Essay by Fong Chui Choo

Write a story based on 'We were amazed when we heard how lucky John had been'.

"Wow! Absolutely unbelievable! How?"

After a recent trip, John was drowned in a sea of questions. No wonder. Everyone thought that John was dead! John shivered, and goosebumps appeared on his skin as he recounted his frightening experience…

It all started on the day when he decided to go on this expedition, to find a world famous and rare flower. Legend has it that it only bloomed once every thousand years! Intrigued, John decided to search for the flower.

Confident, John started the hike through the leafy jungle. Amazing and exotic flora and fauna surrounded him. He gasped in wonder as he continued his trek. Three days later, as John walked through the jungle, he decided have lunch. He walked to a nearby stream, and started to catch some fishes, oblivious to the bear on the other side of the shallow river. It was not until the shadow of the bear fell onto him that he realized he was in terrible danger. With quick reflexes, John jumped away from the bear in a flash. He ran as fast as his feet could carry him.

Unfortunately, the bear had apparently been angered terribly. Two tons of matter raced through the jungle not far behind John. When the furious bear caught up with John, it started to attack with its claws. Desperate, John grabbed a stick beside him, and tried to defend himself as he slowly retreated.

Suddenly, John felt nothing beneath him, as the bear slashed his torso and he fell into nothingness. Then, darkness, as John fell into deep unconsciousness.

A few hours later, John woke up to find himself in a cold, empty hole, most likely, dug by the natives in the jungle. It was pitch black. John groped around in the darkness as he tried to stand up. Excruciating pain sliced his torso. John could not suppress a wild cry. Gasping, he tried to calm himself down.

Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he began to see. He had spotted the flower! It was growing healthily, at the bottom of the hole. As delicately as he could, he plucked the flower out from the soil. Then, with the flower, he tried to come out of the ten meters deep hole, but to no avail. Exhausted, he tried one more time, with all the strength he had left.

Yes! He had climbed out of the hole! Fresh air rushed to greet him and sweat and blood glistened on under the moonlight. Languid, he passed out again.

When he woke up, he found himself in a warm, dimly lit room, clean and fresh. It seemed the natives of the jungle had rescued him. He left a gift as a way of saying thank you, and left discreetly. After another two days he made it out of the jungle, this time, with the flower.

As John thought back about this experience, tears rolled down his cheeks as he thanked god and felt that he was so lucky to be alive.