Missing ! (standard:mystery, 1744 words)
Author: Michael Lance Kersting	Added: Feb 26 2013	Views/Reads: 4905/2291	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A husband in search for his wife in hostile headhunting country

Macabre My name is John Matthews and I am an Architect by profession and
I am worried, very worried, for I haven't heard from my wife in a 
fortnight and it was out of character for her not to write weekly. She 
was a member of an Anthropological Society in the States , and was on 
an expedition in the Amazon to study the culture of some tribes in the 
area especially the Jivaros Indians. In her last letter, she wrote that 
she was okay and was enjoying the scenery and the flora and fauna of 
the forest that they would next be visiting the Jivaros Indians, and 
that was the last letter I received from her. I contacted the 
Anthropological Society here in the States to see if there was any news 
on the expedition and its progress. They told me nothing was heard from 
them in the last month, and were planning to send a team in the coming 
week to investigate. Which was too long for me, so I took an early 
flight to Peru the next day? 

I arrived at the Lima's Chavez Airport, a little after two o' clock, and
took a taxi to the Sheraton Lima Hotel, where she said she was staying. 
The Hotel was a fifteen storey affair built of concrete and glass, with 
the name "SHERATON LIMA HOTEL AND CASINO" written in bold letters above 
the entrance. 

At the reception desk, I told her who I was and that I had a
reservation. She checked a file on the computer, smiled and said “ Yes, 
Mr. Matthews, I see it. Welcome to Peru .”I showed her a photo of my 
wife  and asked if she recognized the photo ,she replied that she did 
and that she had spent a week there. I thanked her., signed the 
register, was given a key, and took an elevator up to my room on the 
fifth floor. Inside was basic. It was overlooking a huge swimming pool, 
with the Sheraton logo in its center. A few people swam around in it. I 
showered, changed my clothes, and went down to the restaurant below for 
a meal. 

After eating, I went to the Casino and played a few games of Blackjack
to unwind. After a couple of hours losing, I returned to my room and 
stretched out on the bed, watched some news on the Telly until I fell 
asleep, 

The next morning, I went to the Lima Cultural Museum which was about a
block away, and paid a visit to the Curator. I explained to him the 
situation concerning my wife. He told me that the expedition had left 
two weeks ago, and they haven't heard a word from them as yet, a team 
went to investigate, and they too had disappeared. It was a dangerous 
part of the Amazon, he said, where the dreaded head hunting Jivaros 
lived. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to go there. I 
replied that she was a professional and enterprising woman 

I thank him and left. 

The Jivaros, I later learned, were an old, hostile tribe, who shun
outsiders. Most people gave them a wide berth, even the Authorities. 

*** 

After a few days of making several inquiries, my hopes began to fade of
ever seeing her again because most of the answers, I received were 
negative. They said that she was probably killed by the Jivaros, who 
hated everyone especially whites. All that bad news made me sick and 
more depressed. 

I put a photograph of her in the newspapers, offering a $5000 Dollars
reward with a description of her.to anyone who may know of her 
whereabouts in the hope that she may have been seen. Her red hair was a 
standout here in Peru whose natives had 99% black hair. In a crowded 
bar I asked around the locals if there was anyone who would take me to 
the Jivaros area. They looked at me as if I were nuts or something. A 
rough looking character sided up to the bar next to me and said in 
broken English. “ Senor,I heard of your plight in seeking for your wife 
and I sympathise.”He added,” if she's in the Jivaros area it would be a 
miracle if she will still be alive, but miracles do happen,but it will 
be foolish to venture there.” The barkeep a stout ,beer barrel 
individual barked “Pedro leave the senor alone !” “I was just warning 
him.” Warning him, my arse, can't you see the senor is grieving?” Pedro 
backed off and disappeared in the crowd. “Do not worry about him, 
senor. “he's as you would say, a nuisance.” 



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