THE LOST PLANE THE ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT AND BRAVERY OF A YOUNG NATIVE GIRL

Dedicated to the young girls’ lives lost in the Mahdia tragedy of May 22, 2023.
THE magnificent eagle spread its wings and sailed smoothly over the tree tops, going far away beyond the mountains.
The young native girl, standing by the gushing stream, watched in awe as the splendid bird disappeared in the horizon. She loved the beautiful and spectacular birds and animals, the exotic flowers and the pure streams of rushing cool water.

But the exciting part of her life was the adventures.
She loved to explore and discover places that the hunters and trackers knew nothing of- the hidden places where rare flowers, birds and butterflies made their homes, nature’s secret little hideouts. Her father had repeatedly warned her not to wander far; at least she never got hurt or lost. She was never afraid, like a guiding spirit was always there with her and her pet monkey, Scarlet, always by her side.

“Ann Marie,” her father was calling and she ran up to him.
He was standing with a group of people who had flown in from the city early this morning. Her father was one of the village’s best trackers and was enlisted to help find the missing plane that was believed to have crashed with a British family of four aboard. The plane had been reported missing almost two weeks ago.
“I don’t want you wandering off. Stay close to home,” her father warned her.

“I’ll be gone for a couple of days.” She watched the rescue party leave, wondering, “Where could that plane be?”
Two days later the rescue party returned with no success and watching the grieving relatives as they left was a sad moment. “There’s no sign at all,” her father said dejectedly, “It’s just like the jungle just swallowed them up.” That night she snuggled in her hammock as the sounds of the jungle like an orchestra came to life, thinking and wondering about the missing plane. She knew the jungle so well but she knew not, deeper where it was dark and forbidding.

“Maybe, that’s where it crashed, that’s why it can’t be found.”
By dawn, she had sketched a plan in her mind and slipped away into the jungle, following the same trail the trackers had taken carefully but at the end, it branched off into three trails. She stood for a while, deep in thought, sharp instincts guiding her along a different trail. It was a rough and rugged terrain and the cluster of tall trees allowed little light. The further she walked, the denser and darker the jungle got and the sinister sounds of strange creatures came from far within.

She was beginning to feel afraid and even Scarlet was making some nervous sounds. She came around a bend and drew to a sudden halt. In her path, the thicket of huge trees stood like a wall. Giant creepers hung like tentacles, an ominous warning for those who dared to pass through.

Ann Marie didn’t know what to do, sensing the dangers that lurked within, when she heard a low growl behind her. She was rooted to the spot, knowing any false move would cause an attack. She turned around very slowly and almost gasped- a huge, black wild boar was staring at her with its beastly eyes. “Oh no, this is not good,” she said to herself. There were only two ways out, one past the boar which would be a very bad idea and the other into the dark jungle. She inclined her head, slightly, a sign for Scarlet to distract the beast and she ran, slipping through the creepers, knowing the boar couldn’t get her there. She stood there for a while, the eerie silence clawing at her mind, when she heard crying.

It was coming from a distance, the soft pitiful crying of a child. She followed the sound cautiously, guided by Scarlet as he moved ahead of her until she came upon a little clearing and saw the boy sitting alone. The missing plane, broken in two, was lying on its side not far off.
“Hi there,” she called. The boy stopped crying and turned around, startled. His clothes were torn and bloody. “Yo – you ha – have come to save us,” his voice trembling, overcome with relief, “Wh – why did they take so long to find us?”

“No one else knows where you are. They have been searching all the time,” she said calmly. “But how did you?” “The jungle is my home. I know places no one else knows.” He showed her his mother, father and uncle lying in the wreckage, barely clinging onto life. “I’ve been taking care of them the best I can but their injuries are too bad. How can help get to us?” “I have to go back for help.” The boy grabbed her arm, fear in his blue eyes, “Suppose you don’t find your way back?” “I will,” she smiled at him reassuringly. As she turned to leave, he said with tears in his voice, “Please, come back for us or we’ll all die.”

Scarlet had marked their way by breaking small limbs on the trees and in her haste, it didn’t take Ann Marie too long to reach the village. Her father was angry, anger that changed to astonishment when she told him she had found the missing plane. It was already dusk and no one could go in until morning. It was the longest night of Ann Marie’s life and she wondered what the boy must be thinking. At the first light of dawn, she led the rescue party to the plane and the survivors were brought out, still alive.
The boy hugged her tightly, not ashamed to cry and he told her, just before he left to return home, “I will never forget you, you have saved our lives and you’ll always be a special person in my heart. I will come back one day to see you.”

He gave her his silver chain as a thank you token.
She became a national heroine for her brave deed and life went on, but she never forgot the white boy, lost in the jungle.
He had said, he would come back one day.

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