Bungee and Kidogo

By Carol Ann Whittle and Charles Jaskiewicz

Annie is twelve years old and a typical tomboy. She lives in the bush in Africa and spends her free time rescuing all sorts of wild creatures. Bungee, an inquisitive young bush baby, is looking for somewhere to call home with his chosen mate, Kidogo. The plains of East Africa are a tough and dangerous place to live; a life-changing occurrence brings all three together in an unexpected manner through tragedy, separation, fear, and survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jun 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781496995476

Carol Ann Whittle

Born and bought up in Kenya, Carol had an amazing childhood full of wonderful experiences. She moved to the UK when she was 18 to further her education and spent 10 years working and living in London. An opportunity arose to travel and she moved to Dubai where she met and married her husband Fraser. Soon after she got married she moved with her husband to live in Riga, and then spent 7 nomadic years living in various Middle East countries. Carol and her husband finally settled back in Dubai where she currently lives and works.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Darkness fell suddenly, as it does in Africa. Like black velvet, the sky took on a mysterious aura, the heat of the day a faded memory. The dreamlike sounds of the African night began to fill the air. A soft breeze filtered through the leaves of the trees, a gentle wake-up call for the creatures of the night.

The trunk of a massive acacia tree was home to a furry little creature called Bungee. His long tail wrapped around his small body for warmth. He had fine grey fur, huge ears that acted like radar, and very large eyes to help him see in the dark. His slender fingers and toes had fleshy pads on the bottom of them, enabling him to cling to trees and branches without falling. Bungee was a happy little soul and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life.

Stretching slowly out of a deep sleep, he perked up his ears; the sounds of the night echoed all around him. It was time to get up. Sticking his head out of his nest, he smelt the air, darted his head back and forth, and listened – there was nothing that alarmed him. He took another quick look, decided everything was clear, and leapt in one swift movement onto his favourite lookout branch.

His stomach rumbled, a reminder it was time to satisfy his hunger. Looking across the vast expanse of savannah, he noticed a warm glow in the sky. He nodded to himself. The night would be good hunting; the moon was full and would attract those wonderful insects he enjoyed eating.

Across a small ravine, a sprawling homestead nestled itself among large, ancient trees and beautiful gardens. Single storey with whitewashed walls, the house had been added on to with each addition to the family. There was no real design to the house; it just grew and took on a character of its own.

Lights twinkled from the windows, and curtains fluttered in the breeze. Preparations for the evening meal were in full swing. The aroma of roasting chicken filled the night air. The Burton family had been living here for generations and had become one with the surrounding bush. As was common with most families that had lived in Africa for any length of time, they shared their lives with a number of servants who became part of the family.

Annie, being all of twelve years old, was just beginning to appreciate the joys of having a bath on her own. Evening was her favourite time. She would lie back and soak away the dust of a fun-filled day. The callings of nightjars and crickets filled her ears, and the distant roar of the lions hunting on the plains all added to the music of the night.

The school holidays had just begun. Ahead were endless days of pleasure, the only downside being that most of her friends had been carted off to various exotic locations by their parents. Not one to dwell on things too long, Annie turned her thoughts to the day that had just ended.

There had been no real routine to the day; it had just flowed from one moment to the next. After breakfast, she had set off with Remus, one of the family’s dogs. He was a lovable, old black Labrador who was her constant companion. They had grown up together and were inseparable.

Annie’s rambling had taken her across the ravine that divided the house from the endless plains of the surrounding bush. She was not supposed to wander too far from the house without someone else, in case of an accident, but she loved taking off on her own; the sensation of being the only person in the wild expanses of Africa thrilled her.

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The tropical sun beat down relentlessly, parching the already dry earth. The rains were once again late. Every day, the grass grew drier and drier; all but the most drought-resistant trees were beginning to wither away. Annie was thankful when she came across a huge acacia tree, its branches reaching out to the trees beyond, creating a canopy of shade. She looked around to see if there was any danger; seeing none, she sank down to the ground, her back resting against the tree trunk. Remus flopped down beside her, thankful for the rest. Annie took in her surroundings. Looking up, she noticed a hole halfway up the tree trunk. She knew it would be home to some sort of creature, and she wished that she had the means to climb up and have a look.

Annie was inquisitive, which, on occasion, got her into trouble. She was also a lover of all kinds of animals, with