July 2, 2025
Amazon Rainforest, Brazil – Earth
"Wow... Is that really a Scarlet Macaw? I'm so lucky to see it after just two hours of trekking through the Amazon Rainforest!"
Sameer's voice trembled with excitement as he gazed at the vibrant bird perched high on a tree branch. The sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting a golden glow on the red, yellow, and blue feathers of the majestic creature.
As a passionate wildlife photographer, Sameer lived for moments like this. Spotting rare animals and capturing them through his lens wasn't just a hobby—it was a calling. The thrill of adventure and the serenity of nature had always comforted him, especially when life back home had become chaotic.
Sameer's love for nature began in his early school days. After his parents divorced, he often felt neglected and alone. His home no longer felt like a place of warmth, so he turned to the wild for solace. Exploring forests, observing animals, and reading nature books brought him peace when nothing else could.
Eventually, he merged his two passions—nature and photography. By the age of 23, Sameer had become a professional wildlife photographer, traveling across continents and earning awards for his breathtaking captures of elusive creatures.
But the Amazon was different. It was vast, ancient, and alive in a way no other forest was. As he adjusted his camera to get the perfect shot of the macaw, something strange caught his attention.
The forest began to change.
Birds screeched and took flight. Monkeys howled and scattered through the trees. Smaller animals darted through the underbrush, all moving in the same direction—away from something.
Sameer paused. His instincts, sharpened by years of experience, told him that something was terribly wrong. He lowered his camera and scanned the jungle. The usual background hum of the rainforest had fallen silent, replaced by an eerie stillness.
Then, he heard it.
Faint at first—a murmur. Then clearer—voices.
Someone—or something—was talking deep in the forest.
Gripping his camera tightly, Sameer decided to follow the trail. After walking for barely five minutes, the voices became clearer. But what he heard next made his blood run cold.
"Nice work, boys. That jaguar cub alone will fetch more than five grand in the black market."
"Told you I heard it near the river. Took some patience, but we got it. Those bird cages full too?"
"Yeah… yeah, I locked 'em tight. But one of the parrots keeps squawking, like it's calling something…"
"Then shut it up before something hears it. Jungle ain't friendly ."
"Truck's parked two clicks east. We move at dawn. Got a buyer waiting in Manaus. Everything has to be quiet till then."
"Manaus, huh? Good. No slip-ups this time. Last batch nearly got us caught 'cause someone talked too much."
"I didn't say anything! I swear! I just—"
"Relax, kid. Rico's talking about that fool we left in Bolivia. You're green, but not stupid... I hope."
"If anyone talks, they stay in the jungle. No second chances."
"Save the threats. Focus on keeping those cages locked. If one of those snakes gets out again, I'm not losing another finger."
"Alright. Rotate watch every hour. We leave before sunrise. And if any local tribes or eco-freaks show up—deal with them. Quietly."
"Got it, boss. One last question… what about that guy with the camera we saw earlier?."
"You mean the wildlife photographer? If he saw something... we'll deal with it before we leave. No witnesses."
The voices grew louder as Sameer crept through the thick underbrush. He kept his camera steady, switching it to silent mode. What he saw through the leaves made his blood boil.
A group of animal smugglers—rugged, armed, and ruthless—had set up temporary cages in the clearing. Inside, frightened creatures—monkeys, rare birds, even a baby jaguar—trembled in fear. One smuggler was speaking into a radio, discussing how they planned to move the animals before sunrise.
Sameer's heart raced. He had heard of illegal poaching rings in the Amazon, but seeing it up close was different. Real. Horrific. The creatures he had spent his life photographing were being stuffed into cages, their lives sold for profit.
He carefully positioned himself behind a tree, capturing photos and recording their conversation as evidence. But that wasn't enough. He knew he had to do something—anything—to stop them.
With adrenaline surging through him, Sameer devised a plan. Over the next hour, using distractions and jungle sounds to his advantage, he sabotaged one of the smuggler's trucks, cut cage locks, and used small fires to force the smugglers to scatter temporarily.
It worked.
In a chaotic frenzy, many of the animals escaped, disappearing into the jungle. Sameer, scratched and exhausted, guided a limping macaw to a safe spot and watched as it flew away into the canopy.
But his moment of victory was short-lived.
As he picked up his phone to call the police, a sharp pain tore through his back. One of the smugglers had returned.
"You shouldn't have meddled," the man growled.
Sameer collapsed as the poison from the blade spread through his body. The world around him blurred. His vision dimmed as the smuggler ran off into the jungle, vanishing like a shadow.
He lay on the forest floor, his breathing slowing.
Then something miraculous happened.
From the trees, animals emerged. Not one or two—but dozens. Birds circled overhead, howling monkeys clung to branches, even a jaguar sat nearby, eyes glistening with sorrow. It was as if the entire forest had come to mourn him.
Sameer's eyes welled with tears. Not from the pain—but from the overwhelming connection he felt in that moment.
Unseen by the world, his soul slowly rose from his lifeless body. There was no fear—only peace.
He drifted upward, through leaves and light, before being pulled into a swirling darkness. Time and space lost all meaning. He floated, silent, for what felt like an eternity—until a new light appeared on the horizon.
It grew larger and brighter until it engulfed him completely.
When the light faded, Sameer opened his eyes—not as himself, but in the body of a young boy.
His memories were intact. His purpose burned even brighter. The world had given him a second chance.
A new life. A new world. A new journey—one where beasts, tamers, and destiny awaited.