#274 The Golden Grove

by Michael Simonds

They met on the internet; two adventurous spirits sharing their dreams of stumbling upon something historic. Having struck up a friendship, Alejandro and Jenny planned the journey of a lifetime. They would find a place more beautiful than any other, hidden deep within the rainforests of South America.

It had just finished raining; the jungle was more alive than it had been in days. Plant leaves reached out greedily, hoping to feast on leftovers as they fell from the canopy. An eerie whisper kept the self-proclaimed explorers aware that they were not alone or welcome.

Jenny was tired; her head sagged as she walked. The beauties of her surrounding were now lost on her. It had been a week since they had seen civilization. She simply wanted to see a warm bed.

“You see that?!” Alejandro excitedly pointed at a brightly lit clearing in the distance; a rarity in the depths of the forest.

The tired young woman sprung to life and the pair ran toward the clearing, too excited to acknowledge their aching legs. Alejandro fell back as Jenny rushed out first.

She stared at the sky and spread her arms, bathing in the warm glow of the sun. It had been too long. Alejandro firmly grasped her shoulders from behind.

Jenny’s smile turned to a gasp as her eyes opened, focused on skeletal remains piled in the vegetation. She turned to Alejandro, horrified.

“Don’t worry; someone will find you here someday. You will make history, I promise.”

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