"Daddy, how much farther?"I pant, as I trip over a branch in my overly large hiking boots.
"Sweetie, you knew me working for National Geographic would mean me traveling a lot and going to new places. Just think of all the stories you can tell." He smiled, gently taking my arm helping me over the next dangerous branch. Daddy was amazing. I couldn't wait to go back to my seventh grade class and tell them how I, Jane Ketone, went to Venezuela with my dad over summer vacation. It would be the top story of the week. Zach would be so jealous.
"Come on Jane it's not that far, just up that path there."
I pick my weak legs off the ground and make myself move up the mountain. With each step I find myself actually having fun. The big jungle trees loom over me like a ceiling. The plants luscious and green, blooming everywhere. The exotic birds calling to each other across the land, their amazing melodies floating in the air. It was a paradise. I had to look at the bright side, at least I was here with my loving daddy seeing the world. This was perfect. Nothing could be better.
"Jane look up there it's-" I suddenly fall feeling the ground move beneath me. Hey, this wasn't supposed to happen. I look up and see my father, a worried look on his face. Is this what a earth quake felt like?
"Jane go and wrap yourself around that tree and don't move!" He screams at the top of his lungs.
I get to my feet and run over to the nearest tree, the world spinning around me. I sway back and forth trying to clear my dizzy head. I fumble with the branches before I throw my whole body securely around the tree.
"
Daddy! Come to me now!! Hurry Daddy!" I watch him as he pushes his body off the ground.
"I'm coming sweetheart! Just hanging on and don't let go no matter what!"
I wait in silence, as my heart pounds in my chest. And my hands become sweaty. I can feel something coming. Mom always said I had a strange way of always knowing things.
"Daddy get out of the way fast!" I scream.
"I can't hear you! Just stay put I'm almost there!"
My heart starts to pound even faster, a gut wrenching feeling running through my body. Something bad's coming.
"Daddy co-" I freeze hearing the boom above my head. I swing my gaze up to the mountain and see rocks sliding down the side.
"MOVE! MOVE!" I yell. My heart starts to pump hard and fast, almost like it needs to escape from my body.
"What's wrong?" My dear father yells.
But it's too late.
He looks up just in time to see the rocks plummeting towards him, and the horrified expression on my face.
CRASH!
Suddenly I feel pain, every where. It hits me like an oncoming truck, making me fall to the ground breathless.
"NOOOOO! NO!" I scream. I run up to the little mountain of rocks that sit where my father once stood.
"NO! DADDY CAN YOU HEAR ME!?"
I grunt as I try to push one of the rocks off. I shove as much as possible, even ramming my body against the boulders. But it's no use. I start to punch and kick the rocks. My fists becoming bloody and my feet sore. I punch harder as tears run down my cheeks and loud sobs erupt from my mouth.
"Why!?"
"WHY MY DADDY!"
My screams echo in the deep dark jungle. I sob and kick as much as possible till I can't feel anything anymore. My brain becomes numb, I'm not able to see or understand anything at all. I can hear is a little voice inside my head taunting me, "you're Daddy's dead and he's not ever coming back." I fall to ground and I start to rock myself back and forth trying to calm myself. I just lost my father. I cry until my eyes are too puffy to even open, and I holler until my tongue is dry and my throat hoarse. I stay on the ground not caring if some wild animal came a killed me or if I died of starvation. I simply didn't care. My daddy was gone, and that meant I just lost part of me. I was no longer whole, I knew I would never be again. There was nothing I could do about it.
**
I shoot out of bed tears streaming down my face. My hair and clothes sticking to my sweaty body. I can barely breath. I clutch my aching chest and try to take a deep breath. I look around seeing my desk, pictures and bookshelf. Good, I wasn't in the jungle anymore. This was the fourth time this week. I gently lay back down and curl my legs up to my chest, fresh tears spilling out and harsh heaves filling the room, my body shaking violently. I go into a trance leaving the real world behind.
"Daddy? I miss you." I whisper. "I really miss you."