The Twenty Five Percent Rayanna

The Lioness

            "What is happening?" I ask no one in particular. I step forward, towards the gates. The two guards, at the gate, are so engrossed in their conversation, that they don't seem to notice me.

        "What happens if she gets in?" One of the guards asks.

        "She won't get in." the other says. "Electricity. Remember?"

       "In all my years of guard duty, I've never seen an actual lion, or even heard one."

       "No one has seen one in fifty years, since the earthquake first destroyed the place."

        "Suppose she does." The first guard says.

        "Suppose who does what?" the second asks, confused.

        "Suppose the lion gets in. What do we do?"

        "We shoot her. That's what the tranquilizers are for."

        "Can't we use the bullets?"

         "Only as a last resort. Those babies are hard to come by. Unless you suddenly remembered a hidden talent for gunsmithing."

          "No." he says, sounding disappointed.

        By this point, the sun is almost completely set, and natural light is almost nonexistent. But the glow of the torches, on the ground on either side of the gate, reflects in the lioness' eyes, making them appear golden. I see the outline of something moving towards the gates at a rapid pace and then hear a sound that is a cross between a roar and a scream at the same time I hear something hit the gate.

         "What was that? Was that the lioness?" I ask, surprised.

       "Yes. She seems to be testing the gate." The guard that asked about the bullet, replies. He doesn't even turn around; he keeps all of his focus on the gate.

       "Will that gate hold?" I ask, worried, as another roar\scream fills the air.

         "It has so far. But if she keeps it up, she may cause a short, causing the fence to shut off." He says.

        "Is that possible? Can she really cause the electricity to shut off? And what happens if the gate turns off?" I ask, trying my best to push down the ever-reaching fingers of panic that are starting to squeeze my chest.

        "Death. Bloody and painful."

        "Can't we just hide inside the buildings?" I ask.

        "No." says the other guard. "There are so many holes, in the walls and ceilings, of each building, that they would eventually get in and no one would be safe."

       "So, what do we do?" I ask.

       "Pray." Says the second guard.

        Pray. There's that word again. Am I even religious? Do I believe in a god? I'm not really sure what to do, so I send up a quick little prayer to whatever god is listening. If we ever make it to where we are going, I'll have to meet with some religious leaders. That is if I don't die, first.

        "Go on to sleep." Says the first guard. "Not much you can do, anyways."

         Another scream\roar fills my ears. The smell of burning hair and flesh fills the air, making me want to gag. "I'm not sure I can, with everything going on out here."

         "Don't worry. If any gets in, we will use the tranquilizers and bullets. Everything will be fine."

      A pair of glowing, golden eyes, races towards the gate and I can hear the screeching roar, again. I turn around and start to walk away when I hear a loud crack and the sounds of chaos. Turning back, I see, a small tree forcing the fence line to sag.