Jungle Island Hijinx! - Part 2

The crystal reminds you of a lightsaber. Even your hangover can't keep your powerlevel hidden. How it got here and your phone didn't is one of the many mysteries your blackout self is keeping from you.

"Anon, this is your father's lightsaber," you think as you reach to pick up the thing. "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaste-"

A bright light engulfs your vision as you grab the crystal. That's the second time today a burning light reminded you of the pounding in your head. The shock leaves you dazed as you try to see what's in front of you without colorful blobs floating in your vision. As your vision clears, you can once again see the sand, sun, waves, and the golden crystal. Wait... "Wasn't it white before?" You rub your eyes again to see if you can clear the last dazzling colors dancing in your eyes.

There's no mistaking it. The crystal is a deep golden color. Maybe it reacted when you touched it? But that doesn't make sense, since you remember carrying it from the shop. Didn't you?

"I hope I didn't break it," you muse aloud. "I still have to return it!" With that thought, you immediately remember that you are parched and on some weird beach. "Well, after I find my way back from wherever my drunk self got me off to."

The heat of the sun starts to get oppressive. You decide to explore around and see if you can't find a stream. Your mouth is dry and you are starting to worry about dehydration, not to mention the steady drums of pain in your head. You look back at the tattered remains of the raft, contemplating whether you should keep it or at least make it easily found, but decide that it's not useful for water or survival.

With the fate of the raft decided, you peer around the beach to see if there's any buildings or other signs of civilization. You know you need to get water, and then maybe a cab or something. Clearly you won't be calling Uber without your phone. You ruefully think about how helpless you are without any technology. While you don't spot any buildings (and no boats either...) you do see a rock outcropping that pierces the jungle and ends deep into the sea. If anything, it's a useful landmark to start exploring further. Maybe it is man-made, like those beach brakes that protect small coves for wealthy vacationers.

You start a little into the underbrush to escape the unrelenting sun. The canopy gives you some relief while still allowing plenty of light to keep yourself from stumbling. You estimate the outcropping is nearly a mile judging from how large the waves crashing against it. However, the walk is particularly slow going as the underbrush has no obvious paths to follow. It seems to aggressively grow, almost as if it's trying to slow you down. You chuckle at the thought of plants trying to keep you from your objective.

Your laugher is cut short as your foot decides to become intimately acquainted with a root. Soon your hands and face meet the root's sisters with a startling insistence. After chewing dirt and a few dead leaves, you roll over and catch your breath and check for cuts. Luckily these plants were nice and let you down softly, leaving only your bruised pride.

*Burble*

It's like all other sounds simply stopped. Or, rather, it's more like your attention suddenly found a laser-focus.

*Bubble*

WATER!

You instantly forget about the outcropping, and zero in on the source of the sound. It's coming from deeper inside the underbrush. You carefully pick yourself up and slowly make your way to the source of that sweet delicious sound.

---

Whatever deity is watching over you now needs some serious prayer. The trickle of water led you to a large creek. It seems like it dissipates into the underbrush, which would explain the liveliness of the growth. Funny what kind of thoughts that come when you are face down and gorging water from some creek. Between the cool refreshing water and finally slaking your thirst, you can feel your headache subside a little.

For a minute you sit there basking in the cool shade of the jungle canopy. For the first time you feel sweat beading on your skin, and a slight breeze wicking away body heat you just noticed. You also feel your wits coming back a little, which makes you notice just how hot your body has become. Somewhere in your hangover a stray thought filters through, concerned about overheating and how dangerous your predicament has become. However, that is quickly overwhelmed when your stomach makes it's dissatisfaction known with a loud gurgle.

"If it's not one thing it's another," you blithely joke to yourself. "Clearly I'm never satisfied. I would make a terrible lover. No wonder that lady insisted I need this stone."

Thinking about the crystal makes you curious. Taking it out of your pocket, you give it a careful examination. It's nearly six inches long, and cut into a hexagonal shape along it's length, sharply tapering to two points on each end. On the one hand it looks entirely generic, and yet the rich golden color gives it a unique intensity unlike any other.

Your curiosity is cut short with motion in your peripheral vision. Your predicament crashes through your hangover like bricks. You are alone in a jungle in god-knows-where with no food nor protection. You crouch down in the underbrush for concealment, hoping you weren't noticed by whatever is out there. For a moment you can only hear your own heartbeat in your ears, as well as pounding in your head. Squinting towards the source of the motion, you spot what looks like a person. Suddenly all thoughts of safety gave way. Rescue!

"H-!"

Well, you wanted to get that person's attention, but it seems the little stream wanted you to drink some more. How else can you explain the crack in your voice, and then falling face-first in the creek? Sometimes nature knows best. Sputtering water and wiping your face you look again, but whoever was there has clearly gone.

Or maybe you are hallucinating. That thought sends chills down your spine that can't be explained by the cool water.

"Only one way to find out," you mutter. Packing the crystal and makeshift shawl up, you work your way up to the apparent apparition.

---

Hallucination. That's the only word piercing your headache. You can't even find so much as a footprint. Of course, you weren't sure that you saw a human, nor are you sure that they were at this spot. Between heat fatigue, hunger, the hangover, extended dehydration, and multiple intimate acquaintances between your face and the jungle floor, you can't be sure of what you saw.

Dejected, you sit down in the little clearing next to the creek and take stock. Looking back down the creek, you can barely see where the shoreline is supposed to be. You're pretty deep in the jungle now, and the reality is the little creek is your only indication of direction. If you went in any other direction but the beach, you might get lost! Lost in a jungle is pretty bad. Being hungry and lost in a jungle is unsettling to the extreme.

In your melancholy a stray thought drags your attention to the spot of the clearing opposite the creek. A path. Well, that's maybe an overstatement, but a close look definitely reveals a small trail leading away from the clearing and creek. Looking up to the sky you see the sun is still high in the sky, but not exactly noon. Was it still morning or is it now the afternoon? One part of your head wants to see what's up the trail, but another rational side still clings to the fear of getting lost. For a moment your headache takes a back seat to the war of thoughts in your head.

Your stomach, however, has finally become impatient and made it's opinion loudly known. Against your rational self, you decide it's worth the risk. Maybe your hallucination went down this path, or maybe you will find food. Either way, moping by the creek is the least appealing option. Besides, you have a good feeling about this. If you don't find anything after a bit you can always turn around.

With matters settled, you start down the path.