Page 39 - Cornice Grade 8

Survival Story

uable items. It had already occurred to me that unsuspecting deer crossed my path. I had learnt
I would be staying in this forest for the foresee- a bit of swordplay in college while performing
able future and I mentally prepared myself for Shakespearean plays which came in very handy
the worst. The search turned out to be vital for as I reacted with amazing speed and stabbed
my time in the forest: I found a flashlight and a the deer. With food for the day settled, I head-
pocket knife. At first, it may not seem like much, ed back the way I came towards my shelter. Af-
but believe me, it really was lifesaving. This way, I ter I reached my shelter (god knows how I got
had a weapon for self-protection and to hunt and back without being lost but well I did), I realized
a flashlight to be used as a signal for any rescue something and dropped the deer I had just killed
helicopters nearby to find me. and face palmed. I had forgotten to look for what
is most essential while in the woods: water. I was
After gathering all I could, I fled. I ran as fast shocked at how idiotic I had been. Fortunately,
as I could through the dense forest. After about after calming myself down, I, who had always
a mile, I stopped and decided I would have to been up for some Bear Grylls jumping off cliffs
make a shelter. I had absolutely no idea how and stuff, was very relieved to find that a kind
to, but a fallen tree and a little bit of National of tree (I never bothered to find the name, never
Geographic knowl- will) which contained
edge turned out to After gathering all I could, I fled. I ran as fast large amounts of wa-
be pretty handy. I cut as I could through the dense forest. After ter inside its bark,
another few branches about a mile, I stopped and decided I would was right beside my
from the surrounding have to make a shelter. I had absolutely shelter. I made a hole
trees with my pocket no idea how to, but a fallen tree and a little bit inside the bark and
knife and stacked of National Geographic knowledge turned drank like I had nev-
them. The fallen tree out to be pretty handy. er drunk before. I was
acted as a base for my dumbfounded how I
shelter. Soon afterwards, I had to look for food. managed to get out of these crazy situations with
I had a humongous breakfast in Doha before my nothing but sheer luck.
flight and was not very hungry. However, I knew
that I should gather as much food as I could and Following my reckless drinking, I returned to
headed out into the woods. my shelter and started to build a fire. I was
pleased to figure out that there was a bamboo
The trees inside the forest were so tightly knitted bush not far from my shelter. I cut one of the
together that they blocked out most of the faint bamboo poles with the help of my pocket knife.
sunlight. They also made navigating the forest I made a thin string and started to rub it across
reasonably difficult and tedious. The trees, as far the body of the half-cut bamboo. My hands
as I could make of them, were exceedingly tall burned, but I still kept going. The persistence
and bulky, which may not be a very good adjec- paid off at the end and now I had a fire. I roasted
tive to describe trees, but I used it and you get the deer I had killed earlier and ate it. It was the
the meaning. After stumbling upon nothing so best meal I could have hoped for around here,
many times, I still persevered to find food, won- and seriously wasn’t that bad. With all the es-
dering how in the world I would get back to my sentials now completed, I figured out it would
shelter. be best to rest for the night. However, my mind
was nowhere near ready to rest and kept think-
Stumbling I may be, but I tried my best to stay as ing about my family and friends and what they
silent as I possibly could and therefore, a small, must be doing right now, et cetera, et cetera. Af-