SCENE 1. CAMP

The ocean voyage was a cold, windy adventure, but pleasant for Moreau, who found the wind of the South Pacific Ocean nostalgic for some reason. The expedition’s navy ship arrives at their destination in the late afternoon. As Moreau watches the navy sailors unload the ship, he considers.

Why haven’t I ever traveled the world? I had the money for it. Was I too busy with research at college? No, I was too busy dilly-dallying with my research assistant graduate student, making her my wife, and creating my daughter. And now with the pressure of corporate work, I’ll never go on my own. Even on my research sabbaticals, I never did any ‘tourist’ stuff. The only thing I remember from my foreign sabbaticals are the long airplane rides, the stinky laboratories, and the difficulty I had understanding the staff’s speech. Maybe we can have a family trip abroad.

Moreau looks up as Ernie approaches him with a frown.

“I think they found the most primitive village on the continent for us.”

Moreau smiles his distinctive demon smile, “Probably because this village is nearest to the most undisturbed jungle, with the meanest tigers.”

A naval officer approached them, “I found a gentleman who has offered to work as your guide. His name is Cat, which is short for his unpronounceable given name. He has experience too, guiding other expeditions in this jungle.”

Moreau can’t resist, “But did anyone but him make it back alive?”

…

The base camp, set up by the navy, appears to be very neat and well organized, as expected. The tents are set in carefully spaced rows, with double stakes, to survive typhoons. Heavy crates are used to store the scientific equipment and personal luggage, safe from the wind and rain (and from pilfering by the villagers).

The other expedition members are busy setting up their personal spaces in their tents. Moreau walks to the space provided in front of the tent area and calls out to his expedition personnel.

“Hello everyone. I hope you all aren’t still seasick from the trip. The navy folks say the fresh food from the jungle is delicious, so I hope that you all can regain your stamina for the long hike that begins tomorrow. So sleep well. Oh, and be sure to store your equipment and personal belongings in a storage crate for the night if you want to still have them in the morning.”

Moreau walks to the tent identified as his and sees that it is double occupancy. His tent-mate is Ernie, of course, sitting on a cot. The tent is neatly arranged with cots, sleeping bags, and mosquito nets.

“Did you request this arrangement with me? Do you snore?”

“No, the company travel department’s AI picked tent-mates for us.”

SCENE 2. PACKING.

Morning came all too soon, bright and sunny, with no excuse not to start because of inclement weather. Moreau stands at the front of the tents again to address his expedition troops.

“Good morning! I trust that you all had a restful sleep and are ready for the day’s long walk.”

But behind Moreau, navy personnel could be seen preparing personnel carriers and vans for at least the first part of the jungle tour, so no walking, at least for a while. Moreau turns around and watches with his staff as the vans are loaded with expedition equipment. At the end of the line of vehicles are two large semi pulled trailers.

What are the trailers for and how are we getting them through the jungle?

SCENE 3. TACK.

The vehicle ride is slow and unpleasant on the unpaved jungle trail that finally ends at a clearing. The clearing has several narrow walking trails branching off and disappearing into the dense jungle.

Navy personnel set up tables for lunch as the equipment vans are unloaded. Something stomping is unloaded down a ramp and out of the semi trailers into the clearing.

Horses! What is going on here. I have never ridden a horse.

Ernie appears with his phone camera.

“I’ll be the expedition's videographer, for your reports.”

Moreau sports a tight-lipped grin, as yes, even a demon can be bested.

The navy men brush, fit the bridles, and saddle the horses, ready for the team to mount. There are also donkeys, these are set up with blankets and mounts for equipment. Ernie is fascinated, taking numerous movies and photographs of the process. Then comes the moment of truth, mounting the horses. Moreau is dismayed to see the ease of his young staff quickly and easily mounting then walking the horse out on trial. Even Ernie seems experienced at this.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Moreau waited too long. All of this team are facing him in a circle, comfortably mounted upon their steeds, waiting for the show. Two large navy men appear at each side of Moreau, ready to physically hoist the doctor up and place him down upon the saddle. Moreau lifts his hand to the men and nods to his audience to pause. Moreau whispers something to one of the navy men, then walks up to the horse’s large head.

My horse is a mare, but she is much larger and clearly much stronger than the other horses. She is some breed of draft horse, chosen specifically for me, the fat doctor. I am the biggest, and heaviest, person on this expedition, the navy must have gotten my weight from our expedition physical forms.

The navy man hands something to the doctor. Moreau presents an apple in front of the mare’s large nose. The mare’s ears go up and her nostrils dilate in surprise at the sudden treat, and carefully lifts the apple from Moreau’s hand with her large but soft lips. The mare then flips her head and begins chewing the apple, clearly pleased. As the mare is chewing the apple, Moreau begins softly brushing the mare’s wide cheeks and large, long nose.

“There, there now, please be gentle with me. We’ll talk more later.”

Moreau is using techniques he learned as a psychiatrist, working with aphasic patients. And his new patient is responding positively, nodding her head to him in understanding.

Moreau is not prepared for the crowd’s reaction. The team claps in approval at them for the performance. The mare, it seems, is ready. She gently places a feathered fore-hoof forward and lowers her head to bow to the crowd, who all cheer and clap again.

The doctor then hugs the horse’s head and looks directly into her large eye, “Show off.”

Moreau walks back to the left side of the saddle and motions the navy men away. He grasps the saddle strap and strains to place his left boot into the stirrup, then he successfully pulls himself up. He swings up his right leg over to mount the saddle, rewarded with another cheer from the crowd. Moreau holds tight to the saddle horn as the show horse bows again.

Since he was a child, Moreau always believed he could communicate with animals. He communicates with animals and aphasic patients, unlike anyone he has ever met.

But he is still surprised as he hears, or imagines, a soft female voice.

“Remember, you promised to talk to me.”

Moreau smiles and shakes the reins as he sees the other do and speaks.

“Do you like ‘Chaucer’?”

His new friend nods her large head in approval and walks slowly forward to follow the others.

“Yes, I do.”

SCENE 4. STEP.

It is said that ‘a journey of a thousand miles’ begins with the first step. And so, the jungle expedition is officially beginning, including a few of the navy men to help with gear and tend the animals, and their local tour guide, 'Cat'.

Moreau requested that he tend his horse, a gray mare and retired parade horse named, Bess. He prepares her food and treats. He curry-brushes her regularly, likely more than required, but both love the attention. The navy men also show the doctor how to clean and inspect her hooves.

And true to his word, the doctor reads his beloved Chaucer and narrates his video expedition reports to her every night, as she snickers and cuddles up to him, with the jungle sounds in the background for added drama.

At last, a real friend on this trip. I doubt that they will let me take you home, although my house is certainly big enough for you and it stands empty most of the time.

Ernie has been a very effective mission photographer and videographer, making the long, painful, and boring horse ride seem interesting and dramatic. Expedition report views are up to two million. Even the company board members send regular messages of approval, to an expedition that hasn’t done anything major yet.

See! I told you all. Everyone loves the drama of an expedition.

Everyone has forgotten the Ice Berg Crew’s dramatic clickbait false product announcement.

SCENE 5. TRAIL.

As the team rides further out on the trail, the jungle becomes denser and more humid, the proverbial ‘Green Hell’. The horses, and everyone else, are sweating profusely, and the bugs are worse too. So frequent stops are necessary, for health. Now everyone is brushing their horses, to save time.

However, the jungle has also become more fascinating. Apparently, the villagers don’t hunt this far in, so the animals have no fear. Monkeys swing through the trees above the caravan by their tails. Colorful birds flutter around and flirt with the team and pose for photographs. All making for more visual expedition reports, filed every day or so by satellite.

Ernie’s attitude has changed since the horse ride began. Although the quality of his visuals is good, the normally jovial Ernie is frowning most of the time. Moreau is concerned as Ernie is the second in command, and he needs to be in top form on this dangerous trip.

“Ernie, what’s wrong? Did I say something wrong? Have I not been appreciative enough of your visual productions?”

“Well, we don’t talk much lately. You have been spending all of your spare time with that horse. Don’t we need to discuss what we are going to do once we reach our tiger colony’s section of the jungle?”

Ernie, you’re jealous of my horse?

SCENE 6. WALK.

Eventually, the jungle trail becomes too dense for riding. The navy men clear an area used by previous expeditions for the forward ‘horse’ camp. Here, equipment will be staged to be carried to the destination on human backs. The donkeys are small enough to pass the dense jungle, but dangerous to take any further for fear that they will attract large predators, such as tigers.

Everything that is going further in is thoroughly scrubbed with an alcohol wipe to reduce odor as much as possible. Of course, all the people also have to strip and wipe. Sealed cleaned uniforms are passed out and donned.

The team dons the large equipment packs that the navy men prepared, and the long walk begins. Moreau sees the navy men have prepared the largest pack for him, labeled ‘humanoid’.

I guess the big guy is good for something. I really should exercise more.

The animals and plants are in direct contact. The protective uniforms help, but sharp plant spines can still penetrate, even tear, the fabric, so caution is advised. The netted hats keep the bugs out, however.

Several times, a small brown quadruped species is spotted running through the jungle. Moreau catches up to Ernie.

“Do you see those little antelope running by us? There appears to be a lot of them here. These little creatures must be what the tigers are hunting.”

“Let’s test our ‘population sampling’ procedures on this herd before we try to sample the tigers.”

End of Chapter 2.