The Beast (2022)

I Couldn't Leave You

I woke to Mare and Norah shaking me almost violently,

"What? What, girls?"

"What is it?" Martin asked beside me.

"Poachers!" Norah cried.

Mare was still shaking me, staring outside. "There are poachers here!"

I jolted up, spotting Nate talking with a group of guys outside.

"It's okay, it's okay. Come here." I took each of them under an arm, eyeing the men carefully.

One of them opened the Cruiser door, shining his light inside, "What the hell is this!?" he pulled his gun and pointed it at Nate.

"Dad!" Norah screamed.

Nate threw his hands up, "Woah, hey, hey, relax!"

"I know this man!" he yelled, motioning to Martin, "He's an anti-poacher!"

I pulled the girls even closer to me and hit their faces with my hands, "Norah, it's okay. Girls, just look away."

"What are you doing, man? Put the gun down!" Nate tried, but the man didn't back down. "He killed three of my men!" he yelled.

A second man reached and yanked Norah from my hands. I grabbed my knife, and plunged it into his hand, he let out a yell of pain as he jumped back. Then, a low growl sent shivers down my spine.

"Nate! Get in here!" I screamed. 

Nate rushed into the Cruiser and slammed the door shut behind him. There were only sounds of machine gun firing and screaming as the lion rushed the group of men.

Nate looked out the window, trying to catch sight of the lion. "This is our chance to get out of there. Get the water. Get the medical supplies. I'm gonna get that truck, I'm gonna back it up, and we're gonna put Martin in it, alright? Kymberly, stay with them." 

I nodded and he left for the truck, returning a second later, "There's no keys. I gotta go get them."

"You're not going out there, are you?" Norah asked.

"I have to." he said calmly, glancing over his shoulder.

"You don't know how to hotwire a car?" I asked, my tone more judgemental than I meant for it to be.

"No I don't know how to hotwire a car!" he yelled back, "I went to medical school."

"Well, you should've double-majored or something." Norah huffed.

Nate ignored us, "The guy in the yellow shirt, he was driving. He must have the keys."

"Dad, please don't go." Mare was on the verge of tears.

"Nate," I didn't have to finish the sentence.

"Girls, girls, listen," he said, glancing between all three of us, "I will be okay. It's the only way we can get out of here. I'm taking the walkie, I'll be fine."

Mare shook her head. "No, I don't like it."

"I'm not asking you to like it, I'm asking you to help Aunt Kym watch after Norah and Uncle Martin, alright? Can you do that?"

"Come back to us in one piece." I said, holding the girls closer to me.

He nodded. "You know I will."

Martin leaned forward, "Nate, Nate. Get his gun."

He nodded quickly before slipping off into the darkness.

"He's gonna be back soon, girls, okay? He'll be alright." I spoke with confidence though my hands shook, which Martin noticed as he secretly grabbed them.