's words made Aimee remember Joe and wished she had listened to him. Then, she remembered her satellite phone in her pocket, luckily, she could still feel it there in her pocket.

***********

"Joe?"

"Yes Aimee"

"How old are you? You look too young to be this successful...to own a company as well"
Joe snorted as Aimee asked.

"Did I crack a joke again?"

"No, no...you didn't... I'm twenty-three years old and I'll be twenty-four tommorow"

"And twenty-five next tomorrow right? Aimee answered in disbelief.

"Aimee...you know you're so easy to read and I can see the doubts and mistrust in your eyes again."

"Well, you can't blame me...this it the twenty-first century, no one pops out of the blues to help someone without asking something in return. And so far you have asked so what's your price?"

"Oh...you want me to ask something from you? What could I possibly ask from a nineteen year old girl that I don't have?"

"I don't know, you tell me."Aimee replied with a straight face.

Joe was tired of having these conversations with Aimee about her doubts and suspicions about him,

"Aimee, all I want in return is for you to believe that good people still exist, no matter the century and also to stop this doubts about me...okay?" Joe said sounding a bit offended.

" I'm... I'm sorry. I guess I have to deal with my trust issues."

" It's fine but your apology is not enough. You said you wanted to pay me back for my kind gestures right? Well,you could start tomorrow."

"How?"

"You are going to take me for a birthday treat tomorrow...bills on you." He winked and gave a cheesy grin.

"So you'd really be twenty-four tommorow? How did...?"

"I'm managing one of my Dad's company" Joe interrupted as usual. "Yes, that's the answer to your question right? How I became so established at twenty-four?"

"Uhmm...yes"

"See I told you...easy to read" Joe smiled as he put the last piece of cake in his mouth." Hurry up and eat, you've been asking so many questions"

"Whatever, but honestly, you are..."

" Suspicious?" Joe interrupted her again and completed her statement and laughed again.

"Yup, well I need to get going"

"To where?"

"Uhmm... probably to my house "

"Dont be in a haste...just stay for a while. Besides, the salesman is not chasing us away. I'm sure your Grandma would be happy you are with me right now, as I'm trustworthy enough."

"Dont be so full of yourself because of Grandmother's friendliness to you."

"Whatever, but honestly...you are- " Joe said trying to mimick Aimee.

"What?" Aimee laughed knowing he had mimicked her.

" Beautiful..." Joe said looking into Aimee's eyes and continued, " So...How was your first year in college? When are you going back, next week right?"

" Uhmm...ya. Joe."

" Yes Aimee"

" We should get going"

"Oh, I'm really sorry if my compliment made you feel uncomfortable"

" No, it's fine. It's just that it's been long someone told me that. My mom used to say that to me all the time. Now, I hardly even look at the mirror these days" Aimee said as she picked up her bag and stood up to leave.

" I'm really sorry...I didn't mean to upset you" Joe said as he stood up and grabbed her hand.

" I'm not upset... just forget it. Let's go"

*****Hmm....Don't forget to tell me what you think about my story...********

5.