Lydia- The Pet Communicator (Wattys13- Finalist!)

Chapter 34

Lydia- The Pet Communicator

Chapter 34

My father demanded Drake to stay with me the whole night as he had some more work to do. I knew that he had to solve some matters with my mother, since they never had a chance to talk seriously after their separtion.

Before sleeping, I requested Drake to ask the constructor about the shelter. I wanted it to be simple, and used only as a shade for the animals. No more lock ups or packed rooms, I desired the pets to roam around freely in our backyard. 

In the morning, my father came to pick us up at the hospital, but before that, he dropped my mother home. She will be staying with us until the police case goes on, as her life could be in danger after  her coming back. My father also requested me to take things responsibly.

Anyway, I got ready quickly, while Drake went to talk to the doctor and to clear the dues. I was really excited to see my pets, as that was the first thing I was about to do after coming out of the hospital.

As Drake and I were passing by the lobby, I got alarmed by the breaking news which was heard on the news channel. Drake was shocked by hearing the news too.

A tiger has escaped from a zoo and was on a killing spree. The experts suspect the tiger has jumped over a 12.5 foot wall, which is also unbelievable. They even showed the location of where the tiger was at the moment. People were shouting and running around terrified. The tiger was only fifteen minutes far from the hospital I was at.

“Drake, I need to go there. The tiger seems to be scared and because of that, it is attacking the people around there.”

“Lydia, have you lost your mind? I can’t put your life in danger and your dad is waiting for us outside!”

“Drake, I will try to make it calm and talk to it. Please. I will talk to my father as well.” I looked at him with a puppy dog face, and Drake finally agreed, “Fine, Let’s go but I am staying with you. We both will die together.” I chuckled and nodded in agreement, at the same time.

I hurried outside to my father, and talked to him about my plan. He totally disagreed to it and then, I made a smart move with a smart remark. “Dad, I will go by myself walking. Don’t come and never talk to me. Let the tiger eat me.” I quickly turned myself and started walking on the other direction, but my father grabbed my wrist and yelled, “Fine, get in the car!”

My father drove us hurriedly to the location where the tiger was. Everyone was running around, and closing their shops. A lot of people were injured in the stampede. I got out of the car and paced towards the tiger. The tiger glared at me angrily and people were asking me to run away, but I took more steps forward to it. The tiger roared out very loud.

“Hi! What are you doing around here?” I asked the tiger, and he simply roared, “Bloody humans, and murderers!”

The tiger roared again, as it saw me getting closer, “Why are you not running away from me murderer?”

“Dear tiger, you should calm down and throw your anger aside. You are hurting the people around here. I can help you, tell me what’s wrong?”

“You humans!” The tiger roared angrily, and jumped on me without delay.

“I will help you, I promise. I understand the animals, and I hate the wrong things going on with them. Give me a chance before killing me.” I spoke, while trying to push the tiger off me.  My adrenaline started working faster as I got very horrified with it.

The tiger unexpectedly got down, and lowered its gaze on the ground. “The zoo keepers took my new born cub away from me. They would kill it, just the way they killed my partner.”

I sat on my knees and ran my hand over the face of the tigress, while reassuring that I will bring her cub back. I also invited her to stay with me at my shelter after finding her baby. I just wished she didn’t swallow down the other animals there. The tigress licked my face, and thanked me as it got entirely cool.

I noticed people had gathered around me. Everyone cheered and clapped their hands in praise. The media personnel came with their cameras and started clicking pictures of me with the tigress.

Later, the zoo keeper and an expert arrived to take the tiger back to the zoo, but I refused. The tigress jumped on the zoo keeper in rage. I understood that the zoo keeper must have taken its baby. I pushed the tigress off him and asked, “Where is the baby tiger? Tell me, or I will ask the tiger to attack you and the people around here.”

The zoo keeper stammered, “It’s been taken to the other part of the city for circus!” Before I respond to him, the tigress attacked the zoo keeper by sinking its teeth in his neck.

“Hey tigress! Slow down, we need to know where it is actually been taken.” I yelled, and everyone around me watched the whole scene with amazement. The media people kept on taking our pictures. My father and Drake joined in with me too.

The zoo keeper replied, “Let me call to stop them, and bring the baby back to the zoo or right here.”

With all the pain and bleeding from the neck, the zoo keeper called the transporter to immediately come with the cub at the location we were at. Within a few minutes, the transporter arrived with the cub and other animals which were being shipped off to the circus. The zoo keeper was rushed to the hospital.

As soon as the cub was released, it ran quickly in the arms of its mother. The tigress licked its cub, and then licked me on my feet with gratitude. I took them both in my arms and played with their fur.

My father and Drake clapped their hands in excitement. They looked so proud of me. Everyone in the crowd praised me and I guess, many people learnt about my communication skills with the animals.

Suddenly, the tigress roared, “Help the other animals too. Free them from the zoo, they have suffered like me. We don’t get proper food and they mistreat us there. They beat the life out of us if we don’t perform. I am not going back with my baby to the zoo.”

I looked up at Drake and asked, “How big is our shelter going to be?”

“It will be three times bigger than the previous one.” He answered.

Some people in the crowd shouted, “We will pay for the expenses! We will give funds! You can treat our animals too! We are always there to help you girl! You are so lucky!”

Antonio arrived to the scene after some time. He clapped his hands bit by bit and laughed out loud at the officers who were standing there helpless.

“Could you guys help me in this good deed?” I looked up at my father and Drake with hope.

My father was tight- lipped, it looked like he was really anxious and Drake was bug-faced, he didn’t know what to say.Then Drake spoke, “Lydia, wild animals stay in jungles and they love nature around them. Their instinct is to kill other animals, as prey. Its better if we drop these animals in the jungle, or either discuss with the government to reform the rules and regulations.”

I  totally agreed to his point.

Shortly, Antonio came to me and hugged me for the first time. It looked like he was really proud of me and he actually knew what I had been through all over. Just then, he whispered in my ear, “We got the other earring and it matched with the ones Clara had. The doctor also confessed the truth about getting bribed by Vivian to not save your dog, Lucky.”

I hugged him back, and there was a flash of jealousy in Drake’s eyes. I pulled away immediately and asked, “So what next Antonio?”

“We need Clara to confess, that’s all.” He winked. I nodded with a big smile.

I noticed Drake was putting all the animals back in the truck, and the crowd was getting less. People were walking away now, but still all of them were gossiping about me and the scene that happened. My father was busy talking on the phone with someone.

Antonio came back to me and whispered in my ear, “I will do the arrangements of these animals by proposing to the government. Just take them somewhere safe.”

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Wow! Quite a chapter eh? :P This is called good luck! A lot of people witnessed Lydia's communication skills with the animals! Yay :)