Tasmanian Tiger

• Martin Smith, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2019

Tasmanian tigers

I tread lightly on the damp leaves scattered along the misty forest floor. Searching amongst the leafy ferns and forest trees, I eagerly hunt for a meal. I sniff under some fallen sticks and find some fresh food. I slowly crouch down and grab the the food ...SNAP a huge net made of rough rope swallows me up! I struggle and gnaw at the net as I hear some heavy footsteps on the leaves. POW!
A gunshot blasts though the cool evening air. A sharp pain hits my neck, two men come out from behind some bushes and shout, “We've got her! The Tasmanian Tiger!”

I wake to loud voices of people scrambling around me. I slowly open my eyes to a quick blinding flash from a black box, I am blinded for a moment. I painfully stand to my paws, a wave on panic spreads over me, I find myself in a small fenced cage. I look around and see an endless sea of people staring at me, the flashing lights start again, I try and hide my eyes.

I scramble across the hard floor in my cage looking for an escape route. I hastily glance over the crowds of people and see more Tasmanian Tigers in small cages, just like me, my view is quickly blocked by more frantic people looking at me. The shouting gets louder all day, I constantly jump at the fence line and yelp trying to escape.The loud noises slowly exhaust me, I keep pacing around the fence line of my cramped cage, trying to block out the noise. I eventually collapse on the hard dry floor of my pen and sit panicking, yelping softly.

Later that night I hear light footsteps coming closer to my cage. I peer through the the darkness and see a little boy approaching my cage, he slowly walks up to the cage and says “Hello buddy.” I scramble backwards a few steps just to be safe.

The boy starts wedging open my cage door he whispers “I’m here to save you!” After a while he finally cracks my wooden cage door open, he crouches down on his knees, “Come on! Now's your chance to escape” he whispers encouragingly. I slowly walk towards my open cage door and I poke my head out from the opening. I step out on to the cold cement floor, the little boy whispers “Be free!” I turn to the short road that leads to the forest and sprint to the treeline. I glance back to the little boy and yelp to him and heartfelt thank you, for I am the last Tasmanian Tiger to be free.