her life forever. Life, as she knew it then, would never be the same again.
Chapter 2
Eva was about to return home, as she always did, when she heard a voice carried by the wind… much like a whisper.
“Eva,” whispered the wind.
The voice called out to her again from the jungle just beyond her view. However, she could not distinguish its origin.
Eva realized that the remaining daylight was running out fast. She needed to get back to the village before sunset, but curiosity got the best of her.
With nothing to fear, she took a short detour into the trees, just west of the known path. While carefully pushing aside hanging branches and stepping over thick brush, a rustle in the tall grasses up ahead momentarily startled her.
Eva picked up her pace, trying to see what, or who, was moving about. She contemplated whether an older sibling, or a village hunter like her father, might be playing games as they often did. At least that would explain the voice, she thought.
On the other hand, the wind often played games of its own. Perhaps her imagination had gotten the best of her, and she had wondered in search of a small animal looking for food on the forest floor. Either way, she was curious.
In the excitement, she had not taken notice of the suns waning position in the evening sky. She paused to consider her options before deciding to make her way back to the path, and head home.
However, just as Eva began to turn around, the voice spoke yet again. This time there was no mistaking it.
“Eva,” whispered the mysterious voice. The sound crept through the jungle, echoing from every direction.
Suddenly, feeling uneasy for the first time, Eva moved anxiously in the direction of the voice. As she turned, a young boy approached through the bushes. They bumped right into each other, and then quickly backed off in surprise. They curiously inspected one another, but found few things in common. From what she could tell, the boy was about her age, and equally human. The similarities ended there.
His skin was much darker than Eva’s, and his eyes were like light brown marbles. The boy possessed neatly groomed black hair, a luxury of which she had never seen. He dressed very differently from what she was accustomed. On his feet, he wore sandals made of fine leather, and on his body an elaborate robe of many bright colors. The beauty and quality of the boy’s apparel were in stark contrast to the plain white linens of those living in Eva’s tiny village.
Having never met anyone from outside her village, Eva was certain she had never seen the boy before. Yet somehow, he had surely been calling her by name just moments ago. Interested in who the boy was, Eva inquired about three things.
“Who are you?” she asked. “What are you doing here in the woods as the sun sets, and how do you know my name?”
With growing intrigue, their eyes locked on to one another as an unfamiliar feeling descended upon the forest. Eva waited patiently for his reply.
“My name is Amir,” the boy quietly answered. “I have abandoned a familiar sandy path in search of a voice I heard upon the wind just minutes ago.”
Confused by the third question, Amir asked something in return.
“I do not know your name as you assume,” he said. “But why would you ask for mine, when you called to me just moments ago? Your voice was unmistakable.”
Certain she had not called to him like he suggested, Eva's pulse quickened, and a new sensation rushed through her veins. The tiny hairs on her body rose as chills ran down her spine. Having lost her sense of direction during the brief chase, her well-known path was now hidden from sight.
The terrifying grumble of thunder echoed throughout the darkening sky. Eva stared with wide eyes at Amir, trembling with fear. It was the feeling of separation from what she knew; a sensation that was not about to end.
The life giving sun had set, flashing storm clouds had rolled in, bringing with them the familiar scent of rain, and darkness had fallen harshly upon the dense jungle.
Chapter 3
Hardly able to see one another, Eva and Amir held hands tightly and looked for shelter. The sky opened up, and rain began to pour. Large droplets of water fell from the sinister clouds, bombarding the forest canopy high above. Amir and Eva looked up in anticipation. They could hear it coming. A mist descended upon the frightened young children, moistening their exposed skin. Finally, the battered jungle could no longer shield them from the downpour.
Together, they searched the vicinity for what seemed like an eternity, but found no evidence of a trail. It seemed their paths had been erased from the earth, overgrown with the same vegetation as the rest of the area. Their eyes grew heavy as they exhausted themselves in search of a way home.
Realizing that finding their way in the dark was unlikely, they found shelter in a dense cave-like opening in the brush. Fearing they would be lost forever, but glad not to be alone, they leaned against an enormous tree, which served as the backbone of their vegetated refuge. Too tired for conversation, Eva and Amir fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Chapter 4
The following morning, Eva awoke within a pleasantly calm surrounding. A gentle breeze blew peacefully through drying leaves above. The rustling treetops were supplemented by the sound of chirping birds. It was the recurrent music of nature.
The storm clouds had cleared. The rain had ceased, and the innocent young girl could see her surroundings clearly once again. The sun’s light slowly climbed from the east into the sky above. It was astounding how light could alter one’s mood so unavoidably.
Having never been lost before, Eva considered the possibility that she may not find her way back to the village. In order to find food, water, and safety before the day’s end, they had to get moving. She nudged Amir with her elbow a few times to wake him.
“Come on Amir,” she urged. Eva stood up and peeled the fallen wet leaves from her body. “We need to get going. Our way home can’t be far.”
Amir yawned and stretched as he stood and surveyed the surrounding forest. To Eva’s surprise, the boy was wise beyond his years.
“Just as we were tempted by the wind,” said the boy “we must follow the elements to find our way home. Don’t worry… the water will lead us there.”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” said Eva with a confused look on her face. “I don’t see any streams or rivers to follow.”
“Last night,” Amir explained, “as the rain fell into the forest, we too fell into this place. Notice however, that the rain has since moved on.”
“So, like I said,” Eva teased, “We need to get going.”
“Clouds gather over the great seas,” continued the wise young boy, “then carry their rains to distant lands. The droplets are scattered as they fall into the most unfamiliar places. Nevertheless, they make their way home. They do this by going with the flow, not by fighting the current. The fallen sprinkles come together, becoming greater as they approach the sea. They journey through foreign territory, as if they had been there before.
“There is always a path of least resistance, and it is there that the water flows. No need to panic, if we do as the rain does, we will find our way home."
Little did Eva know, the seed which one day would grow into a spectacular discovery, had just been planted in her mind. For now however, she simply prepared to move out.
“Well with a brain like that, it looks like I’ll be following you," Eva said.
Eva and Amir briefly observed their immediate area, but noticed nothing of interest. They began pushing their way through the woods in search of anything that might help them get home.
They