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Sarah tilted her head from side to side as if weighing up exactly those thoughts. “I will,” she said.
Kendra chuckled.
“Me too.” Erica lifted her glass.
“Remember we have to walk there, folks,” Kendra said.
“That’s exactly why I need another one of these,” Sarah said. “There are creatures in there.” She pointed towards the jungle behind them. “I need to numb my senses.”
Kendra couldn’t argue. Not because she agreed with Sarah’s logic, but because looking at Sarah and not touching her was like presenting a deer to a lion and asking it to wait for dinner. She could do with a drink to damp down her desire. “The vampire bats will be more scared of you, I can assure you.” She laughed when Sarah shuddered. “They won’t come anywhere near you, but if you get to see one up close, they’re amazing.”
Sarah shook her head. “I’m not getting up close to anything that’s got vampire in its name, and especially if its flying through the air, thanks.”
Kendra went into the office building and returned with socks for the group. She handed them out. “I advise you to wear these and tuck your trousers into them.”
“Why?” Dani asked.
“Leeches,” Nadia said.
Kendra nodded. Nadia never said much, but she knew how to navigate the jungle. It had been interesting listening to her talk about the birds, and Kendra had learned a lot. Dani wrapped her arms around herself and curled her body forwards, and Sarah looked as though she’d seen a vampire bat already. “If you use the socks, the leeches won’t get to your legs. They won’t do any harm; they’re just irritating little blood suckers.” She watched Sarah shiver and swiftly down her drink. It was going to be an interesting couple of hours before they got settled into the treehouse. “Get your rucksacks, and let’s go. We have torches, so you don’t need to bring anything other than your overnight goodies.” She grinned at Sarah who pursed her lips. “And no snacks in your pockets in case you accidentally drop litter.”
The women nodded and peeled away to their huts to collect their overnight gear.
Sarah stopped close to Kendra. “You make this little jaunt sound so appealing,” she whispered.
Sarah’s warm breath, sweet from the fruit in the hooch, sent a wave of fire that scolded her mild sarcasm. Kendra leaned closer. “I’ll look after you,” she whispered.
Sarah stiffened her back and frowned. “What makes you think I need looking after?” she asked, and her mouth hinted at a smile.
Kendra shrugged. “Just a hunch.” She winked, and Sarah turned away. Kendra watched her backside sway as she made her way to her hut. She took a deep breath, wishing they were heading out for a night in the jungle alone.
“Good luck,” Malee said and chuckled as she headed towards the kitchen area.
“Yeah, thanks, mate.” They had drawn straws to see who would lead the activity and secretly, Kendra had fixed the outcome. She smiled as Sarah started back from her hut. Beige trousers and a white shirt wouldn’t have been Kendra’s choice of colour scheme. At least the creatures would see her coming. Warmth filled her, and a lightness bubbled in her chest. As Sarah came closer, she inhaled her perfume. They’d smell her coming too. Kendra suppressed a laugh. “You look and smell nice,” she said.
“It’s self-defence,” Sarah said and grinned.
Kendra held her gaze. “And I mean, you look and smell nice,” she said.
Sarah looked around. “Hm.”
At the other women’s voices, Sarah stepped back from Kendra.
Kendra greeted them and handed out the small torches. “Any questions before we head out?” Her question was met by wide eyes and shaking heads. “If you need the loo, now’s the time. We’ll pass by on the way out of here. After that, it’s jungle pees only.” She started up the track and stopped outside the latrines while the women sorted themselves out.
If the women thought the night was dark at the camp, wait until they experienced the blackness beneath the jungle’s canopy. “Keep your torch lights down to the ground as much as possible and stay close to each other. Listen to the sounds of the jungle, my friends. You won’t hear anything like it where you’ve come from.”
“That grinder cutting through metal sounds like something in my back yard,” Dani said.
“That’s the cicadas. You might hear grasshoppers, and we should see a few bats high up when there’s a clearing.”
“And what about the leeches?” Erica asked.
“With the socks on, you’ll be fine.” She turned off the main track and moved slowly, deeper into the dense forestation. “Some people can hear bats. I can’t. They make a clicking sound. If you keep watching towards the treetops, you might catch their movement after your eyes have adjusted. Let me know if you hear anything.” Against the other noises, the bats would be hard to detect, even if she had the range of hearing to pick them up.
“Echolocation,” Nadia whispered. “I can usually hear them.”
“Let us know if you hear anything.” Kendra continued along the narrow track, aware that Sarah was at the back and wishing she was closer. She could at least enjoy her scent even if she couldn’t see her that well.
