Behind Closed Gates [Edited]

Chapter Four

Silver Creek Zoo

Gail and Marie walked into Silver Creek Zoo at the early hours of the next morning. The guide had showed the young wolf her little apartment on the outskirts of the town, Marie immediately taking it to heart, but was displeased at the early hour they had to get up. Gail had to prepare the routes, what to say to the visitors, and alter her guide-talk depending on different enclosure exhibit specials; she also helped feed the animals as well. Gail was immensely curious as to what happened with Marie, but she didn't want to press the her. She put Marie in the spare bedroom, a room for herself for privacy.

Gail had to run in several times in the night, making sure that the screams from Marie's nightmares were real.

"Can we go and see the wolf?" Marie asked, holding Gail's hand as she guided her through the zoo. She was bouncing around in excitement. Unlike the reactions to her nightmares last night, she was far from scared. She was happy.

Gail chuckled at her enthusiasm. "You can ask her main keeper, Delilah. She looks after her."

Marie's green eyes lit up. "What's her name again?"

"We call her Willow, because she was found under a willow tree." Gail explained, the little run-away nodding her head. "Come on, let's go and help the others, okay?" She led, as they made their way through the back entrance of the zoo.

Marie followed Willow's keeper, Delilah, to the employee part of the zoo. Only workers were allowed in the back, no visitors. Not even special back-stage tours went behind Willow's enclosure. Marie's looked in wonder at all the enclosures. They were filled with different animals from all over the world, mostly American though. Marie brushed her hair back as Delilah stopped in front of Willow's gate entrance. It was a simple brown door with a silhouette of a howling wolf and a spray-painted label of 'WILLOW' resting on the thick wood.

Delilah laid a gentle hand on Marie's shoulder, holding her back as the keeper looked through a tall peep-hole to see where the large wolf was, and whether or not it was safe to enter. The elderly keeper, with sharp crinkled blue eyes, checked the enclosure and then knelt before the young Marie.

The old keeper had streaks of grey throughout her blonde hair, her eyes filled with wisdom and knowledge that Marie wouldn't know until her elder years. Grabbing the baton just in case Willow struck out, Delilah opened the wooden door to reveal another fence, stretching at an angle with another gate - a precaution - and Marie gasped at the security. The little wolf walked into Willow's enclosure and stared in. A large silver shape sat just outside visitors eyes, wedged between a corner and a fake boulder.

"Marie," Delilah whispered, crouching beside her carefully. "Willow's asleep, so don't make too much noise."

Marie beamed as she stared at Willow's sleeping form. Looking eerily peaceful, her huge head was on her paws with some leaves stuck on her claws, and her blue eyes were closed off to the world. Her silver fur glittered in the little light there was. Even as Willow breathed deeply, Marie watching her bulky chest expand with new breaths, the little girl noticed that the walls had been painted to look like the environment, but anyone could see how poor a job it was.

Delilah looked at Marie. "We found her at the bottom of a weeping willow against a river in the forest. The people that found her were taking a romantic walk and just came across her body. She was thin, exhausted, and desperate for something to eat."

Marie listened intently, engrossed in the story. "They took her in, but when she woke up in the cage, she panicked. She was wild. It took a few years for the keepers to calm her in our presence. For some reason, she likes me enough to bring her food - she snarls at the other keepers."