Gemstones | Winners ✮ Anthology

'Critter Affinity' by @wdhenning

Winning entry for Aim to Engage 2022 WattpadShortStory prompt: Written by wdhenning

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This was a bad idea. So why only now did sanity return?

Here I am hiding in a dark toilet stall long after the tourists have left. The way my gut churned, I might hug the porcelain.

A wildlife sanctuary was supposed to be a sanctuary, not a front for illegal dealings with exotic and endangered species. So, my simple mind came up with a simple plan - hide here until dark; take incriminating pictures; sneak away; turn the evidence over to the authorities; become a hero. What could possibly go wrong?

Lots of things.

I've always had a soft spot for animals. Just ask my turtle, rabbit, ferret, dog, parrot, and all the other pets I've had in eighteen years of life. Because of my critter affinity, my friends called me 'Disney Princess', but not in a mocking way (okay, sometimes it was).

Change of plan - just get out. My heart pounded as I tip-toed down the dark hallway. "Breath, Aurora. Just breath," I mumbled to myself.

The main tourist entrance was locked tight, but there had to be a backdoor somewhere. So, under faint crescent moonlight, I snuck past the 'Authorised Personnel Only' signs between rows of low buildings.

I jumped at the clatter of a diesel engine. Gasping, I dashed into the nearest door as truck headlights turned my way. Then I gasped again, as from within stacks of portable cages, countless eyes gazed at me. The animals represented a who's-who of exotic species, from colourful birds to jungle cats, even a black rhino.

As I bent down before a cheetah, I shuddered. A symphony of primal emotions flooded through me - rage, fear, hunger, tension, sadness It was not me, but the animals. Then I saw myself in vivid detail through the cheetah's eyes.

I had to help them.

Jack, the cute Wildlife Enforcement Officer I had been bothering, scolded me over my cell phone. "I told you to stay away, Aurora. Just hide 'till we get there, okay?"

The squeal of a sliding garage door interrupted our conversation. I hid behind a crate in the shadows. Two large men entered. One grumbled, "Why the hell do we have to move them all now?"

"'Cause the boss said so. Just do your freakin' job." the other growled.

While they backed the truck up to the open door, I snuck out and unlatched as many cages as I could.

I gulped as one man pointed at me and shouted, "Stop right there, girl!" The other pulled a gun.

Help me.

The animals responded. Rage filled my thoughts as they burst from their cages. Birds fluttered, a tiger pounced, and the rhino charged. Through their eyes, I witnessed the carnage. Stop now, I commanded . The men, battered and bloodied, cowered in a corner, guarded by snarling beasts.

"Won't Jake be surprised, huh?" I whispered. The cheetah curled on my lap purred a satisfied rumble as I scratched behind his ears. "Maybe I am a Disney Princess."