Notelet XVIII: For One

"Let's round up. Roll call", said Mark the team leader. He called all the names of the 27 expedition members. All were present. "Now for the pre-arrival information", Mark continued. "We are to meet each morning for the daily briefings. As you know, there are group schedules for some of the days. You are free to roam about when we are not exploring as a group. For your own safety, wander off in twos". The group then boarded the plane en route to Peru. For the next week they would be exploring the Peruvian landscape. Most particular they liked the planned tour through the deep Amazonian forest.
After a considerable long flight the Nature Expeditions group reached Lima. They all settled into their pre-paid accommodation and were let off for the night to their own devices. Georgiana and her three childhood mates, Laura, April and Nadine were among the 27. They'd saved up for the last three years for this trip. This would be one of their last trips for a while as they wanted to establish a career and for Nadine start a family."April, Laura, Georgiana come see the night sky", said Nadine. It's just gorgeous. The local Indians found them amusing as they were taken with the music and their bright clothing.
The following day, they had the morning off as it were. After the briefing the trio decided to have a sneak peek of the mouth of the forest. Off they went. Taking pictures, taking in the sometimes unfamiliar sounds and loving this untouched part of the planet. At one point, April wandered off absentmindedly taking in the diverse plants. As a horticulturist, she was just fascinated. She came back though not before Laura yelled her back to reality.
The fourth day had finally come. This was the grand tour of the treasures that lay in the deep, deep forest. Chloe another traveller had mentioned that there were real locals who lived in the forest. The girls hoped they'd reach that place before having to turn back. Off they went in their formed cliches. "Mark, Mark", April is no where to be seen", came the high shrieks and fear-stricken faces of Georgiana, Laura and Nadine. Mark asked the group to wait and went with the girls to the place. "April, April", they yelled out. No sound. It had just gone 8pm and Mark had decided to call it a day before he was given the news. The night was coming on thick and fast. The rest of the group went back to the city to seek help. Mark and the three girls searched for the next three hours. Then Mark said, "ladies we have to get back and let the trained locals who know the terrain help us with the search.
Laura, Georgiana and Nadine cried hysterically and refused to leave the spot.
For one, they would do whatever it took. "April, April", they yelled on top of their lungs. "It's no use", Mark said. "We tried", he added. They were stubbornly fixed to the spot. They looked behind trees. Then they heard a frail sound from behind a rock near the river. In a rush, all four were there. There behind the large rock was April, shirt caught by the sharp edge of the rock, bleeding on her right arm. Thankfully she was conscious.
For one, her friends persisted and rescued her.

You are quintessentially special,
Love Abba