The rain forest was thick with many colors, beautifully florescent yet utterly terrifying. It was early morning, and all of the forest was still asleep. It was compelling. And yet it seemed dull. Any other day was just like this one. The forest air was cold and damp, and the leaves crushed and crumbled beneath Eli’s feet as he looked for food of any sort.
A low and deep growl sounded from somewhere behind him.
A shout from behind the young boy called out, “Run, Eli run!” He took off in a mad dash, and his breathing became more rapid. He could feel no pain. Eli had hunted many animals before but not tigers. Nobody hunted tigers. “Run faster Eli! It can’t catch you if you run faster than it!” Jack was far behind Eli, hiding in a tree.
Eli rolled his eyes at his friend’s childish comment. He was the fastest runner at his camp. He and a couple other people were able to see tigers and live to tell about it.
His feet were heavy against the dirt, and they began to ache. His pace was decreasing rapidly. Then he realized what was the point? As he did he thought this through. If the beast wanted to win, it already would have. So Eli continued running.
     The growling stopped. Eli came to a halt, and then turned around. Jack came up from behind Eli, and he was heavily breathing while stomping feet.
     “Eli, I don’t know how you do that.”
“Do what?” Jack was breathing very hard.
“Run so fast.” Jack rolled his eyes while Eli smiled. “I am out of breath, and I ran about half the distance you did.”
     “Yeah, I guess.”
     “Let’s head back to camp.”  Eli nodded in response. He’s had enough excitement for one day. The two boys began their journey back.
Eli couldn’t remember his life before the camp. Nobody through the whole camp could either. There were around a hundred people living there.
“Look how lively it is today.” Eli said in amazement. He put his arm around Jack.
     “You say that every day,” He shoved Eli’s arm off. “Nothing makes today more important.”
     “Ah, but that is where you are wrong, my friend.” Eli jumped on top of a rock. “Everyday is important.”
     “How so?” Jack kept walking on.
     Eli jumped down and jogged to catch up to him. “Because my friend you are living and breathing. You get to see this spectacular jungle.” Eli gestured his hands around. “Look at the birds, they sing for you.” Jack stopped and looked at Eli, rolled his eyes, then glanced over to where a group of birds were. “See?” Eli gestured at them. Jack bends down, grabs a stone, and throws it as hard as he could at the birds. They all flew away.
“Well that wasn’t very nice.” Eli looked over at him, but Jack had already began to walk again.
     “Let’s go.” Neither of them spoke a word until their long trek was over.
     Eli and Jack arrived at the camp within an hour.
     “You both look like crap.” Lovely Rachel. They both walked over to her, and Eli gave her a quick hug.
     “I  fought a tiger, what’s your excuse?” Eli shot back.
“You’re kidding..” Her face turned pale.
“Nope.” Jack and Rachel exchange a look, and then Jack just walked past her and headed to his own hut.
     “What’s his deal?” Rachel turned to look at Eli.
     “He’s almost 19, and you know what that means.” Eli gave her a look of sympathy. “He’s depressed. People at this camp become depressed around his age.” She looked as if she were about to burst out crying. “He’s been like this for the past few weeks. He gets tired easier. He can’t keep up-”
     “Don’t you dare say he can’t keep up. We are not leaving him behind.” She almost snapped at Eli. Her eyes were watering like crazy.
     “He is just like the other people. The people who die.” Eli knew he was right and so did she.
     “He is not going to die.” She looked at Eli, her lip trembled.
     “I can’t help him. You. Can’t. Help. Him.” She looked upset more than angry. “He can make his own choices. He is the only one who can save himself.”
     “Not all of us are as blessed as you are and can determine our own fate.” Rachel mumbled under her breath and rolled her eyes.
“What?”
“He-he... seemed okay when you left.” She looked back up at me.
     “He was okay up until I said something about how lively the day was-”
     “Well maybe he is just annoyed that you say the same thing everyday single day.”
     “He has always just gone along with it. He never really acknowledged what I said. But today, today, he tried to hurt the birds that sang.”
     “They do get annoying sometimes. I’ve scared them off before because they get to be too much.” She was calming down more.
     “Have you ever thrown a rock at them?” Rachel became very quiet.
     “He didn’t…”
     “He did. But he ended up just getting more tired from it.” Rachel glanced over her shoulder half expecting Jack to be walking towards them, smiling like he use to.
     “He’s been working hard lately.” She looked back at me.
     “I am not arguing with you Rachel.”
     “Nor am I with you.” She turned on her heel and walked away.
  Eli lifted his shoulder and shrugged. Eli headed over to his own hut and went inside.
     Eli sat down on the couch and dozed off. Hours later, he got up after hearing a noise. Eli rolled off the couch and looked through the window.
     It was nightfall. Everything was motionless except for the town guards that stood on the wall, pacing.
     All seemed normal, except when Eli saw Jack. Or what looks like Jack.
     “Jack...Jack” Eli whispered but he was far from earshot. Jack snuck in the shadows. Eli climbed out his window, careful to not make a noise, and careful to not be caught.
     Jack headed into the woods, Eli followed closely behind. They walked for what seems like hours when suddenly Jack stood out in the middle of a circle of trees, sat down, and closed his eyes.
     Eli walked over to him.. “Jack.”
     His eyes flashed open. “What are you doing here?” He hissed, and a drop of spit flew off his lip. “You should be back at camp.”
     “I..I..” This horrible roar erupted from inside the forest. Eli’s face grew dark.
     “You need to leave right now.” He got up and dragged Eli along.
     “Where are we going?” Eli was now in step with Jack, both running at the same pace.
     “You need to live Eli.” Jack grumbled out the words.
     “You aren’t making any sense.”
     “The tigers they’re after each and every one of us. The very few, pure hearted get to live. You need to be one of those people Eli.”
Eli looked up at Jack and he was crying. Jack never cried. Eli opened his mouth, but then immediately shut it.
“Why are you in the forest alone Jack?”
     “You need to get out of here.The tigers are beginning to catch up to us.” He stopped and looked around. “Quick!”
     Jack began to shove Eli inside a hollowed out log. He shoveled bunches of leaves inside the log as well. Jack stood back to study if Eli was completely hidden. He turned to leave.
     “Jack what is going on!” Another roar. “GET IN!”
     “I.. can’t buddy.” He looked down. “I am done. My fight is now over.” Jack tried to smile at Eli, but it came off looking as if he was in pain. Maybe he was.
     “Jack you can’t…” Eli shook his head in disbelief.
     “Stay strong Eli. For you and Rachel.” Eli started to cry.
     “Jack…” More tears ran down Eli’s face.
     “It is time for me to go.”
     “Please don’t leave.”
     “Goodbye, my friend.” He started to run.
     Eli heard a scream. It sounded like something from a nightmare. “Jack.” The name escaped from Eli’s  mouth. At that moment, Eli knew there was nothing in the world that could stop him from getting out of here. Eli was going to make it. He was going to make it for Jack.
     Eli sat there for what seemed like forever. He became tired from the lack of sleep. He finally got up, brushing  off the remaining leaves that had hidden his body. He started the long hike back to the camp, completely disoriented on where he actually was. He took a single step in what he hoped was the right direction, when he heard the worst noise imaginable. His face turned pale. The noise began again. The grumbling stomach of a hungry tiger.