Baque Vol 1 (Part 1) -- (Author) BabyBoy2023

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Content: Note: This story was originally written in PDF format using Microsoft Word. So I hope the format fits this thread. If there are any typos, please let me know.

Baque

By BabyBoy2023

Vol. 1
Babies of the Jungle

Introduction

The first volume in the Baque series tells the story of an adventuresome young man who finds
himself stranded in the African wilderness when something goes terribly wrong. He encounters many
dangers and must face them all in order to survive. However, in the midst of his trials and tribulations,
he encounters something different, and it turns out to be the best experience ever, especially when his
life is in mortal danger and he is unable to help himself.

Synapses

Ancel Kuntz, from Munich, Germany, and two friends, Abdullateef Ndiaye and Shanti Babak,
from Nairobi, Africa, take a trip to Kinshasa, where they planned to spend several days in the jungle, but
when tragedy strikes, Ancel finds himself alone and vulnerable. Stranded in the middle of the Congo
Rainforest, he must devise a strategy for survival. Will he make it out alive

Reader's Note This story is entirely fiction as are the characters involved. The only real-life person,
whose name was used, was Africa's former President, Mobutu Sese Seko, who passed away in
September of 1997. The animals I have given the species name, baque, pronounced back, are also
fictitious. The word is a combination of baby and macaque. Macaques are monkeys that live in
rainforests in various parts of the world, including Asia, Malaysia, and Africa. Rhesus macaques are
well-known for their role in laboratory research.

Chapter 1
Close Calls

Munich, Germany
Early Summer, 1988
Ancel Kuntz lived with his wife Katrin and their four children, Heinrich, who was 16 years of age,
Sabine, 15, Heidi, 10, and Adolph, 4. Ancel was 40 years old and Katrin was a year younger. The two met
in high school and were wed shortly after graduating. Ancel was the CEO of an automobile manufacturing plant on the west side of Munich, and Katrin was a stay-at-home mom.
The date was Saturday, June 25, 1988, and Ancel had his suitcase packed for what was supposed
to be a two-month stay in Africa. He planned on trekking through the wilderness, but he didn't plan on
spending the entire bit of his time in the jungle. Instead, he was going to spend his first two weeks in the
city with two good African friends of his, and they, being very skilled survivalists, would accompany him
on his adventure deep in the jungle.
After checking his suitcase for the final time, he closed it and carried it out to the family car.
Katrin sat in the driver seat and Ancel sat beside her. To his right sat sixteen-year-old Heinrich, and
Sabine, Heidi, and Adolph sat in the back seat. Did you pack any bottled water Katrin asked.
I'll get some in Kenya. Ancel replied. I feel it best not to pack a lot and be totally bogged down
on the trip.
You're right there. Katrin said.
Daddy, Adolph said.
What, son Ancel answered.
Will you bring us back some pictures of monkeys and things Adolph asked.
I can't promise you anything, Ancel explained, because sometimes nature is just too fast, but
I will try.
Thank you, Daddy. Adolph said.
You're welcome. Ancel said.
So, Katrin began, is Clovis at the airport now
He is. Ancel replied. We're supposed to meet him at the main entrance.
Clovis Gunzenhauser was a pilot with Swiss Airlines, but he had his own private jet, which he
used for leisure time. He was married to a woman named Anneliese Busse, who was his copilot both on
and off the job. Clovis and Ancel were best friends since high school, and they both attended college in
Marburg. Clovis took up avionics while Ancel studied business. They both married the love of their lives
in Marburg, and once out of college, they both moved to Munich. Clovis had been employed with Swiss
Airlines for several years, and he loved flying with his wife accompanying him. They had one child, a boy
named Hans, who was twelve and who had dreams of following in his father's footsteps.
This wasn't the first time Clovis had flown Ancel to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in
Nairobi, Kenya. In fact, he, Anneliese, and Ancel had made the trip annually for the past five years, and
as expected, all went well every time. There was really no reason to think that this adventure would be
any different. Clovis knew deep in his heart that his friend had a great deal of respect for the jungle and
everything in it. Did he worry Yes, but he didn't worry to the point that it bothered him. Ancel could
live off the land if he needed to, and no matter what, he always managed to come back unscathed.
The time was 130 PM when the Kuntzes' blue sedan pulled into the parking lot of Franz Josef
Strauss Airport, which wasn't too far from their home. After popping the trunk and removing his
suitcase, Ancel kissed and hugged his wife and kids as Clovis watched through the glass door. I love you,
honey. Katrin said.
I love you, too. Ancel replied.
Please, be careful. Katrin said as she wiped a tear from her eye.
You know I will. Ancel said, and again, the two embraced warmly. Ancel then grabbed his
suitcase, turned around, and waved one last time at his family before walking toward the glass door.
When he reached it, Clovis held it ajar for him, and after entering, the two men shook hands. Where's
Anneliese Ancel asked.
She's waiting for us on the plane. Clovis answered cheerfully. I have done everything I needed
to do, and we are ready to go, that is, if you are.
I am, sir. Ancel said, and the two men passed through a security kiosk and made their way
through a terminal, where Clovis's jet sat on the tarmac with its twin engines idling. After boarding the plane and putting his luggage in the overhead storage compartment, Ancel took his seat just behind the
cockpit. Clovis sat in the pilot seat and made an entry in his flight log. He then turned on the plane's
electronic equipment in preparation to take off. Meanwhile, Anneliese sat in the copilot seat and sipped
from her cup of coffee.
Would you like something to drink Ancel heard a woman ask from behind him, and when he
turned and looked, his mouth dropped open. Her name was Ursula Eberhardt, and she was drop-dead
gorgeous, with long, blond hair in a pony tail that hung to the small of her back.
Whoa! he thought as he stared at her with his eyes about to pop out of his head. I'll have
some wine if there is any. he said after a few seconds of silence brought on by the shocking sight of this
beauty who stood before him like a goddess in the aisle.
Ursula walked to the rear of the plane and entered a small kitchen area, and she returned
shortly with a glass of red wine, which she placed on a serving tray in front of Ancel. Would you like
anything to eat she asked.
No, thanks. Ancel replied. I ate shortly before leaving the house.
If you need anything, I'll be in the seat behind you. Ursula said.
Okay. Ancel replied.
Suddenly, there was the sound of the engines throttling up, and the plane taxied down the
runway and gained speed as it neared the end. It made a wide arcing right-hand turn, and shortly after
straightening the wheels, Clovis pulled back on the joystick, thus bringing the nose up, and the plane
lifted off the ground and was airborne. Sitting back in the seat, Ancel held his glass of wine between his
legs and waited for the plane to level out before attempting to take a swig.
In the meantime, Katrin and the kids talked as they headed back home. Would you like to go to
Karl and Olga's she asked.
Yes. the children answered, and Katrin drove a couple of miles outside of town and pulled into
the driveway of a small house with nothing but rolling hills behind it.
Ancel had settled in, and for the most part, things were great. However, he had begun to miss
Katrin and the children, and there was a part of him that wished he hadn't decided to take this trip.
However, his anticipation for what awaited him in Africa was great, and he wanted to document as
much as possible for his wife and kids. He lifted his glass to his lips and took a small sip, savoring the
sweet flavor of the red liquid as it trickled down. Meanwhile, the plane soared high above fluffy, white
clouds.

Jomo Kenyatta Airport
Nairobi, Kenya, Africa
Sunday, June 26, 1988
The trip from Munich to Kenya took 20 hours and 45 minutes in all. Along the way, Clovis
refueled at his usual spot in Zurich, Switzerland. Then, he, Anneliese, Ursula, and Ancel were back in the
air and headed straight for Kenya.
The flight wasn't all too bad. In fact, whenever Clovis handed control of the plane to Anneliese,
he and Ancel would crack jokes while drinking wine now and then, and whenever Clovis was at the
controls, Anneliese would join Ursula and Ancel, and both women would tell funny stories that had him
rolling with laughter.
After touching down at Jomo Kenyatta International, Clovis accompanied Ancel through the
terminal. Some short time later, they were met by an African couple. Abdullateef Ndiaye and his wife,
Shanti Babak, had known Ancel and his family for several years. Whenever Ancel traveled to Africa with
Katrin and the children, Abdullateef and Shanti let them stay at their place while Ancel was on one of his
jungle adventures. Now, it was just Ancel, and Abdullateef and Shanti would accompany him on this
trek. Abdullateef! Ancel called out when he saw the man sitting on a chair near a viewing window.
Ancel! Abdullateef answered with a great deal of joy in his voice. It's great to see you! he
said in his native Swahili language.
It's great to see you, too. Ancel replied. Ancel, who was fluent in several languages, studied
Swahili when he was in college, and he mastered it wonderfully. In fact, he and a native Swahili African
could carry on a full conversation. How are you and Shanti he continued.
Oh, we have been doing just fine. Abdullateef answered. Do you want to sit here and rest
before heading out to our car
Sure. Ancel said, and Abdullateef pointed at a chair to the left of the one he sat in.
So this is the famous Abdullateef Ndiaye. Clovis said as he approached.
Yes, Ancel replied, and beside him is his lovely wife, Shanti Babak.
You have to translate for me, Clovis said, because neither I nor Anneliese know Swahili.
Both Clovis and Ancel got a big surprise when suddenly, out of the blue, Abdullateef spoke
fluent German. Ich spreche kein Deutsch, Clovis (English translation I don't speak German, Clovis)
Clovis and Ancel's mouths dropped wide-open, and Abdullateef and Shanti roared with laughter.
I have been studying German for quite a while now, Abdullateef said in German, but I thought I would
surprise you someday.
Where are you studying Clovis asked.
Amref International University, Abdullateef said, in Nairobi, where I am taking classes in
architecture. A lot has been happening in my life since the last time we had seen each other. I'm glad
you're here.
Same here. Ancel said, and the two shook hands. Ancel then grabbed his luggage. Should we
head out to your place
Let's go. Abdullateef said, and the three headed out to Abdullateef and Shanti's car.
Later, at Abdullateef and Shanti's house, the three friends ate a delicious meal prepared by
Shanti, and after, they sat around the table and told stories. That night, Ancel, Abdullateef, and Shanti
slept on beds shrouded in mosquito nets, and on the following morning, they went shopping in Kenya.
Ancel bought several large jugs of water for the jungle excursion, and Abdullateef bought plenty
ammunition for his gun. The three of them bought various food items and insect repellent before
heading back to the little bungalow. The two weeks spent with Abdullateef and Shanti at their place
were full of fun and laughter. On the last night of their stay, Friday, July 8, 1988, the trio of friends
gathered around a back yard bonfire and sipped some beer that Ancel had brought from Germany, and
they told stories and laughed.

(To Be Continued.)

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:16 AM
Content: This is a continuation of Vol. 1 of the Baque series, which is an on-going project by BabyBoy2023.

Saturday, July 9, 1988
945 AM
The morning was crystal clear as the sun was in the middle of its ascent in the sky. Ancel,
Abdullateef, and Shanti, having packed their bags, took a three-mile trip from the countryside bungalow
to Nairobi, where they boarded a plane bound for Kinshasa. On that day, there weren't too many people
on the plane, something the trio of friends were thankful for, because they didn't want to be packed like
sardines and have to sit with people they didn't know from Adam.
To save money, each of the three people agreed to pay for their own plane ticket. This meant
that each would pay $274.00 for a 4-hour flight from Nairobi to Kinshasa.
What are you hoping to see when we get there Ancel asked Shanti.
I hope to see a colony of baques. Shanti replied.
What Ancel asked.
Baques, Abdullateef said, which have been either talked about or written about by various
people. It is unclear as to whether or not these little creatures exist, but if so, they are nothing to fear because, according to people's accounts of their encounters, they are as gentle as babies.
I'll be damned. Ancel said.
The friends' plane touched down in Kinshasa around 100 PM, and after retrieving their luggage,
they rented a land rover and headed into the Congo Rainforest. About three miles in, they parked the
car, exited with their bags, and walked along a well-beaten path shrouded by a dense jungle canopy
comprised of various trees, and among them were cinchona trees, strangler figs, African oak, red cedar,
and mahogany. The air was full of sound and smell and the wind blew gently. The wavering sound of the
wind blowing through the hollow pods of a whistling thorn tree caught Ancel's attention. I think that is
the neatest thing ever. he said. It's so fascinating because ants are able to alter the structure of the
pods by boring into them,and hollowing them out, thus, in a sense, turning them into little flutes.
That is nature's finest instrument. Shanti said.
Keep walking slow, Abdullateef reminded Shanti and Ancel, and watch for snakes.
Several minutes into their trek, the three people stopped, drank water, and ate some fruit and
nuts Abdullateef and Shanti bought while at the market in Nairobi. Ancel brought with him a video
camera that used VHS cassettes, and he recorded his first video of himself and the others standing
under the leafy canopy. He took out his Polaroid camera and took a couple of photographs. He then
packed his gear and the group trudged on.
Later in the day, the friends came to a clearing with a small stream flanking its east side, and
they set up their tents. Ancel brought his own from Munich, and Abdullateef and Shanti brought theirs
from their home on the outskirts of Nairobi. As the sun set, Abdullateef gathered wood and leaves to
start a campfire, and Shanti prepared some bush meat she had brought in a cooler packed with ice. It
was antelope meat, a favorite of both hers and Abdullateef's. She seasoned it with her best spices and
salted it well. When the fire was going, she handed the prepared meat over to Abdullateef, who roasted
it over the open flame. The aroma of fresh antelope meat cooking filled the clearing and made
everybody's mouth water.
It had begun to grow dark in the forest as the sun sank below the trees. The evening air was
filled with the sounds of singing insects, and somewhere in the distance, a troop of spider monkeys
screamed as they jumped from one tree to another.
Suddenly, there was a crashing sound as something large, perhaps an elephant, moved through
the forest. Then, all was still. Ancel took his video camera and his Polaroid camera from his bag and took
more videos and still photos. Hey, Ancel, Abdullateef began, have you ever seen an okapi
Once. Ancel replied. I was closer to the Congo river back in 1984, and I saw one pass in front
of me.
Were you scared Abdullateef asked.
Somewhat, Ancel began, but I was wearing camouflage, so I wasn't too worried.
How far was the okapi from you Abdullateef asked.
I couldn't tell, Ancel said, because there was too much vegetation in the way. I only got a
little glimpse of what I guessed to be a male based on its stripe pattern.
When the meat was done, Abdullateef cut it into bite-size pieces, and he, Shanti, and Ancel ate.
Shanti took bottles of beer from the cooler that contained the meat and everybody drank and told
stories as thick tendrils of smoke rose up from the fire. Abdullateef, Ancel said suddenly, pointing at a
snake not too far from where he sat, is that a puff adder
Being careful as not to get too close to the snake, Abdullateef approached slowly and shone a
flashlight at it. That, my friend, is a puff adder. he said. That is a dangerous reptile. Get bit, and you
will die after about 25 hours at the longest.
How careful do you have to be Ancel asked. He knew a lot about snakes, but this was one he
knew very little about.
They can strike sideways. Abdullateef explained. They coil up, and then, whack, they get you. They are extremely fast, and they inject a huge load of venom. Do you want to hear it hiss
Do you think you can provoke it without getting too close Ancel asked.
I have a long branch. Abdullateef said, and he turned around and waved the long, thick branch
at Ancel. I'll try to provoke him with this. Using the end of the branch, Abdullateef prodded the puff
adder, which let loose with an extremely long and loud hiss. Now, I will try to get it to strike the
branch. Abdullateef said, and he moved the branch toward the snake, which had wound itself into a
tight coil on the floor of the clearing. Suddenly, there was a flash of movement that made all three
people jump as the snake struck the branch. That is why you don't want to get close to a puff adder.
Abdullateef said.
You have a lot of guts. Ancel said after a bit of silence.
I love snakes, Abdullateef began, and I have a great deal of respect for them.
A couple of hours passed before everyone called it a night. Abdullateef put out the fire, and he
and Shanti entered their tent. Ancel, who had a bit of beer left in his bottle, carried it into his tent,
where he finished it before lying down and reading a book, using the light on his video camera to help
him. He was into mystery novels, and thus, he had brought with him a Nancy Drew mystery novel.

Early Morning
Sunday, July 10, 1988 (Time Unknown)
Ancel was awakened by a loud crashing sound in the forest. Lying still, he listened as the sounds
grew nearer. He didn't know whether or not to alert Abdullateef and Shanti, both of whom were heavy
sleepers, but he knew that whatever was out there was big and ferocious. As the sounds grew evermore
close, Ancel could hear the creatures snarling and breathing heavily as they approached the clearing,
and his skin prickled. Lions, he thought. For a moment, he was afraid to move, but finally, he mustered
up enough courage to open the window flap by his head and peer through the nylon mesh, and that was
when he saw a large pride of lionesses with cubs. Oh, great, he thought, they have babies and if they
know we're here, they will attack us for sure.
Ancel held his breath and waited for one of the mama lionesses to detect a scent and,
surprisingly, none of them had. Instead, they all made their way across the clearing and drank from the
stream on the east side, some 100 yards or more from the two tents. Relieved, Ancel sighed, though he
was visibly shaken.
Suddenly, one of the lionesses let out a spine-tingling roar, and the whole pride ran swiftly back
in the direction of the tents. Hearing the commotion, Abdullateef nudged his wife. Simba! he
whispered frantically. Simba is the Swahili word for lion. He then said, Pata bunduki, or get the guns.
Both Abdullateef and Shanti were up and about, and from his tent, Ancel heard the tell-tale
sounds of ammo being loaded into long guns. There was the metallic ratchety shinket sound of the
rounds being chambered. Then, he heard the tent's zipper race rapidly up its track, and he knew the two
were stepping out into the darkness. Endelea kuweka, Ancel! Abdullateef said sharply, and Ancel did
as commanded. (Endelea kuweka Swahili for stay put.)
Ancel felt his heart thud in his chest, and his carotid arteries throbbed wildly in his neck. Then
came the unmistakable sound of rapid gunfire as both Abdullateef and Shanti fired their weapons
repeatedly. Lucky for the three of them, the lionesses turned and ran off into the forest, crashing
through the tangled vines as they went.
Ancel let out a sigh of relief when he realized that the worse was over. He reached over and
stopped his video camera, which he had turned on when he was awakened by the lions. He then
documented the event in his personal journal before putting his things away and going back to sleep.
700 AM
Ancel got up, stretched, yawned, and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Clearing his throat, he stood up from his pallet, which consisted of a sleeping bag and two pillows, and he exited his tent to find
Abdullateef looking around the clearing. What are you looking for Ancel asked.
I'm making sure we didn't shoot any of the lionesses. Abdullateef answered. I would feel
terrible if we had actually killed either the mothers or their babies. Luckily, not a single trace, other than
tracks, was found. So Abdullateef and Ancel sat outside and talked as they ate bananas. The sky was
overcast as a brisk breeze blew from the north, and the distant whistling thorn trees sang their endless
harmonious song.
Shanti exited the tent and sat by the two men. How was your first night in the jungle she
asked Ancel.
Good for the most part. Ancel replied. The only thing that put me on edge... well, I misspoke.
The only two things that put me on edge last night were the puff adder and the lionesses. Other than
that, all was good.

Chapter 2
The Survivalist

Though Ancel Kuntz knew all the rules of survival in the wilderness, he knew not that he would
have to use them, but that ended up being the case on Sunday, July 10, 1988. The sun had emerged
from behind the clouds and the day grew hotter. Later that afternoon, after Ancel and the others ate a
fine meal prepared by Shanti Babak, they took down their tents, packed them up, and moved further
into the jungle. Around 400 PM, they came to a gorgeous rock cliff with a water fall cascading down its
face. At the base of the fall was a large lake teaming with fish. Abdullateef and Shanti decided to pitch
their tent on a high plateau several hundred yards from the lake. Meanwhile, Ancel took videos and
photos of the area. A small troop of spider monkeys swung from the branches of the trees that lined the
lake, and a couple of juveniles scampered down a tree and watched Ancel with curious eyes.
Around 530 PM, the two men fished, and after catching a few, they headed up the plateau to
the flat plain at the top, where they both prepared an area for a bonfire. Then, as Ancel pitched his tent,
Abdullateef cleaned the fish and prepped them for frying.
610 PM
When the fish was done, Abdullateef, Shanti, and Ancel gathered around the fire, ate, and told
stories. After dinner, Shanti took from her bag a bamboo flute and played a Swahili song as Abdullateef
sang and drummed on a hollow log.
Suddenly, there came a continuous chant of many voices from somewhere in the jungle, and
Shanti and Abdullateef stopped playing and singing. The voices were clearly those of men and women,
though their language was indecipherable to all three friends. Abdullateef knew, however, that it could
mean big trouble for him, Shanti, and Ancel. Lately, news had been spreading in regard to local outdoors
men and women being massacred by large gangs of criminals, who had developed their own language
and resided deep in the jungles of the Congo.
Run, Ancel! Abdullateef hissed. Run now!
What are you and Shanti going to do Ancel asked.
We're going to our tent to grab our guns. Abdullateef said. You just get out of here and find a
place to hide.
Reluctantly, Ancel did as was ordered. Meanwhile, Abdullateef and Shanti raced to their tent. As
he ran down the plateau in the direction of the lake, he heard the large crowd growing nearer. Quickly,
he raced along the base of the cliff and stopped when he came to a small opening he missed earlier that
day when he and his two friends arrived. It was hidden partially behind some large ferns. Quick as
lightening, he parted the ferns and darted into the narrow crevasse that went straight back about 150 feet before opening into a wide chamber with several passages leading off of it. He realized that he had
entered a large underground cavern system, which offered many places for hiding from trouble.
After running to the farthest side of the chamber, Ancel stopped, opened his bag, and took out
his flashlight and shone it around, making sure nothing was in there with him. Upon seeing the light, a
large colony of bats swooped down and flew about, their wing beats and screams reverberating heavily
within the cave. Fearing the possibility of somebody outside seeing any smidgen of light that might
make its way out through the cave's entrance, he shut his flashlight off and put it back in his bag.
Ancel crouched with his back against a rocky wall and listened. He could hear the faint whooping
shouts of the gang, but he also heard somebody screaming in absolute agony, though he didn't know
who it was. He then heard several shots ring out, and he guessed that either Abdullateef or Shanti, or
perhaps both, had fired their guns.
Suddenly, everything was quiet, and that frightened Ancel, but he knew that he must stay put
because that was what he was ordered to do. After several minutes had gone by, he decided to lie on
the floor, using his bag of clothes as a makeshift pillow. However, the longer he lied there, the more
worried about Abdullateef and Shanti he got. So he decided to risk life and limb and seek them.
Standing up slowly as to keep from hitting his head on any low parts of the cave's ceiling, Ancel
shone his flashlight in front of him and moved cautiously into the narrow passage leading out. Spider
webs hung everywhere, and the place was crawling with various spiders and other insects. A small lizard
scampered pass him on the floor, and a Goliath beetle flew over his head.
Back at the mouth of the cave, Ancel pushed the ferns aside and stepped out into the humid
night air. He turned to his left and advanced up the side of the plateau, and when he reached the
clearing and shone his light, he was horrified by what he saw. Several bodies lay dead and bloody on the
ground near the campsite, and among them were Abdullateef and Shanti. The surviving gang members
had retreated back into the jungle thicket, but before they did, they removed Shanti's jewelry and a
pendent that her grandmother had given her. Her bamboo flute, a gift from her grandfather, lay broken
in two atop the hollow log that Abdullateef had been drumming on while singing along to Shanti's
beautiful melody.
The scene was too much for Ancel to take in, and he fell to his knees and wailed loudly, wishing
he hadn't followed Abdullateef's orders. He thought about racing through the jungle until he reached
Abdullateef and Shanti's rented land rover, but there was one problem. Because they were leading the
way and due to the fact that they were many miles from where they parked, finding the car would have
been impossible. So he walked back to his tent, or what was left of it, sat down, buried his face in his
hands, and wept.
The time must have been close to 800 or later, and the forest had grown dark as no sunlight
made its way through the thick vegetation. Ancel moved his destroyed tent around and looked under
the ripped canvas for anything that may have been left. As luck would have it, the gang hadn't taken
everything, and he had several large containers of drinking water. However, he wondered how he was
going to find food being that it looked like the gang had taken every fire arm he, Abdullateef, and Shanti
had brought along. If only he had his gun in close range, maybe, with three armed and fighting back,
perhaps they could have driven the gang away and Abdullateef and Shanti would have been spared.
Ancel began to hate himself for listening to his friend, and silently, he cursed himself over and over
again. How could I have been so stupid he said softly through his sobs. I am a blooming idiot! Oh,
Abdullateef and Shanti, I am so sorry! Please forgive me!
After gathering his jugs of water and putting them in his large bag, Ancel made his way back to
the cave he had sought shelter in during the ambush. He figured that, though the place was full of
rodents, insects, and maybe even reptiles, at least it would keep him from being killed by those
heartless maniacs who killed his best friends. Besides Clovis Gunzenhauser and his wife, Abdullateef and
Shanti were Ancel's best friends, and the pain of losing them was unbearable. Abdullateef was such a kind and noble man, and his wife was a sweetheart. Both had an incredible sense of humor, and they
loved nature. It didn't seem right that they were chosen to die. Abdullateef, whose name in translation
meant to serve a kind man, or servant of the subtle, was taken too soon along with his beautiful
wife, Shanti, whose name meant peace.
Ancel decided not to sleep in the main chamber of the cave, but to see where one of the many
passages led. Perhaps he would find a lake or even a water fall in some area deep within, and maybe, for
a few days, perhaps he could kill small reptiles and roast them over a bonfire. Perhaps there might even
be fish down there. Walking slowly, Ancel played his flashlight over the walls, floor, and ceiling of the
narrow passage, which sloped downhill gently, and he passed under sharp needle-like crystals and
stalactites. It seemed as if he walked forever, but finally, the passage opened to an incredibly large
chamber with a high domed ceiling. In the center of the ceiling was what looked to him to be a vertical
shaft that led perhaps up to the floor of the jungle. He stopped walking, and as the reverberation faded
away to nothing, he heard the distant sound of flowing water. So he started walking toward where he
believed the sound was coming from, and when he reached the far side of the large chamber, he saw a
narrow passage that looked like an arched doorway, and on the other side of a solid rock wall
approximately four feet thick, he saw a much smaller chamber with a stream running down the middle
of it.
Ancel knew that this part of the cave would do for a little while, but he couldn't stay there
forever. Turning back around, he walked a few feet away from the passage, placed his bags on the floor
of the mammoth chamber, took out his sleeping bag, which he took from his wrecked tent before
heading down to the cave, and he spread it on the floor. He then slid himself into it and zipped it. He
then took from the smaller of the two bags his Polaroid camera, video camera, and personal journal. He
turned on the video camera and activated its light. Turning it so that it faced him, he looked directly into
it and spoke
Hello, Katrin, Heinrich, Sabine, Heidi, and Adolph, the date of this recording is Sunday, July 10, 1988,
and the time is 900 PM, according to my watch. how are you doing I am not doing so well as I ran into
trouble this evening. Sadly, Abdullateef and Shanti were killed by a gang and their jewelry and other
items were either taken or destroyed. Our tents were wrecked, too, and I felt it best to come down here
and stay in this huge cave system for a while. Just know that my thoughts are with you and you are in
my heart. Katrin, please give the kids kisses and hugs for me and tell them Daddy loves them a whole
bunch. Aw, I don't mean to get so sentimental, but I'm really heartbroken tonight. About the only
friends I have as of now are the spiders, bats, lizards, and God knows what else may be in this cave with
me. I miss Abdullateef and Shanti so much, and I really hate myself for listening to Abdullateef when he
told me to run. I should have at least attempted to get my gun and fight alongside him and Shanti. God,
why did I listen to him
After expressing his feelings on camera, Ancel turned it around and looked through the viewing
lens as he crawled out of his sleeping bag. I figured I would show you my temporary new home. he
said as if he were speaking to his wife and kids. He then pointed the camera at the high domed ceiling.
Look at those crystals on the high ceiling. he said. Aren't they beautiful Ooh, there's a tarantula on
that ledge to my right, and judging by what I am looking at, that thing is huge. I'm glad I have my
repellent with me.
Ancel shut off his camera and laid back down. Only this time, he curled up inside his sleeping
bag, zipped it, and after positioning himself in a way so as to keep his head covered up, he moved his
large bag and positioned it in a way that it blocked the mouth of the sleeping bag. However, that wasn't
good enough. He had to make sure he would be sheltered from any spiders or other things that could be
potentially fatal. So he lied there and thought about things he could do to prevent himself from beingprey to some large spiders or even rodents or snakes. He then thought about the remainder of his tent.
It was still atop the plateau, where he, Abdullateef, and Shanti had eaten a wonderful fish dinner some
short time prior to the encounter with the gang. If it was still there, he could fashion a sort-of shroud to
prevent things from getting to him. Instantly, he leapt to his feet, looked his sleeping bag over to make
sure nothing was on it, picked it up, and crammed it into his large bag, which he then zipped shut and
left directly under the large shaft-like hole in the ceiling. He then spun around to face the long tunnel
that led to the main chamber and raced toward it.
When he reached the main chamber, Ancel found a broken stalactite, and though it wasn't
much, at least he had something to use as a temporary marker to tell him which tunnel to enter when
he returned with the remains of his tent. After laying the long piece of stalactite across the mouth of the
passage, Ancel raced along the narrow passageway that led out of the cave, and he didn't even part the
ferns when he reached the entrance. Instead, he blew through them like a mad bear through a door
made of cardboard. He turned quickly to the left, raced up the plateau and, turning to avoid looking at
the carnage that littered the ground, he ran toward the large pieces of canvas that still lay on the fallen
leaves and twigs. He shone his light on the material, and when he was sure all was good, he yanked it off
the ground and shook it vigorously, watching for anything that may either fall out onto the ground or
come crawling toward his hands. Luckily, there wasn't a single creepy crawly in sight. So he wadded the
material up and carried it under his left arm as he ran back down the plateau in the direction of his cave.
After returning to his temporary shelter deep within the cavernous network of twisting and
turning tunnels and passageways, Ancel went to work. First, he unzipped his large bag and pulled from it
his sleeping bag, which he laid out on the hard rock floor. He then unwadded the canvas sheeting and
fanned it like one would a bed sheet, thus letting it fall onto his sleeping bag. He then tucked the sides in
so they were underneath the sleeping bag. Moving around to the foot of the bag, he tucked the canvas,
making sure it went well up the length of the sleeping bag. He then returned to the sides of the bag,
tucking each side of the shroud under until the edges overlapped each other.
When he was satisfied that all was sealed well beneath the sleeping bag, Ancel crawled inside it
and zipped it. He then pulled the remaining flap of material up over his head and, turning onto his belly,
he tucked it under the head of his sleeping bag, making sure to push it far enough under so as to keep it
from dislodging. He then checked to make sure no openings were present. When he was sure all was
good, he laid his head on his pillow and prayed for Jesus to soften the hearts of the men, who killed
Abdullateef and Shanti, and to have mercy on their souls. Shortly after, he was out like a light.

Monday, July 11, 1988
Ancel was awakened by sounds coming from above. For a moment, he didn't recognize where
he was. He felt the canvas shrouding that surrounded his sleeping bag and he panicked. He then
remembered the events of the previous night, and when he emerged from his protective cocoon, he
saw murky light shining down from above. The calls of various types of monkeys made their way into the
chamber via the vertical shaft, and Ancel sat and listened a while. He then turned toward the
doorway-like passage that led into the chamber, where the water fall was, and when he entered, he
pulled out of his bag a collapsible fishing rod and some tackle he brought from Germany, and he cast his
line into the stream and waited.
A couple of minutes passed before Ancel felt a tug on his line. When he reeled it in, he saw that
he had caught a fairly large fish. It might not have been a lot, but at least, he got enough food to fill his
stomach and keep him going until around noon or later.
The time was 700, according to Ancel's watch. So he had plenty time to plan for what could be
an all-day task. As bad as he hated it, he had to return to the spot, where his friends were massacred. It
was bright enough that he could look around and perhaps take any left-over food or fruit Abdullateef
and Shanti brought with them. He knew they would have wanted him to eat it rather than let it go to waste.
Ancel transferred every item he had in his smaller bag to the larger duffle bag. He then packed
his sleeping bag and the makeshift shrouding before zipping the big bag shut. Leaving the duffle bag in
the cave, he carried the smaller bag out. When he reached the top of the plateau, he looked around,
and low and behold, the gang hadn't made off with Abdullateef and Shanti's fruit and nuts, and a
semi-automatic rifle was left behind as well. Abdullateef and Shanti, Ancel said aloud, I hope you
don't mind me taking this gun and ammo, but I must protect myself.
Ancel brought with him a small hand gun, but Abdullateef and Shanti had some killer long guns.
A six-shot revolver might be good for killing game, but if one is in danger, he or she might want to have a
gun that is big and mean and can fire off as many rounds as possible.
Packing the bullets into his bag, Ancel looked around, checking for signs of trouble. All was calm
for the most part. He couldn't bring himself to look toward where the bonfire was burning the previous
night, because that was where the bloody massacre had taken place, and he didn't want to see his
friends in that condition.
After the last of the bullets were gathered up and packed, Ancel gathered the fruit and the nuts
and put them in the bag. He then saw that Abdullateef and Shanti's tent still stood next to a red cedar
tree, but when he looked closely, he saw that it had been torn violently either by something or
someone. He looked into the tent to find that it was empty. They had even made off with the couple's
bedding.
Back in the cave, Ancel loaded Abdullateef's rifle. He then pealed and sliced mangos, using a
knife he fashioned from a piece of wood he found while gathering the food. It was crude, but it worked.
It took a great deal of time, but after rubbing and grinding the dense wood against the rocks in the cave,
finally, Ancel had honed a nice edge for cutting.
For now, Ancel was good. When he went up to search for Abdullateef and Shanti the previous
night, he found his large bag under the canvas that was his tent, and though he thought the gang had
taken his gun and ammo, shockingly, his bag was untouched. He had plenty ammunition for both his
six-shot revolver and Abdullateef's rifle, and he hoped he could reserve it for times of emergency. He
also took from Abdullateef and Shanti's wrecked tent a small bag that contained heavy objects, but what
they were, Ancel hadn't a clue. Carrying the pistol with him, he entered the darker chamber with the
water fall and stream flowing through it, and he sat on the floor, placing his back against a hard rock
wall, and he cried as he thought of Abdullateef and Shanti while listening to the water as it lapped the
rocks and splashed in a small pool at the head of the stream.
Suddenly, there came a low, guttural roar that caught Ancel's attention, and when he turned
toward the arched passageway, he saw a lion standing there, staring back at him. Wasting no time at all,
he readied his pistol and took aim. He fired the first shot, but missed. There was the tell-tale ping of
the bullet as it ricocheted off something in the larger chamber. The round pinged off of several rocks
before finally coming to rest on the floor. Again, Ancel fired, and this time, he hit the lion square
between the eyes as it prepared to pounce on him.
Ancel collected himself after what had been a few seconds of intense fear. Looking down at the
fresh carcass that lay just feet from him, he realized that he had just killed what might make for a fine
meal. Abdullateef, he thought, you would know how to do this, but I have never prepared lion meat
for cooking. There was a problem. Ancel needed to transfer wood from above to his new home to build
a fire. This cave was perfect. The big chamber could be his kitchen. Why not With that big shaft leading
up from the domed ceiling, he had the perfect chimney for venting smoke from a fire. Oh, but how was
he going to get the wood from up there to the floor of the chamber Aha! he thought as the idea of
fashioning a carrying pack occurred to him. Abdullateef and Shanti's tent was ripped. However, the thick
rope that held it secured to its poles could be very useful, not to mention a large piece of the tent itself.
Before leaving, Ancel put on his bug repellent. He then raced back up to the surface and unsecured Abdullateef and Shanti's torn tent. He then tore a large piece of material from it and, using
one of the steaks, he poked holes in it and threaded the rope through them. When he was finished, he
had himself a makeshift canvas bag of sort, and he gathered all kinds of sticks, leaves, twigs, and
branches, which he carried down to his makeshift home. After dumping the bundle next to the lion
carcass, he went up for larger pieces of wood, and he brought them back.
Suddenly, another idea came to him. He remembered seeing Abdullateef with a large knife that
looked to be very sharp. I wonder if he may still have it on him. he thought. So he returned to the
former camp sight for a third time and, though he didn't want to see the gory state of his friend's body,
he knew he had to find that knife. It seemed as if Abdullateef was speaking directly into Ancel's brain,
saying, here's what you need, my friend. Come and get it.
Closing his eyes, Ancel felt his friend's body, which had begun to bloat up in the jungle heat.
Flies buzzed about the corpse, and before long, the smell of decay would fill the air. When Ancel
reached Abdullateef's trousers, he felt around, gently turning the body slightly to one side and then the
other, but the knife wasn't there. He thought he felt something hard under his right knee, and when he
checked to see what it was he was kneeling on, he saw that it was Abdullateef's knife, still in its
protective sheath. Grabbing the knife, he ran away from the grizzly sight. At the bottom of the plateau,
he washed his hands in the lake after he had touched Abdullateef's decaying body. He then parted the
ferns and headed back to his labyrinth to clean and prep the meat. The jungle air was hot, but
underground, all was cool. Nature's air conditioning, Ancel thought as he basked in the pleasure.
Back then, cell phones weren't as portable as in their present time, and not everybody had one.
So Ancel had no means of communicating with the outside world. For now, he was all alone in the
Congolese rainforest, miles from civilization, and at the moment, all was fine. However, Ancel knew he
couldn't stay in his underground oasis forever. He needed to find a way of seeking help for himself. Not
only that, but who knew what conditions would result if a hard rain came. For all he knew, the now dry
cave could turn into a watery hell.
After cleaning the meat, Ancel seasoned it with some of Shanti's finest, and he skewered each
piece on a stick until he had a shish kabob. He held the pieces over the fire, rotating them slowly until
the meat was good and brown. He then prepared another stick and repeated this task. Hah, he
laughed aloud, cat kabob! He imagined both Abdullateef and Shanti rolling with laughter, which made
him crack up. For a moment, he felt as if they were right there, watching him, and for the first time since
the horrible event of the night before, he felt peace wash over him.
After allowing the shish kabobs to cool, Ancel ate his first piece of seasoned lion meat, and it
tasted pretty good. Suddenly, he became ravenous, and he knew he would have to fry up some more.
So he prepared more meat, skewered it, and held it over the flames. The aroma of wood smoke and
frying seasoned lion meat filled the cave, and Ancel wished not only his friends, but also, his wife and
children, were there to savor it all. Suddenly, he had another idea. Because he was putting a video
documentary together for his wife and kids, he decided to video tape himself cooking the skewered lion
over his bonfire.
Suddenly, Ancel felt something hit his back. It was somewhat heavy, perhaps many grams heavy,
and it landed on his upper back, just below the start of his neck. He then felt it move along his shirt on
its way to his right shoulder. Looking back, he freaked out when he saw out of the corner of his right eye
a large tarantula crawling on his shirt. Quickly, he grabbed a stick and knocked the spider off of him.
However, the tarantula, now highly agitated, was determined to get the best of him, but Ancel wasn't
having any of it. Pinning the big spider down with a larger piece of wood, he grabbed a second piece,
sandwiched the arachnid between them, and tossed the whole shot into the fire. Take that, pal! he
said as the spider's body crackled and popped as it roasted inside its exoskeleton. Yeah, guys, he spoke
into his video camera, around here, you really have to keep your eye out for stuff like that.
Ancel placed his camera back on the small rock ledge beside him and skewered more meat. So I have it seasoned with the good stuff Shanti brought with her. he said. Now, I'll take the stick, hold it
above the fire horizontally, and I will rotate it about four times slowly during the whole 15 minutes it will
take to cook it thoroughly. This is a good lesson for you in case, God forbid, you find yourself in a similar
condition.
The one thing Ancel was sure to bring with him was plenty battery power for both his video
camera and his Polaroid camera. After skewering and frying some more meat, he checked the video
camera and saw that he still had quite a bit of battery power left. So he let it continue rolling as he
prepped and fried some more meat.
The day dragged on, and for now, Ancel was safe. Around 400 that afternoon, he returned to
the top of the plateau to gather large leaves, twigs, and long blades of grass. He also gathered some
large branches of dense wood, all of which he had to carry a few pieces at a time. It took several trips
until finally, he was satisfied. Back in the cave, he fashioned a makeshift chair of sort, using the leaves as
a bit of cushioning material. Using the tough blades of grass, he wove a sort-of netting, which he
secured to several branches he had bound together with pieces of Abdullateef and Shanti's tent rope,
thus making a frame. He then placed two large logs on the floor of the cave and placed the frame with
its grass netting atop them. He then spread the leaves over the netting and covered them with another
piece of the material he had torn from Abdullateef and Shanti's tent. What he had now was a makeshift
seat that was elevated approximately a foot from the floor. How to increase its height was a challenge,
but Ancel had another brilliant idea. What would my friend Abdullateef do he thought. Again, he
went back up to get some more wood. When he returned, he laid down a sort-of grid composed of large
wood pieces and he lashed them together with rope. He then took the original two logs he had placed
under the makeshift seat, and he put the frame on them. So now, what he had essentially was a sort-of
wooden pallet composed of branches that were supported by two logs laid parallel to each other on the
cave floor. He then took two more logs and laid them atop the pallet, and he lashed them to it with rope
to keep them from moving. He then put the makeshift seat atop the two logs, and when he sat down,
much to his surprise, it was the right height. Placing his duffle bag behind him, Ancel leaned back and
watched the flames dance and the tendrils of smoke spiral their way up the vertical shaft.

Early Morning
Tuesday, July 12, 1988
The previous night wasn't all that bad. However, Ancel slept in a different location. He decided
to move his things into the smaller chamber and sleep some 10 yards or so from the stream. He loved
the stream with its water fall that flowed from somewhere above ground through a passage lined with
raiser-sharp crystals. The sounds of the water were soothing, and it helped take his mind off of his
current situation. As before, Ancel spread the material from his destroyed tent and made a protective
cocoon that shrouded his sleeping bag and himself, thus preventing any tarantulas or other potentially
deadly insects from coming in contact with his skin. After making sure all was good, he lied down and
crashed shortly after.
Around 5 AM, Ancel was awakened by the sound of the water. What was once a gentle stream
had begun to turn into a churning nightmare, and the water was rising fast. It filled the chamber with a
guttural roar that increased in loudness. Instantly, Ancel burst out of his sleeping bag and threw the
shrouding aside, and when he shone his flashlight toward the stream, he saw that it was threatening to
spill out onto the chamber floor, which sloped gently downward toward the channel.
Ancel leapt to his feet, but not before gathering the sleeping bag and shoving the canvas
shrouding inside it. He ran out of the chamber, grabbed his large duffle bag, unzipped it, shoved the
sleeping bag inside it, and zipped it shut. He then grabbed it and his smaller bag and, using his flashlight
to assist him, made his way out of the cave. As he passed under the shaft, he was doused with a deluge
of rain. He ran along the tunnel linking the large chamber to the much smaller main chamber, which comprised a network of passages, and as he ran, he heard the tell-tale rumble of water gushing from
somewhere deep within the caverns. Some of that sound was coming from what was his underground
lair, and the other, which was much more intense, was coming from some unexplored passages.
Suddenly, Ancel stopped dead in his tracks when he saw that he was approximately ten feet
from another of the rainforest's most feared snakes, a spitting cobra. Much to Ancel's luck, the serpent
didn't notice him, and it slithered toward the main chamber and turned to the left. Ancel waited for a
few seconds before darting along the remaining few yards he had to go before entering the chamber.
When he entered and turned toward the exit, he stopped when he heard the tell-tale roar of gushing
water. He had to see exactly where the water was. If it wasn't anywhere close to the cave's mouth, that
big fisher in the rocky cliff face, he could make a run for higher ground. If that were not the case,
however, that meant that Ancel was in danger of being killed and would have to find a different way
out, and God only knew where that cobra had gone when it exited the passage both it and Ancel were in
just seconds prior.
Slowly, Ancel made his way along the narrow passage leading out of the cave, and when he
reached the opening and peered out through the parted ferns, he saw that his worse fear was a reality.
The water had begun to creep up to the mouth of the cave, and it was rising quickly. Ancel looked down
at his shoes and saw that he was already standing in an inch of water. Turning quickly, he raced back
into the cave, and when he reached the main chamber, he headed for one of the three large offshoots
that led to areas unknown to him. The top of the passage was lined with needle-like crystals, and Ancel
had to stoop to keep from getting ripped to pieces as he ran under them.
The passageway funneled out slowly, and before long, Ancel could stand straight as he ran along
the twisting structure. When he reached the end, he found himself standing beneath a large rocky shelf,
whose underside sloped upward at an approximate 45-degree angle. He shone his light around and
realized that straight ahead of him, approximately 30 feet, was a shear drop of 100 feet or more. In the
beam of his flashlight, he could make out the patterns of a dense forest canopy. Some of the trees were
as tall as the cliff he was near. He debated on whether or not to chance climbing down one of the trees
to the forest floor below, but decided that it would be suicide due to the fact that it was raining hard
and the vegetation was soaked. Everything was slippery with rain, and one wrong move would mean
certain death.
Ancel walked back to the lowest part of the sloping rock shelf, and he listened as the rain
hammered the forest, the canopy thumping with every drop. To him, it sounded like rain on canvas.
Something huge whirred pass Ancel's right ear, and when he turned his head, he saw a Goliath
beetle flying on swift wings. At least it wasn't a threat to him, but God knew what else was under the
shelf. Sitting alone in the dark, Ancel opened his small bag, pulled out the file containing his journal, and
wrote his first entry for the day that read as follows
It is early in the morning of Tuesday, July 12, 1988. It is raining hard, and I am hunkered down under a
rock overhang, having been forced from my cave by rising water. As of now, I have some mangos. If this
keeps up, however, I don't know how I am going to make my way down from this high ledge I am on.
Oh, how I long to be home!

(To Be Continued.)

############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:23 AM
Content: Chapter 3
Cats, Snakes, and Arachnids

Slowly, darkness turned to daylight, and the rain subsided. Ancel, who had fallen asleep on the
hard ground beneath the rocky shelf, awakened to find himself sweating in the fierce jungle heat. He
unzipped his bag, took from it a bottle of water, and drank heartily. He then secured the cap back in
place, put the bottle in his bag, zipped it, and shouldered both it and the smaller bag. He then stood up and walked along the underside of the shelf. He passed under cracks and fishers, and in some instances,
he saw yawning mouths revealing dark holes that led off somewhere within the rock. Perhaps all of
these much smaller openings were linked to the cave he had sought shelter in two days prior. Just
before he passed beneath one of the cracks, he saw a snake ooze out of it and hang like a rope before
falling down onto the ground below. When he looked at the snake, he saw that it was a puff adder, like
the snake Abdullateef made hiss and strike a branch on the first night of their jungle excursion.
Ancel walked a great distance before the ground changed. When he looked to his right, he saw
that the ground was rising slowly, and that meant that perhaps there was a way out of this place after
all. When he reached an elevation that was safe to step down onto, he walked out from under the rocky
shelf and stepped down to the forest floor. The moist ground gave a little as he walked, and the air was
full of smell. In the distance, a troop of monkeys called out. Ancel broke a long branch off of a red cedar
and used it to probe the ground in front of him as he ventured deeper into the dense vegetation. The
last thing he wanted was to step on a snake. The air was stifling and the sun was burning hot, but under
the canopy, there was some relief.
As the day dragged on, Ancel had begun to grow weary as the jungle heat and humidity had
taken their toll on him. He was tempted to run back to the rock shelf and return to the cave he called
home on the days leading up to this time, but he knew that doing so meant further delaying his chance
of being rescued. But even so, knowing what had happened to Abdullateef and Shanti, he was afraid to
make too much noise because the gang might find him.
Early evening
Tuesday, July 12, 1988
After walking what felt like miles through the dense vegetation, Ancel came to a small clearing,
where he constructed a makeshift shelter using branches, leaves, and the tent material. First, he leaned
a large branch against the trunk of a red cedar. He then placed smaller branches at a 45-degree angle
along the larger one, which served as a center support. After positioning the last branches, Ancel
gathered large leaves and placed them on the branches, and he used grass to bind them together. He
then covered the works with the tent material, thus using it as a makeshift tarp, and he secured it all in
place by tying it down with the rope from Abdullateef and Shanti's tent. He knew he had to keep
predators away, so he started a fire not far from the lean-to. He had nothing more than a few mangos
and some nuts, and thus, he ate before crawling into his sleeping bag and crashing.
The dream seemed so real to Ancel. It was dark outside, and he, Katrin, Heinrich, Sabine, Heidi,
Adolph, Abdullateef, and Shanti sat around a fire in the cave. I am so glad you could come with us,
Honey. Ancel told Katrin.
I'm glad you invited us. Katrin replied.
The meat is done if anybody wants any. Abdullateef said, and everybody ate. Suddenly, there
came a sound that everybody knew meant immediate danger. It was the sound of two lions fighting
nearby. They were somewhere close, either in the cave system or near the vertical shaft that led down
to the largest chamber from the forest floor. Really, nobody could pinpoint exactly where it was, but it
was definitely too close for comfort.
Suddenly, there came a new sound, and it was right above Ancel's head, and that was when he
was jolted awake. Something big and heavy crashed into his makeshift shelter, bringing the whole thing
down on top of him. The main support broke and the other branches landed on top of him. He realized
that one of two lions had leapt during their brawl, and it had smashed his little shelter. He hoped it
didn't rip the makeshift tarp, but even more, he hoped they didn't get scent of him. He lay stalk-still on
his back beneath the broken mess of branches and leaves, and he listened as the two lions were
engaged in a full-on fight. For some reason, the smoke he smelled seemed to be only that, which had
adhered to the tarp. Then, he noticed another smell as well as a sound. It was a wet smell, like rain. He then heard the thunder crash, and to his horror, he realized that he was in the middle of a severe
thunderstorm. To make matters worse, the fire he had lit a few hours prior to deter predators had gone
out. Now, he was in the middle of a lion fight and there was no way out.
Suddenly, the fighting stopped and all was quiet. The only sound Ancel heard was the falling
rain. After lying still a while longer, he moved slowly as to keep from making too much noise. He moved
the broken branches and the leaves out of the way and pushed the shrouding away. He then removed
from his large bag the rifle he had taken from the camp sight on the plateau. Standing up slowly, he
looked around as he carried the rifle on his shoulder.
Suddenly, from nowhere, the lions came again, and this time, they charged at him. Seeing his
opportunity, he took aim and fired, hitting one and then the other. He then went to work,
reconstructing his shelter with all new branches and leaves, and though he wanted a fire to help drive
potential predators back, he knew that, as long as it was raining, that was not going to happen. He lied
awake and listened to the rain, all the while hoping and praying nothing else would happen. It took a
while, but finally, he drifted off to sleep.

Wednesday, July 13, 1988
401 AM
Ancel was awakened suddenly by something large crawling across his face. In an instant, he was
in full panic mode, and he swatted at the thing with his hand. Through the wall of the shelter, he could
see the glow of the fire he had lit following the thunder storm, and it illuminated the surroundings
somewhat. When he looked down to see what had been crawling on him, he saw that it was a bird
eating tarantula, a fairly large spider, whose venom is potent. Using his shoe, he smashed the thing into
the ground, and then, he buried it in a shallow hole he dug.
Ancel was dumbfounded as to how the tarantula had entered his shelter. He was sure he had all
of the cracks sealed when he tucked the canvas under his sleeping bag. However, he wasn't sure. So he
got up and looked around, and that was when he saw the breach in the top most part of the lean-to
shelter. Apparently, the wind had shaken the material enough that it slid out from under the rope that
tethered it and the main support to the tree. Going to work quickly, he exited the shelter. He pulled the
top edge of the material back through the rope, and this time, when he adjusted it, he made sure it was
extra tight. He then reentered the shelter, but he couldn't go back to sleep. So he lied awake on his
makeshift bed of large palm leaves, and he thought about Katrin, Heinrich, Sabine, Heidi, and Adolph,
and he said a little prayer aloud.
Unable to fall asleep, Ancel decided that now was the time to trudge forward. It was somewhat
cool out and the sun hadn't come up yet. So he unlashed and disassembled the shelter, put the canvas
in his duffle bag, put out the fire, turned on his flashlight, and made his way into the jungle thicket, using one of the branches from his shelter to probe the ground for snakes. He carried Abdullateef's rifle in its case on his back, and his own revolver in the waistband of his pants. Up ahead of him, small monkeys, perhaps rhesus macaques, awoke from their slumber and called out to one-another, and shortly after, the morning was alive with sound as the birds had begun singing their chorus.
Suddenly, there came a puffing sound followed by a loud hiss, and Ancel knew exactly what it
was. Since Abdullateef had riled up a puff adder in a clearing on the first night of their trip, the sound
was unmistakable. It was a puff adder. It raised its head above the dead leaves and twigs that littered
the ground, and Ancel saw the two distinct dark bands, one on the crown of the snake's head, the other
between its eyes. The serpent hissed loudly, and Ancel saw the long fangs in the bright beam of his
flashlight. Pulling his revolver from his pants, he fired a shot, but missed. He fired a second, and again,
he missed. The third nailed the snake in the right side of its head, which exploded in a gory mixture of
flesh, bits of bone, blood, and scrambled brain.
Now that the snake was dead, Ancel checked his revolver to see how many rounds he had left. In all, counting the day he killed the lion in the cave, he had spent five rounds. Now, he only had one
bullet left. Rummaging through his bag, he found the bullets he brought with him from Germany, and he
put five in the gun's drum. Just to be on the safe side, he checked Abdullateef's rifle and saw that it had
quite a few rounds left in the clip, which held 50. However, he decided to put 10 bullets in, which filled
the clip to its capacity. After putting the ammo back in his bag, Ancel zipped it, shouldered it, and
resumed his slow walk through the jungle.
After several periods of walking and resting, Ancel came upon a Pomegranate tree. Yes! he
thought, eying the lush fruit hanging above him. I feel like the Congolese equivalent of a rich man!
Using his hands, Ancel picked a great heap of Pomegranate and put them in his small bag. He knew it
would be a while before he would come to a lake or encounter any large game, and besides, with the
sunrise close, he needed all of the energy he could get to keep him going. Between eating the
Pomegranate and drinking water, he would have enough fuel to last quite a while and have some energy
to reserve for later use.
Little glimmers of light shone through the semi-translucent leaves that comprised the forest
canopy as the sun came up slowly. Meanwhile, the ground was alive with insects that jumped and
others that crawled. Some were feeders on warm blood, others were not. Some were venomous, some
were not. However, Ancel didn't want any of them on him. So he opened his large bag, fished around for
his insect repellent, and sprayed it on his clothes and wherever bare skin was present. After putting the
can back in the bag, he continued walking, using his trusty tree branch to part the vegetation and check
for snakes.
1200 PM
Having spent the morning walking, resting, drinking lots of water, and eating the occasional
pomegranate, Ancel decided to take a little nap. He didn't see any harm in resting in the spot he had
come to. So he broke a few branches from the trees and stripped them of their leaves. He used the
largest ones to fashion a frame much like the one he made in the cave while assembling his makeshift
chair. However, this frame was to be long, like a bed. After lashing the branches together with the
pieces of rope he had used in the cave to make the chair, he made a grid of smaller branches, thus
creating an elevated platform on which to lay large leaves. Over the platform, he laid several layers of
grass, and over that, a thick pad of leaves. He then covered it with the remaining canvas that was the
rest of Abdullateef and Shanti's tent, and he secured it at both ends of the frame with rope. He then
constructed a lean-to shelter much like the one he had assembled the previous night, and when he was
sure all was structurally safe and sound, he entered and lied down. Slowly, he drifted away, and he slept
three hours.
305 PM
Ancel opened his eyes, stretched, yawned, and sat up. Really, he wished he hadn't awoke,
because again, he was dreaming about Abdullateef and Shanti. Sitting with his back against the tree to
which his shelter was tethered, he wept. Really, he had begun thinking it would have been better for
him not to have run and hidden, but instead, stayed there and been killed alongside his friends. It was
his third day alone in the jungle, and soon it would be his fourth, and there was no sign of any other
human life what so ever. And besides, if there was, how would he have known if they were or weren't
up to some nasty tricks He didn't know who he could trust. About the only people he could trust were
Abdullateef and Shanti, not to mention some of their friends in Eldoret, a town not far from Nairobi.
After regaining his composure, Ancel took down his shelter and disassembled his bed, putting
the ropes and the pieces of canvas in his duffle bag. He shouldered it and the smaller bag, strapped the
rifle to his back, and picked up where he had left off on his walk through the jungle. He was following a
well-beaten path comprised of large animal tracks, and judging by the size of them, Ancel guessed thatthey were from zebras. Suddenly, Ancel came to a point at which the path turned to the right and
headed north. When he looked around the bend, he saw something moving in his direction. Quickly, he
ran and took cover behind a row of ferns and, looking between the plants, he watched the blurry figure
as it grew closer. Suddenly, it had begun to take shape, and Ancel realized that the thing he was looking
at was a leopard.
When the large cat reached the bend in the path, it stopped a couple of feet in front of Ancel,
who readied the rifle behind the ferns just in case. Suddenly, without warning, the animal, which
detected the scent of the man, leapt, and Ancel fired the gun, but missed. Not even a second after the
shot was fired, all 195 pounds of male leopard hit Ancel like a dead weight, driving him backwards. His
body hit the earth with a thud, and he felt an intense pain in his right shoulder as the big cat clamped
down, biting through his shirt and deep into the meaty flesh beneath. Ancel screamed in pain as the cat
shook him violently. Clutching the rifle, he was able to bring the muzzle up into the cat's rib cage, and
again, he fired, bringing the beast down instantaneously. The bullet blasted through the animal's ribs
and blew his heart to smithereens, and the creature died instantly.
After gathering his wits, Ancel inspected the wound and saw that it was deep. Long shreds of
meat and skin dangled from its edges and it bled and hurt a lot. I need the kit! he said to himself as he
opened his duffle bag. Before leaving Germany, he packed a first aid kit that contained gauze pads
impregnated with petroleum jelly, two tubes of Polysporin, an irrigation syringe, forceps, scissors, and
medical tape. While looking around the camp sight on the plateau for various items, he found
Abdullateef and Shanti's first aid kit as well, which also held much of the same things that were in his
own kit, thus doubling his supplies.
Ancel opened his first aid kit and, using the clean scissors, he cut the shredded flesh from the
edges of the wound. Though it hurt every time he grabbed the skin and meat and cut it, he knew he had
to do it to help guard against future complications. It took a while, but after the last of the flesh was cut
away, he scrubbed the area around the wound with iodine pads. He then fished in his bag for a bottle of
saline solution he knew was in there somewhere. When he found it, he filled the large irrigation syringe
in preparation of flushing the wound and removing any dirt or other potentially harmful debris.
Depressing the plunger, Ancel irrigated the wound with the saline solution, which burned a little
at first. After several repeated irrigation cycles, he washed his hands and applied more hand sanitizer
before examining the wound once more. As he hoped, the wound was clean and pink. So he took
several gauze pads that had no petroleum jelly on them and used them to stop the bleeding, applying
firm direct pressure on the wound. After 15 minutes had passed, he removed the compress gently and
examined the wound much more before applying Polysporin and placing over it the dressing that was
comprised of the gauze pads impregnated with petroleum jelly. Holding the gauze in place with the right
side of his chin, he used his left hand to wipe away any residual blood that may have been on his skin
around the dressing. He then took out a roll of gauze and, using the scissors, cut a long piece. He then
went to work, wrapping the gauze around his shoulder, first starting by holding the loose end against
the gauze dressing with his chin and using both hands to assist him. He brought the gauze down and
passed it under his arm, thus bringing it up and around. He then repeated this action, thus applying four
wrappings altogether. He cut the remaining portion of gauze away and taped the wrapping in place with
several long pieces of medical tape. He then moved his arm to make sure he could still use it, and as luck
would have it, the limb worked perfectly, though moving it sent searing pain through his shoulder.
After cleaning the irrigation syringe with alcohol and rinsing it with sterile water, Ancel packed
the medical supplies in the kit, closed it, and put it in his bag. He then removed a clean shirt and
attempted to put it on. He struggled on account of the pain in his shoulder, and he decided that ripping
his bloody and torn shirt off was easier than attempting to pull it off over his head. So he hooked his
fingers through the jagged hole and pulled, thus ripping the garment. As he pulled with his left hand, he
did so to bring the ripping action down the front diagonally. With one pull, he tore the shirt open and slipped his arms out. Now was the hard part. He knew this was going to hurt and possibly cause his
wound to ooze if he disturbed it too much. So, rather than lift his right arm over his head and slide it in,
which would be the normal way of putting on a pull-over, he held his right arm rigidly against his side
and flexed it at the elbow. He then slid his hand and forearm through the right sleeve before bringing
the shirt up to his arm pit. He then slipped his head in and inserted his left arm in and slipped it through
the sleeve.
After straightening his shirt, Ancel put his duffle bag on his left shoulder and carried his smaller
bag in the crook of his left elbow. He stood up with his torn shirt in hand and, after passing through the
ferns and stepping over the dead cat, he discarded the useless garment, which landed on the leopard's
head.

Chapter 4
Joy Finds Ancel

Ancel rounded the corner and continued walking along the path. As he walked, he hummed a
song his mother sang to him years ago as a child growing up on the outskirts of Marburg, Germany. This
portion of his journey was made harder by the constant pain in his right shoulder. Periodically, he
stopped and adjusted his shirt to lessen the pressure exerted by the downward pull of his duffle bag,
which was on his left shoulder. Suddenly, it occurred to him that the easiest way to fix the problem
would be to slip the strap over his head, thus putting the weight of the bag on the crook of his neck.
That way, it wouldn't apply tension to his shirt and make it uncomfortably tight on his right shoulder as
it was pulled to the left.
After adjusting his bag, Ancel continued walking along the path, and the farther he went, the
louder the sound of gently running water grew. Suddenly, the ground sloped downward in a gentle
decline before the jungle thicket opened into a nice clearing. Running down the middle of the large
grassy area was a fairly wide, but shallow stream, whose water made soft splashing sounds as it flowed
gently over the rocks. The water was crystal clear, and Ancel thought it was beautiful. Oh, Abdullateef,
he said aloud, if only you and Shanti could see this!
Ancel knew that night was soon to come, and thus, he decided to set up camp on the edge of
the clearing. As he had done before, he took out his canvas and cut branches and twigs in preparation
for a lean-to, and after assembling it, he built himself a good-size bonfire, still struggling against the pain
in his shoulder. After lighting the fire, he sat on a log and had a beer. If only I could shoot me a fine
hunk of meat! he thought.
Suddenly, there came the sound of something big crashing through the thicket, and Ancel
turned toward the sound just as the vegetation parted on the far side of the stream. A full-grown lion,
which Ancel believed to be a male, was headed toward the water on swift and strong legs. Readying his
rifle, Ancel watched and listened. Komm zu Papa! he said in a barely audible whisper. The tell-tale
splashing sounds of the big cat tromping across the stream were eerie, but at the same time, joyous, as
Ancel knew his dinner was coming toward him. He moved and took cover behind a strangler fig as the
lion stepped onto the bank and made its way to the flat land. He waited until the animal reached the top
and, bang! The first bullet hit the cat smack-dab between the eyes, dropping it like a sack of coal. Und
jetzt zum Fest. he said as he walked toward the fallen lion. Und jetzt zum fest and now for the
feast.)
Using Abdullateef's big knife, Ancel butchered the animal and washed the meat thoroughly in
the stream before carrying it to the fireside for preparation. After seasoning the meat, he cut it the way
he had in the cave three days prior, and he made shish kabobs. He then held each one over the flames
and roasted the meat. Then, he returned once again to the carcass and cut from it more meat, which he
washed, prepped, diced, and skewered before roasting, and this time, he didn't stop until there was nomore meat to cook. After eating quite a few shish kabobs, he removed the others from their sticks and
placed them inside plastic bags he had taken from Abdullateef's battered tent. Now, the question was
how he was going to keep them fresh for the next few days.
Ancel stood up with the bags of cooked meat and carried them to his lean-to, where he sat and
pondered over many options. Finally, he decided that the best way would be to dig a hole at least a
couple of feet deep and put the meat in it. Then, he would cut a piece of the tent material and use it to
cover the hole. Exiting the lean-to, Ancel walked down to the stream and gather four good-size rocks. He
could only carry two at a time because any more weight than that hurt his right shoulder, and he didn't
want to strain the muscles around the wound any more than he had to.
After gathering the rocks, Ancel looked for something to dig with. He saw some flat rocks that
might prove useful. So again, he went back down to the stream. Sitting within arm's length from the
edge was the flat rock, whose shape was very similar to a spade, quite coincidentally, and he grabbed it
and ran back up the bank in the direction of his shelter. Back inside, he went to work, digging his small
meat cellar. He wanted the hole to be as deep as his arm was long. That way, the meat would stay
cool.
Ancel had to stop digging several times and rest his wounded shoulder, but finally, he had the
perfect place to store his cooked meat. After tying each bag shut, he lowered it into the hole. When the
last bag was in place, he bagged his pomegranate and placed them on top of the bags of meat before
covering the hole with a piece of canvas, which he secured in place with the four large rocks he had
taken from the stream. He then prepared himself a nice bed and lied down. After all that had transpired,
he was bushed. Shortly after lying down, he was out like a light, and he snored softly as he was lost in his
dreams.
As Ancel lie sleeping in his cozy little shelter, something small made its way along the jungle
path, and when it reached the clearing, it turned when it noticed the strange thing leaned against a tree.
It walked slowly on all fours, and it stopped when it reached the shelter. It then raised its right hand and
pulled back a loose flap of canvas and peered in. It saw the man sleeping on his bed, and slowly, it crept
inside and let the flap fall. The creature moved toward the side of the man's bed and observed him
sleeping with his back against the trunk of the strangler fig. Then, the little creature crept to the foot
of the bed, and with slow and calm deliberation, placed its right hand on the strange material the man
was lying on. It felt much like the flap it had pulled back when entering the shelter. The creature moved
its left hand slowly and placed it, too, on the strange material. It then put its right foot on the edge of
the bed and followed it with its left. Now, its whole body was on the bed, and it lowered itself gently to
its belly at the man's feet and lied there, listening to him snore.
Ancel turned over in his sleep and rested on his left side. The little creature raised its head for a
moment and laid it back down on its two hands as it drifted back off to sleep. Meanwhile, Ancel was in
the middle of a great dream. He was back in Munich with Katrin and the kids, and they all were seated at
a table in a restaurant. I'm glad you're back home. Katrin said. We've been wondering about you
since we hadn't heard from you. Then, when we heard that you had been rescued and about the
horrible thing that happened, we were both saddened and elated.
What happened to your shoulder, Daddy Heidi asked.
I was bitten by a leopard. Ancel replied. His dream continued, and in a later part, he was at
Karl and Olga Funk's house. They had asked Ancel and Katrin if they would baby sit their infant nephew
while they, along with the baby boy's mother, Monica, went to a friend's birthday party. When Ancel
and Katrin agreed to watch the boy, Karl and Olga left with Monica, and Ancel carried the 10-month-old
to the living room and lied down on the sofa. Ancel rubbed the baby's bare back, which relaxed him and
helped him to fall asleep. As he rubbed the boy's back gently, Ancel sang a German folk tune and before
long, the baby was fast asleep.

(To Be Continued)

############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:43 AM
Content: Thursday, July 14, 1988
Ancel woke up lying on his left side, and his right hand was resting on something that felt very
much like the back of a baby the approximate size of Karl and Olga's nephew. Was he still dreaming
What was going on He opened his eyes, and at first, he saw nothing, but when his eyes adjusted to the
dim light that filtered in through the thin canvas, he saw the small thing sleeping soundly, and at first, he
didn't know how to react. Is this thing going to rip me to pieces if I attempt to move he thought as he
lay still with his hand resting on the creature's back. What is it, and how in the world did it get in
Ancel decided not to move, but instead, to continue lying there, enjoying the warmth of the
creature's body and the feel of its baby soft skin. It snored just like a baby, and Ancel had come to the
conclusion that perhaps the thing wouldn't hurt him if he allowed it to leave voluntarily. Still, what it
was and where it had come from bothered him, and he just had to look it over. Slowly, he eased himself
from the bed and stood up, and when he looked down at the creature, he couldn't help but smile when
he saw its cute little baby face. The thing's lips were strikingly like the lips of a human, and it had chubby
little baby cheeks. Its head was much like that of an infant, rather bulbous and wide. Its ears looked
rather human as well, and it had shoulders and arms like those of a baby. Reaching down, Ancel touched
the creature's left hand, whose skin felt as soft as a baby's. He lifted the hand and looked at it, marveling
at its five digits. Both hands had four fingers and an opposing thumb, but rather than having finger nails
like ours, its were like the claws of a small animal, perhaps a house cat.
Ancel lowered the creature's hand back to its original position and moved cautiously down to
look at the animal's lower half. Remarkably, the creature had no hair on its entire body except for its eye
lashes and brows, and its baby soft skin was albino. Its chest had two nipples like a human being, and in
the middle of its belly was a belly button. Suddenly, the creature rolled onto its stomach, and Ancel
froze for a moment, but he realized that it was still sleeping. So he looked at it some more. It had a
plump little baby rump and it hadn't a tail. Its thighs started out plump, like the thighs of a baby, but
they tapered down to a spindly knee. The lower legs were short and stubby, and the feet were long with
hand-like pads at the ends. The feet had five long finger-like toes with sharp claws, and this only made
Ancel more curious. Was ist das in der Welt he said aloud as he looked at the sleeping creature that
lie before him with its head resting on its little hands. (Was ist das in der Welt) what in the world is
this
Rather than exit the shelter, Ancel got back in bed slowly and lied down next to the sleeping
creature. He put his arm around it and pulled it close to him slowly as to keep from waking it. However,
the creature woke up and looked into Ancel's eyes, its eyes being the same shade of blue as Ancel's, and
Ancel saw a certain gentleness about them. The creature moved its bulbous head close to Ancel's head
and it licked his nose a couple of times before turning onto its right side and placing its left hand on
Ancel's rib cage and grasping his shirt. It sighed once and began making soft noises that were somewhat
similar to a cat's purr. Sensing no danger, Ancel smiled as he continued looking into the creature's gentle
eyes. Where did you come from he said in German. Where did you come from Are you a girl or a
boy
Slowly, Ancel sat up and he turned so he could look between the creature's legs. It was a male,
and Ancel wondered what he could call his new companion. What would Abdullateef or Shanti call
you he asked aloud as he thought of numerous names.
When he realized the creature wasn't a threat, Ancel was overcome with pure joy. He longed for
comfort, and it had come in the middle of the night as he lay dreaming. Therefore, only one name suited
him. It was Bayo, a Swahili boy's name that means to find joy. Bayo, he said aloud. I shall call you
Bayo, for you have brought me great joy in my time of need.
Ancel put his right hand gently on Bayo's bare head and stroked it, and in response, Bayo purred
softly and moved his head in a slow nodding motion, a gesture that seemed to tell Ancel that he was
loving the attention he was getting. A few moments later, Ancel withdrew his hand because he needed to tend to his wounded shoulder. Moving down to the leafy floor of his shelter, he unzipped his bag and
removed his first aid kit as Bayo observed from the bed. He slipped out of his shirt slowly as to keep
from hurting his shoulder, and he laid it at the foot of the bed. He then washed his hands with bottled
water and applied hand sanitizer, and after that, he un-taped the gauze wrapping and removed it,
revealing the four gauze pads with petroleum jelly on them. The first two were their usual white color,
but the underside of the second was tinged with blood. The third and fourth layer were pretty much
stained with blood that had oozed out during the time since the incident with the leopard. Slowly, he
pealed off the last layer of gauze, which stuck to his skin and was held there by the partially coagulated
blood and the petroleum jelly along with the Polysporin, all of which had formed a messy glue-like
substance. Pulling the pad away sent a wave of pain into his wounded shoulder, and he winced.
Seeing Ancel's painful expression troubled Bayo, and Ancel thought he heard a small gasp come
from him. Then, Bayo saw the wound, all crusted over with blood and looking quite rough, and he let
out a high-pitch whine and inched toward Ancel.
After comforting Bayo, Ancel washed his hands once more and applied more hand sanitizer
before washing his wound. He scrubbed it to remove any dead flesh, and it was quite painful because he
had to use a coarse cloth to remove the dead tissue. He turned his head as to keep Bayo from seeing his
pained expression, and as he worked the wound over, the tears rolled down his face, but he remained
silent through it all. When he was done, he examined the wound and saw that it was healthy and pink,
the way a clean wound should look. So he irrigated it with more saline just to safeguard against the
remote possibility of even the tiniest piece of dead tissue being missed and causing a catastrophic
infection. After the irrigation procedure, he washed his hands a third time and applied more hand
sanitizer before applying more Polysporin and bandaging the wound with two petroleum jelly
impregnated pads this time and four wrappings of gauze.
After putting the medical supplies back, he washed his hands and lied down beside Bayo, his
shoulder throbbing in agony. Oh, Bayo, he said, this hurts so much! Bayo placed his left hand gently
on Ancel's shoulder and rubbed it as he whined softly.
After a few minutes, Ancel sat up. What does your kind like to eat, boy he asked. Though he
knew the creature couldn't talk back, he was thrilled to have in his presence for the first time ever, since
losing his two best friends, a jungle beast that, rather than threaten him, befriended him. Now he wasn't
so alone anymore, and Bayo's presence gave him a sense of purpose.
Would you like a pomegranate Ancel asked as he removed two of the four heavy rocks from
the corners of the canvas square that covered his little food cellar. Grabbing the pomegranate, he gave
one to Bayo and kept one for himself. As Bayo ate the pomegranate, Ancel chuckled because the
creature reminded him of a little baby sitting on the bed and eating the fruit.
Ancel didn't want to chance giving Bayo any of the seasoned meat. He reasoned that this
creature was different and therefore, it wouldn't have been wise to chance messing up his gut. The
meat was seasoned, and Ancel didn't know how the creature would react to the spices. And besides,
Bayo didn't act like he wanted any meat.
You know, Ancel said, I could stay here with you for the rest of my life. After he paused a
moment, he added, or the rest of yours. However, I have a family I miss very much. So there's going to
be a day when someone finds me or I find someone and we must part ways, but no matter what, Bayo, I
will always remember you.
Ancel leaned over and hugged his baby-like companion, who rubbed his bare head on Ancel's
left shoulder. May I hold you Ancel asked, and he lifted Bayo from the bed. Though his shoulder hurt
from lifting the creature, whose weight must have been somewhere around 19 or 20 pounds, he felt the
greatest joy and a sense of happiness he hadn't felt since his own children were Bayo's size. Bitte
benutze das Badezimmer nicht auf mir. he said while laughing a little. (Bitte benutze das Badezimmer
nicht auf mir Please, don't use the bathroom on me.) Suddenly, an idea came to Ancel - how to make diapers for Bayo. He put Bayo on the floor and
exited the shelter. Bayo followed him out into the clearing, where he sat and watched as Ancel gathered
several large leaves. These will make a fine outer cover. he said before going down to the stream in
search for moss. When he reached a fallen tree and looked, he saw that it had plenty moss on it. So did
a lot of the rocks in the shallows. Using a stick, Ancel scraped the moss off of the tree and the rocks, and
he carried it all back up the hill, where he dried it in the sun. This took several hours, and when it was
nice and dry, Ancel spread it around on one of the large leaves he had picked from a tree. He then laid
Bayo on his back and proceeded to put the contraption on him. Using long blades of grass, he secured
the garment in place, and he was surprised by how well it fit Bayo. Bayo didn't pay any mind at all. In
fact, the only thing he wanted was to sit in Ancel's lap.
I wonder if I should try to find the cave I spent a couple of days in, Bayo. Ancel said. It would
be the perfect spot for us both, but then again, naa, too many spiders. Ancel wondered about other
underground places. He had seen only one, but certainly, there had to be more. Well, Bayo, he said,
we must pack up and move on if I'm going to find anybody to help me back home to my wife and
children. But first, I want to take some pictures of you and record you on video.
Back in the shelter, after eating the lion meat he had prepared the night before, Ancel took from
his bag his Polaroid camera and snapped numerous sphotos of Bayo sitting in different positions. Once,
Ancel held him on his lap and took a couple of photos. Bayo looked cute in his makeshift diaper, and
Ancel knew Katrin and the kids would fall to pieces. Ancel turned on his video camera and spoke
Hi, Honey, today is Thursday, July 14, 1988, hard to believe, but true, and I am in much greater spirit
than days prior because, look here.
Ancel pointed the camera at Bayo and continued speaking
This little fellow came into my shelter last night while I lay sleeping. I named him Bayo, which means
to find joy in Swahili. I made a diaper for him using large leaves and moss I found in the clearing, and I
secured it with grass. I really miss you all, but at least I'm not alone. Oh, if only Abdullateef and Shanti
could see Bayo. I wonder if they would even know what kind of an animal he is. Well, I have to go out
and find a much suitable shelter for the two of us, but when I find it, I will update my video log. I love
you guys. Please pray for me as I pray for you as well. I love you.
Ancel stopped recording, turned the camera off, and put it back in his duffle bag. He then
gathered his meat and pomegranate and put them on top of the bullets in the smaller bag. He then
remembered that he had to disassemble his shelter and pack the pieces of canvas and the rope. First, he
disassembled the bed, leaving the branches and leaves in a pile, and he put the canvas that covered
them, along with the pieces of rope used to secure everything, in the duffle bag. Bayo watched him
intently as he worked.
Come on, Bayo. Ancel said, holding the flap open. Bayo walked on all fours and sat in the
shade of the strangler fig as Ancel undid the ropes that held the supporting branches, and he let
everything fall to the ground before placing the large piece of canvas and the ropes in his duffle bag and
zipping it.
Come on, Bayo. Ancel said, and Bayo walked to him. Ancel stooped and lifted him. He then
unzipped his duffle bag and placed Bayo gently on top of his clothes, and he left the bag unzipped as he
lifted it, thus placing the strap around the left side of his neck. With Bayo lying comfortably inside, the
bag was a lot heavier, but that didn't bother Ancel at all. The joy of having Bayo around was worth it all.
Are you okay, Bayo he asked, and he reached back and rubbed the top of Bayo's bald head. Bayo, in
response, made his usual soft purring sounds and he grabbed Ancel's hand with both hands and clutched it against his chest lovingly.
Ancel took one of the smaller branches from the pile that used to be the support structure for
his lean-to, and he used it to probe the ground in front of him as he made his way into the thicket with
Bayo resting comfortably in his unzipped duffle bag. As he walked, he sang softly. Bayo, who lay still in
his comfy makeshift cradle, listened intently. He found the sound of the man's song soothing, and he
liked the way it felt as he was being carried through the jungle. He probably hadn't felt this good since
he, himself, was an infant, riding on his mother's back as she moved through the jungle and foraged for
food.
Before long, Bayo drifted off to sleep as Ancel walked with him in the duffle bag slung around
his neck. The bag rested on Ancel's right hip, and with every step, it bounced a fraction of a smidgen,
and Bayo found it rather pleasurable. Ancel could hear him snoring softly as he carried him along, and
he found the sound comforting.
Suddenly, there was a flicker of movement up ahead, and Ancel saw a leopard much like the one
that had attacked him the previous afternoon. For a moment, it frightened him. Sensing something was
wrong, Bayo awoke suddenly and started to growl and hiss. Turning himself so that he sat upright, Bayo
clutched the bag's carrying strap in both hands and used it to pull himself to a standing position. Once
his feet were positioned just right, Bayo grabbed onto Ancel's shirt and wouldn't let go as he looked
around. His eyes focused on the leopard, and again, he hissed loudly, but for some reason, the leopard
didn't charge, but instead, turned quickly and ran from the area, snorting as it did so. Was it something
about Bayo's presence that alarmed the big cat What was it Ancel had never seen a leopard behave so
strangely before. It seemed as if the cat was irritated by something. The way it breathed, its sudden
motion of turning and running, everything that Ancel had just witnessed told him that the leopard was
not comfortable at all.
Ancel wondered if perhaps the cat encountered a strange plant that affected it, but the more he
thought about it, that notion didn't really make sense being that it wasn't too far from where he and
Bayo were that he was attacked the previous day. It had to be something Bayo had done. Did he secrete
something that only animals could smell What was it that made that cat act so strange What if Bayo
could repell snakes, spiders, rodents, and other primates Was he capable of doing that, or was he just
able to hit lions, leopards, and other cats How would a dog react in the same situation What about
zebras, okapis, hyenas, etc. What all could Bayo repell with whatever he did to drive off the leopard
Ancel reached back and rubbed Bayo's head as he thanked him. He then continued walking
along the original path he had taken the previous day, and he reached the rocky shelf under which he
had taken cover from the rain when he exited the cave a few hours after the sun had gone down. Once
there, he gathered branches, twigs, and leaves in preparation for a lean-to. This spot worked out well
because Ancel had the slanted underside of the shelf to use as part of his new idea. Using several large
branches, Ancel made a series of poles that would stand vertically. He then used thick, wiry blades of
grass to bind smaller branches together in diagonal patterns, thus making a supportive latticework,
which he lashed to the poles. He then leaned it diagonally so that the top of the structure was supported
by the rock above. He placed several heavy rocks along the bottom of the contraption, thus preventing
slippage. He then placed his duffle bag with Bayo sleeping inside under the partially finished shelter
before going to fetch large leaves.
When he had enough leaves to put on the structure he had just made, Ancel returned and went
to work, spreading the leaves neatly over the surface of the latticework. Then, he secured the canvas in
place with rope, making sure to have the flaps on both ends long enough to touch the flat ground
beneath the shelf. He placed heavy rocks on the flap at the foot of the shelter before crawling in and
doing the same to the top end.
Bayo Ancell called, and the creature opened his eyes and looked around before crawling out
of the duffle bag and walking to his new friend. There's my boy. Ancel said as he rubbed Bayo's bare back. Let's see if you're in need of a diaper. Ancel picked Bayo up and felt the tell-tale warmth and
bulge of a load of feces. He then smelled it as he laid Bayo down, and he noticed that it didn't have too
strong an odor. It smelled just like the poop of an infant or young toddler on solid foods, but it wasn't as
strong. In fact, Ancel could barely smell it.
Using a pair of scissors from one of the two first aid kits, Ancel cut the grass that bound Bayo's
makeshift diaper, and when he removed the garment, he was shocked to see that this animal's poop
was all-around different. It was a reddish-white color, and its texture was more like silly pudy. Another
strange thing about it was the fact that there was nothing to wipe. The non-messy, mushy mass came
off completely on removal of the diaper, and that was that. Bayo didn't seem to mind the fact that he
had pooped himself. Perhaps he liked the warmth and the way it felt as the diaper held it against him.
Ancel did see, though, that Bayo was wet. So he wiped him with a piece of gauze he had cut and
doubled over. He then went out and gathered more leaves and moss to fashion another diaper, and
when he returned, he put it on Bayo.
With Bayo diapered, Ancel slid into his sleeping bag and zipped it up. Bayo crawled in beside him
and lied down on his right side. He then clutched Ancel's shirt with his little hands as he drifted off to
sleep. Soon after, Ancel crashed.

(To Be Continued.)

############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:50 AM
Content: Friday, July 15, 1988
The loud call and wingbeats of a macaw awoke Ancel, who sat up, stretched, and yawned.
Suddenly, it dawned on him that he forgot to take care of his shoulder the night before, but being that
he was busy building the shelter and looking after Bayo, he had spaced it off. Oh, well, now was a good
time. He looked down at Bayo, who slept soundly on his belly with only his head uncovered. Then, he
went over to his bag, unzipped it, and removed his first aid kit. Repeating the same ritual he had done
the previous day, Ancel irrigated and medicated his wound before applying clean gauze. Though it still
hurt like the dickens when he cleaned it, he could tell that it was on the mend. It still looked rough, but
not as bad as it did when he was attacked.
After disrobing and putting on clean clothes, Ancel looked at his watch. The time was 600 AM,
and he decided that this day would be perhaps his last in the jungle, if not a day close to it. Leaving Bayo
sleeping soundly in the sleeping bag, he exited the shelter and gathered armloads of branches. He knew
he had to find larger pieces if he was going to build a fire big enough for aircraft to spot, but how was he
going to do it He really didn't know.
Suddenly, the idea came to him that he must look for fallen branches. If he had to, he would
drag them back to the site if they were too big to carry, but he needed to save himself. What's in that
bag of Abdullateef's that I hadn't opened yet, but put in my bag he asked himself. The longer he
thought about it, the more curious he became until finally, after gathering the last big armload of
branches, he ran back to the area beneath the rocky shelf, jerked the flap back, stormed into the shelter,
and rummaged through his duffle bag until he found the bag containing the heavy objects. Startled by
the noise, Bayo sat up and looked around before fixing his gentle blue eyes on Ancel.
When he found the small bag, Ancel opened it, and inside it were a hatchet, a small hammer, a
slingshot, and a water condensation kit. Removing the hatchet from the bag, Ancel ran back out and
hacked branches much larger than those he carried back with him moments prior. In the shelter, Bayo,
who was wide-awake, lay still and listened to the distant whack, whack, whack of Ancel swinging the
hatchet and cutting through the thick dense wood.
Carrying one piece at a time, Ancel put the wood on the ground outside the shelter. He figured
that some of it would make good for cooking something later, but he really wanted to get a big fire
going in hope that someone would see the smoke. After piling the wood near the end of the rocky
structure that comprised the entire shelf, Ancel threw dry leaves and small branches and twigs on top of
the bigger pieces and lit them. He then called Bayo, who ran out of the shelter via the flap, and joined him. The two walked through the dense thicket as Ancel hunted for food. Bayo stayed behind Ancel the
entire time. With the rifle on his shoulder, Ancel watched and listened. Suddenly, a large snake reared
its head, and Ancel saw that it was a black mamba. Steadying the rifle, he aimed it at the snake's upper
body and fired, nailing it in the base of its neck. Its body twisted and writhed before it lay still on the
ground.
Ancel looked around, but Bayo was nowhere to be seen, which frightened him. Bayo! he called
loudly, and he heard a sound that broke his heart. It was Bayo, who had run and hidden behind a thick
tangle of low-growing vines. The loud sound of the gun terrified him, and his voice registered that fear
when he whined after Ancel called his name.' Putting the gun back in its case, Ancel walked toward
the sound of Bayo's voice, and when he reached him, he squatted and put his hand on the creature's
trembling head. It's okay, Bayo. he said as he stroked Bayo's bare skin with his fingertips. He reached
in gently and nudged Bayo to him. Still trembling, Bayo emerged from his hiding place and let Ancel pick
him up. I'll take you back to the shelter and return for the snake. he said, standing up with Bayo
trembling in his arms. I'm sorry, baby. he said, running his hand lightly along Bayo's bare back. Slowly,
Bayo's shaking subsided and he relaxed as Ancel talked softly to him while carrying him back to the
shelter.
After placing Bayo on top of the sleeping bag on the floor of the lean-to shelter, Ancel went to
retrieve the snake. A while later, he returned to find Bayo sitting on the small ledge at the edge of the
flat rock that comprised the ground below the shelf. Aw! he said as he looked at Bayo. You were
waiting for me to return. Weren't you Ancel bent down and patted Bayo's back gently before stepping
onto the rocky ground and laying the snake out to be cleaned and prepared for cooking. Bayo, in the
meantime, walked on all fours to where his friend sat on his heels, and he sat beside him and watched
intently with curiosity as he cut the snake and removed its innards.
After burying the innards in the dirt beyond the rocky ledge, Ancel returned, washed his hands
using a jug of water, and seasoned the meat using the spices and salts he found in Shanti's bag of
supplies. He then cut the meat into small pieces as he had done with the two lions he had killed, and he
made shish kabobs and cooked each, being cautious as not to overcook the meat. He then placed the
cooked pieces in the bags he used for his pomegranate before preparing some more shish kabobs. Only
this time, he didn't season them because he wanted to make this batch for Bayo.
When all of the meat was done, Ancel ate his seasoned meat and gave Bayo the unseasoned
meat. Both enjoyed the snake meat, and thus, they ate until they couldn't eat anymore. Ancel then
poured some water into a small cup he found in Shanti's bag of goodies and handed it to Bayo. Watching
him, he laughed because, just like a little boy, Bayo held the cup with both hands, brought it to his lips,
and drank. Oh, you're so cute! Ancel said while laughing.
Around noon, Ancel and Bayo ate lunch, which consisted of the rest of the snake meat and some
pomegranate. Then, they both entered the shelter and took a nap. When Ancel woke up and went
outside, the sky had clouded over as a storm was near. So he went back inside and lied down next to
Bayo and listened as the storm crept closer. Suddenly, the sky let loose with a deluge of rain, and the
thunder crashed, casting reverberated booms all along the rock shelf.
Four hours had passed before the storm ended, and Ancel was anxious to go out and get things
done. Perhaps he would engage in some sort-of play with Bayo if he felt up to it. After changing and
putting another diaper on him, Ancel lied down and placed him in a prone position on his chest. Bayo
rested his head on Ancel's left shoulder and nuzzled his neck with his chubby baby face. Ancel found the
warmth of Bayo's body and breath comforting. I wish I could take you to my home in Germany. he said
as he ran his fingers lightly up and down Bayo's spine. Before long, both the man and his companion
were sleeping once again beneath the latticework of branches with their leafy covering shrouded with
canvas. 811 PM
Ancel had awakened to what he thought was the sound of a small prop plane. Turning Over and
laying the sleeping creature down in the sleeping bag, Ancel slid out quickly, went outside, and looked
around. There was a large space between the edge of the shelf and the dense forest canopy, and Ancel
saw nothing but blue sky. To his dismay, there was nothing overhead. However, at the same time it
disappointed him, he was grateful, because this meant he could spend more time with Bayo. He was
torn between the two. Though one part of him longed to be back home with his wife and kids, another
part of him wanted to stay right there with Bayo. How could he just turn his back and leave something
that seemingly sought him It seemed as if Bayo had chosen him. So it wasn't like he could just drop
Bayo and run to a waiting team of people, who had come to take him home. He knew he had to make
his and Bayo's good-bye very special, but how would he do it In time, he would know. All that mattered
as of now was the precious time he had left to spend with him in the jungle.
Ancel turned his attention back to the droning sound he heard, and when he looked around, he
saw several wasps flying in and out of a large crack in the rock overhead. The wasps were building a
nest, and that was the buzzing he had heard while in the shelter. Then, he heard a rustling sound, and
when he looked behind him, he saw Bayo pushing the flap open with the crown of his bald head and
emerging from the shelter. I wonder if he would like to play. Ancel thought, and he grabbed a stick
about eight inches in length and about the same width as a shovel handle. He called Bayo to him.
There's my boy. he said. Would you like to play He placed the end of the stick gently in Bayo's little
hands. Then, he made growling sounds as he jerked the stick playfully back-and-forth. Bayo growled
back at Ancel and jerked on the end of the stick. Finally, Ancel pulled it free from his grasp and threw it
pass the shelter. Bayo ran on all fours, grabbed the stick with both hands, stood up on two legs, and ran
back to Ancel, where he dropped the stick in his lap. Ancel took it and threw it even further, and Bayo
repeated the same task of running and retrieving it. The two played until they both were tuckered out,
and afterwards, sat by the fireside with Ancel holding him in his lap.
You are something else, Bayo. Ancel said as he rubbed Bayo's chubby little belly. I am really
going to miss you when I leave this place. Bayo purred softly, basking in the love and affection he was
getting from Ancel. I wish I would have brought my guitar. Ancel said. I don't know about you, but I
could definitely use some fireside music.
A large insect flew pass Bayo and Ancel, and Bayo turned his head and launched a wad of spit at
it. The insect fell from the air and landed on the rocky ground, and Bayo leapt from Ancel's lap and ate
it. Ancel watched him with curiosity, and again, he wondered what kind of creature he was.
Later that night, as the big fire burned outside, Ancel lay awake in his sleeping bag with Bayo
resting comfortably on his chest, and he pondered on what kind of creature he was. What did Shanti
call the things she mentioned he thought to himself as he listened to the crackling fire. What was it I
just can't remember! Could Bayo be one of them Ancel wanted to savor every moment with Bayo, and
thus, he didn't want to fall asleep just yet. Besides, he and Bayo both had two power knaps that
afternoon. Bayo probably needed as much sleep as he could get for his small body, which was the
approximate size as the average 9-month-old human infant, but Ancel's full-grown adult body could take
anything. He just wanted to lie awake and listen to Bayo breathing as he slept soundly with his face
nestled gently against the base of Ancel's neck. He could feel the warmth of every breath as Bayo
exhaled through his nose.
Ancel lied awake and thought about all that had transpired from the moment he arrived at Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport to the current time, and he felt his throat tighten itself into a huge, hard
knot as he thought of Abdullateef and Shanti and how much they would have loved being with him now
that Bayo had entered the picture. Though he tried to conceal his emotions, it was no use. The tears
flowed down his cheeks as he had begun to cry, and his bottom lip quivered. His chest and belly shook
as he sobbed, and Bayo woke up and whined as he reached up with his left hand and wiped it gently against Ancel's right eye while rubbing his face against his neck. Aw, I'm sorry, baby. Ancel said, still
crying. I just miss two good friends, who would love to see you.
Sitting up, Ancel took one of his clean socks from his bag and used it to wipe his face off. He
then blew his nose on a small piece of gause and took it outside, where he threw it into the thicket. He
then returned to the shelter and sat on the sleeping bag next to Bayo and talked to him as if he
understood. Really, Ancel wished Bayo had the ability to understand and could talk to him because, at
the moment, he was torn up. Oh, he said to Bayo, if only you could make sense of my words! There is
so much I would like to tell you.
About fifteen minutes had passed before Ancel slid into his sleeping bag and Bayo joined him,
crawling onto his chest and lying down. Bayo nestled his face against Ancel's neck, and a few minutes
later, both were out cold.
Approximately two hours had passed before the snake showed up. As Ancel and Bayo lay
sleeping in the shelter, a boa constrictor slithered along the forest floor and climbed up the low end of
the rock ledge. It crept along until it found Ancel's shelter. He had forgotten to secure the entrance with
heavy rocks, and the snake oozed its way in through the loose flap of canvas. Bayo, who was fast asleep,
was awakened. His sense of smell was keen, and thus, he caught a good whiff of the snake, and it woke
him from his slumber. Ancel was awakened suddenly by Bayo launching himself off of his chest. He saw
his little body sail a few inches above his face. Then came the sound of Bayo's little hands and feet
slapping the hard ground. Bayo growled and hissed at the snake, who hissed back at Bayo. There was a
flash of movement as Bayo tore into the snake with his clawed hands and feet and bit the serpent
over-and-over with his front fangs making rapid and repetitive slashing bites. The blood flew from the
puncture wounds, and when Ancel looked down, he saw that Bayo had torn the snake in two by both
biting it and pulling it apart with both hands and feet. The serpent writhed in agony before secumbing to
its injuries. When Bayo realized the snake was a threat no longer, he returned to the sleeping bag and
sat on the hard rocky ground beside it. Ancel took him outside and, using one of his bottles of water,
washed the blood and bits of torn snake from Bayo's face, hands, and feet as well as his upper and lower
torso. He then laid him on the sleeping bag and removed the dead snake from his and Bayo's shelter.
Later, back inside, he placed heavy rocks on the loose canvas to secure it before crawling back inside his
sleeping bag and letting Bayo crawl back onto his chest and lie down. Before long, both were sleeping
soundly once again.

Chapter 5
A Friend's Good Deed

Saturday, July 15, 1988
The previous day was great. After hunting for a day's supply of food, Ancel and Bayo spent a lot
of their time playing with sticks, and toward the end of the day, they had gone into the cave that was
once Ancel's home, and Ancel searched for more snakes to kill. He killed another black mamba using the
slingshot he found in Abdullateef's little bag of various tools, and he cooked it over a fire that night. As
the last of the daylight faded away, he and Bayo ate by the fireside before returning to the shelter and
calling it a night. Now, it was early Saturday morning, and Ancel had to hunt for more food. However
this time, he decided not to take Bayo because he knew how much the sound of the big gun frightened
him. So he left while Bayo slept soundly in the sleeping bag, making sure to place heavy rocks on the flap
to secure it. He then ventured into the thicket with both his six-shot revolver and the rifle. As he walked,
he listened for anything that may have been trying to sneek up on him.
When he was a few hundred feet from his shelter, Ancel saw a smaller path leading off from the
larger one he was on. So he decided to take it and see what he would find. It was very narrow, and as he
walked, his shoulders brushed against the dense vegetation that lined both sides of the trail. He was about to take a step forward when his right foot had become entangled in some sort of vine or
something. Startled, he put his left foot forward, and that was when he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. It
felt as if several long needles stuck him all at once, and at the same time, an intense burning pain
radiated into the muscle of his ankle. It was unlike anything he had ever felt. Not even the leopard bite
compared to what he felt then, and he screamed. He felt it hit him a second time, but only a little
higher, and he realized he had been snake bitten. He looked down and saw the two dark bands on the
serpent's head, one on the croun, the other between the eyes, and he knew that his worse fear had
come true. He had been bitten by a puff adder not once, but twice.
Suddenly, an intense wave of pain hit Ancel, who fell onto the ground and screamed loudly.
Bayo! he screamed repeatedly. Komm, Bayo! (Comm German for come.) Bayo, who lay sleeping
in the shelter, was awakened by the screams, and he blew out of the sleeping bag like a mad bull. When
he reached the flap he and Ancel used, he tried to push it open, but it wouldn't budge. Something was
preventing it from opening. He tried again, but still, he couldn't get it to move. So, in desperation, he bit
the thin material with his small, sharp teeth, which resembled those of a puppy, and he felt it pop loose.
He tried again, and finally, it ripped. He tore a large hole in it, and once it was big enough, he slipped
through it and ran toward the sound of his friend's screams. He let out a series of high-pitch squeals,
thus letting Ancel know he was coming.
When Bayo reached Ancel, the snake had already gone. Ancel lay in absolute agony on the
jungle floor, and his left foot and leg had begun to swell. Bayo stopped not even a foot away from him
and cried loudly as he looked at the blood that ran down Ancel's raised leg.
Hilf mir, Bayo, bitte! Ancel pleeded. (Hilf mir, Bayo, bitte Help me, Bayo, please.) Bayo
stood on all fours and stared at Ancel with a look of pain in his eyes. His bottom lip trembled, and that
killed Ancel. Precious Jesus, he thought, it's like I am watching my own child's heart break before my
eyes.
Bayo touched Ancel's swelling leg and cried a high-pitch wail that was very similar to that of a
small child, and slowly, he sank to the ground. Ancel reached down and rubbed Bayo's little hand. Bayo,
Sie müssen Hilfe suchen, wenn ich es hier rausmachen werde. Ancel cried. ((Bayo, Sie müssen Hilfe
suchen, wenn ich es hier rausmachen werde German for Bayo, you must seek help if I am going to
make it out of here alive.)
Bayo just sat there, looking at Ancel. Gehen! Ancel said, and he nudged Bayo's left arm.
(Gehen German for go.)
Ancel gave Bayo a nudge on the side of his head before jerking his thumb toward the west, and
Bayo jumped up and ran as fast as his little arms and legs could carry him along the trail. Meanwhile,
Ancel lay all alone with his foot raised, hoping he had made the right decision by sending Bayo away. He
certainly didn't want to die all alone in the Congo, not after all that he had been through.
Bayo, still wearing his makeshift diaper, ran along the winding trail that led deeper into the
thicket. He raced beneath the various branches, fruits, and leaves that comprised the jungle canopy, and
at one point, screeched in pain as he had run a long thorn into the palm of his right hand. Using his little
teeth to pull it out, he dropped it and continued running, his heart racing and his breaths fast, like the
breaths of perhaps a one-year-old child, who is either very excited or has run a lot and needs to cool
down. He zoomed around the right-hand turn, where Ancel had encountered the leopard days prior,
and he continued down the gentle slope to the clearing. Once there, he turned to the left, running pass
the pile of branches that were his and Ancel's original shelter before they relocated to the vast space
beneath the rocky shelf, and he raced alongside the stream that flowed its way down the middle of the
clearing and continued into the thicket.
Ancel's foot, ankle, and leg throbbed painfully and felt hot as he lay on the ground with the
injured limb raised above his heart. Meanwhile, he hoped and prayed that Bayo would return with help.
What if he comes back with other creatures he thought. If that were the case, he knew that help would be totally out of the question. What would other creatures like Bayo be able to do Not a thing,
but sit and watch the poor soul as he secumbed to the puff adder's venom. Meanwhile, the sun had
begun its slow climb into the sky, and the jungle air had begun to heat up. Oh, how Ancel longed to be
home!
Bayo just had to get a drink. Stopping by the stream's edge, he cupped his hands and took large
swigs of the cool, clear water before continuing where he left off. He knew exactly where to go for help,
and he knew just who to run to, because the truth was that Bayo, though he lived quite a way from the
spot, where he found Ancel sleeping in his shelter, was one of many creatures in a group that was being
studied as part of a research project. Certainly they, the people, who had come to his jungle home,
would know what to do.
Death from a puff adder bite is, in most cases, very slow and extremely painful. It usually takes
around 25 hours for an adult human being to secumb to the toxic effects of the snake's venom, though,
in some instances, death can occur very soon, approximately within 30 minutes of being bitten. Ancel
wasn't sure how long he would be alive, but the one thing he did know was that it hurt a lot. To keep his
leg elevated, he scooted feet-first toward the trunk of a large tree and propped his left foot up on it.
Meanwhile, he waited for what felt like an eternity, and as the hours crept by, he longed for Abdullateef
and Shanti, not to mention Bayo, but also, the most important people in his life, his beloved wife and
children. Soon, it was 900 in the morning, and then, it was 1000. Then, it was 1100, and Ancel had
begun to give up as his head started hurting terribly.
A wave of abdominal cramps hit Ancel, and then, he grew nauseated. He vomited, spilling a
great deal of his stomach contents onto the ground. His heart raced as the venom coursed through his
body, and then, the dizziness started. Lord, have mercy! he thought as he lay on his back with his leg
raised.
Jaheim Baharia, thirty-four years old, was heading a film crew doing a documentary deep in the
Congo Rainforest. The film crew was made up of both Africans and Americans as well as others of
different nationalities, and they were working as part of a major television network. They had spent
days filming creatures that are unique, or which aren't well-known, like the one Ancel had adopted, so
to speak, to be his companion while in the jungle. After lunch, the crew gathered in the middle of a
clearing atop a tall cliff, and they conversed. Some of the members talked about their families while
others discussed the next shooting location. Suddenly, there was a frantic commotion down below as a
high-pitch scream rang out. That scream was followed soon by many others. Something's wrong with
the baques. Jaheim Baharia shouted, and the crew grabbed their cameras and headed down the gentle
slope to the flat ground below, and they saw hundreds of creatures running out of their dens. Then, they
saw that one of them wore a diaper of sort fashioned out of leaves and grass. Is that one someone's
pet someone asked.
Maybe, Jaheim replied, but why did it come to get other baques
Suddenly, the diapered baque ran to Jaheim, who stood several yards ahead of the crowd.
What is wrong, little one he asked. Bayo then took off up the slope, and many baques followed close
behind. Let's follow them, folks. Jaheim said. Keep the cameras rolling.
The crew raced into the jungle with the baques running ahead of them. They raced pass
strangler figs, pomegranate, red cedar, and various other trees, filming all the way. The path they were
on zigzagged and twisted its way through the jungle until finally, it ran straight alongside a wide, shallow
stream. A few minutes later, the baques and the film crew reached the clearing, where Ancel had set up
camp days prior, and they ran along the tree line before coming to another path that led through dense
vegetation.
Ancel had begun to fade in and out of consciousness as the venom took hold, and he was very
weak and lethargic. In his moments of lucidity, he thought about his wife and children and about his
newfound jungle friend. Hopefully, Bayo would find help somehow. There just had to be someone somewhere, who could help.
The crew of baques, men, and women made their way along the jungle path that turned to the
left and continued straight for many yards, perhaps miles. What was it that drove the baques along
these paths, and why was the diapered one so frantic to get them to go with him
Ancel's periods of unconsciousness grew longer as his heart had begun to slow. His left foot and
leg were swollen to the point at which the muscles were compressed within the thin fiberous layer of
tissue that contained them and held them in place. This condition, called compartment syndrome, is
potentially deadly to an extremity or other part of the body if left untreated. In such case, a muscle(s)
swells to the point at which the thin casing around it, known as the fascia, acts as a tourniquet of sort,
cutting off the flow of both blood and nutrients to thee affected muscle. The result of severe
compartment syndrome is loss of a limb, and if severe enough to impact other parts of the body, death.
The additional threat to Ancel's foot besides the muscles swelling inside the fascia was the
pressure his shoe exerted on the appendage as it swelled inside it. This increased the damage by cutting
off valuable circulation to the foot. The foot had turned black, and the pain was unbearable. Even if he
wanted, Ancel couldn't have mustered the strength he needed to remove his shoe due to the fact that
he had grown so weak. Whenever he was conscious, he begged God to let him pass out again. That was
how bad he was hurting.
The crew continued running along the path as the minutes passed, and whenever they
attempted to stop for rest, the diapered baque would scream, run to Jaheim Baharia, and nudge his leg
with his little hands. It was as if the baque knew Jaheim was the leader, and he drove him to continue
on. Sensing the creature's urgency, Jaheim pushed the others to continue on, reasoning with them that
it must be very bad for a baque to act this way. Perhaps it was the baque's owner, who was hurt and
needed medical help.
Ancel had awakened after a long period of unconsciousness, and he was in a mental fog. In the
distance, he thought he heard something, but he thought that perhaps he had begun to hallucinate. He
could hear the distant call of a man, and he thought he heard rapid footsteps as if a whole crowd of
people were running through the thicket. Then, he heard many high-pitch cries that sounded similar to
the sounds Bayo made. What was going on Was he dreaming His leg hurt continuously, and he had
begun having trouble breathing. Suddenly, he lapsed back into unconsciousness.
The camera crew, still following the baques, ran along the trail when suddenly, the diapered
baque broke away from the group and ran along a very narrow path that could easily have been missed
due to the fact that it was hidden behind low shrubbery. This way, folks. Jaheim said, pointing off to
his right. Everybody turned and followed him along the trail. A few hundred yards from where they
started, the diapered baque stopped and whined, and when Jaheim looked at what the little baque was
touching, he saw that it was the raised leg of a man lying on the ground. He noticed that the limb was
grossly swollen and he assumed that the man had injured it somehow. Stay back! he told the others as
he stepped through the dense vegetation and knelt beside the fallen man. Sir, he said in Swahili, can
you hear me He shook the man's shoulder and waited for a response. Sir, he shouted, are you
hurt
Ancel's eyes fluttered open and he looked at the man kneeling over him. My name is Ancel. he
said in a thick voice.
Pardon me Jaheim said, and Ancel repeated himself. What happened to you Jaheim
asked.
I was bitten by a puff adder. Ancel replied.
When did it happen Jaheim asked.
Little after seven o'clock.) Ancel said.
Sadaka, Jaheim called to one of the crew members, it's bad! Come with your medical bag!
I'm dying, right Ancel said. No, sir, Jaheim answered, because there is a good nurse here to help us take care of you and
get you out of here. You just hang in there.
Where's my Bayo Ancel asked in Swahili.
Pardon me Jaheim asked.
Bayo, Ancel said, that's what I have been calling the creature I befriended in the jungle.
Before Ancel could tell Jaheim anything more, he lapsed into unconsciousness.
We need to cut his pants off of him and remove his shoe. Sadaka Juma said as she removed a
pair of scissors from her bag. What kind of snake was it, Jaheim
He said it was a puff adder. Jaheim replied.
After cutting Ancel's pants off of him, Sadaka removed his shoes and socks and examined his left
foot and leg. The limb was black and grossly swollen, and his blood, which was being destroyed by the
venom, oozed out of the bite site as well as through the pores of his skin. We need to slow the venom.
she said, and she grabbed a restricting band and placed it around Ancel's thigh just above his knee,
which had begun to swell as the venom worked its way up his leg. We need to make a stretcher to carry
him out of here. she told the crew just as Ancel regained consciousness.
Ma'am, he said softly, what is your name
My name is Sadaka, the woman said, and I'm a nurse.
Am I in the hospital Ancel asked.
No, sir, Sadaka replied, you are still in the jungle, but we are going to rig a stretcher so we can
get you to a spot where you'll have medical access.
Listen to me. Ancel said. If it is of any help, I have some canvas, rope, and other items up a
good way. There's a rocky ledge I had been using as a temporary home until I could get out of here.
Listen up, folks. Sadaka said as she had taken charge of the situation. I need some of you to
go with Jaheim to the rock ledge southeast of our position. The gentleman stated that you will find
various items there. You are to hurry there, grab all you can, and return as fast as you can. Go!
Jaheim and seven other men ran along the small trail with one of the baques following close
behind. When they reached the larger trail that ran perpendicular to the smaller path, they turned to
the right and continued running. Once they reached the ledge, they stepped up onto the flat surface and
looked around. To the left of where they stood was what appeared to be an elaborate shelter
constructed with a large sheet of canvas, some rope, and various branches of diferent thickness and
length. Running fast, Jaheim was first to reach it. He untied the rope and pulled the canvas away to
reveal a thick layer of palm leaves that lay atop a latticework of branches lashed together with thick
grass. Instantly, he had an idea. Rather than disassemble the structure, he decided to re-secure the
canvas atop the leaves and carry the whole shot back with the help of some of his companions.
Listen up. Jaheim shouted, his voice reverberating off the rocky shelf's underside. This, right
here, is the stretcher. I need you to carry it as I gather the man's sleeping bag and other belongings.
Hurry out of here, and don't wait for me. I will meet up with you as you and Sadaka carry Ancel out.
The back that had followed the men to the rocky ledge stayed with Jaheim. It was a female, and
she watched him intently as he gathered Ancel's long gun and pistol and lashed them to his duffle bag
using some spare rope that lay on the ground nearby. he then rolled up the sleeping bag. However, he
realized he had to remove the ropes and the fire arms before he could unzip the bag and put the
sleeping bag inside it. Acting quickly, he did so. Then, he re-secured everything, shouldered the bag, and
headed back to meet up with the others.
In the meantime, Sadaka and two men had moved Ancel onto the makeshift stretcher, using
some of the loose canvas to cover him. They took the ropes that secured the lower portion of canvas
and used it to secure Ancel in the canvas wrap and restrain him to the stretcher as they made their way
along the rugged trails. Before they lifted the stretcher off of the ground, Bayo leapt onto it and lied
down beside his injured friend. Aw! somebody said. Let's roll. Sadaka said, and she and two other men carried the stretcher as the crew walked
along the main trail.
I gathered his personal belongings. Jaheim said. He had been keeping a journal as well. I
found it lying on the ground beneath his makeshift shelter.
It took four hours for Sadaka and her team to move Ancel from the jungle to a spot suitable for
medical evacuation. Meanwhile, she kept talking to him in an attempt to keep him awake and alert.
Bayo is lying beside you, Ancel. she told him, and she placed his left hand on Bayo's left rib cage. Can
you feel him Ancel gave her a little nod. Okay. You know, if he hadn't come to us, you wouldn't have
been found. So you have a lot of thanks to give him.
I need to tell you something. Ancel said.
What Sadaka asked.
I had come with my two friends, Abdullateef and Shanti, and we had just finished eating
when... Ancel started to nod off, and Sadaka nudged his shoulder. Ancel, she said loudly, stay with
us. You had just finished eating and what happened after Ancel, what happened after you and your
friends finished eating
Ancel's eyes opened again and he started speaking. I'm sorry, sweetheart. What were you
asking me
What happened after you, Abdullateef, and Shanti ate Sadaka asked.
We were ambushed by a large gang of people, and Abdullateef and Shanti were killed.
It dawned on her suddenly that the Abdullateef and Shanti Ancel had been talking about were
her brother and sister-in-law. To make sure, she asked him their last names, which he gave. Struggling to
hold back her tears, she continued to ask him questions. What happened after the encounter
I ran and hid in a cave nearby, Ancel mumbled, something Abdullateef was demanding I did.
God, I wish I hadn't.
The tears flowed down Sadaka's face and she patted the top of Ancel's head. It's okay. she
said, her voice choked off by the lump in her throat.
What's wrong, Sadaka Jaheim asked.
My brother and his wife were with Ancel, she told him, and they were killed. Ancel had been
living out here ever since.
Sadaka Ancel called.
Yes, sir. Sadaka answered.
If I don't make it, Ancel said, please tell my wife and kids I love them.
I sure will if it comes to that, Sadaka said tenderly, but you are going to make it. We need to
get you out of here and to a hospital, where you can be put on antivenin to treat your snakebite.
Will they let Bayo in Ancel asked.
I will see if we can make that happen. Sadaka said, fighting back her tears. She realized the
meaning of Bayo to Ancel. For God's sake, he was Ancel's baby as he was all by himself out there in the
wilderness. Ancel had diapered him, fed him, played with him, and talked to him affectionately on those
long and lonely days leading up to the snake incident. Now, he lay helpless on the makeshift stretcher
that was his and Bayo's lean-to shelter, and Bayo was his source of comfort as they were being carried
out of the jungle. Sadaka only felt it right that Bayo stay with Ancel either until he recovered or passed
away, but either way, it was best for Ancel.
When the crew reached the area they were filming in prior to the day's events, Jaheim used a
two-way radio to summon medical aid for Ancel. I am requesting emergency medical transport for a
snakebite victim. he said. It is an adult male, who had been bitten by a puff adder earlier this morning.
He is fading in and out of consciousness, and he has a slow pulse. He needs any form of rapid transport
available.
We are sending the bird. a woman responded. By sending the bird, she meant that a helicopter would be sent to airlift Ancel to an air strip, where a plane would transfer him to a hospital in
a major city, possibly Nairobi or somewhere close.

(To Be Continued.)

############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:59 AM
Content: In the last thread, you read about Bayo's attempt to seak help for his snakebitten human companion. This thread picks up with the heroing rescue. Will Ancel make it out alive?

Bayo scooted closer to Ancel and laid his head on his left shoulder. Ancel, Sadaka called
several times before he responded. I see you have a bandage on your right shoulder. What happened
I was attacked and bitten by a leopard late Tuesday afternoon. Ancel replied.
I'm going to remove the bandage and take a peak at your wound. Sadaka said, and gently, she
removed the bandage and looked at the wound. Judging by what she saw, Ancel had been taking expert
care of it. So she opened her medical bag and applied fresh dressing and bandaged the wound,
wrapping gause around the shoulder the way Ancel had done in the past.
Half an hour had passed before the faint sound of helicopter blades was heard. The sound grew
louder slowly until it was loud enough to wake Ancel, who had lapsed into unconsciousness. What is
that he asked.
It's your ride out of here. Sadaka answered. When the chopper landed in the middle of the
clearing, the team ran with the stretcher carrying both Ancel and Bayo. Hold on before you transfer
him. Sadaka called out to the waiting medical crew. I need to ask you a quick question.
A moment later, the medical team moved in and transferred Ancel from the makeshift stretcher
to a medical stretcher they brought with them. Who has the baque the flight nurse asked.
He's with the pilot. the nurse's companion answered.
We can't have him roming around as we will be working on this gentleman. the nurse said.
I don't think he'll be any trouble. the young man explained. These little guys are so calm and
dossile that it is unreal.
This is the first one I have ever seen. the flight nurse said as she and the others loaded the
stretcher onto the helicopter and secured it in place.
When the doors were shut, the pilot pulled back on the stick, thus accelerating the rotor blades.
The chopper lifted off the ground and soared into the sky. Meanwhile, Bayo sat in the copilot's lap and
looked out the window. However, there were many times when he looked back at the stretcher that
held Ancel, and he whined pitifully, which brought tears to the copilot's eyes. Are you folks still busy
the man asked.
For the most part, no. the flight nurse answered. Why
This little one wants to be back there with Ancel. the copilot said.
Would you care to grab him, Oringo the nurse asked, and her male partner moved to the
front of the helicopter, where the copilot handed Bayo to him. Holding him in his arms, Oringo carried
him over to Ancel's stretcher and laid him down by the man's right leg. Ancel's left leg was elevated, and
there was plenty room for Bayo to lie on the stretcher as long as he stayed near Ancel's feet. Bayo
turned onto his belly and rested his head on Ancel's right shin, and soon, he fell asleep. However, he was
awakened frequently by the flight nurse calling Ancel's name loudly to get him to respond to her.
Thirty minutes later, the helicopter touched down in Kinshasa, and Ancel was rushed to a
waiting ambulance that took him to a hospital, where he was started on antivenin and placed in
intensive care, and though he had become more alert, his left foot and lower leg looked very rough.
There was no saving the leg, and Ancel had to undergo an emergency amputation before gangrene set
in and threatened his life.
In the meantime, Sadaka Juma, who gave Ancel medical aid in the jungle, struggled to keep
herself together after what had been a very intense few hours. Around 900 PM, she couldn't stay with
the crew any longer. Jaheim, she said, I have to leave.
What's wrong Jaheim asked.
Ancel needs me, Sadaka explained, and I need to find out more about my brother and
sister-in-law.
Go. Jaheim said. We'll be alright. I know someone else, who will take your place. Please, don't fire me. Sadaka said.
Oh, never. Jaheim answered, and he hugged her. I understand completely. Go spend time
with Ancel.
Thank you. Sadaka said, and she gathered her supplies, leaving some behind for her fellow
crew members, and she unlocked her land rover, which was parked not far, started the engine, and left,
driving along a wide trail lined on both sides with palm trees.
It was close to midnight, when Sadaka arrived in Kinshasa. After parking her land rover in the
hospital parking lot, she entered the building and walked along a hall lined on both sides with doorways.
May I help you a nurse asked.
Do you have a patient, Sadaka began, a German, named Ancel
Are you related to the patient the nurse asked.
No, ma'am, Sadaka answered, but I offered him much needed medical assistance in the
jungle this afternoon.
I will be back. the nurse said, and she turned on her heels and left. Shortly after, she returned.
Mr. Kuntz is still in surgery, she said, but if you would like, you may wait in the waiting room and one
of our nurses will come and get you when he is out of surgery.
Okay. Sadaka replied. Could you tell me this Is there a male baque anywhere around here
Little Bayo the nurse asked. Ancel has been asking about him since he was put on antivenin
and moved to ICU. One of our volunteer staff members has him with her. I will have her meet you out in
the waiting room.
Thank you. Sadaka said, and again, the nurse walked down the long hallway. In the meantime,
Sadaka made her way back to the waiting room and sat in a chair by the windows.
Sadaka a woman called, and when Sadaka looked up, she saw her cousin walking toward her
with Bayo in her arms. Bayo wasn't wearing the diaper Ancel had made, but rather, a white disposable
diaper, and somebody had put a shirt on him.
Abuya! Sadaka said. It's been a while since I had seen you! When did you start volunteering
here
When I graduated school last year. Abuya replied. I am so happy to see you! What brings you
here
I have to meet with a patient I helped earlier today while in the jungle. Sadaka said,
trying to hold her emotions at bay. Please, sit down beside me. Abuya sat in a chair to the left of her
cousin, who hugged her tight. May I take the baque
Sure. Abuya said, and Sadaka took Bayo from her and sat him on her knee.
Abuya, Sadaka said, and there was a long pause before she continued speaking. This is going
to be hard for you, but Abdullateef and Shanti were killed sometime last week, and I need to find out
what happened. A patient has knowledge about it, and I need to talk to him once he is out of surgery.
Did he do it Abuya asked, her eyes filling with tears.
No, Sadaka said, I really don't think so. He told his story so well that I believe it was someone
else, who had done it. To tell the truth, I think this man is the friend Abdullateef and Shanti talked about
frequently. He had come from Munich, and he stayed with Abdullateef and Shanti at their place before
they all came this way for a yearly jungle adventure.
Bayo wanted down. So Sadaka placed him on the floor and he walked on all fours and scoped
out his surroundings. Meanwhile, the two women talked about Abdullateef and Shanti. Did he tell you
where their bodies are Abuya asked.
Not yet, Sadaka said, and that's one of the questions I have to ask him.
Well, Abuya said, if it's okay, I would like to accompany you and the baque when you go to
see the man.
I don't mind at all. Sadaka said. Sunday, July 16, 1988
600 AM
Sadaka, a nurse said, and Sadaka, who had fallen asleep in the chair while holding Bayo on her
lap, opened her eyes. Mr. Kuntz is out of surgery if you would like to see him.
Who will watch the baque Sadaka asked. Surely, he can't come with me.
I'll have one of the volunteers take him. the nurse replied, and Sadaka handed Bayo to her.
Hi, little one! the nurse said, patting Bayo on the back.
After following the nurse along a wide corridor, Sadaka passed through a set of double-doors
and entered a small hospital room, where Ancel lay in a hospital bed with tubes and wires everywhere.
Abuya followed close behind. Ancel, Sadaka said softly, do you remember me
Pretty girl! Ancel said, looking up at Sadaka. How could I ever forget you You saved my life. I
am so grateful.
Thank you, Mr. Kuntz. Sadaka said.
Please, call me Ancel.
Ancel, do you remember telling me about Abdullateef and Shanti
Ancel's eyes filled with tears as he spoke. Yes, vaguely, but I remember mentioning their
names.
I am Abdullateef's sister, Sadaka stated, and I want to know what happened to them. I know
part of it because, as we were carrying you out of the jungle, you said you were ambushed by a gang in a
clearing somewhere. Do you remember any specific landmarks
I do, Ma'am. Ancel said. The clearing was at the top of a plateau by a lake and water fall. As
you head up the plateau, there is a rock cliff on your left. Then, when you reach the top, you turn left
and walk straight south, and you will come to the site where we were attacked.
What exactly took place that night
Where's my duffle bag ancel asked. My journal should be inside it.
I'll be right back. Sadaka said, and she raced out of the room, along the brightly lit corridor,
through the double-doors, and when she reached the front door, she raced outside, opened the trunk of
her land rover, and unlashed the ropes that held her brother's rifle secured to Ancel's duffle bag. She
then removed the large bag, closed the trunk, and ran back inside. Back in Ancel's hospital room, she
placed the bag on the floor and opened it. She sorted through his various items until she found his
journal in its three-ring binder. Placing the document on her lap, she opened it. What date am I looking
for, Ancel she asked.
Sunday, July 10th. Ancel replied.
Sadaka flipped through the pages and stopped when she saw his entry for Saturday, June 25,
1988. Though she felt as if she needed to read about her brother and sister-in-law's murders, she
wanted to get a feel for Ancel and his friendship with Abdullateef and Shanti. So she read the journal
beginning on the day of Ancel's trip from Munich, Germany, to Kenya. The tears flowed down her face
as she read the German text and spoke aloud in German to Ancel

Saturday, June 25, 1988
I am so excited to be here with my two good friends. We will be going into town tomorrow to buy
supplies for our trip to the Congo two weeks from now. I can't wait to go. Katrin, honey, I wish you and
the kids could be here.

Sadaka read on, and Ancel listened as she spoke with a shaky voice. Periodically, he found
himself crying, and he wiped his tears away with his hands. Finaly, she came to the date of Sunday, July
10, 1988, and she read Sunday, July 10, 1988

Abdullateef, Shanti, and I had a little scare this morning when a pride of lionesses and their cubs came
into our area. They charged and Abdullateef and Shanti scared them off with their guns. Now, we have
arrived at a clearing on a plateau, and Abdullateef is cooking some fish we caught earlier.

Sadaka broke down and wept as she read the journal entry Ancel had written at 1130 PM, that
read as follows

Tonight, my whole world was shattered. We were ambushed earlier, around 700 PM, and sadly,
Abdullateef and Shanti were killed. I am heartbroken and alone out here, and I don't know if I will be
able to find the rented land rover we used at the beginning of our trek. Really, I'm too scared to go into
the thicket because I don't want them to find me. At the same time, though, I wish I had died along with
Abdullateef and Shanti. Abdullateef, who loved doing what his name meant, and Shanti, such a peaceful
soul, were and still are my best friends. It is hard to believe that such a horrible thing had happened to
them just a few hours ago. Right now, I am in a cave I found while looking for a place to hide after
Abdullateef ordered me to. If I make it out of here alive, only God knows. I miss Abdullateef and Shanti
so much, and I miss my wife and children as well. Man, if only I had a bigger gun than this revolver!

Sadaka Ancel said while sobbing.
What Sadaka replied.
I want you to have his rifle and things. Ancel said. Someone took the rifle when they took my
bags.
Your smaller bag and the rifle are in the trunk of my land rover. Sadaka replied.
Please, keep your brother's rifle. Also, there is a hatchet, a hammer, a sharp knife, and other
items.
I found the knife on your belt as we removed your clothing yesterday afternoon. I think you
should have it.
Thank you, Sadaka.
You're welcome, Ancel.
After I took the knife and the gun, Ancel began, I still feel bad because I didn't have anything I
could have used to bury both Abdullateef and Shanti. I felt they needed a decent burial and someone to
say prayers over them. However, I want you to know that I stood over their bodies and prayed before
returning to the cave.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Ancel. Sadaka said as she wept.
You're welcome. Ancel answered, and Sadaka placed his journal in the duffle bag before rising
to her feet. She approached Ancel's bed slowly and held out her right hand, which Ancel gripped with his
left. She shook his hand and thanked him once again for being a good friend to her brother and
sister-in-law. Will you please do me a favor Ancel asked.
What do you need Sadaka asked.
I would like to see Bayo. Ancel said.
I will see if I can bring him back here. Sadaka said, and she patted Ancel's left shoulder before
turning to go.
A couple of minutes later, Sadaka found one of the volunteer women bathing Bayo. He looks
like he's enjoying it. Sadaka said.
I'd say so. said the woman, whose name was Becca.
Becca, Sadaka began, when you get him dressed, will you please ask a doctor or someone
else if you or I could bring him back to see a patient Sure. Becca answered. Mr. Kuntz How is he doing
He's broken up as am I over the loss of my brother and his wife. Sadaka said, and she
swallowed hard, fighting with the lump in her throat.
Abuya told me on the way out, Sadaka. Becca said, and she hugged Sadaka. I am so terribly
sorry.
A week passed, and over time, Ancel's condition improved, though he had to adjust to life with
an artificial leg. He, along with Katrin and the children, stayed at Abdullateef Ndiaye's sister Sadaka's
house in Kinshasa for a couple of weeks. Katrin, Heinrich, Sabine, Heidi, and Adolph had flown in from
Munich after receiving news of Ancel's fate on the same night of his arrival. While at Sadaka and her
husband Gikuyu's house, Ancel, Katrin, the children, and their new friends watched the videos Ancel had
recorded throughout his stay in the Congo rainforest, and they all got a kick out of watching him and
Bayo play. We have to head back to the sight where my brother and sister-in-law died. Sadaka said.
We must find their remains and bury them.

(To Be Continued.)

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 10:06 AM
Content: What becomes of Ancel and Bayo's friendship? Find out as we conclude this first volume of the Baque series, a work in progress by BabyBoy2023.

Note: I am sorry for so many carriage returns. I don't know why this happens, but I just realized that during the conversion from PDF to this thread, some lines are short (being only 1 word to several in length.) I do appologize for just now catching this; however, I hope you like the story.

Chapter 6
The Reunion

Saturday, July 29, 1988
600 AM
After preparing a ripping good morning breakfast, Sedaka, Gikuyu, Ancel, Katrin, Heinrich,
Sabine, Heidi, and Adolph sat and ate, and afterwards, Gikuyu brought out a djembe, a type of African
drum that had a long, hollow stem extending from the bottom, and he played as Sadaka sang religious
hymns. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Gikuyu stopped playing, put his djembe down, and
opened the door. Hi. he said to a young blond woman, who stood before him.
I am Melissa Johnson, the woman said in African, and I am with the camera crew, who were
filming in the jungle on the day Mr. Kuntz was bitten. We have a surprise for him. If you don't mind, we
would like to come in.
Definitely. Gikuyu replied. Come on in.
Melissa motioned to the other crew members, who filed in behind her. There were 20 people in
all, and they included two zoologists, who had been studying baques long before the camera crew had
arrived.
One of the crew members had a camera on his shoulder. Ancel, he said in German, I am Hans
Fehlman, and I, too, am from Munich.
Yes, Ancel said, I believe I have seen you on TV.
It's a pleasure to meet you. Hans said, and he and Ancel shook hands. You look a lot better
than you did when I saw you in the jungle.
I feel much better. Ancel said.
After shaking hands, everyone sat and conversed a while before the two zoologists exited the
house. Where are they going Katrin asked.
I haven't the faintest idea. Hans Fehlman answered. Maybe they had to go take care of
something.
A moment later, the two zoologists reentered the house, and each had two baques in their
arms. Mr. Kuntz, the female zoologist said, and Ancel turned to look at her. Would you like to hold
them
I would! Ancel said, trying his best to contain himself. The woman walked over to him and
placed the two creatures on his left and right knees.
These two, the woman said, plus the other two my friend is carrying, are just four of perhaps
forty or more baques, who Bayo had alerted on the day you were bitten by the puff adder. They, in turn, caught our attention, and we all ran nonstop until we reached you.
What exactly is a baque Ancel asked.
Baques are close relatives to macaques. the woman explained. Because of their infantile
looks and their over-all gentleness, plus the fact that they are close relatives of macaques, they have
been given the species name, baque, which is a combination of baby and macaque.
That is so neat. Ancel said. Why haven't we seen them before
They have always been around, the male zoologist began, but due to mass numbers of them
being killed off by poachers, there are only a few left. We have persuaded congress to pass a law that
prohibits the killing of these delicate creatures, and we are starting to see a rapid comeback after many
years of lawless killing.
Wow! Ancel said.
Also, the female zoologist began, thanks to breeding programs in African zoos, we have
hastened that growth, and soon, you will see baques everywhere.
Isn't that something Ancel said.
I think I have the greatest gift I could ever give you, your wife, and your children. the female
zoologist said before exiting the house. Outside, she approached another female zoologist, who held a
baque in her arms. It was a male, dressed in African attire. She took the baque from her and returned to
the house. Mr. Kuntz, she said, and she turned the back so that he faced Ancel, who sat in a chair
against the wall. Embroidered across the chest of the baque's shirt was the name, Bayo. Seeing it, Ancel
broke down and cried tears of joy. Bayo, my friend! he cried out, and Bayo, recognizing his friend, let
out a high-pitch squeal, and the woman placed him in Ancel's lap as her partner took the two other
baques.
We told your story to President Mobutu, the woman said, and he was touched by how Bayo,
with help from the other baques, had saved your life. In fact, he contacted the President of Germany,
who has granted clearance for Bayo to enter your country. We have a document for you to fill out for
President Mobutu, and then, the deal will be made. She handed Ancel a thick document, which he read
and later signed before handing it back to the woman. Meanwhile, the crew filmed from different angles
as Ancel sat with Bayo on his lap.
May I hold him, Daddy fifteen-year-old Sabine asked, and Ancel handed Bayo to her. Hello,
Bayo! she said. You are cute!
Close to noon, Sadaka cooked enough food to feed an army, and everybody gathered outside
and ate. That night, after the sun had gone down, the camera crew set up a large screen and a projector,
and everybody watched and listened to some of the raw footage of the Congo jungle. The last video
they watched was recorded on the day of Ancel's rescue, and for the first time in his life, Ancel was able
to see for himself exactly how Bayo alerted the other baques, which inturn caught the attention of the
camera crew. Hugging Bayo tight, Ancel thanked him over-and-over as he watched the video.
Ancel, a man said, and Ancel turned to his right. I don't know if you remember me or not. My
name is Jaheim Baharia, and I am in charge of the camera crew. May we have your permission to tell
your story in our documentary about baques
You have my permission, sir, Ancel said, and yes, I do remember you. You were the first one I
saw when I opened my eyes. You were kneeling over me and shouting, trying to get me to respond.
That's right. Jaheim said. I am so glad you are doing alright. I'm sorry you had to lose your
leg.
Hey, Ancel began, it's life. I'm learning to walk on this prosthetic, and I'm sure I will be back
around this time next year. The two men shook hands before parting.
As Jaheim headed back to his chair, he stopped. Do you know the Swahili phrase we use to
describe baques he asked.
What is that Ancel asked. The phrase, Jaheim began, is Watoto wa jungle, which means babies of the jungle.
There couldn't be a better thing to say about them. Ancel replied. That is a very appropriate
way to describe them because, indeed, they are the babies of the jungle.
Later that night, after the camera crew and the zoologists left, Ancel and Katrin talked as they
watched four-year-old Adolph throw a stick for Bayo to fetch and bring back. He is the best thing that
has happened after all you have been through. Katrin said. Look at him and Adolph having fun
together. Adolph dropped to the ground and rolled in the grass, and Bayo pounced on him
playfully, gripping the back of his shirt with his little hands and growling, which made Adolph laugh so
hard. He's getting me, Daddy! he said while laughing.
A short time later, Ancel, Katrin, the children, and Bayo slept soundly under a mosquito net.
That following morning, they woke up around 700 AM, and after eating breakfast that was prepared by
Sadaka, Katrin and Ancel packed their bags. Who wants to ride with Sadaka and Gikuyu Katrin asked
the children.
May Heinrich and I ride with you, Mom Sabine asked.
Sure. Katrin replied. Heidi, Adolph, why don't you two ride with Sadaka and Gikuyu Sabine,
you can hold Bayo on your lap on the way to the airport. Where are his diapers and things
I have them. Heinrich said.
Well, Sadaka said, I guess we should be going.
The two land rovers pulled into the airport parking lot around 825 AM, and after hugging and
saying their good-byes, Ancel, Katrin, Heinrich, Sabine, Heidi, Adolph, and Bayo entered the building and
passed through security on their way to the terminal. Once aboard the plane, Sabine handed Bayo to
Katrin and took her seat next to her teenage brother.
Monday, November 6, 1988
The Kuntz family, all six plus one very special family member, were doing well. Ancel, having
recovered fully despite the fact that he lost his leg after being bitten by a puff adder in the Congo, had
gone back to college to study zoology. Meeting Bayo had given him a new purpose, and he wanted to
return to the jungle as part of a research group studying baques. Heinrich, on the other hand, wanted to
study business when he graduated, and his hope was to start his own store in Munich. Sabine, whose
grades were excellent, had dreams of becoming a dancer. Heidi and Adolph, well, they just wanted to be
kids for a while.
After many people had seen the documentary on baques when it made its big debut on
television, and having seen the many nightly news programs that ran the story of how Bayo saved
Ancel's life, whenever the family was out in public, everybody wanted to get their hands on Bayo. Even
the President of Germany took a special trip to Munich to meet Bayo and his new family.
As for Bayo, he adjusted well to life with his new family, and he and Adolph played a lot. Sabine
would dress him up in the cutest baby clothes and take him to her friends' houses, and on the morning
of Monday, November 6, 1988, Heidi, accompanied by her father, took Bayo to school and told her class
the story of how Bayo rescued him.

Epilogue

Today, Ancel and Katrin, having moved to the United States, reside with Bayo in Bellevue,
Nebraska. Ancel works at the Omaha Zoo's Lied Jungle, which has a large baque exhibit. Katrin started
her own sewing business, and the children, who are now grown and live in either Bellevue or Omaha,
have families of their own. Heinrich has three children, Sabina has four, and Heidi and Adolph both have
one. Heinrich, having a change of heart, attended college in Omaha, where he studied architecture, and
today, he has his own business making 3-dimentional blueprints. Sabine is a hotel clerk, Heidi is a nurse at one of the major hospitals in town, and Adolph is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
technician. On the side, he plays guitar in a small Christian band, called The Chariots.
Baques live for many decades, and Bayo is just as active as he was on the day he met Ancel.
Since Bayo's story, baques had become well-known in Africa, thanks to educational videos and
public presentations. Due to the law banning the poaching of the animals, they made a rapid comeback,
so much so that they have been permitted to be sold as pets, though they are not thought of as pets. A
pet is a dog, cat, turtle, fish, bird, or some other sort-of animal. Ancel said when he was interviewed by
a news crew at an Omaha TV station. Bayo, however, he is our baby. Even in the jungle, I never thought
of him as my pet. Yes, he is an animal primate. Yes, he has a lot of animalistic behavior, but he is so
delicate and that cute little baby face of his just melts my heart. If he is upset or sad, he puckers up like
any human being would, and his bottom lip trembles as he wails. I can't call him a pet. No way, never.
In the weeks since Ancel Kuntz's rescue, Sadaka, who rendered medical aid to Ancel in the
jungle, and her family took a journey to the spot, where the ambush had occurred, and though jungle
animals had taken a large portion of Abdullateef and Shanti's remains, the family took what was
recovered back to Kinshasa and performed a ritual ceremony before burying them. Today, the lake and
the clearing on the plateau bear the names of Abdullateef and Shanti. Lake Abdullateef, which is at the
base of the water fall by the rock cliff, has become a major fishing spot as well as a place of relaxation.
The Shanti Plateau is a camp ground as well as a major tourist attraction, and people can take guided
tours through Ancel's Cavern, the name given to the cave system Ancel Kuntz had used as a temporary
home while stranded in the jungle. Engraved in the rock near the cave's entrance is a graphic depiction
of the ambush atop Shanti Plateau and how Ancel was forced to take refuge in the cave. Toward the last
part of the tour, guests exit the cave through the passage that bears Bayo's name and links the main
chamber to the rock formation, under which Ancel and Bayo lived and played in the days leading to the
snake incident. People can read the story of Ancel's time in the jungle and about the heroic baque
named Bayo, a story engraved in a stone wall that has been erected along the rock ledge at the edge of
the flat area beneath the overhang, an area that has been given the name, Kuangalia, which is Swahili
and means, The Lookout. The high portion of the ledge leading down to the forest floor, an
approximate 100-foot vertical drop several yards beyond Bayo's Passage, has been fenced off to prevent
access to the area due to the dangers it poses.
Every summer, Ancel, his wife, children, and grandchildren fly to Africa, where they fish from
Lake Abdullateef. As for the gangs and the crime that had occurred in and around the area those many
years ago, nobody knows why, but it all stopped. Perhaps the gang members were caught and
imprisoned, or maybe they had moved onto other areas or even perhaps other countries. However, the
area is patrolled by armed security guards round-the-clock.

The End

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 7:49 PM
Content:

parktochter said:

Can't you put the chapters in one topic?

[End of quote]

I don't get what you mean. The story is about a young man, who sets out on a journey through the African wilderness with some friends, but finds himself alone and vulnerable following an ambush that ended with his friends being killed mercilessly. Later, in his time of loneliness and isolation, this special creature finds him one night, and it starts the begining of a special friendship. Are you talking about the tags I attached? I believe they are self-explanitory.

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 20, 2024 at 9:42 PM
Content:

parktochter said:

lol, that's not what I meant with topic. I mean that you opened a thread for every chapter

[End of quote]

Gotcha now. I tried to put the chapters altogether as one thread, but in doing so, when I tried to post, I got a warning that I exceded the maximum character number allowed. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I now know what you mean. I would have put it all in one thread having it not been for the limited number of characters. Thanks for clearing things up a bit. I wish I could have had this story all written in one thread.

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 21, 2024 at 7:51 PM
Content: I am starting work on the next volume of this series, and it will be posted under a separate thread as to keep each volume separate; however, now that I know I can cut and paste into the existing thread, each chapter will be in the same thread as this one is thanks to the anonimous party, who merged all threads into one. I do thank that individual from the bottom of my heart. Many thanks.

As for Vol. 2, I want it to be based right here, in America as these fictional cute, lovable creatures, the baques, become legal and are bought by families everywhere.

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Author: BabyBoy2023
Timestamp: Feb 24, 2024 at 6:02 PM
Content:

MaxDiaper said:

Thank you for the story BabyBoy2023. I am assuming that you live in America however have some connection to Germany? Your German in the story was perfect. Just curious about your connection with Germany? I was born in the US however spent over ten years in Germany working as a civilian for the US military. While there I attended a German church in Frankfurt (where I made many German friends) and learned German at university on base. It was 20 years ago since I lived there. I have since immigrated to Australia. Looking forward to your next story.

[End of quote]

Thank you, MaxDiaper. Actually, I didn't know any German at all. What you read I had to get translated from English to German using Word Hippo. About the only German I knew before that was Ramstein "Du Hasst Mich," LOL. By the way, I am closing my ADISC account as I will be more active on Quora's ABDL Diaper Space. You can find me over there as Little Boy. Once again, thanks.