chapter 2

A mermaid in the rainforest? Really?" Binod chuckled at the absurdity of it all. The idea was as inconceivable as finding a polar bear in the Sahara.

The rain poured incessantly, drenching him completely. But amidst the deluge, he found solace in the dance of raindrops upon the lake's surface.

"Nature's own percussion band," he mused, momentarily forgetting the mermaid mystery.

The giant taro leaves, swaying in the wind, caught his attention. With a grin, he fashioned one into an oversized umbrella, providing as much protection as a colander in a storm.

"Well, it's something!" He shrugged, a touch of amusement coloring his tone, as he moved in search of shelter and a drier plan.

"As he cast his gaze over the lake, it was a blooming oasis, adorned with water lilies, Victoria amazonica, lotus, and a myriad of other flowers. The arrangement appeared so intentional, almost as if choreographed by some unseen hand.

The thought crossed his mind, 'Could it be the mermaid from earlier?' The mermaid's enchanting presence had prevented him from fully appreciating the lake until now.

His eyes sparkled with wonder. Never before had he witnessed something so profoundly beautiful. It was as though the mermaid's magic had illuminated the serene beauty of the surroundings in a way he could never have imagined."

The rainforest, with its treasure of flowers and orchestrated chaos, felt like stumbling into a botanical disco.

Binod navigated through the verdant labyrinth, encountering an array of peculiar flora and fauna. Each new discovery felt like stumbling upon characters in an eccentric storybook.

After a comical search, he stumbled upon a colossal, lightning-split tree with a hollow large enough for unscripted accommodations.

"Adapt or... build a makeshift home out of a tree. Not bad!" Binod quipped to himself, settling in for a well-deserved rest, the surrealism of it all almost comical.

The chorus of his growling stomach woke him from a dreamless nap, evoking images of sumptuous feasts back home.

"Oh, the longing for mom's cooking!" Binod sighed dramatically, only to be interrupted by the sight of a papaya tree with ripe fruits scattered below it.

"Nature's takeout service! How convenient!" He chuckled, indulging in the forest's unexpected offerings.

Between bites, the memory of the mermaid floated back, more vivid than any dream.

"She's like the forest's secret ingredient," he thought, amused by the whimsical notion of a rainforest-dwelling mermaid being his ticket out of this wild escapade.