{"id":118,"date":"2023-11-28T20:52:55","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T20:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/?p=118"},"modified":"2023-12-11T17:11:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T17:11:41","slug":"a-light-in-the-dark-a-tale-of-survival-in-the-panamanian-jungle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/a-light-in-the-dark-a-tale-of-survival-in-the-panamanian-jungle\/","title":{"rendered":"A Light in the Dark: A Tale of Survival in the Panamanian Jungle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lisanne cut into the runny yolk of her egg and stared at the orange spill onto the plate, imagining what it would feel like to have slept in her own bed last night. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She looks up at Kris who is still drying her hair with a gray t-shirt as she walks past the table. Kris shoves the shirt into her suitcase and continues to serve herself fried eggs and sliced plantains that their host family provided for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The morning was quiet as Kris sat down to join Lisanne, anticipation permeated the room, making the silence go unnoticed. Kris sat down across from Lisa, thoughtlessly staring at the early sun, leaving her plate empty before breaking the silence to ask Lisanne,<\/ins> \u201cDo you think today is the best day for this? We could still find a guide and get out there before the week is over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Lisanne shrugged, \u201cI get where your head\u2019s at but I promise once we get out there walking, we\u2019ll feel better about it. Plus if we gotta turn around, we\u2019ll turn around. Who cares?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kris only nodded, still too absorbed in what might happen to deliver a response. At this, Lisanne sighed and stood up. \u201cI\u2019m gonna go make sure I have everything, be ready in thirty, kay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still adjusting their bag straps, the pair headed to the El Pianista Trail, following the directions their host family gave them the day prior. They began their walk and soon enough had already penetrated the thick brush on the path that was typically cut back in Boquete, signaling that civilization was now yards behind them. A few minutes pass by before Kris glances back to see the town before it disappears into the rest of the trees and brush. She whips her head back around at the sight of an old, black mutt. Blue is the dog of the host family, who mentioned that he likes to follow guests into town and into their hikes frequently. Blue was coming around from behind the two women heading for the fork in the path ahead and going on the right path. \u201cOh my God! Lisanne, look! It\u2019s Blue, the dog from the house!\u201d<\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lisanne kneels down to greet Blue and pet his head, \u201cDid you wanna join us, Buddy?\u201d As she stands, she responds to Kris, \u201cYeah, the host family did mention he follows the guests on their trails a lot. They say he knows the trails better than most of the tour guides. Some of the local people here believe he is heaven sent.\u201d Kris takes her turn petting Blue and in a baby-voice says to the dog, \u201cYou certainly act like an angel. You are such a good boy!\u201d Blue seemed rather uninterested in the attention he was getting, it seemed he was there with purpose which he was not to be distracted from. The women continued, paying little mind to Blue who had surpassed the pair\u2019s walking speed, disappearing into the trail ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Lisanne and Kris paused at a ledge along the way to capture what they were experiencing. Lisa held her two thumbs up and smiled while Kris took a picture of her with the expansive forest in the horizon. \u201cGet one of me now,\u201d Kris said while passing her the camera. Kris shot both her arms in the air and delivered an open mouth smile, with a seeming shift in her demeanor from breakfast. The picture of Kris made obvious the elevation they had already conquered so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A while later, the sun had moved far lower than it was when they set off and the only evidence that Boquete was still behind them was the view of the mountains in the far horizon which once looked much larger. The dog was a thought of the past, and the path now seemed to have been overtaken by foliage, indiscernible from the rest of the ground. In some places, the path looked like a deep valley dug down four feet from the ground, making high dirt walls around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay, the sun isn\u2019t getting higher and I\u2019m not even sure we\u2019re on route still. Can we please just reevaluate real quick,\u201d Kris dumped out as if she had been holding back from this thought for a long time. <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay yeah, I know, I know, I know! I don\u2019t think we have time to turn around before dark. I don\u2019t know what to do. I\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m trying to think here,\u201d Lisanne responded. <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s not like going forward has gotten us anywhere. Do you even know where we are right now? We aren\u2019t reaching anything. We\u2019re only getting more turned around.\u201d <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lisanne snaps, \u201cWell turning around sets us back at least<\/em> six hours and I\u2019m sorry if you want to trek the way we came in the pitch black, but I\u2019m not doing that. And I know you\u2019re not turning around without me so please,\u201d she sighed, \u201cJust please work with me here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kris was strangely comforted to see Lisanne at a loss, she felt reassured that they were in this together, as she had been feeling this panic on her own for the past two hours. \u201cOkay. I\u2019ll trust you,\u201d Kris seemed satisfied, as if they were already walking right back through the entrance they came. Her composure was startling to Lisanne who said, \u201cUm. Alright then, do you remember Panama\u2019s emergency line?\u201d <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTry 911,\u201d said Kris. <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The line did not ring, with the distance they had walked into the thick wilderness, there was no hope for signaling authorities. Kris groaned and sat down to look at a map as Lisanne held her arm into the sky to catch any signal that was possibly able to reach them through the sea of trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sound of Lisanne redialing the number was eventually accompanied by the chirps of crickets around. The sky turned deep shades of orange that went unphotographed and then dimmed to heavy darkness. The tall trees formed a roof above the women, casting long shadows down onto the jungle floor, which grew into complete abyss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo we stay here? I don\u2019t thi-\u201d Lisanne spoke up first.<\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cNot without contacting somebody first! If we don\u2019t show back up at that house, people will worry,\u201d Kris interjected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need them to worry, Kris. We are lost.<\/em> If we don\u2019t show up, maybe someone will be able to track us down by the afternoon tomorrow,\u201d Lisanne continued. \u201cI refuse to sit here and wait for some predator or God knows what to find me before the police do. We can\u2019t stay here,\u201d she reasoned. In an effort to appease Kris, who Lisanne felt responsible for, as she was the one who spearheaded this expedition, she gave in. Lisanne kneeled down in front of her and wrapped her arms around her, \u201cWe will walk out of this jungle, I promise that to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Lisanne at the lead with her map, Kris followed less than a yard behind her, using their digital camera to emit light onto the path. The noises of the jungle\u2019s nightlife swelled, as the occasional bird call could be heard from above. The beam of the flashlight was their lifeline, casting a flickering, narrow light on the world around them, creating clarity for only a moment at a time. Lisanne, who now bore the responsibility of herself and her friend, felt the pit inside her stomach grow like a black hole. They were truly lost. With every step on their sore legs and every breath from their exhausted lungs, the pair became more hopeless of finding their way to the town of Boquete. In the distance, Lisanne believed she could see a dim light, which she followed in search of civilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they walked, Kris continued to take pictures only every few feet, making them move very slowly and cautious in order to navigate the difficult terrain. Lisanne stepped carefully over the root of a tree, when Kris snapped a photo of the view ahead of them. In the brief instant where the path was illuminated, a silhouette of a quadrupedal animal was visible through a sparse bush. The bush was visible without the camera, as it emitted a cold glow from behind it. With a sharp inhale, Lisanne planted her foot behind her and reached for Kris\u2019s hand. With no plan of action for what to do if an animal attacked, both Lisanne and Kris froze, letting only the sound of Lisanne\u2019s gasp hang in the air. Kris screamed internally, wishing for a way to communicate with Lisanne, the two had no way of coordinating an escape or an attack. After what felt like an eternity, but what was probably ten seconds, Kris raised the camera. With tremors in her hands, Kris took a photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the light cast from the camera, Lisanne was able to make out that behind the bush was a black animal on four legs. With no words exchanged, Lisanne backed up moving Kris with her. The figure emerged from behind the bush. Beyond any explanation, it seemed to emit light of its own, making itself visible without the artificial light of the flash. \u201cIt\u2019s a dog,\u201d Lisanne spoke forgetting how silent they were trying to be just moments before. <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt looks like that dog from earlier\u2026 Is that Blue?\u201d asked Kris still whispering. <\/ins><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before they knew it, the entire area surrounding them seemed to be lit up by a warm lantern. \u201cHow is this possible?\u201d Lisanne asked with concern in her voice, afraid this was some sort of mirage. Despite their better judgement, both Kris and Lisanne couldn\u2019t help but trust that this was their way out. Overwhelmed with relief, tears welled up in Kris\u2019s eyes as she stepped to Blue to reach for him. Before she could pet him, he set off in a direction they had not previously been in. The pair followed him. Filled with wonder, they treaded behind Blue. Kris does not care if this was only a dream, this is the first sliver of hope she had had in over half a day and she will peace in any form it is given to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking for as long as they possibly can without collapsing, the women,<\/ins> led by Blue, make it to an easily identifiable trail and they feel the light at the end of the tunnel coming into view. Blue seems to follow no map, this direction towards home feels almost as if he is the embodiment of a compass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Lisanne and Kris can even realize, they have passed the entry to their original path and are back at their view of Boquete. Kris falls to the ground; the pair were washed in relief and felt the hours of exhaustion hit them all at once. \u201cI want to thank him, but I still am not really sure what to make of this,\u201d Lisanne bent down to pet Blue. \u201cI think he knows we\u2019re grateful,\u201d Kris said closing her eyes and leaning her head back on a wooden fencepost. \u201cWell we should at least finish the job and head back to the house,\u201d Lisanne said, \u201cWanna show us the way Blue?\u201d Kris let out a giggle for the first time since that afternoon. Lisanne joins her and for a moment remembers to appreciate where they are standing. They are safe and they are together. When Lisanne looks back up, Blue is no longer there sitting with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere the hell did he just go?\u201d Kris asks Lisanne. Lisanne watches as the spot where Blue stood is now filled with a light fading like a vintage television, with a faint blue light lingering. \u201cHe faded into light. Just how we found him,\u201d said Lisanne. She continued, \u201cI think our host family was right about Blue, he came to the trail, knowing<\/em> we were here. He wanted us to find him.\u201d Kris replies, \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad he did. I don\u2019t know how he knew where to go or how he shines the way he does, but I am glad he does.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 With each step toward the town, Kris and Lisanne feel the burden of fear and uncertainty give way to relief and gratitude. They understand that their journey had been guided by something beyond their understanding, a guardian sent to guide them. The women leave the jungle forever altered, believing that in times of great darkness, a guiding light can emerge from the shadows to make things clear once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lisanne cut into the runny yolk of her egg and stared at the orange spill onto the plate, imagining what it would feel like to have slept in her own bed last night. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of footsteps. She looks up at Kris who is still drying her hair with a gray t-shirt as she walks past the table. Kris shoves the shirt into her suitcase and continues to serve herself fried eggs and sliced plantains that their host family provided for them. The morning was quiet as Kris sat down to join Lisanne, anticipation permeated the room, making the silence go unnoticed. Kris sat down across from Lisa, thoughtlessly staring at the early sun, leaving her plate empty before breaking the silence to ask Lisanne, \u201cDo you think today is the best day for this? We could still find a guide and get out there before the week is over.\u201d  Lisanne shrugged, \u201cI get where your head\u2019s at but I promise once we get out there walking, we\u2019ll feel better about it. Plus if we gotta turn around, we\u2019ll turn around. Who cares?\u201d Kris only nodded, still too absorbed in what might happen to deliver a response. At this, Lisanne sighed and stood up. \u201cI\u2019m gonna go make sure I have everything, be ready in thirty, kay?\u201d Still adjusting their bag straps, the pair headed to the El Pianista Trail, following the directions their host family gave them the day prior. They began their walk and soon enough had already penetrated the thick brush on the path that was typically cut back in Boquete, signaling that civilization was now yards behind them. A few minutes pass by before Kris glances back to see the town before it disappears into the rest of the trees and brush. She whips her head back around at the sight of an old, black mutt. Blue is the dog of the host family, who mentioned that he likes to follow guests into town and into their hikes frequently. Blue was coming around from behind the two women heading for the fork in the path ahead and going on the right path. \u201cOh my God! Lisanne, look! It\u2019s Blue, the dog from the house!\u201d Lisanne kneels down to greet Blue and pet his head, \u201cDid you wanna join us, Buddy?\u201d As she stands, she responds to Kris, \u201cYeah, the host family did mention he follows the guests on their trails a lot. They say he knows the trails better than most of the tour guides. Some of the local people here believe he is heaven sent.\u201d Kris takes her turn petting Blue and in a baby-voice says to the dog, \u201cYou certainly act like an angel. You are such a good boy!\u201d Blue seemed rather uninterested in the attention he was getting, it seemed he was there with purpose which he was not to be distracted from. The women continued, paying little mind to Blue who had surpassed the pair\u2019s walking speed, disappearing into the trail ahead.           Lisanne and Kris paused at a ledge along the way to capture what they were experiencing. Lisa held her two thumbs up and smiled while Kris took a picture of her with the expansive forest in the horizon. \u201cGet one of me now,\u201d Kris said while passing her the camera. Kris shot both her arms in the air and delivered an open mouth smile, with a seeming shift in her demeanor from breakfast. The picture of Kris made obvious the elevation they had already conquered so far. A while later, the sun had moved far lower than it was when they set off and the only evidence that Boquete was still behind them was the view of the mountains in the far horizon which once looked much larger. The dog was a thought of the past, and the path now seemed to have been overtaken by foliage, indiscernible from the rest of the ground. In some places, the path looked like a deep valley dug down four feet from the ground, making high dirt walls around them. \u201cOkay, the sun isn\u2019t getting higher and I\u2019m not even sure we\u2019re on route still. Can we please just reevaluate real quick,\u201d Kris dumped out as if she had been holding back from this thought for a long time. \u201cOkay yeah, I know, I know, I know! I don\u2019t think we have time to turn around before dark. I don\u2019t know what to do. I\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m trying to think here,\u201d Lisanne responded. \u201cWell, it\u2019s not like going forward has gotten us anywhere. Do you even know where we are right now? We aren\u2019t reaching anything. We\u2019re only getting more turned around.\u201d Lisanne snaps, \u201cWell turning around sets us back at least six hours and I\u2019m sorry if you want to trek the way we came in the pitch black, but I\u2019m not doing that. And I know you\u2019re not turning around without me so please,\u201d she sighed, \u201cJust please work with me here.\u201d Kris was strangely comforted to see Lisanne at a loss, she felt reassured that they were in this together, as she had been feeling this panic on her own for the past two hours. \u201cOkay. I\u2019ll trust you,\u201d Kris seemed satisfied, as if they were already walking right back through the entrance they came. Her composure was startling to Lisanne who said, \u201cUm. Alright then, do you remember Panama\u2019s emergency line?\u201d \u201cTry 911,\u201d said Kris. The line did not ring, with the distance they had walked into the thick wilderness, there was no hope for signaling authorities. Kris groaned and sat down to look at a map as Lisanne held her arm into the sky to catch any signal that was possibly able to reach them through the sea of trees. The sound of Lisanne redialing the number was eventually accompanied by the chirps of crickets around. The sky turned deep shades of orange that went unphotographed and then dimmed to heavy darkness. The tall trees formed a roof above the women, casting long shadows down onto the jungle floor, which grew into complete abyss. \u201cDo we stay here? I don\u2019t thi-\u201d Lisanne spoke up first.  \u201cNot without contacting somebody first! If we don\u2019t show back up at that house, people will worry,\u201d Kris interjected. \u201cWe need them to worry, Kris. We are lost. If we don\u2019t show up, maybe someone will be able to track us down by the afternoon tomorrow,\u201d Lisanne continued. \u201cI refuse to sit here and wait for some predator or God knows what to find me before the police do. We can\u2019t stay here,\u201d she reasoned. In an effort to appease Kris, who Lisanne felt responsible for, as she was the one who spearheaded this expedition, she gave in. Lisanne kneeled down in front of her and wrapped her arms around her, \u201cWe will walk out of this jungle, I promise that to you.\u201d With Lisanne at the lead with her map, Kris followed less than a yard behind her, using their digital camera to emit light onto the path. The noises of the jungle\u2019s nightlife swelled, as the occasional bird call could be heard from above. The beam of the flashlight was their lifeline, casting a flickering, narrow light on the world around them, creating clarity for only a moment at a time. Lisanne, who now bore the responsibility of herself and her friend, felt the pit inside her stomach grow like a black hole. They were truly lost. With every step on their sore legs and every breath from their exhausted lungs, the pair became more hopeless of finding their way to the town of Boquete. In the distance, Lisanne believed she could see a dim light, which she followed in search of civilization. As they walked, Kris continued to take pictures only every few feet, making them move very slowly and cautious in order to navigate the difficult terrain. Lisanne stepped carefully over the root of a tree, when Kris snapped a photo of the view ahead of them. In the brief instant where the path was illuminated, a silhouette of a quadrupedal animal was visible through a sparse bush. The bush was visible without the camera, as it emitted a cold glow from behind it. With a sharp inhale, Lisanne planted her foot behind her and reached for Kris\u2019s hand. With no plan of action for what to do if an animal attacked, both Lisanne and Kris froze, letting only the sound of Lisanne\u2019s gasp hang in the air. Kris screamed internally, wishing for a way to communicate with Lisanne, the two had no way of coordinating an escape or an attack. After what felt like an eternity, but what was probably ten seconds, Kris raised the camera. With tremors in her hands, Kris took a photo. With the light cast from the camera, Lisanne was able to make out that behind the bush was a black animal on four legs. With no words exchanged, Lisanne backed up moving Kris with her. The figure emerged from behind the bush. Beyond any explanation, it seemed to emit light of its own, making itself visible without the artificial light of the flash. \u201cIt\u2019s a dog,\u201d Lisanne spoke forgetting how silent they were trying to be just moments before. \u201cIt looks like that dog from earlier\u2026 Is that Blue?\u201d asked Kris still whispering. Before they knew it, the entire area surrounding them seemed to be lit up by a warm lantern. \u201cHow is this possible?\u201d Lisanne asked with concern in her voice, afraid this was some sort of mirage. Despite their better judgement, both Kris and Lisanne couldn\u2019t help but trust that this was their way out. Overwhelmed with relief, tears welled up in Kris\u2019s eyes as she stepped to Blue to reach for him. Before she could pet him, he set off in a direction they had not previously been in. The pair followed him. Filled with wonder, they treaded behind Blue. Kris does not care if this was only a dream, this is the first sliver of hope she had had in over half a day and she will peace in any form it is given to her. Walking for as long as they possibly can without collapsing, the women, led by Blue, make it to an easily identifiable trail and they feel the light at the end of the tunnel coming into view. Blue seems to follow no map, this direction towards home feels almost as if he is the embodiment of a compass. Before Lisanne and Kris can even realize, they have passed the entry to their original path and are back at their view of Boquete. Kris falls to the ground; the pair were washed in relief and felt the hours of exhaustion hit them all at once. \u201cI want to thank him, but I still am not really sure what to make of this,\u201d Lisanne bent down to pet Blue. \u201cI think he knows we\u2019re grateful,\u201d Kris said closing her eyes and leaning her head back on a wooden fencepost. \u201cWell we should at least finish the job and head back to the house,\u201d Lisanne said, \u201cWanna show us the way Blue?\u201d Kris let out a giggle for the first time since that afternoon. Lisanne joins her and for a moment remembers to appreciate where they are standing. They are safe and they are together. When Lisanne looks back up, Blue is no longer there sitting with them. \u201cWhere the hell did he just go?\u201d Kris asks Lisanne. Lisanne watches as the spot where Blue stood is now filled with a light fading like a vintage television, with a faint blue light lingering. \u201cHe faded into light. Just how we found him,\u201d said Lisanne. She continued, \u201cI think our host family was right about Blue, he came to the trail, knowing we were here. He wanted us to find him.\u201d Kris replies, \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad he did. I don\u2019t know…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":540,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/540"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":356,"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118\/revisions\/356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iris.siue.edu\/rhetoric\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}