Lin Ming stirred and opened her eyes, uncurling from her sleeping bag like a drowsy kitten. It was still dark outside her little tent, and from what she could hear, no one else in the camp was awake yet. She rose to a sitting position, her hair falling over her naked breasts, and blinked sleep out of her eyes. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but she guessed it was around 5 or 6 in the morning. That suited Lin just fine--she was an early riser anyway.

And yet, though everyone else was still asleep, it was not quiet. The jungle never slept--it was alive with sounds that, blended together, created an ambience that might have been soothing were it not for the myriad perils it concealed. Innumerable insects chittered and chirped, though the cicadas were by far the loudest. Owls hooted from the shadows, frogs of every size and color croaked, the list went on and on. The Amazon was a seething cauldron, never resting and never still. There was also, more ominously, the occasional screech or unidentifiable cry--no doubt the death scream of a luckless animal brought down by some nocturnal predator or other. There was also, closer to the river, the occasional splash as something moved or broke the surface. There are crocodiles in that river, Lin Ming remembered.

The humidity was already stifling, even at such an early hour, but Lin Ming felt a chill crawl down her spine. She shuddered, clutching herself. I will have to be very careful once we are in the boats. If any of us fall overboard we will be in real danger, and...

Something scurried over her foot, and all conscious thought dissolved into mindless, instinctual terror. Lin Ming shrieked, jumping to her feet and darting to the other side of the tent. She tore at the zipper, heedless of the fact she was still completely nude. All that mattered was getting from whatever thing had somehow found its way into her tent. She could hear it scuttling there in the dark.

Lin Ming tore the tent flap open and bolted outside, only to promptly lose her footing and go sprawling into the dirt just as her classmates began to emerge from their tents. The young girl’s heart thundered in her chest. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, she just had to get away.

Dr. Harwood, clad only in her panties and bra, rushed to Lin’s side. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “What’s happened? Are you all right?”

“Th-th-there’s something in my tent,” Lin managed, tears rolling down her face. “I f-f-f-felt it crawling on me!”

“Where? Where did it touch you?”

Lin pointed to her foot. Harwood checked it, searching for some sign of injury. “Well, whatever it is, it doesn’t seem to have bitten you. We have antivenoms and antidotes with us, as well as our medic Luis, but I don’t think we’ll need either of those.”

Luis, standing some feet away, was one of the drivers from the day before. Lin recognized him as the man who’d told her about the river dolphins. He was staring, and a second later Lin realized why. She whimpered, tried to cover herself, but knew it was useless. Everyone in the entire expedition had already gotten an eyeful, and besides, wouldn’t she be going around naked once she reached Tlacloban? Did it really matter that everyone saw her naked body a little early?

Slowly, her face red-hot with embarrassment, Lin Ming lowered her arms from her chest and got shakily to her feet. Brian and Richard and Isaiah were all staring at her. So was the medic, for that matter, though he at least tried to be more subtle about it. Bonnie, by contrast, had a look of surprise on her face.

“Damn,” she said, giving Lin an approving nod. “You’ve got a hell of a body, even with the small boobs. Makes me wonder why you haven’t try to show it off before. If you’ve got it, flaunt it like hell.”

Krupa rolled her eyes. “You’re making her self-conscious, Bonnie. Stop it.”

“Self-conscious?” Bonnie asked, and promptly slipped out of what little she’d been wearing, revealing her full nakedness. “I don’t know the meaning of the phrase. But hey, if Lin’s gonna be naked, I’ll be naked right beside her. Solidarity and all that shit.”

“You just want an excuse to take your clothes off,” said Aisha with an uncomfortable snort of laughter.

“Damn right. Besides, it’s so fucking humid out here, no wonder the Aiwaha don’t wear much.”

“Wonder how they keep the mosquitoes away,” Gabby added.

Harwood cleared her throat. “Actually, mosquitoes are not as big a problem in some parts of the Amazon as you might think. Oh, they’re still present, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not overwhelming either. They’re thicker in some regions of the rainforest than others, and at certain times of the year they’re not very present at all. You all must have noticed how we haven’t been eaten alive since making camp, right?”

“Yes,” agreed Brian. “I was kinda wondering about that myself.”

“Well, now you know,” said Krupa. “And you’ve got a point about solidarity, Bonnie--why should Lin be the only naked?” And without further ado, she stripped off her clothes as well. She winked at Isaiah and the other guys. “Like what you see?”

Gabby’s lips curled in a sardonic grin as she slipped off her clothes as well. “Of course they do. They’re guys and they have a pulse.”

“Speaking of which...” Bonnie said, as she marched over to Isaiah and grabbed him by the arm. “I promised you a fuck, kid, and all this talk of nudity is making me horny. C’mon, let’s go back to my tent.”

Isaiah opened his mouth, tried to speak, but no words came and all he did was make himself look like a fish gasping for air. Bonnie headed over to her tent, dragging him behind her, and pushed him roughly inside. She was already tearing his boxers off by the time Isaiah reached to close the tent flap, and moments later the sound of moaning and flesh slapping together could clearly be heard.

Lin had never been so embarrassed before in her life. “I am...sorry for the commotion,” she murmured, bowing her head and trying her hardest to ignore the sounds of sex. It was very distracting, but deep down, Lin felt a little envious of the bustier blonde. Bonnie was someone who was completely relaxed, completely confident in her own sexuality. Will I ever be as confident? Is that even possible?

Lin pushed such thoughts aside. She had enough to worry about right now. “I did not mean to wake everyone up,” she managed to say. “It is...I am very sorry that I made such a scene. It was rude.” She bowed low at the waist. “I ask your forgiveness.” And here I thought I was being brave, she thought sadly. But at the first sign of anything even remotely frightening, I have made a fool of myself.

Harwood gave Lin a comforting smile, then went over to Lin’s tent and shone her flashlight inside. “Brian?”

Brian, who’d been staring at all the glorious female nudity around him, jumped a little. “Yes?”

“Get my knife, please. It’s in my pack.”

Brian nodded and ran over to Harwood’s tent, returning a moment later with a very large sheath knife clutched in one hand. Harwood accepted it with a nod of thanks, then crawled into the tent. Lin heard the sound of the blade becoming unsheathed, then the wet crunch of something being stabbed repeatedly.

When the professor came out of the tent again, she was holding up the largest centipede Lin had ever seen. It was at least a foot long, with hundreds of pointed legs and a chitinous, segmented body that ended with two long antennae and a nightmarish mouth. It was also very clearly dead.

"Scolopendra gigantea,” Harwood declared, holding it up for all of them to see. “Otherwise known as the Amazonian giant centipede. Nasty things. They come out at night, and you can also find them in dark places like caves or under rocks. Good thing you moved before it could bite you, Lin--they’re quite aggressive and their venom is toxic to humans.”

“Is it lethal?” Aisha asked, scooting closer to Jeremy as she spoke.

“Not to a healthy human, no, but it can be for small children and the elderly. The bite causes severe pain, fatigue, chills, and swelling.” She gave a humorless smile. “It may not kill you, but it’ll make you so sick you’ll wish it had.”

“At least it wasn’t a spider,” added Krupa.

“How did it get in, though?” Jeremy asked bluntly. “Can we do anything to prevent this happening again?”

“That is a good question,” Harwood admitted. “I’ll have to look over Lin’s tent once the sun starts coming up. It must’ve gotten in somehow.” She put a hand around Lin’s shoulders. “In the meantime, Lin, don’t beat yourself up over this. Any one of us would have reacted the same way and that includes me. Some things you just can’t help, and no matter how much experience you have, discovering a creepy-crawly in your tent in the dark would make anyone scared.”

Krupa shuddered. “Absolutely. That thing’s fucking horrific, I mean look at it! Don’t sweat it, Lin. I probably would’ve destroyed the entire tent trying to get out.”

“I agree as well.” Richard, to Lin’s surprise, spoke up too. “Such an involuntary response is very difficult to control. You have no cause to be ashamed.”

“Damn right, and in more ways than one,” Brian agreed, his eyes running down Lin’s body again. “I had no idea you were so smoking hot!”

Lin looked away demurely. “Y-you really think so?”

“God, yes! Isn’t she gorgeous, Richard?”

“She’s definitely attractive, yes. Very much so.” Richard studied her, making Lin want to squirm. “I can see now why so many of the guys back at the university wanted to go out with you. If you wore clothes that flattered your figure more often, others will see it too.”

Krupa put her hands on her hips. “And I guess I’m just ugly, since you haven’t looked at me even once.”

“Oh, I’ve looked,” Richard assured her. “As has Brian. But Lin is always so shy, seeing her naked is more of a novelty.”

Krupa folded her arms over her bare breasts. Lin noticed how full they were, looked down at herself, and winced. Richard is surely mistaken. I do not have nearly as much to offer as the other girls.But she accepted Richard and Brian’s words in the spirit they were intended all the same.

A strangled, growling noise came from Bonnie’s tent, followed a second later with what was unmistakably the voice of Bonnie herself. “OH FUCK! RIGHT THERE! YES! YES! CUM INSIDE MY SLUTTY PUSSY!”

The blonde slut’s words trailed off into a scream, then all was silent for a few moments. Then Isaiah, red-faced and panting, emerged from the tent on shaky legs. He was still fumbling with the ties of his pajama pants and staggered a little before he regained his footing. Bonnie followed a second later, flushed and almost glowing with satisfaction. Her blonde hair was plastered to one side of her face with sweat, but she didn’t seem to care. As she got closer, Lin saw something white and viscous dripping down her legs and inner thighs. It took her a second to realize what it was: Isaiah’s cum.

She...she didn’t even bother to clean herself! Mortified, she put a hand over her mouth. Is she truly so brazen?

The answer, of course, was yes. Bonnie had a smile on her face like a contented cat as she rejoined the group. “Yeah, that’s the stuff,” she purred. “Nothing helps you get going in the morning like a good fuck, take it from me.”

“Oh, I believe it,” Aisha giggled. She looked up at Jeremy with adoration on her face. Jeremy didn’t look back, but pulled her closer to him in response.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say that none of us are going to go back to sleep, so we might as well make good use of our time,” interjected the professor. “Lin, dear, would you mind stoking up the fire so we can have an early breakfast?”

Lin dipped her head. “Of course, Doctor. What will we be eating?”

“Rice,” Harwood declared. “With tortillas and peanut butter.”

That got Lin’s attention. I have been cooking rice for as long as I can remember. Back home, I often helped Mother make it for my younger siblings. She cautiously raised a hand. “Er...if it is all right with everyone, I will make the rice for us to eat. It...it seems like the least I can do.”

“That’s fine with me,” Harwood said, placing a hand on Lin’s bare shoulder. “I’m sure it will be delicious.”

Lin bowed again. “I will do my utmost.”

Still completely nude, she walked over to the campfire, which by now was nothing more than a bunch of dying embers. A Coleman lamp sitting nearby provided more than enough light to see what she was doing.

Brian came up behind her, his arms filled with sticks, a few thick fallen tree branches, and dead leaves. “Got some stuff here to get the fire going again,” he announced.

Lin moved out of the way quickly. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Brian did his best not to ogle her as he dumped the load into the flames. There was a whooshing noise and the fire rapidly started coming back to life.

“I...I would ask you one more thing,” Lin went on. “I need water to boil. Would you get some for me?” It felt very strange, giving out instructions like this. Lin was far more used to following orders than giving them.

Brian gave her a jaunty salute. “On it, boss.”

He returned a few minutes later, water in hand, and filled the big cast-iron pot with it until Lin held up a small hand for him to stop. It took only a few minutes for the water to start boiling merrily, after which Lin added almost two whole boxes of dried rice, as well as some seasoning and a few other things to help give the food more flavor. By the time it was ready to serve, it smelled absolutely delicious--as did the coffee she made to go along with it.

Everyone else in the camp lined up to be served. Harwood, as leader of the expedition, was served first, then the rest of the girls, then Brian and the boys. Lin didn’t fill her own plate until everyone else was already eating around the fire. As she took her first bite, Lin noticed how at ease everyone already seemed with the nudity around them.

Bonnie closed her eyes with relish as she chewed. She, like Lin and Krupa and Gabby, was still completely unclothed. “Oh, God. This is delicious. Fuckin’ A, Lin! You should cook more often.”

“And coffee.” Aisha said dreamily. “Thank God you made us some coffee. If I weren’t already married, I’d marry you.”

Jeremy scowled, but Aisha gave him a lewd kiss to reassure him. “Only joking, sweetie. You’re the only one for me.”

Isaiah nodded, wiping rice from his chin with the back of his hand. “This definitely beats what we had for supper last night.”

Lin smiled shyly and looked away. “You are welcome,” she said, her voice soft. “But there is no need for such compliments. Anyone could do it. It is only rice.”

“No.” Bonnie brushed her objection aside. “It’s amazing rice.”

“Is better than what my own madre used to make,” piped up Luis. “And it is good you made so much, for we have long way to travel today. Miles and miles upriver.”

“Good thing we’ve got caffeine, then.” Gabby took a sip of coffee and her eyes closed with relish. “Aw, yeah. That’s the stuff.”

“Indeed.” Harwood set her cup aside. “Once we’re done eating, we should start breaking camp. The boats will be here shortly after sunrise, and we must be ready when they get here. Richard, you’re on dishwashing duty. Everyone else, break down your tents and start packing. Don’t forget or leave anything behind you. We will not be coming back this way, so whatever you forget will be lost forever. Oh, and girls? Please get dressed, at least for now. You can disrobe again once we’re aboard and on our way.”

By the time the meal was over, the rice was completely gone. Everyone had at least two servings, and Brian had three. Richard didn’t seem pleased about doing the dishes, but he knew better than to argue. Lin spared him a sympathetic glance. There were a lot of dishes to wash, and she didn’t envy him the task.

When she got to her tent, she pulled some clean undergarments and socks from her pack. Over those, she wore the same pants and shirt she’d worn the previous day. They were still relatively clean and Lin just didn’t feel like rooting through her pack for more. She made sure to check her shoes for creepy-crawlies before slipping them on.

Breaking down her tent, she found, was much easier than setting it up. Once she was finished, Lin joined the others in a walk-through of the camp to make sure they didn’t leave any garbage or litter behind. They did this three times, just to be certain, and the boats arrived not long after they finished.

They weren’t anything fancy, those boats. But then, they didn’t need to be. There were three of them, and they looked to Lin Ming like elongated canoes with canopies attached to provide some measure of protection from the elements. There were benches to sit on, and lots of space for cargo in the fore and aft of each vessel, but that was about it. She hoped the seats wouldn’t be too hard, since they would be sitting in them pretty much all day.

Harwood waved to the pilot of the first vessel and shouted something in Spanish. The man waved back cheerily to return the greeting and the boats hove in close to the shore. Metal gangways were rolled out to let Lin and the others aboard. The boats’ crews leapt out and began loading up all their gear. Lin was astonished how quickly they did it. They must have a lot of practice. They do this for a living, after all.

Harwood gestured at the man she’d hailed a moment ago. “Everyone, allow me to introduce Captain Manuel Fernando Velazquez. He owns and operates these fine vessels and has been doing this for more than forty years. No one knows the Amazon waterways better than he does, and he is not only a skilled pilot but also a dear friend of mine.”

Velazquez swept off his brimmed hat with a flourish. He was an older man, perhaps in his early sixties, but if he felt his age he certainly didn’t act like it. His hair was graying with some patches of black left here and there, while his facial hair was styled in a bushy moustache and a short beard that tapered to a stylish point. With his battered-looking coat, heavy black boots and a belt sporting a pistol and long machete, he looked like quite the swashbuckler. “A pleasure to meet you all, mis amigos. Though the good doctora flatters me beyond my station--I am simply a humble sailor, nothing more!” He placed his hat over his heart. “It is my earnest hope that our journey upriver is a safe and relatively smooth one, but before we depart there are safety matters we must discuss.”

He pointed out at the river dramatically. “Out there, just about everything will kill and eat you. I say this not to frighten you but as a statement of fact. The Amazon is not tranquil water. In its depths dwell many dangerous creatures. I am sure Harwood has already told you of the creatures you must be wary of on land, but on the water it is just as dangerous if not more. In the river dwells the black caiman, similar to your American alligators. They can grow up to 13 feet long and are very dangerous, for anything in the water that moves is prey to them. There are the piranha, those voracious little diablos, which when they swarm can strip a cow to nothing but bone in mere moments. And there are sharks too, bull sharks. One of the most dangerous of their kind, and known man-eaters. And let us not also forget the anaconda, the mightiest living serpent in the world today, with a girth as big as your arm and a length that matches or even exceeds one of my boats there.”

Lin pictured a snake of that size and swallowed hard. It is as though I am stepping back in time to an age of monsters.

“So here are the rules, mis amigos," the captain said. “Rule one: Do not bend far over the side. Do not reach your hand into the water, do not dangle your legs in the water. Stay out of the water, period. You will wear a life vest at all times in the event you do fall in, for if you sink then you will surely be lost. If you lose or drop something over the side we will not stop to get it, though we will of course do our best to pull out anyone who falls overboard. If you must take pictures, try not to use the flash. Many of the animals do not like it and we do not wish to disturb them any more than we have to. This place is special and deserves our respect and reverence. Oh, and one last thing: do not drop food over the side or try to feed any of the animals either. Not birds, and for the love of Dios, do not entice any of the blasted monkeys. Makes sense, si?”

Lin and her fellow students all nodded.

“Excelente!” Velazquez exclaimed. “Then as leader of this little flotilla, I give you all permission to come aboard. We’ve a long way to go and we’re already burning daylight. Vamanos!”

Lin tried not to look at the water as she clambered onto the boat. It was so murky she couldn’t see anything below the surface. Any sort of predator could be lurking there and she wouldn’t know it until it was too late. With a squeak of fright, she shook her head and pushed such thoughts away. As long as I do not break any of the rules, I will be safe.

As they had with the 4x4s, the group split up as they boarded. Richard, Brian, Gabby and Krupa went in the third boat, Aisha, Isaiah and Jeremy in the second, and Harwood, Lin Ming and Bonnie in the first boat where Velazquez himself took the wheel. A moment’s fiddling at the controls and the boat’s motor sputtered and coughed to life. It began to move forward with a lurch that nearly sent Lin sprawling, but Harwood caught her arm in just in time.

“What do we do now?” Lin asked quietly.

“Sit back and take it all in.” Harwood replied. “We’re about to see things few people are lucky enough to witness: the Amazon in all its splendor. Get comfy and relax. This is the easy part of our journey. Once we’re done traveling upriver, it’s all on foot from there.”

Bonnie promptly stood up and began undressing. Lin stared.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Taking my clothes off, duh.”

"Yes, but...why?”

“Because I want to, I love being naked, and now that we’re on our way we’ve got nothing else to do.” Bonnie shrugged, making her glorious breasts jiggle a little. The crew, to a man, stopped working and stared with awe at her naked form. Bonnie was evidently pleased by all the attention because her face split in a smug grin. “Oh, yeah. This is gonna be fun.”

Harwood snorted and leaned in so only Lin Ming could hear. “I’m not sure even the Aiwaha are ready for her.”

Hours later, Lin Ming sat with her arms folded on the railing, gazing out in wonder at the natural beauty she saw. Nothing she’d seen—not the pictures Harwood showed in class nor any documentary on television—came even close to capturing the Amazon’s beauty. It was an unspoiled, dangerous Eden, she thought. Filled with perils beyond count and grandeur beyond measure, the last remaining remnant of a primeval age long-dead. Flocks of brightly colored parrots passed through the sky from time to time, cawing and chattering raucously. Monkeys of every shape and size swung from tree to tree in search of nuts or brightly colored fruits to eat. Lin saw at least half a dozen different species in her first hour on the river alone, and more than a few of them stopped and stared with curiosity as the boats passed by.

So cute! She thought, watching a monkey with tanned fur and a long, curled tail swing from vine to vine. I wish I could get closer, it is so adorable! I wonder why Captain Velazquez dislikes them so much. They do not seem so bad to me.

There was a splashing sound in the water, and Lin looked in time to see something big and scaly and darkly-colored slipping below the surface. She didn’t get a good look at it, but she guessed it must have been a black caiman—one of the predatory reptiles Velazquez had warned the group about. Lin suppressed a shudder at the thought of being so close to such a dangerous creature, and she wondered how the Aiwaha dealt with such threats.

“Whatcha lookin’ at, Lin?” Bonnie asked, walking over to join her.

Lin stiffened a little, jarred from her introspection. She still didn’t know what to make of Bonnie. The blonde girl’s ravenous sexual appetite and utter lack of shame intimidated her. They were both women, both the same age, but they might as well have hailed from different planets. Bonnie was still fully nude, though hours had passed since they’d begun the journey upriver.

Lin bit her lip. “…I am simply wondering how the Aiwaha adapt to some of the dangerous animals the captain spoke of. It must be very nerve-wracking, to live with the threat of constant danger hanging over them. How do they do it?”

“For the most part, they don’t,” Harwood interjected. The attractive young professor came over to stand at Lin’s other side, looking out at the water. “To the Aiwaha, there is little point in trying to fight it. If it is your time, it is your time. The jungle gives them everything they require—it gives life, but also takes life away. They take what precautions they can, of course, but if something happens…” she shrugged. “Then it happens. They mourn the dead, and then they move on. Naka-Mur and his people view death as just another part of living: it happens when it’s meant to happen, and they don’t gain anything from worrying about it constantly, so they take it one day at a time and do the best they can. That’s all any of us can do, really.”

“I see.” Lin considered the professor’s words. It made sense, she mused. Of course a people who lived in such a dangerous environment would have a very straightforward, matter-of-fact attitude toward human mortality.

Bonnie shrugged. She was already growing bored of the conversation and needed a fresh fuck. Leaving Lin and Harwood to continue talking, she padded barefoot over to where one of the crew was working and tapped him on the shoulder. She didn’t know his name, but he seemed only a few years older than her and wasn’t bad to look at. For Bonnie, that was enough.

He looked up from the rope he’d been mending and stared. Bonnie grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet, pushing him roughly down the stairs leading below deck. Normally she wouldn’t care who saw her, but she wanted to spare Lin’s tender sensibilities. As much as it’d amuse her to see Lin’s reaction to her getting fucked in the open, Harwood probably wouldn’t approve and she didn’t want to get on the professor’s bad side. Not after seeing the way Harwood scolded Richard and Jeremy. The prof’s nice to look at, but she can be a hard-ass when she wants to be.

The man said something in Spanish but she ignored it, cutting off his words with a lewd kiss while she fumbled at his belt. His dick sprang free and she began sucking it with abandon, looking every bit the slutty whore she knew she was. The man gasped but didn’t protest—no sense looking a gift horse in the mouth, as the old saying went.

Bonnie stroked his shaft and licked the tip with her tongue, making sure he was rock-hard before turning around and spreading her legs for him. The man lined his cock up with her pussy lips and plunged inside.

The blonde girl’s eyes rolled back and she began to moan. Her body was already so aroused she felt her orgasm building in seconds. Her pussy felt deliciously full and complete. She was never more alive than in moments like this.

Her climax washed over her and the world went white. Bonnie cried out, making no attempt to muffle herself as she surrendered to the pleasure. Her pussy gripped him like a metal clamp and his cock erupted, spewing cum deep into her pussy. Bonnie gripped his hips and held him fast to make sure he gave her every last drop. When he pulled out, he was gasping, sweat running down his face. Bonnie was sweating too. Her blonde hair clung to her face and back, making her look even sluttier than she did already.

When it was over, she rose to her full height and reached down between her legs. Bonnie caught some of his cum, brought it to her lips, and licked it. Then she pushed the man off of her.

“Thanks for that,” she said, giving him a wave as she sauntered off.

The man just stood there, staring, completely poleaxed. Bonnie knew he was still trying to wrap his brain around what the hell just happened, and her lips quirked in a smug, self-satisfied smile. Cum dripped out of her pussy, leaving a white sticky trail behind her as she went back up the stairs. She paused just long enough to give the lucky guy a parting wink.

Lin Ming stared at Bonnie as she sauntered back onto the deck with a smug smile. Her wantonness still shocked her—no matter how many times Lin was reminded of it, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to seeing it with her own eyes. Bonnie caught her gaze and blew her a teasing kiss as she sat down. If the blonde were a cat, she’d be purring.

“Are you all right?” Harwood asked kindly.

“Yes, Doctor. I am fine. It is just…I sometimes wonder how Bonnie is able to do things like that.” Lin’s face reddened with embarrassment. “I could never be…the way she is.”

“And I once thought I could only have a child with my future husband, rather than getting knocked up by a stranger,” Harwood said. “I couldn’t pick my son’s father out of a lineup, not even if all the men in Tlacloban stood together. I honestly don’t know who his father is, and there are quite a few candidates.”

“Do you not wish to know?”

“Not really. What does it matter? I love my son, and he is safe and happy and healthy. That is more than enough for me.”

“Do you miss him?” Lin asked quietly. I would like to have children of my own someday.

“Every mother misses her child,” said the professor. “But my work is important too. When my son is old enough, he will understand why it is necessary for me to travel here. One day I will take him with me.”

“I am sure he would enjoy that.”

“Yes. He’s already quite the outdoorsman, you know. Loves to go camping and on long walks in the woods.” Harwood gave Lin a questioning look. “Do you miss your family?”

“I miss my mother and siblings, yes,” Lin admitted.

“But not your father?”

Lin thought of the stern, controlling man who’d raised her and the belt he was so fond of using. “…No,’ she whispered. “No, I do not miss Father.” The very thought was unconscionably rebellious. But, she reminded herself once again, Father isn’t here.

Thinking of him seemed to make the sun itself shine a little less brightly. Eager to distract herself or find some other topic to focus on, she turned her gaze back to the water. Logs and fallen branches floated past on its surface. Some of them were serving as perches for other forms of local wildlife, including a turtle of commendable size. Lin estimated its length at around two feet, and its head was patterned with bright yellow spots.

“Look at that,” she said, pointing. ’The turtle there, it is so cute!”

“The yellow spotted river turtle,” Harwood concurred. “Quite common throughout the Amazon basin. Good to eat, too.” At Lin’s surprised glance, she laughed. “Turtles are a staple for many of the Amazon’s indigenous tribes, including the Aiwaha, and the shells can be used to make a variety of tools once the meat’s all gone. It’s not like this is anything new—even in States, turtle soup is a delicacy.”

She has a point, Lin admitted. “Yes. Dana took me once to a restaurant. I remember seeing turtle soup on the menu there. I forgot about it then, but I remember it now. I did not have it, though. I had the deep-fried shrimp and hush puppies.”

Harwood looked amused. “Did you like it?”

“Oh, yes.” Lin smiled at the memory. “It was very good—so different from the food we eat back in my home country. I enjoyed it greatly. Dana took me back there several times.”

Harwood glanced down at her belly. “All this talk of food is making me hungry. Want a bite to eat?”

Lin gently shook her head. “Thank you, but I am not hungry. I am still very full from the large breakfast.”

“Suit yourself.” Harwood said. “If you change your mind, let me know.”

She left Lin standing there alone, the boat rocking gently beneath her. The small, petite Asian girl returned to watching the jungle move by. There was no shortage of things to see. It seemed every moment brought something new and exciting, some new form of exotic fauna to gaze in wonder at.

Something splashed near the boat and Lin froze in fear. She looked down, worried she might see a caiman’s reptilian eye staring back at her. Instead, she saw something quite different moving through the water. She couldn’t make out too many details, as it was almost a foot below the surface, but she could note its size and color. It was a dull, rosy-pink hue, about five feet in length, and was matching the boat’s sluggish pace with little effort.

It swam like that for a few seconds, then turned onto its side and surfaced. A thrust of its powerful tail made its head breach the surface, and Lin gasped in surprise and wonder. It had a long, narrow snout lined with small, triangular teeth, and a noticeable large bump sat between two small, rounded eyes.

Lin knew it what was. Even after the sheltered, cloistered life she’d lived under her father’s roof, she knew enough to recognize a dolphin when she saw one.

A river dolphin! I cannot believe it!

The dolphin opened its mouth a little and made a chittering noise. It almost sounded like it was saying hello. Lin wanted to run and get Dr. Harwood, perhaps dig into her pack for the disposable camera she’d brought to get a picture of it, but she didn’t want to frighten the creature off or return only to find it gone. So she watched it in silent awe. It was a blessing to observe such a rare creature and she wanted to savor every minute of it.

The dolphin didn’t seem to mind the attention at all. On the contrary, it seemed pleased by it. It was acting curious, almost playful, and it slapped a flipper playfully to make a small splash. Lin giggled and waved. It chittered again, and vanished back into the depths as suddenly as it appeared.

Lin gripped the railing and bent over it, looking from one side to the other to get another glance at it, but it was gone. That didn’t bother her much. I was privileged to see something many do not. Even Captain Velazquez probably hasn’t seen many of them, and he has lived and worked on the Amazon for decades. I wish I could have gotten a picture of it, but I will treasure the memory forever.

She giggled again. Perhaps I will wait a little while before I tell the professor about it. She will be so jealous!

In the second boat, Richard, Brian, Gabby and Krupa were making themselves comfortable, though Richard was less interested in the scenery than in the book he was reading. His eye, still black from the punch Jeremy had given him the previous day, was now swollen and puffy and purplish-black. It would heal, but it still hurt.

“You doing all right?” Brian asked him.

Richard looked up from his novel. “I would kill for an ice pack right about now,” he said, a little tersely. “But I am holding up.”

Gabby rose from her seat and went over to a nearby cooler, which the crew kept aboard so they could enjoy the luxury of ice-cold beer. Reaching into it, she retrieved a frosty bottle and brought it over to Richard.

“It’s not an ice pack, but it might help a little,” she said.

Richard took the bottle, though not without some hesitation. “I’m not sure you’re supposed to do that. Those drinks do not belong to us.”

“It’s just one. They won’t notice the difference.”

Richard grunted in response and said nothing more on the topic. Instead, he brought the cold glass bottle to his bruised eye and sighed with relief. “Oh, God, that feels good.”

“Jeremy’s kind of a jerk, huh?” commented Krupa. “Like, Aisha’s cool and all, but Jeremy’s a knuckle-dragger.”

“I know,” Gabby smirked. “I think it’s hot.”

Krupa rolled her eyes. “Now you’re starting to sound like Bonnie.”

Gabby blew her a sardonic kiss.

“Is it true your ancestors were Mayans?” Brian asked, changing the subject.

“Yup!” Pride filtered into Gabby’s voice. ”My family tree goes back centuries, and according to my grandmother, my ancestors were a very powerful clan of Mayan nobles. One of them even went into battle alongside King Pacal the Great of the city of Palenque, the greatest Mayan ruler who ever lived.”

“What made him so great?” Brian asked.

“Everything,” Gabby replied. “See when Pacal came to power, his home of Palenque was very weak. In addition to internal instability, it was sacked by a rival city-state named Calakmul just a few years before he became king. But under Pacal, Palenque was raised from near-ruin to become the mightiest Mayan kingdom of the age. Pacal was fierce warrior and ruthless with those who crossed him, but he was also fair, stern and just. His people loved him so much that after he died, the priests of Palenque began to worship him as a god.”

“Sounds like a leader worth following,” Richard concurred.

“Yes. My ancestor was one of his chief warriors, and he earned Pacal’s favor with his bravery courage. Pacal rewarded him with land, gifts, and beautiful women. That was one of things that made him a great ruler: he was always very diligent about rewarding his followers.” Gabby’s eagerness shone on her face. “I can’t wait to talk to the Aiwaha and ask them about their history. I’m really curious if they had contact with the Maya at some point. In a way, this trip is a chance for me to really connect with my roots.” She glanced at Krupa. “What about you? Any notable figures in your family tree?”

Krupa shrugged. “Not that I know of. I mean, my family’s from India, obviously, but if they know anything more than that, they haven’t told me. I’m jealous you know your own history so well. Maybe when I get back I can start looking into it.”

“You should,” Gabby said enthusiastically. “It’s a lot of fun!”

“So was getting naked.” Krupa smirked at Brian and Richard. “You should’ve seen the looks on your faces this morning. I wish I could’ve taken a picture!”

“Don’t be too hard on them, especially Brian. He’s the only guy on the trip who hasn’t been laid yet.”

“I could get laid if I wanted to!” Brian protested.

“So why not ask Bonnie?”

“Because fucking a girl my friend’s already fucked is just...weird.”

“...Okay, that’s a fair point,” admitted Gabby.

Isaiah, sitting in the third and last boat, wasn’t having very much fun at all. He was sitting next to Aisha and Jeremy and kept his mouth firmly shut. Jeremy scared the hell out of him, particularly after the way he’d punched Richard in the face like that. Thankfully, Jeremy seemed to ignore him--though Aisha couldn’t resist teasing him a little about his most recent tryst with Bonnie.

“So,” she said with a sly smile. “Is she a good fuck? Bonnie, I mean.”

Isaiah turned red with embarrassment. “I...”

“I’ve never seen her fuck the same guy twice,” the dark-skinned girl went on. “I mean, sometimes she calls guys over for another round, but never twice in a row. Maybe she likes your dick better than Richard’s.”

Isaiah turned, staring at the boat’s railing and wondering if he should heave himself over it.

Aisha seemed to pick up on this and gave him a playful slap on the arm. “Calm down, I’m just teasing.”

“So was Richard, and looked what happened to him,” Isaiah shot back.

“That was just a one-time thing,” Aisha assured him. “He’s not going to do anything like that again, are you, baby?”

Jeremy scowled. “...No,” he finally ground out. “If I want to punch someone I’ll wait till after the trip is over.”

“And that’s why I love you,” Aisha said. She rose to her feet and went to him, straddling his lap to kiss him deeply. Isaiah looked away and did his best to ignore them both until the boats stopped to let them ashore for a midday rest. The respite was greatly appreciated, as was the chance to stretch their legs, though none of them were stupid enough to wander off. Lin Ming struck up a conversation with Captain Velazquez while the man was honing his machete, and old boatman was only too happy to oblige. To her delight, Velazquez was an absolute treasure trove of stories, and she listened for hours, enraptured, while he told her one stout tale after another.

As the sun began to set, the boats stopped again, this time to let Harwood and the group set up their camp for the evening. Lin was very careful this time to make sure she wouldn’t have any more nocturnal visitors, but even so, she still had trouble falling asleep. Bonnie paid Isaiah another visit that night, to the surprise of just about everyone, but when Krupa tried to ask her about it, the proud blonde slut brushed her off.

And so went the journey upriver to the borders of the Aiwaha tribe’s territory: all day the boats were on the water, stopping only to rest or sleep. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured by the local wildlife or got sick or fell overboard, though there were few close calls. On the third day Jeremy nearly got bitten by a snake while taking a piss, and on the fifth day Krupa nearly stepped into a well-concealed hill of army ants. Lin didn’t see any more river dolphins, though she did catch a glimpse of an absolutely massive anaconda moving through the murky depths.

Everyone grew more excited and more anxious the closer they got; by the morning of the seventh and final day, Lin was so jittery with nerves she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. Even the captain’s tales didn’t distract her for long. Soon she would see the Aiwaha for the first time, and she would, in accordance with their customs, have to disrobe and remain naked while living among them. She resisted the urge to clutch herself and tried to take heart in the fact that the entire group had seen her nude already. They saw all of me, and it did not kill me. I must remember that.

Harwood too was noticeably more excited. The stretch of jungle they were now entering was very familiar to her. She knew they were getting close and couldn’t wait to see her old friend Naka-Mur again. She squirmed in her seat for the last few hours of the trip, until Captain Velazquez brought the bought slowly over to a nearby embankment.

“This is where you get off,” he said, nodding at the professor. “It has been my utmost pleasure to have you aboard my vessel, doctora. I hope very much we will meet again.”

“Oh, you will,” she said, giving him a warm hug. “You’re the best in the business, Velazquez, and I thank you for the care and goodwill you’ve shown my students. We will see you in a few months, on the return trip once our stay with the Aiwaha is over.”

“I shall look forward to it very much.” Velazquez bowed, a courtly gesture. ”Vaya con Dios, professor, and may you arrive at your destination safely. My men will help you disembark before we part ways.”

Harwood nodded gratefully, giving him a last smile before vaulting over the side. Her shoes made a loud splat as they sank into the mud.

Disembarking took less than an hour, as everything the group carried with them was already in their hiking packs. Once everyone was accounted for, Harwood made them double-check to ensure nothing was missing or left on the boats. Then, with a cheery final wave to Velazquez and his crew, Harwood led Lin Ming and the others straight into the leafy green hell of the Amazon rainforest.

They had no idea they were already being watched.