A sweltering heat came over John when he swam in the river water. From the boat the crew jumped, only to swim to the coast. Once ashore they made for the trees. Because John saw a shape in them. Curious, but cautiously he neared the trees. A colourful parrot flew out, just in front of him as he stepped back. He exclaimed and sighed a bit. Tighter he strapped his backpack on. Thick mud slowed him down. He slid away vast amounts of vines with his hands. His back ached already due to the load of his heavy supplies. Behind him, a sailor or two neared from the riverbank. They asked if he would be satisfied with where they had landed, and whether they should make camp here for the day. Because evening neared and with later hours you could see less and less. Dangerous animals can start to lurk closer to the people who tread in their territories. John knew he had no choice but to agree, because he thought that taking another trip and finding such an open spot would be hard. Not to mention even harder when daylight had gone.

Once camp was set up, they chatted, walked about and one after another fell asleep. Two people held watch. When their watch had ended, they would awaken the next two other people who would take the watch and so on. John kept thinking while he lay in his tent. What else could it have been? What else would the shape mean? He dreamt about finding a city where streets were made from gold.

The following morning John had awoken and gathered his things: His map from where he had gone until now; The watch that he got from his father, as a gift, to remember him. A picture of his father was in the top part of the watch. He stood up and went outside where he met his companions.

‘Mornin’,’ said he.

‘Morning, sir,’ said both sailors.

‘How’s the weather coming along?’

‘I expect a clear sky today, sir. Today would be a good day to make progress on your endeavour,’ said one of the sailors.

‘Good.’

They gathered everything they could and left behind inventory that would be too heavy to carry. John drew a smile on his face as he thought about the progress he could make today. He felt that he had strength in him. His shoulders felt light as he drew himself up to his full height. He remembered that his father once had ventured around this area. But he had never found what he was searching for.

John got hold of his machete and slashed about the vines, making a path. Behind him were the two sailors, one advisor and his nephew. He kept slashing and making good time it seemed. He went up a hill and down. Alongside many branches, and stones bigger than himself. He found that the party was in high spirits, though they could do with a break now and then. Which they held to revitalize their stamina.

John got up after the third break, while hours were gone by, and looked around. He saw a steep hill that went higher than the rest. He said that he would go ahead and look about the place.

‘Do be careful, sir,’ said one of the sailors. ‘We’ll be just over there, looking alongside the ridge.’

‘Will do, Jonathan,’ John replied.

He climbed to the highest point of the hill and climbed to the top of the tree that stood there. Once he was above the leaves, he saw nothing but trees as far as the horizon went. Brown, yellow, and green trees were all visible. Many mountains, hills and slopes. Nowhere was the thing visible for which he went there to come. Animals roamed about and birds flew about the air. He sighed and climbed down. The moment his feet touched the ground he heard a yell. He looked around and found that none of his companions were anywhere nearby. He felt a quick panic coming but by his breathing, which he learned in the army, he managed to stay calm under the pressure. He knelt to his knees and scuttled to look over the edge on the other side of the hill.

There he saw the thing he yearned to find. The City of Lost Memories was now visible to his naked eye. A smile came onto his face but quickly disappeared. He remembered that his crew and nephew were in danger. Or nowhere near at the least. He must find them. He lowered himself by the slope of the rocky hill. To the level where the valley’s bottom was. Some houses made from straw and brick stood there, and people roamed about.

At once John felt as if there was no danger at all. He scoffed a bit. Thinking this was some sort of hallucination. He neared an older woman who sat in front of her house, on her chair.

‘H-hello, Ma’am,’ said John, ‘How are you?’

The woman replied in a tongue that John vaguely remembered because his father studied it more than he did. He stuttered and murmured, but his point came across he thought. The woman’s eyes glittered and was surprised by what John had said. She shook her head in disbelief. From some huts away John’s nephew came walking. Satisfied with himself that he first had found the city and then informed the others. They came as well and were glad, for they had not lost John to the jungle.