Example of Narrative Essay 2 : A Narrow Escape

            At exactly 8.10a.m. on December 18, Flight 1240H took off from Sydney, Australia. Its destination was New Delhi, India. It carried 102 passengers, many of whom were tourists including me.

            I was sitting near a window. After the smooth take-off, I settled down to enjoy the scenic view of the ocean. The weather was perfect and the view was stunning. Suddenly, the clouds around the plane took on a darker hue and heavy rain began to beat against the windows. I knew that the plane shook as if it had been hit by something. Then came the smell of smoke. I looked out of the window and saw flames shooting from the side of the plane. I knew that the plane had been struck by lightning. Was the plane going to crash? Why didn’t the pilot warn the passengers? I could feel the plane nose-diving and losing altitude. I knew then, that a crush was inevitable and I closed my eyes and muttered a prayer, I could hear screams. Almost immediately, I was flung out of the plane strapped to my seat. I could feel I was somersaulting in the air. Then I passed out.

            When I regained consciousness, I found myself amidst some thick undergrowth. Then plane must have crushed in a forest. It was pitch black but the forest was alive with sounds and movements of the nocturnal creatures of the jungle. I felt excruciating pain shooting through my left arm. I must have fractured it. Was I the only survivor? How was I going to get out of this place? I decided to wait until morning to plan my next course of action. At the first break of daylight, I struggled to get up on my feet. As I surveyed the scene around me, daylight revealed the appalling horror of the plane crash.

            Everywhere, charred and mangled body parts could be seen. About a kilometer away, the wreckage of the plane was still smouldering. I felt nauseous. There was a throbbing pain in my temples and I started to feel dizzy. I had to stop after every few steps to rest. I found a few packets of biscuits and a bottle of mineral water. But I had no appetite. The smell of rotting flesh was in the air and all I wanted to do was to get away from the place. Twice that day I heard helicopters flying over the area. Surely they must have spotted the wreckage by now.

            When I could walk no further, I just sat down under a tree, closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep. I did not know how long I had slept. When I woke up, it was dusk. Soon it was going to be dark again. The thought of spending another night in the forest gave me the creeps. Meanwhile, the pain in my left arm was getting to be unbearable. My arm had swollen to be twice its size and I had great difficulty in moving.

            I spent another lonely night in the forest with only the relentless chorus of the jungle insects to keep me company. I had not eaten anything for over 24 hours. Yet, I was not hungry. I only gulped down mouthfuls of mineral water.

            On the third morning, I started my day by munching a few biscuits. I was in a lot of pain but I was not going to give up that easily. After I had trudged on for more than a few hundred metres, I heard the splashing sounds of a waterfall. I decided to search for it and follow the course of the river. I had heard stories of people who were lost in the jungle being rescued when they remained close to the river. I saw a glimmer of hope.

            I waded in knee-deep water and occasionally took a dip in the ice-cold water despite the pain I was feeling. I cannot remember how long I remained in the water. The lack of food made me weak and I started shivering in the cold. Then, above the gurgling water I heard a low whistling. My heart skipped a beat. I strained my ears to listen. Yes! There was someone closed by. I walked faster with the current. I had gone no more than a hundred metres when I saw a man in a boat. The sound of the splashing water caught him by surprise. One look at me and he guessed my plight. Gently, he helped me into the boat. He removed his jacket and covered me with it. ‘You just hang in there. You are going to be OK.’ With these words, he started the engine of his boat and sped off downstream. I knew my nightmare was finally over.

Reference:

Sebastian M., Sharmini Balraj. (2004). Eksplorasi English Form 5. Selangor Darul Ehsan: Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.