One Happy Family

• Natalie Costa, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2016

The sun was beaming down on me as I sat leaning on a tree at the park on the soft grass cuddling Snitch (my Jack Russel). The leaves were rustling in the wind when I heard a loud roar full of sadness, pain and hurt.

I jumped to my feet so fast that I almost fell backwards. I broke off into a run with Snitch right behind me in hot pursuit of the noise. The noise was growing louder as we got close. The next thing I knew I tripped over a stick and grazed my knee, Snitch licked my face in concern. As I scoped him up and held him close my gaze lift to what was before me and it I brought tears to my eyes.

A lion with a magnificent, shining, flowing main was getting pulled away from his cubs and lioness. The lion, lioness and cubs were trying as hard as they could to stay together but with no success, it looked like it was breaking their hearts. Snitch jumped from my arms seeing the distress on my face at what was happening and charged towards one of the people pulling them apart. I took a second to comprehend what Snitch was doing and as soon as I did I made a mad dash after him. I pried Snitch off one of the ladies who was screaming for Snitch to let go of her. “Let go Snitch “, I yelled, worried the lady would call dog control. Snitch let go but kept his eyes fixed on the lady and the rest of the people who had stopped pulling the lion, lioness and cubs away from each other to see what was happening.

The lady now released, walked over to me and glared. I managed to whisper that I heard a loud sorrowful roar and came running over to find out why. The lady still glaring at me snapped “you should have your monster on a leash,” I cut her off before she could say another word as I howled with laugher. Her glare intensified as I laughed. I managed to stop laughing and said with a grin “your calling my Jack Russel a monster when you’re the ones tearing a family apart.” The ladies glare turned to confusion and then back into the dreadful glare. “Well I’m sorry but not a lot of people want to buy a group of lions, you see were putting them into those cages” she said pointing to 3 cages. “We decided to sell these creatures as they were left abandoned from a circus.” The lady hissed at me and I said with a grin “I’ll take them off your hands. I will buy the lot and put them on my land were the can live together happily”. I was glowing with happiness as I scribbled a number down on my check book she couldn’t refuse. Now I own a Jack Russel, a lion, a lioness and cubs.