Random excerpt from SURVIVING

Monkeys squawked and howled in the treetops above us, birds twittered. The jungle had been disturbed and screamed its fury.

Still, we ran.

We came to the edge of a small stream and Talmage crossed with ease. My foot caught on a rock and I fell, banging my knee.

Helping me up, Talmage panted, “We have to keep going.”

I nodded. He practically dragged me to the other side, and we started running again. Every muscle in my body cried out in protest. My lungs would collapse at any minute. The humid air I sucked in burned my throat. I stumbled on a vine and went down again.