Tintin X Reader

Chapter 15: The Black Market

"Wait! Snowwy!" I called, slipping on my shoes and running away from camp to follow him in the forest. I didn't venture too far in because I didn't want to get lost myself. Instead, I tiptoed through the entryway and called for the mutt.

I grunted when Snowy didn't come, looking back at the beach from where I stood. Breaking off the first sprouting branch I saw, I dragged it behind me so if I were lost I'd at least have a trail I could follow to get back to the shore.

I heard Snowy bark a couple of times and ran after his voice. But after a short minute, I stopped moving, figuring it would be better if I just went and woke up Tintin and let him know about Snowy instead of getting stuck in the middle of a private island. Giving up with a shake of my head, I turned to leave but noticed something that made me forget about the dog.

In the distance, there was a bush that looked abundant with red berries. My stomach churned. I approached anxiously with hopes of sustenance. Sadly, my excitement faded, seeing they appeared to be the tiny red berries that typically are poisonous and not strawberries as I hoped.

Slouching, I took a moment to breathe and decided to get Tintin.

That's when I saw it. A couple of yards away was a large, beautiful fruit tree overflowing with large oranges. I smiled with awe and rubbed my eyes, almost disbelieving it at first. Yet after I pinched myself, I knew it was real.

My stomach growled with anticipation. I ran up the tree and jumped restlessly, trying to grab at least one of its fruit. My eager hopping was far too short, unfortunately, and although I would have eaten one from the ground, all of which were either squashed or decomposing.
'Blah... rotten oranges.'

I refused to give up. I needed something to eat! Plus, the boys would appreciate something more sustaining than last night's cookies!

Then I had an idea. Holding up the branch, I started jumping and batting at the fruit. Many oranges dropped to the forest floor. Once there was enough for me, I would use my blouse as a bag to carry as many as I could back to the camp for the others to enjoy. They'd be so relieved!

As I joyfully beat against the tree limbs, I took steps back to cover more areas and felt something tighten around my bare ankle. Yelping, I was thrown face-first to the ground. I desperately grasped onto the dirt when my body was yanked in the air before swinging upside down. My right shoe flew off my foot after the scene. I panted from shock at my sudden predicament, frozen with wide eyes from the surprise. A rope from the tree was wrapped tightly around my ankle, and I was dangling upside down over the forest floor. It appeared I had stepped into a trap of some sort.

My racing heart calmed after a moment of quiet. I looked to and fro to see if anyone was around. The branch was in my reach, so I grabbed it and gave the rope a couple of strikes. Obviously, it did nothing, so I gave up and dangled loosely, feeling the tips of my hair just brushing the dirt.

"Come on!!" I remarked. My brain was already filling up from the angle I swung, and my wrapped ankle felt sore from the lack of blood circulation. "Um- hello...? Guys?? I'm stuck..." I called out flatly, knowing it wouldn't do good since I was too far from camp. ".... this is just wonderful..."

Suddenly, there was a noise in the thickets nearby. I alertly pointed the branch in its direction and prepared myself to bat at any savage. Strangely, a rugged, safari-dressed man stepped out from behind the plants and pointed his rifle at me, making me gasp and cower.

"Well-well-well, what's this?" he chanted, lowering his weapon and eyeing me with amusement. "A little girl?"

I could tell he was an American. Another man who looked like his clean-shaven little sibling came up, wearing a safari hat and holding a machete in one hand. I leaned back as he neared, thinking I would be sliced to bits. Then the man cut the ropes loose and freed me. I fell on my back, yelped, and glared at the rude gents with a grunt.