Running

Chapter Eight

I woke up and found myself sprawled out in Uriah's bed. The mahogany sheets engulfed me. I rubbed my eyes and sat up. My head was inches away from the ceiling. I don't know how Uriah did it. He was so tall. I guessed probably 6'2". The top hat added probably added an additional four inches.

I scooted to the edge of the bed and slid off. I looked around for Uriah but I didn't see him. He probably had stuff to do. Circus-y stuff. Whatever that meant. My gaze wandered to the table. An outfit and some shoes were lying on it. I smiled. He was the kindest man I'd ever met. Although, that wasn't hard achievement. I really hadn't been around very many people.

I walked over to the trailer door and locked it so I could change and not worry about him walking in. I picked up the pile of clothes. It consisted of a nice pair of jeans, a cute shirt, cami, and a pair of underwear. As I slipped into them and realized they fit perfectly, I wondered how he figured out sizes. Having never worn a pair of jeans, I don't think I could've told him what size I would need. And the shoes? I had been barefoot; he wouldn't have had anything to go off of. I shrugged to myself and unlocked the door.

I stood there as the door swung open. Should I go and try to find Uriah? Or wander and look around? Stay here until he came back? I wanted to go out, but what if I got in trouble for it?

An elephant trumpeted. I grinned. My mind was made up. I jumped out of the trailer, totally skipping the steps. I was off to find the animal

*****

I approached the various sizes of barred metal cages. I looked in awe as I saw animals I had only ever heard about before: tigers, lions, elephants! I stayed a few feet away from the tigers and lions. They were beautiful but I didn't want them to eat my hand or something! The elephants, however, drew me in. I walked up to the nearest one, my mouth hanging wide open. She was enormous! I had always read that elephants were big, but seeing one right in front of me was something incredible. I watched her as she flapped her ears to shoo the flies away. At one point she walked up to the fence and stuck her trunk over, touching my arm with it. At first it made me jump, but then I slowly reached out to touch her. Just as my fingers touched her rough gray skin, I heard a voice behind me, startling me.

"Her name is Sabeena. It's an Indian name that means 'beautiful'. She's an Asian elephant, orphaned as a baby. Ironically, she was rescued by a poacher."

I turned around. An older man stood there, grinning. His skin was tanned and leathery. In fact, it looked similar to the elephant's.

"Are you her owner?" I asked.

He laughed. "Owner, no. Trainer, yes. Uriah owns all of the animals. But he wouldn't know what to do with this girl!"

"Alright, so you told me her name. What's yours?"

"Robert Jansen. I don't know the origin of it or it's meaning, sorry."

I smiled.

"So, Uriah told me just that you were here as he passed me earlier. Wanna join the circus, eh?"

I nodded.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Kenna. I was told once it meant 'good-looking'."

He laughed. "And that you are, my dear! That you are."

I blushed. It must have been obvious because he laughed again. "Thank you, sir." I said.

"So modest!" He said chuckling.

I grinned.

"How would you like to see a private Sabeena trick show?"

"I would like that very much, sir!"

"Alright!" He pumped his fist into the air. I've never seen an older man fist pump. I giggled. He leaned down and whispered, "But first, enough with the sir business."

He walked through the gate. Sabeena immediately walked over to greet him. If an elephant could look happy, I'm pretty sure it would look like her. "How long have you been working with her?" I asked.

"Oh, probably 'bout five years. But I've been training elephants for almost thirteen. I was scoopin' elephant poop long before I started training, though. I don't know what Uriah has in mind for you, but something to keep in mind is that hard work, sometimes even dirty work, comes before the fun stuff."

"Yes, sir."

He gave me a look.

"Uh, I mean, um, yes, Bob!"

He bust out a hearty laugh. "Bob?! Where did that come from? I've known you what, five minutes?"

I blushed, embarrassed. I honestly wasn't sure if he was okay with it or not. I tried to take it back. "Um, Robert. Sorry."

He laughed even harder. "No, no! Bob's fine! Bob's a fine name! But just between you and me, alright?"

I felt heat rising to my face. That was embarrassing.

"Bob" raised one arm up and yelled out, "Sabeena! Wave hello to the crowd!"

At his command, the elephant raised her trunk high in the air and then waved the end of it up and down. I laughed.

"Now, stand up!"

Watching her stand up on her hind legs, standing many feet above me, took my breath away. The ground thudded beneath me as she came back down.

"Sabeena, are you thirsty?" Bob asked. The elephant nodded her huge head. "Well! You should take a drink then!" The elephant walked over to her water and took in a trunk full of water. She walked back over to Robert and then sprayed the contents of her trunk everywhere.

"Sabeena! You're such a naughty girl! Sit in time out!" Robert added playfully. I giggled as Sabeena lowered her head in shame and sat down. As her elephant rear hit the ground, it made a big dust cloud. Robert raised his arms up then called out, "Sabeena! The crowd loves you! Take a bow!" The elephant stood back up and then slid one foot out and bent the other so she was kneeling. I clapped. She trumpeted.

Robert turned towards me, "Well, Miss Bean needs to rest up for her performance tonight, but would you like to give her a peanut?"

"Would I ever!" This was turning out to be the best day ever!

Robert grabbed a bag of peanuts and handed two to me. "What do I do?" I asked him.

"Just hold out your hand with the peanuts in it. Put it out flat. She'll take 'em."

I stuck my hand through the fence. Sabeena walked over and took the peanuts with her trunk and put them into her mouth. Elephant mouths looked so funny!

"Well, Kenna, you should go look around at some of the other animals. Just make sure you don't touch them unless someone is there to instruct you."

I nodded. "Thank you for entertaining me, Bob." He grinned and waved as I wandered off.