Narrator: It was a sunny afternoon in the middle of summer. The heat was pounding down on Samantha's face as she sat out on her patio trying to catch a tan.
Ring Ring
Samantha: Hello
Mans voice: Sam?
Samantha: Hey Bobby, what's up?
Bobby: Okay, before you say anything let me speak. I had this competition for environmental club, and I won! I get to go on an African safari and I get to bring one person. I want you to come with me. I know you don't love, love animals, but I think it would be good for you-to get out, to go explore.
Samantha: I hate nature B. (pause) But I mean what's in it for me?
Bobby: umm an African safari, and mom and dad won't let me go unless you come too. Please Sam, please, it would be so cool.
Samantha: Well, okay. I'm in.
Airplane sounds Voice comes over loudspeaker
Women: Welcome to the Johannesburg airport. Please keep your passport and papers out. Cell phones and cameras are prohibited in this area.
Samantha: Wow this is sort of exciting. I can't believe they flew us all the way here, just from winning a stupid competition.
Bobby: I could kill you if you say its stupid one more time. I only wish you knew how hard I worked on it. Anyway lets just get to the camp.
Narrator: After a few hours of driving through Johannesburg, Samantha and Bobby came upon the state of Kwazulu-Natal. They pulled up to a small tent like structure. There was a man in a stereotypical safari hat waiting for them.
Samantha: Hi, Samantha and Bobby Bucksbee.
Guide: Hi, pleasure. Chef. I'm your guide for the week.
Bobby: Pleasure.
Guide: So here's what's on the ole agenda. You kids go freshen up, put your bags away and take a look around at the grounds. Remember, you cannot and I cant stress it enough cannot go out wondering the grounds alone. The animals are very dangerous here and you must have an armed guard with you at all times if you are out. Regardless I think we will be doing enough exploring and sightseeing that by the time we get home, you will both be exhausted.
Narrator: Exhausted? Sam thought. She had barely worked a hard day in her life, and now she was supposed to be on vacation. After washing their faces and putting their bags away, the three went to meet with the armed guide Tee whom as big and brawny as they come.
Guide: Alright, lets get the day started. We heard that there was an amazing heard of water buffalo down by the water. We will head there first. Now you must remember with water buffalo, they are much more dangerous than people anticipate. If they feel threatened they will charge at you, you can guarantee it.
Car engine starts up
Bobby: Well I guess lets make sure to go unnoticed.
Samantha: Fucking great.
Guide: No, no you need not worry. We will be safe and sound in our jeep. All the animals that live here on the reserve are just trying to survive everyday and live out a long life. We are just here to observe, they rarely bother us.
Samantha: Rarely?
Tee: Here we are Chef.
Narrator: They looked out at a scene entirely indescribable.
Water buffalo sounds, splashing of water
Bobby: Well shit! This is straight out of National Geographic! Narrator: Samantha was utterly speechless, who knew that it could be so beautiful-so breathtaking to witness nature firsthand like this.
Chef: Now we can stop here to take some photos, just remember to be considerate. They are here to live undisturbed. Lets try our best to keep it this way.
KABOOM!
Narrator: In that instant the car made a loud explosion. The water buffalo shot up in fear and began to stampede. Frantically Tee tried to start the jeep but then engine was shot. Chef frantically called through his walkie-talkie that they had run into jeep problems and needed help right away.
Chef: (in a whisper) Now here's what we are going to do. Slowly exit the vehicle, move towards the tall grass and walk slowly in the other direction of the water buffalo. Once you are hidden by the grass, run! And run as fast as your legs will carry you until you get to that clearing. Then wait there for the group to reunite.
Narrator: Bobby went first, so Samantha jumped and ran after him, she could hear the water buffalo pounding away at the earth behind them. She kept running, her own legs numbed by the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She thought she was following close behind Bobby but as she saw the clearing in the distance her little brother's head seemed to disappear.
Samantha: Whew, made it. Bobby? Bobby? Are you out there?
Silence
Samantha: Bobby? Bobby? Chef? Tee?
Narrator: There was no one around her, swallowed by the utter silence of nature. As she stood there time seemed to pass ever so slowly, and after what seemed like ages the sun began to go down. She had lost her brother, lost her guide, lost her bodyguard.
Samantha: Fuck, fuck, fuck. What the hell do I do? (she says under her breath)
Narrator: She decides that she has been waiting over an hour or so as they left the camp when it was late afternoon. Now as the sun was setting in the distance she decided that she would try to walk back towards camp before it became utterly dark. As she began to head back towards the high grass, ticks nipping at he legs and arms, she stumbled across a shoe-Bobby's shoe. The shoe was pointed in the direction opposite from the tall grass. The laces ever so neatly in an arrow pointing away from camp and into the distance, was this perhaps a sign? Maybe Bobby was in trouble! She walked in the direction his shoe had been pointed, and within a few steps she came upon something else-a spear. Her heart began to pound deep inside her chest…were they being hunted? The spear laid hard in the ground and Samantha timidly picked it up. next to it was a small piece of Bobby's shirt. Where ever he was he was not alone. She sat down and began to weep, knowing she had utterly failed at protecting her little brother. The sun was almost completely gone, and she would have nothing or no clue where to go.
DRUMMING
Samantha: What was that? Damn it! (she thought to herself) Worthless. I was waiting in a stupid fucking clearing for my brother to come to me. Damn it!
Narrator: She jumped up instantly, and in the distance saw flames from torches. Whoever was over there, Samantha knew they had her brother. She began to walk hesitantly towards the flames. What was she going to do? It was her responsibility to save him. She would use the spear and hunt for other food, offer it for her brother, but how did she know that they even wanted to eat him? Stupid, she thought, a story out of a movie or book. But it was her responsibility and she would follow the clues, and follow her instincts, until she had done anything and everything; and until he was safe and sound. She would sit back no longer. If her brother was going to be saved, if her family was ever going to be together and happy again, it would take everything that she had. There was no time for fear, no time for thinking, if there was any chance for a happy ending to this nightmare it would take everything she had. She was going to save her little brother.