Arnold POV:
Has I walked further away from the two most important people in my life I wonder...if I had made the right choice. On the other hand, I couldn't just leave Jorge with La Sombra he has help us so much, he saved Helga's life and now I was going to save his. I walked faster almost running through the dense vegetated path. The jungle was dark yet the bright light of the moon shine upon the trees and plants illuminating the leaves with its own magical mystical glow. The midnight view of the rainforest was truly mesmerizing. Even in the deepest part of the jungle I knew the way, I couldn't get lost. I could sense all the nature around me. As if the jungle was part of me.

I stopped at the top of a hill and crouched down exhausted from the journey. The harpy eagle quickly perched on a thick branch next to me. My eyes gazed upon the midnight view of the majestic landscape. The large rocky mountains look like guardians with the moon. I look down and saw the river, I recognized it and knew I wasn't far from where Jorge was being detained. "Jorge is inside the foggy forest, were almost there" I said to the harpy. The eagle turned its head and made a high call. Even if the eagle couldn't speak to me, it felt good to know I wasn't completely alone.

I had to hurry, my time was running out, I could feel it like a time clock within me making my heart beat faster and faster. I had to admit, even with the eagle flying above me and knowing I was the chosen one, I was afraid. I was terrified of never seeing Helga or my father again and letting everyone down.

Once I crossed the river, I knew I had to be as quiet as possible. The dense night fog covered me. I creep through their camp site and found all the man sleeping. The scent of alcohol in the air was proof some or all of the man had been drinking to much that night. Which was an advantage for me, still the man had guns and machetes, I couldn't let my guard down.

Suddenly I saw Jorge tied to a tree. He was lying down on the dirt and looked in bad shape. I was able to get closed to him and place my palm over his mouth. "Jorge, shush....I'm here don't make any noise." I whispered.

Jorge saw me with his big brown eyes in relief. I unknot the tight rope from his wrist and indicated him where to go. Then I saw him, the imagine hit my brain like a nightmare in my mind. The eagle was up in a tree looking down towards his tent and I realized, I could try to get the journal back. "Jorge go, I'll catch up to you." I told him.

"Where are you going?" He asked me frighten of being caught again.

"I know where La Sombra is and I will try to get my father's journal back."

Jorge nodded with fear in his eyes "Don't Arnold, we won't make it out of here alive if he sees you."

"The journal has a map to the green-eyes location I have to try to get it back. Go Jorge, I'll find you." I assured him. The look in his eyes was obvious, he didn't like the idea. Still I couldn't just walk away from the opportunity of getting the journal back.

The eagle's vision led me to La Sombras tent. It was a large green military style, I sneaked inside and saw a body sleeping underneath the sheets. I quickly begin to look around for the journal and I couldn't find it. Then, I saw something poking out from underneath La Sombra's pillow it was a book. I carefully grabbed the edge of the cover and gently pulled it out, indeed it was my father's journal. I swiftly walked towards the exit and I felt something heavy strike my head. Pow!

I felt on the ground hearing my own heart beating. The back of my head felt as if it was on fire from the blow. My vision was blurry, but it was clear, La Sombra had strike me in the head with something. I felt on the ground head up and saw him snatched the book away from my hand.

"You sneaky son of a perra....I never imagine you had the guts to come to my camp for the damn book. Just like your father sneaking in to the night. Pendejo muchacho you are my prisoner now and your so call girlfriend will die in your arms, just like your mother did!!" Said La Sombra holding the book in his hand and a wood stick on the other.

Like a flash the eagle scratched the tent causing La Sombra to get distracted for a second. That's all it took for me to kick his hand disarming him and strike him on his face making him throw the journal on the ground. I jumped on the book and felt his heavy body on top of my back. He began to wrestle with me, hitting my ribs and striking my head with his fist. Some of the journal pages got ripped during the commotion. I noticed he was trying to reach for his gun on top of his backpack. He stretched his arm to reach, that's when I turned around and in a solemn voice said to his face, "You'll regret everything you ever did to me!!" and knock him out with my fist. I quickly stood up and tried to snatch as many pages as I could from the ground and ran away with the journal in my hands. I ran as fast as I could, trying not to fall between the drunk men who were sound asleep and headed to the path I told Jorge to follow.

My body ache from the beating I took from La Sombra but I couldn't stop running. I heard gun shots and yelling from afar and I knew La Sombra was coming after me. I saw Jorge leaning against a tree exhausted waiting for me. "I can't believe it, you have the journal!" he said in shock.

"Don't stop come on, his man will catch up to us!" I told Jorge as we both rushed through the dense bushes. Jorge was too weak and hurt from the beating he had taking earlier, it was hopeless we couldn't outrun them. I saw a large tree that look perfect for hiding.

"How good is your climbing Jorge?" I asked.

"Are you kidding, I can climb anything but if you're thinking about climbing this tree the branches are too far up to be able to hold on to anything to climb." He said.

I took out my whip and latch it on a branch up high and secure it. "Come on, hold on to the whip and we'll climb together, we can hide between the dense branches." 

Jorge was first to hold on the whip and begin to climb on the truck. We quickly got to the very top of the tree just in time. I could hear La Sombra infuriated yelling to his man as they past us by unaware we were hiding on the top of the tree. Jorge and I were quiet in till we saw them disappear in to the forest.

"What now?" he asked.

"Its best if we wait up here in till we know for sure they stop chasing us before we continue our heading.

Jorge placed is hand on my shoulder and said "Thank you Arnold for coming back for me, I honestly though I was going to die."    

"I know what you did for Helga and.....you're a good friend Jorge, I couldn't just let you die at the hands of La Sombra."

"How did you found me?"

"The eagle found you first then I followed." I told him.

"Of course, that's why I saw the eagle last night. So Helga told you I left camp?"

"Yes, when she woke up she didn't see you or the journal in her backpack and she panic."

"Oh I see, I guess she thought I took the journal then?"

"Well, she thought all kinds of things but we both knew something else must had happen....but when the eagle found you and you touched its head I was able to see everything."

"You mean you saw the moment I was taken to La Sombra?"

"Well yes I saw that too, I had a vision of everything from when we first met to the moment you were tied to the tree."

"Really......but then....wait, what do you mean,  everything?"

"I saw you rescue her from the river and how you tried desperately to get her to breath again."

Jorge stared at me with wide eyes, nerves for what I had said.

"Arnold I'm so sorry.....I didn't mean to kiss Helga intentionally....I was giving her mouth to mouth oxygen and when she started breathing again... ummm, she just jumped up and kiss me.....I....I...."

Jorge was agitated as he was trying to explain to me how the kiss happened, he didn't have to say it, I knew he didn't kiss her with bad intentions.....nevertheless I didn't like it when I saw it in the vision but then I realized it was just an adventitious kiss.

"It's okay Jorge, don't sweat it....I know your a good guy and....you saved her life and to me that's worth everything. So don't stress about it."

"Oh okay so, we're good...I guess?" He asked still unsure of what I was going to say.

"Yeah we're cool Jorge." I told him placing my hand on his shoulder.

"Oh good. Que bueno...for a moment I thought you were going to hit me."

"I think you had enough beating for one day..." I told him smiling "I'm just kidding Jorge, relax. You know this remind me when I was stuck up in a tree all day with some friends."

"When was that?" He asked.

"When I was in elementary school, I almost fell too if it wasn't because my friends caught me."

"How did you got off?"

"A boy told the firefighters and we were rescue....shish....that was so long ago and yet I still remember dangling from that tree like if it happened yesterday."

"Yeah I bet you won't ever forget this wild jungle adventure either."

"You're right about that." I said.

"This will be a great story to tell your children and grandchildren one day." Said Jorge laughing.

"Yeah I guess, I hope I have a really good ending to tell thou."

"You will Arnold"

"You too Jorge, this will be a story to share."

"Yeah and it's not over yet."

"Man....don't remind me. I had enough view of the jungle to last me a life time." I told him.

"I can imagine you won't ever want to return to San Lorenzo after this."

"Nah I'll return...After all, I was born here."

"That's right....you're a paisano, you know a San Lorenzo citizen."

"Yep, I have a double citizenship."

"So where are we going to met Helga and your father?"

"By the dead-man drop river."

"That far....in that case we better get a move on." He suggested.

I closed my eyes and sense the eagle soaring above us, I didn't see La Sombra or any of his man near by. "It looks like we're clear" I told Jorge. We both climb back down and moved fast through the forest. We walked as much as we could during the night and rested a bit once we saw the sun emerged from the mountains.
At that moment I thought about Helga and how she might be taking my departure. ***

Back at camp Miles was sound asleep near the tree where Helga was. When suddenly he woke up from an alarming scream he has never heard before.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRNOOOOOLD!!!!!"

Author Notes:
I guess we all know that scream came from Helga. LOL she knows his gone 😬

I hope everyone enjoy this adventures chapter and my drawing. I will continue to draw more scenes so expect to see more of my art 🤗

Thank you for reading and let me know which was your favorite part.