(On Hold) A New Life

Chapter 18 (No such thing as normal)

Your POV

I walked over to the kids.  “You guys like playing with the wolves?”  I asked, sitting next to them.  “Yeah.”  A young boy said.  Star seemed to see me and yipped happily.  The kids laughed slightly.  “Do you guys know anything about this particular wolf?”  I asked.  The girl shook her head.  “You do?”  She asked.  I nodded.  “Yeah, I do.  This wolf is named Star.  She’s the alpha’s mate.  Know what that means?”  I asked.  The kids shook their heads.  “Your parents are together right?  Well, a mate is someone you love very much.  So much that you don’t want to be with anyone else and you want to stay with them.”  I said.  The boy smiled.  “What’s going on kids?”  A voice asked.

It was the kid’s parents.  “I was just telling your kids about the wolf they made friends with.  They’re behaving like any adult might.”  I said, making sure they couldn't see my whole face.  The mother nodded.  “Well, thanks for talking to them.  Would you mind looking after them while me and my husband go home for a bit?  We promised them to come here, but we have to be home to receive a package.”  The mother asked.  I nodded.  “I don’t see why not.  I’ll keep them safe.  I’ve been to the zoo a few times so I know my way around.”  I told them.  The father nodded.  He went over to the boy.  “Okay Kevin.  Keep this with you at all times.  Call us if you need anything or get lost.”  He said, giving him one of those phones you could only call people with.

“Lucy, stay close to your brother.”  The other added.  Kevin and Lucy.  Cute names.  I assumed Kevin was older.  The parents left.  “What animal do you guys want to see next?”  I asked, since they didn’t go back to the wolf exhibit.  “I wanna see the panther.”  Lucy said.  I nodded.  “I want to see the tiger.”  Kevin said.  I nodded.  “Okay.  Let’s go to the tigers first and then we head to the panthers.  Okay?”  I told them, since the tigers were closer.  The kids nodded, although Lucy seemed upset she wasn’t going to see her animal first.  I kept my eyes on the two kids.  The tigers were eating when we got there.  “Cool!”  Kevin said.  I read off the plaque and explained to Kevin what it meant.

Lucy was staring off in the direction of the panther exhibit.  Kevin looked around.  “What’s wrong Kevin?”  I asked.  “I have to go.”  He muttered.  “Lucy, stay by the exhibit.  I’m taking your brother to the bathroom.”  I told her.  Lucy nodded.  I had to make sure Kevin kept up while I led him to the bathroom.  After Kevin came out, we walked about towards the tigers.  Except, I didn’t see Lucy anymore.  “Do you see your sister?”  I asked.  Kevin shook his head.  “Maybe she walked off a bit.  Let’s check.  I don’t want your parents getting worried.”  I said, making sure Kevin stayed close to me.  I still couldn’t find Lucy.  “Excuse me.  Have you seen a little girl walking around alone?  She’s about nine, dirty blonde hair, green eyes.  She was wearing a pink shirt and blue pants.”  I asked people.  Nobody seemed to know where she was.

“I’m sure she just went to check out the panthers.”  I muttered, talking to myself more than Kevin.  We walked over to the panther exhibit.  People were talking a lot.  “Someone call a zookeeper!”  A woman shouted.  Kevin and I found our way to the glass.  “Lucy!  I see her!”  Kevin shouted.  His sister somehow got into the exhibit!  “Kevin, stay here.  Stay here and call your parents!”  I said to him quickly.  I found my way to the exhibit door.  The zookeeper was just about to get in.  I slid past him.  “Hey, you can’t do that!  Those panthers are already irritated.”  He shouted after me.  The panthers looked at me right as the door closed, and locked.

I held my hands up.  “Easy guys.  I’m just here to get Lucy.  I’m not going to hurt you.”  I said softly.  One of the panthers stepped forward, standing in between the other two panthers and me.  It was the panther that was being taunted before.  I walked closer to her.  “Thanks girl.”  I told her gratefully.  The panther nodded.  Lucy was in the tree, she looked very scared.  “Just stay calm Lucy.  I-I’ll come get you.”  I called up to her.  I grabbed a branch and pulled down, testing how strong it was.  ‘This tree isn't strong enough to support my weight.’  I thought.  The panthers moved away.  Maybe they really did understand people.  “Lucy, you’re going to have to climb down.  Can you do that?”  I asked her.  Lucy held onto the branch.  “I-I don’t know!”  She cried.