chapter 10

Andrew entered lastly. His clothes were still neat but he had unbottoned his green denim jacket and he rolled up the sleeves. He still had on his sneakers.

"I made a map of the area we're staying in," Andrew told them as he brought out a huge white cardboard.

"And there's also a river," Andrew went on.

The others crowded to have a glimpse at the map but Ryan stood at a distance.

Andrew raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll just stay here," Ryan said. "Where it's clean."

Andrew chuckled and folded up the map.

"Alright, let's stock the house with enough water. We aren't going to be roaming about in the night, tomorrow we'll see what we can do about building a trench and maybe a small bathroom, and of course we'll have a farm where we can cultivate things," Andrew said.

"We're just staying for a few days," Ryan reminded them, "The sooner we get out of this jungle, the better."

"Gosh, you're so lily-livered. Are you scared of just a little forest?" Ethan mocked with a laugh. "Be nice Ethan," Ashley said as she passed by him.

"We're going to the river now, but first everyone should drop any extra clothing with them," Andrew said and took off his denim jacket.

Ethan threw his light blue puffer jacket on Andrew's green denim jacket. Suzanne took of her red hoodie and dumped it on the pile.

Ryan stubbornly refused to remove his purple button mock sweater.

"What if a small insect crawls into the clothes while we're gone?" Ryan asked skeptically eyeing the huge plantain leaves Ashley spread on the ground and kept all the clothes there.

"No one's forcing you to take off your stupid sweater anyway!" Ethan snapped at him.

"Let's go to the river, I'm so hot," Suzanne said.

"Why won't you be? You're sweating too much, so disgusting. A girl at that," Ryan said and scoffed.

"I dare you to repeat that!" Suzanne demanded, angrily facing him.

"That's enough," Ashley told Ryan sternly.

"This way," Andrew led them all out of the gate. Suzanne kept a huge log of wood at the gate, so no animal would just push it and do the unthinkable.

"My traps are around the compound you know," Ryan told her.

"I don't care," she waved him off and ran to meet Ethan.

After they had filled all the clay pots and washed all the blood off the dead animals, they settled to relax by the lake.

Ethan made a small fishing rod that comprises of a small twig and a tiny string and a small sharp rock tied to the end of the string.

He tried to catch some fishes while Suzanne watched him.

Andrew just laid on the river bank with his legs in the water and he stared at the sky that was slowly turning red as the sun set.

Ryan just stood unsure of what to do.

Ashley took off her jumper and kept it by the river bank. She was left in her white T-shirt and blue jean shorts. She also kept her legs in the water and washed her face and hands. She also got out all the mud stain from her jumper.

It'll just be a little wet, but at least it's clean.

She glanced at Ryan who stood some feets away from everyone.

She smiled and ran up to him.

"C'mon," she yanked his hand and led him to the river bank.

"Just dip your legs in at least," she grinned at him.

Ryan looked unsure. "A fish might mistake my toe for worms and bite it," he said and looked away. Ashley laughed.

"You're so silly, just do it!" She urged.

"Um..okay," Ryan removed his chuck taylors and dipped his feets in the cool water of the lapping river.

"Nice right?" Ashley smiled.

"I guess," Ryan relaxed his tense posture.

This is not so bad afterall. He thought as he sighed calmly.

Just then he felt something on his toe. He quickly brought out his electric gun and shot the water.

"Ryan no!" Ashley said but it was too late.

The electricity his gun released shocked everyone that had their legs in the water, including him.

The shock made Ethan trip and fall inside the water.

Andrew sat up sharply and glared hard at Ryan.

Suzanne's hair was fried as she and Ethan were mostly in the water, trying to catch a fish.

"Hem...that's what can happen in the wild...," Ryan scratched the back of his hair nervously as all his teammates, except Ashley, shot him dirty looks.

Just then Ashley started laughing.

"How Andrew sat up quickly...it was so funny, and Ethan...he fell down!" She said while laughing. Suzanne joined her in laughing. Their reactions was funny.

Ethan also bursted out in laughter when he realized he looked silly. Since they were in the shallow part of the water his butt had hit the underneath floor of the river and he had caused a great splash.

Andrew's lip quirked up a bit. His reaction had been sudden as well.

"Oh Ryan," Ashley smiled.

Ryan sheepishly looked away.

He looked up at the setting sun.

Maybe it's not so bad afterall.

~~~

Suzanne sat up in her leafy hammock.

Andrew had made a hammock each for everyone to sleep on out of broad leaves and some strong vines that were lying around.

Of course Ryan had made a fuss about sleeping on a hammock made out of leaves but Ashley piled all their jackets and coats on his own hammock so that he could be comfortable.

Ethan had yelled about Ryan being a brat and Ashley shared some cheery story about her childhood as they sat round the fire, before they all retired to sleep.

Suzanne rubbed her eyes and she glanced out of the small square window. It was still dark.

I wonder what time it is. She said and adjusted herself on her hammock. Her eyes roamed round her sleeping teammates.

Ethan was snoring loudly and one of his arms was swinging out of his hammock. She rolled her eyes at his sleeping figure.

She got up softly in order not to wake anyone up.

She passed Ryan's hammock and chuckled quietly. He looked peaceful and calm, almost approachable unlike his cold look he always wore when he was wide awake.

She stared at him for some while.