The Wildlife Games Read Online Free PDF Page A

up near the Daintree, she’s been spoilt by the beautiful diversity that exists in that region of Australia.’
    The camera then panned back to the entrance of the wetlands once more, where contestant number four should have been waiting. Bindi’s voice could be heard off camera. ‘And contestant number four is . . .’
    The director interrupted. ‘Cut. Sorry Bindi, where is he?’
    Jason, the contestant who had been most eager to begin filming, had disappeared. This was bad news. Bindi was concerned. Where had he gone?
    The film crew seemed less worried, and took the disappearance as an invitation to rest. It was a hot humid day, and when an opportunity for a break appeared, they’d take it. They put down the equipment and went looking for a drink. The director turned to Tara with an annoyed expression.
    â€˜He was there a moment ago, I swear,’ said Tara defensively. She started angrily punching numbers into her phone, mumbling to herself.
    Now the filming had begun, Bindi wanted it to continue! She thought back to what she knew about Jason, and nodded to herself. She was going to take the proactive approach, and she knew where she was going to start looking.

A STRANGE FEELING HAD COME over Jason. As he watched the other contestants talk to the camera, his breathing became shallow. He checked his heart rate. Definitely higher than normal. He wasn’t sure what was going on. He saw Declan launching into an over confident speechon turtles, and then he looked back at his own hands. They were definitely shaking. This was not good. There was no time for pre-match nerves. His dad usually buoyed him up, kept him focused and hyped-up. But he wasn’t here and the film crew were all busy with their jobs. Tara would look over at him occasionally, check he was still there, and then her eyes would track to the next contestant.
    His shaking got worse. This was a disaster. He knew he needed to find a quiet place to refocus. He’d just slip off for a moment, do some stretching, and be back in time, super-confident, for his intro.
    Without being fully aware of where his feet were taking him, he found himself in front of the perentie enclosure. He’d always admired the poiseof the perentie. Strong, focused and, despite their short legs, when they decided to run they were incredibly fast.
    You never saw a reptile lose its cool. That’s what Jason loved about them. He was just starting to feel better when a small Japanese child over near the zoo’s entrance spotted the Komodo dragon, which was situated next door to the perentie. The boy ran headfirst for the enclosure, tripping over his feet at the last moment and flying face first into the perspex wall of the enclosure.
    Jason grabbed the small child a moment later, before the shock had set in, and the child, who was about two years old, buried his face in Jason’s chest and began to howl.
    Jason looked around but the child’s parents were nowhere to be seen. Jason hugged the littleboy. ‘Hey, little guy, you’re okay. You’re okay,’ he said, gently rocking the distraught child.
    Bindi rounded the corner and spotted Jason perch the little boy on his knee. Jason began talking to him about the Komodo dragon as the boy continued to sob. Bindi wondered if she should intervene, but Jason looked like he had the situation under control.
    â€˜So I’m guessing you’re like me, a reptile guy. Well, of course you’d run straight for the Komodo dragon, because he’s an amazing specimen, the biggest lizard in the world.’
    The little boy looked up into Jason’s face, tears still running down his own face, and then looked at the Komodo. While he was focused on the lizard, Jason took a quick check of the boy’s limbs. He had a graze that was bleedingon his knee, and he was going to have a nice egg-shaped bump on his forehead, but aside from those minor injuries he’d