Wednesday 19 September 2012

African Safari

African Safari Deep in the heart of Africa lies the subject of our story. A young male tiger, who has only just begun his life. Tigers are most definitely one of the most ferocious animals on this unforgiving place we like to refer to as Earth. Yet this creature in particular is not guaranteed another day, for it is still unconscious of the competition of his lives sole survival on this cruel planet we like to refer to as Earth. T’was the first day our subject’s first day that it has ever been alone, and yet it has already set out on it’s long journey, in search of where he belongs in this world. Yet nightfall is just around the bend. With no food within the past twenty-four hours the animal must find refuge soon, or it will have been a very shortly lived trip for our friend. Ah there he is. Look! He has finally located his first meal, a sickly gazelle. The creature must make this hunt fast, as he has little energy left in his body. He waits, for that perfect moment... At last he breaks, long powerful strides, he pounces. Moments later he’s on the animal and taking it’s last few second of life away. He Tightens his powerful jaws, as they fill with blood, the struggle ends. Life for our friend has yet again sustained itself for another day, but nothing is certain, in these unforgiving lands of South Africa. As the day winds to an end the creature spies a large tree, there he will spend the wee hours of the night. When finishing his long climb up the massive tree, he instantly falls into a deep sleep. I ask myself, what might he be dreaming about? Perhaps life back home with his mother? Maybe about a previous hunt in past days? Unfortunately we will never know...Have you noticed how he acts as though the world is his kingdom? I have. But little does he know poachers are chasing his trail and are beginning to close in. Snap, snap, crack, branches break. The animal quickly awakens from his deep slumber, only to see four legs, two chests, two sparkling rods of iron and wood, and two human faces gazing upwards in the far off trees. He leaps, his massive body thumps loudly on his paws, alerting the poachers. He runs, not knowing where, not knowing why but on pure instinct to run. Out into the opening of a field and up on a slight mound. He stops. Glares back at the direction of the approaching poachers. He sees them. Opening his enormous mouth he lets out a screeching roar. Almost as though adding to the roar a loud thunderous boom winds across the savanna. The massive animal collapses, stunned, he lie there bleeding out. Unable to move, he slowly goes limp, closes his eyes, and dreams. This time he dreams about his mother, he dreams of her pleasant face, she tells him in her own way that he’s safe, yet he doesn’t hear a sound. He just knows by her presence that everything is okay. The thumping of the creature’s heart begins to slow, then slower, and slower, and then it goes silent. Ceasing, never to beat again. Here lies the final resting place of one of the most magnificent animals, that have ever walked on the face of this unforgiving place, we like to refer to as Earth.

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