Eisha's Journey

By Keith Paul

Eisha is a baby elephant who lives in eastern Zambia with her family. Her best friend Harry is a hippopotamus. They like to make the most of each day by playing and splashing about in the water along with the rest of their friends, until one day when everything takes a turn for the worst. This story follows Eisha on an adventure across the hot Safari in search of her father who has been taken by hunters. Accompanied by her friends, they must travel many miles in order to rescue him. With many surprises along the way, this will prove to be no easy journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Keith Paul
• Release date: May 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311355133

Keith Paul

Keith Paul has published his first ever ebook, Eisha's Journey.

Book preview

EISHA’S JOURNEY

BY KEITH PAUL

THIS EBOOK IS LICENSED FOR YOUR PERSONAL ENJOYMENT ONLY.

IT MAY NOT BE RE-SOLD OR EDITED IN ANY WAY.

CHAPTER ONE

It was a bright sunny morning. There was a slight breeze that made the leaves on the trees shiver. It was a typical morning in southern Zambia, everything was peaceful. Even at this early hour, the sun was burning down on the earth.

Lying on the muddy sand next to the river was Eisha. She was fast asleep. Eisha was an elephant, standing at four feet tall. Soil and mud covered her grey skin. A few feet away lay her parents. They all lived close to the river bed to cool down from the heat of the sun.

The sound of a jeep engine woke Eisha up. She slowly opened her eyes but it took a while to adjust to the brightness of the sun. The sound of the jeep seemed to get nearer and nearer but then all of a sudden it stopped. Eisha looked around but could not see the jeep. She decided to rise up to get a better look. The wind was still travelling through the trees which made a rustling sound. Eisha still couldn’t see the jeep anywhere.

I must be imagining things again she said to herself. It’s a bit early in the morning for visitors anyway she continued.

She looked back at her parents. They were still fast asleep.

Well since I’m up, I may as well go for a quick bath before I head over to see Harry she muttered to herself.

Harry was a hippopotamus, and Eisha’s best friend. They knew each other since they were very young. They played together in the water, especially on a hot summer’s day. They went on many adventures together along with the rest of their friends, Zoey the Zebra and Ruben the Rhinoceros, although they were always back in time before it got dark. They all lived in the middle of the safari, which attracts many tourists each day to catch a glimpse and take pictures of Eisha and all her friends.

Eisha was sure she heard a jeep. Presumably it would be the first visitors of the day to take pictures of her, but since she still couldn’t see any people around, she proceeded to head further down the river so she could get in and soak herself in the cool water.

Wow it’s a really hot day. I wish the clouds could cover the sun for a little while she said.

Unfortunately, there were no clouds to be seen in the sky.

I guess I’ll have to settle for splashing myself in the water! she said with a smile on her face.

All of a sudden she heard loud screeching and the splash of water further down the river near the waterfall. She looked up and gazed in the direction of the loud noises. As she focused closely, she could see a three foot tall figure in the distance.

A grin appeared on Eisha’s face. She could tell it was her best friend Harry the hippopotamus messing about in the water.

He must have woke up early too! she exclaimed.

Indeed Harry was up very early, and he was jumping about splashing in the river very close to the waterfall, his favourite part.

Hey Harry, wait up, wait for me shouted Eisha with excitement in her voice.

Harry did not hear her, so she began to trot slowly at first, then a little bit quicker in order to catch up in the morning fun.

Hey Harry! Eisha shouted as she came up close to her best friend.

He looked up suddenly as if he was a little bit startled.

Oh, hey Eisha, I wasn’t expecting company this early in the morning, I thought that you would be still asleep!

Yes I know, but I was woken up by a loud jeep noise but I couldn’t see anything, so I decided to go for a quick morning bath!

"It’s great to see you, and now that we are here early, we can prepare for a fun filled day!

Yaaaay, I can’t wait to decide what we do, I bet it will be a real adventure! exclaimed Eisha.

She started to splash about in the water. It was a great way to cool down as the sun’s rays were beginning to get a lot warmer on her skin. Harry rose up his massive two front feet and then let them fall again with a massive plunge. Water splashed in Eisha’s direction, some of which even got in her eyes. She did not mind, however, and instead paid Harry back by doing the same. They both laughed at each other.

Eisha was really happy to see her friend, and was even happier thinking about what they could do for fun with the rest of their friends. Perhaps they could play hide and seek in the high grass where their friend Lorenzo the lion lived. Or maybe do lots of poses and funny faces for the tourists taking pictures while visiting the safari. She got more excited the more she thought about it, but for Eisha, little did she know about the adventure that was about to happen that would involve her and all her friends taking off on a wild and wicked journey across the hot African safari.

CHAPTER TWO

Eisha was heading back to her parents. She decided to head back home through the high grass in order to dry the water from her skin. The grass was tickling her as she walked by slowly.

She promised Harry that she would catch up with him later after lunch along with their other friends. Her skin felt a lot cooler now after she had been splashing about in the water for the past hour.

As she drew closer to where her parents lay, she heard a slight rumble. The rumbling noise got louder and louder until there was one big screech. Eisha recognised who was making the noise; it was her mother, who sounded like she was in pain.

Eisha began to tread faster to where the noise was coming from. As she brushed against the very last of the high grass, she came to the opening of the sandy, muddy area where she and her parents had lived for the past couple of years. Standing in the middle of the mud was her mother. She raised her trunk and once again let out a loud screech. There was a strong smell that caught Eisha by surprise, perhaps that of diesel from a truck. Freshly made tyre tracks could be seen on the ground very close to her mother.

Eisha ran to her mother who was startled by her approach.

Oh my, oh my Eisha, thank goodness you are safe, I thought they had taken you too her mother managed to splutter out.

Eisha was spooked by what her mother had said, it was not like her to act in this way.

Mom, what’s wrong? Who has been taken? she asked.

Thank goodness you are here, I really thought they had taken my little baby too her mother continued as she began to catch her breath, ignoring Eisha’s question.

Mum what’s wrong, who has been taken? she asked her mother again with a more worried tone in her voice.

Her mother began to sob, looking down at the ground. Eisha looked around where her mother was standing, then turned and looked behind her, then to her left, and to her right. She suddenly became aware that there was no sign of her father.

She looked back again at her mother with a worried expression on her face. She walked up close to her mother and stood by her side. There was now a tear beginning to swell under her eye.

Where is father? she asked in a low frightened voice as the tear began to fall down her face. Her mother looked up from the