Tattooed Away

Chapter 13

I don't want to bring anymore attention to myself so I train my eyes on Lana from afar, willing her to look my way.

These damn mini monkeys are cute but they are ripping apart my sheep suit. I would take it off but I feel like it is acting as some sort of protection and feel safer with it on.

As Lana walks around, chatting with different small groups of monkeys, I spin in my cage keeping my eyes on her. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon...with every step more grimy monkey hands grab at me.

"Ouch!" I look down and see that one tiny claw had ripped through my suit and scratched my skin. "Shoo!" I tried to whisper at the crowd but they just seemed to get more desperate. I look beyond their tiny heads to try and see if any of these monkeys realized how much their kids were misbehaving.

A sharp sting on my leg notified me of another scratch. What if this was on purpose? The monkeys let their kids get to me first, tire me out, then the adults finish the job. I start to hyperventilate.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" I look up into Lana's enchanting face and a wave of relief washes over me. She has worked her way through the small monkeys and is standing so close to me that I cam smell her floral perfume. "Ariana?" She asks with recognition.

All I can manage is a nod and she beckons me to move close to her. I lean so my ear is right by her mouth, thankfully the monkeys have given their game of grabby hands a break. "They are going to eat you if you don't follow my lead. You are one lucky girl." I look up into into her round eyes and mouth thank you. "Good, stay silent and try to stand in the middle of your cage so they can't reach you. I will be back soon." She turned and walked with a purpose towards the pig. I whisper "Hurry" towards her retreating figure. As soon as she left my side the monkeys began to grab at me again.

I watch Lana stand and wait near the pig's head, it is still upside down but is now getting dried off.  Finally she is allowed to approach it and her arms begin waving and gesturing, sometimes pointing towards me.

When the pig followed her arm and gazed at me, my knees nearly buckled under the pressure. Then the pig rolls over, stretches his legs and starts taking steps in my direction. The small monkeys scatter and the nest shakes with the large animal's shifting weight. Soon he is standing before me and Lana is motioning wildly at me from slightly behind him. What is she trying to say? I look quickly back and forth between her and the massive pig snout in front of me.

Sing Ariana! It is a piercing and sudden thought and I take a deep breath to follow its orders.