The Real Explorer

I thumb through the familiar pages of my favourite book, Katherine Rundell’s The Explorer. Mum steps in to say goodnight, and I hastily shove the books under the quilt. As I drift off, my last thought is how lucky the kids in The Explorer- Fred, Lila, Con, and Max- are to meet the legendary Percy Fawcett. I imagine myself exploring snow-topped mountains, lush green valleys, and dense, mysterious forests with my trusty binoculars around my neck. As I amble along, I spot an old ruin… looks like an abandoned Inca temple! I rush towards it and push open the door, eager to see the treasures within…

The sharp rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves wake me up with a start. What an exciting dream! 

I swat the mosquitoes swarming around me…Wait, what- mosquitoes?

Where am I?

I can see a man in a pith helmet—the Explorer! I recognize him at a glance. He’s stoking the fire, gazing thoughtfully into its depths. His alligator-scale ring catches the sunlight, making me smile. I walk over to him and wave. He looks up with a start. 

“Who are you now? Are you one of those kids from the crash?”

I shake my head and tell him my story.

Despite all the adventures he has had, all the strange sights he has seen, all the stories he has heard, my story has him looking at me in disbelief!

“So, you mean to say that we are characters in a book and you have somehow fallen in here from the real world?” 

“If you put it that way… See, I know you’re Percy Fawcett. You’re one of my heroes. The whole world has been looking for you for decades.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you are a legend…your disappearance- an enduring mystery. Why haven’t you gone back home?”

He looks at me…conflicted.

“I want to make the sacrifices count…I lost my son here. I know it's here- the lost city of Z. I will find it or die searching.”

I take this in for a moment.

“Don’t you feel lonely?”

“Sometimes…you are a nosy one, aren’t you?  You remind me of myself at your age. The questions…more and more questions.” 

His gruff exterior softens for a second.

“I am going to go check on those kids now. There are a lot of dangers here.”

“I will come with you. According to the story, the little boy, Max, will get bitten by poisonous bullet ants.”

“What! Let’s find them before they get themselves killed! I won’t lose another child to the forest.”

“Mr.Fawcett, they’re homesick and scared. Teach them how to survive here till you fix the plane and help them leave.”

“You know about the plane?”

He looks at me questioningly and then laughs out loud…a sound that feels strange coming from the fierce-looking man.

“Of course you do…we are in a book, right? I don’t know if that old bird will get off the ground, but if what you say is true, I'd better get her ready. I will get the children back home.”

As we search for the kids, I relentlessly question Mr. Fawcett about his previous expeditions and listen spellbound to his fascinating stories.

“Mr. Fawcett… I’ll tell the world your story. You are an inspiration. You may not have found the City of Z, but your passion and perseverance are something we can all learn from.” 

“Auggie, being an explorer is not always about going on expeditions and putting yourself in dangerous situations like me. Some of the greatest adventures are within us… you can have them anywhere- it’s about exploring our minds and our limits.” 

I sit down and use a flint to carve some words onto a rock. 

The Explorer- Percy Fawcett

The explorer looks at me, his eyes glistening with emotion.

“I think I might know how to get you back.”

I see a signet ring in his hand - the gold one he buried when his son died.

He hands it to me and chants something. A whirlpool of dust rises. 

“Remember, Auggie. There are grand adventures ahead of you. The world is a wonderful place. Make sure you do your bit in keeping it that way.”

A glimpse of his fleeting smile…

It’s morning, and my dog is sprawled across the bed, licking my arm. 

It was just a dream …disappointment overwhelms me. That’s when I feel something hard in my hand- it’s the signet ring the Explorer had given me!