The boys were nervous and anxious, it was the first time they would travel to the south of Venezuela to see the highest waterfall on the planet; the Churún-Merú.
It was an expedition organized by the cultural center of the Central University and to which many people had been invited. Among them were scientists, filmmakers, historians, interested citizens, and students. Practically anyone who had the money to pay their expenses could go. Unfortunately, few were able to attend.
Marisela, Reynaldo, Vilma, Jorge, and Francisco were botany students and were extremely excited because they had won the faculty contest and the prize was to go all expenses paid.
Many stories, legends, and myths have been woven around the Churún-Merú, inviting many to discover that which was supposedly hidden and which was also said to be worth a lot of money.
They had all arrived at the small airport in Charallave, a city half an hour from Caracas. From there they would take a small plane to Puerto Ayacucho in southern Venezuela and from there they would take a helicopter to the indigenous camp in the middle of the jungle and then the trip would be in canoes or canoes.
In total there were five students, a very small filmmaker named Walfensao together with his assistant Miss Antonieta, a historian named Gordon, of obese build who seemed to eat all the time and with a bad temper (he complained about everything) and finally a doctor, not well known, named Andrade who was the joy of the group for being all the time with a smile and telling stories that made us laugh.
The main objective of the trip was to learn about the jump, but there were also individual interests that depended on each person's specialty.
The trip from Charallave was quick and smooth, but upon arrival at Puerto Ayacucho, the weather changed and the helicopter was not there. Those at the airport indicated that the helicopter was delayed due to bad weather but that it was on its way.
The rain was heavy and there was steam that suffocated everyone; it felt like they were standing on the lid of a boiling pot.
The filmmaker and his assistant, wasting no time, shot everything that happened. Gordon kept demonstrating his bad mood and the students did nothing but talk like chattering parrots.
Dr. Andrade was off talking on his cell phone and could no longer hear his jokes.
The helicopter arrived and the pilots got out of the aircraft and headed for the offices of the small airport. There they expressed that traveling in the weather like this was very dangerous, but the office manager forced them to fly, that the university had paid a lot of money, and that to back out of the trip would be to cancel the profits. They had to travel no matter what to avoid losing money. They all boarded the helicopter and it took off.
Have you seen any Vietnam War movies?
Well, the helicopter was like one of those that appeared in the movies but more ramshackle.
But the passengers never noticed that because of the excitement of the trip and how dense the rain was.
The indigenous camp was an hour's flight from the small airport and this trip was really uncomfortable because of the turbulence and because there was no seat cushion to relax the buttocks.
The pilot tried to climb as high as possible, but due to weather and ship conditions he was unable to do much. When suddenly an abysmal silence was felt. Nothing could be heard, not even the pattering of raindrops on the ship.
As everyone saw each other's faces wondering what was going on, a blinding light startled everyone along with a deafening sound.
As they reacted they heard the pilot shouting into the radio Mayday, Mayday we are going down. At the same time the co-pilot shouted to everyone to put on their seat belts and prepare for a collision.
Gordon shouted, "Where are the parachutes? And no one answered him. The girls were crying and Walfensao turned on the camera.
A lightning strike had hit the tail rotor and the pilot was unable to control the aircraft, which was making continuous turns and descending at full speed.
The pilot's skill prevented a disaster and everyone was safe. When they realized that nothing had happened to them, an old indigenous man appeared out of nowhere and invited them to his hut to finish the scare and drink something that would surely comfort them.
They all agreed and walked to the hut. When they arrived, the old man lit a fire and began to talk about the rain, the danger of the jungle and the sacred tea.
Everyone when they heard the word "sacred" asked loudly:
-What was sacred about it, did it have any monetary value, any power?
The old man replied that the sacred tea was already being drunk and that only very few were able to drink it. Only those who had crossed the threshold.
Andrade enthusiastically asked:
-How much is the tea worth, where can you look for it?
Andrade wanted to market it and make some money, he wanted to go after it no matter what it cost.
Francisco asked:
-Why can only a few drink it? Who are those who cross the threshold?
And the old man replied:
-Only those who have died in the jungle can drink it.
They were never found.
If you wish to participate in this wonderful contest, you can find the details here
I take this opportunity to invite friends in Hive 
