Chapter 19

Disclaimer: If you recognise it, surprise, I don't own it.

Chapter 10– Back To The Beach

Edited: 25/03/2023

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Whelp turns out that the beach is not as close as I thought it would be. No doubt that I am close, closer than ever, but there is still a while to go and a lot more forest to pass through before I can finally get some sweet rest. I guess from the top of the cliff, the beach looked much closer than it was. I didn't realise how high I actually was and just how far down the lake was. It looked small from up there, but down below, it was massive.

So here I am again, trekking through yet another forest surrounded by nothing but trees and things that want to eat me. Did I mention that I really hate Garp? Because I really, really hate Garp. Not only that, but I am really hitting my limits here. My hunger is acceptable. Physically, I am a little bruised, but I will live. Right now, I am okay in all aspects except one.

Sleep. I am dead on my feet, and after all these days without any sleep, I am really close to just saying bugger it all and sleeping in the middle of the forest. My narcolepsy is really getting the best of me now. My narcolepsy isn't even that bad as well, it really only affects me when I am bored, which is something I definitely haven't been in the midst of this island, but after all this time without sleep, I am really having a hard time keeping my eyes closed.

I have resorted to slapping myself to keep me focused and awake, but even that was losing its effect after so long, and I didn't want to inflict anything more painful on myself. I don't want to be a masochist after all.

So I sourced out something which would keep me awake, which turned out to be a particular flower that had a terrible smell. These were abundant in the forest, usually being in the shaded areas directly next to the trees, and they were truly awful to the nose, so I used them to bring me back to my senses whenever I was drifting off.

But even that was starting to lose its effect, so I decided to pick up the pace and hurry towards the beach, hopeful that I would reach there before my eyes finally succumbed and stayed closed. And the best way to do that was to be as safe as possible because if I got chased again, then there was a high likelihood that I would have to deviate from my oath to survive, which would delay me, not to mention the fact it will tire me out even further.

And so, instead of walking, I lightly jogged through the woods, feeling like I was dragging my bones along with me, going at a pace that was faster than just walking but calm enough to spot anything of interest or danger and stop in an instant. Of course, I stopped a few times to climb a tree and make sure I was going in the correct direction, as well as restock on some fruits, which I stored in a little makeshift bag I made from leaves and twine, but those were the stops I made of my own choices.

When I came across a clearing, I skirted around it, too open for my liking. And whenever I heard animals or saw them, I would wait it out or simply manoeuvre and alter my path around them. It was really annoying and time-consuming sometimes, but I would rather that than be forced into another situation like with the wolves, and this time I won't be lucky enough to have a lake to dive into.

And so here I am around a day after pulling myself out of that lake, lightly jogging through the forest, when I hear some animal sounds, some loud grunting in front of me that brings me to a stop, and I quickly crouch down. Then, moving forward slowly, I move into some bushes, which I then spread to the sides, just enough to get an eye through to see what sort of threat is in front of me.

And there it is, the same gorilla that was chasing me just a day or so ago, sat there in the middle of a clearing, looking no worse for wear and fiddling with some fruit in its hands. The thing is big, bigger than even Garp, with its black skin that only shows at its digits and face because it is covered in shaggy grey hair that actually looks exceptionally clean and lustrous for being attached to an animal.

I observe it for a moment and try to figure out what it is doing and why exactly it is here as well since it was up on that cliff before, and I took the expressway down, so how has this gorilla got ahead of me? I watch as it continually fiddles with a fruit in its hand, holding the fruit between the thumb and forefinger of its left hand and then reaching down with the opposite hand and trying to grab the stalk so as to peel open the fruit.

Except, the gorilla's fingers are just too big and can't correctly grab onto the stalk, so each time it attempts to do so and pulls its finger down, the stalk just ends up being flicked around and not actually being pulled down. I watch as the gorilla tries again and again, constantly trying to peel the fruit, but it just simply can't. Its hand is too big for the job.

Watching it struggle endlessly with the fruit diminishes the threat it poses in my eyes. I just can't see it as being a dangerous animal with how it is working on peeling the fruit. It just looks really clumsy, like a toddler trying to figure out something straightforward. What am I doing? Why am I just watching this dumb childish creature? I should really get a move on. I can't be wasting time he-

*Thunk*

"OW!" I react as something conks me straight in the head. I bring my two hands up to clutch my forehead that was just assaulted, trying to nurse the aching pain and the big bump that has sprouted on it. What the hell just hit me? I was just sitting there minding my own business and watching the gorilla when suddenly- The gorilla!

My eyes shoot open, and I look up to see if the gorilla has heard me shout in pain. Hopefully, it hadn't and- The gorilla's face is right in front of me, staring directly at me, and I no longer think it is somewhat cute. It is most definitely scary. Seeing its face so abruptly in front of mine, I place my hands behind me so that I can quickly scoot away and run once again, but my palm lands on something round, and I slip, falling onto my back.

Laying flat out on the ground, I stare up at the gorilla that is still in the same position and watching me with a keen eye, but it hasn't moved at all. Instead, it is just observing me. So I move my hands again, but slowly this time so as to not startle the beast, but one of my arms touches against something circular, and when I look over to see what it is, I can see that it is a fruit.

Oh, I see. I know what happened. The bloody gorilla got too frustrated after trying and failing so many times and actually acting like a child, it threw the source of its trouble away, and coincidentally it threw the fruit straight at my forehead. But, goddamn it, aren't I supposed to be lucky? Then why am I so unlucky, and why the hell have I been put in this position at the mercy of this gorilla? I should be fortuitous, not unfortunate.

Or, maybe I am lucky. If I think about it, I have run into this gorilla twice now, and this island is entirely massive. So, what are the odds of us meeting again, especially after me taking a dive off of a cliff and getting a lot of distance on it?

The odds of us meeting again are slim to none, and yet it happened, which means this must be my luck in play. For whatever reason, this gorilla has met me twice on account of my good fortune, probably, so maybe it isn't the savage beast I thought it was, and there is more to it.

I stared up at it for a moment longer, and then I remembered that it was fiddling with the fruit struggling to open it and that exact fruit was now to my right. So I slowly reach out and pick up the fruit, keeping an eye on the gorilla the whole time in case it is not happy with my actions, and so far, everything seems fine.

Bringing my left hand toward my chest, I grasp the fruit with both hands, still staring up at the gorilla's face, and I can see that its eyes are intensely focused on the fruit in my hands. Then, holding the fruit tight with my right hand, I move my left hand up slowly until it has reached the tip of the stem, at which point I grasp it between my thumb and forefinger.

"Grah." The gorilla softly grunts, stalling my hand and preventing me from peeling the fruit. I wait for a second, and after a moment passes and nothing happens, I continue my action. I pull my fingers down and slowly peel down the stalk. All the while, the gorilla's eyes are focused on my fingers moving down.

I have now fully peeled down one side, and nothing terrible has happened and so feeling a bit more confident, I quickly begin to peel the rest of the fruit, and now the fruit within is fully revealed, the skin entirely off of it and resting in the palm of my hand.

With the now edible fruit now resting in my hand, I watch the gorilla that is still patiently watching me, and I reach my hand out towards its face, holding the unpeeled fruit out for it to take. It observes the fruit for a moment, looking down at it before looking at my face and then back to the fruit, and then it lowers its face closer to my hand.

Oh wow, this is actually going to work out. I can't believe my luck. This gorilla is going to eat this fruit I am giving it, and then it is going to start following me around so that I will feed it some more, and then we are going to become friends, and we will go on all sorts of adventures together, and our fame will spread throughout the world. Tales of Amarillo Detoro and his gorilla pal that sail the seven seas, helping those in need and- and my arm is gone...

"A-ah?" My arm is gone, or more accurately, I just can't see it anymore. The gorilla had suddenly lunged for the fruit and opened its mouth wide, and instead of just eating the fruit, its mouth descended upon my arm and went straight down it, its lips finally closing around my arm near my elbow. Right now, my arm is inside the gorilla's mouth, and I can feel its numerous sharp teeth scraping against my skin, just on the edge of digging in and rending flesh from bone.

I began to hyperventilate and panic with this beast, very nearly ripping my arm off. If I didn't act quickly, then I would lose my arm and maybe even more. So I promptly prepared to jab my left hand's finger into its eyes and then pull my right arm back. Hopefully, the jab would make it open its mouth in pain and let my arm leave its mouth uninjured.

But before I could act, the gorilla began to move. I can feel its teeth start to scrape along my skin as the gorilla's head begins to move backwards, my arm slowly rescinding from the slimy insides of its mouth, and I suppress a shudder when its tongue skimmed across my skin, afraid I might cut myself on its sharp canines.

And there my arm is, the fruit now missing from my palm, but in its place, my arm is now covered in slobber. The gorilla didn't eat my arm. It just wanted to eat the fruit and just wrapped its mouth around my arm by mistake. With the gorilla no longer attached to the end of my arm, I quickly take the opportunity to crawl backwards and away from the gorilla, which is more focused on munching on the fruit.

With the gorilla distracted, I quickly scramble back up to my feet and then, giving the gorilla a wide birth, I run around it and promptly skedaddle on out of there, not forgetting to grab my bag of supplies before leaving. I don't know what I was thinking, trying to befriend an animal, a beast, and thinking it would work out just because I am supposed to be lucky.

Stupid, I will not be doing anything like that again. I don't know what I was thinking.