Epilogue 1
Silence, then slowly, Nikki opened her eyes. Looking around, as her eyes began to focus; she saw the alcove and the entertainment center with the T.V. playing a rerun of Friends. 2
She didn’t move, just sat gripping the couch, and then the unmistakable sounds of the jungle wafted over her.
Turning, she looked into the screen of a laptop with Salam printed on it.
There on the computer was a watering hole where a pride of lions were quenching their thirst.
There were six lionesses and two males. The lionesses varied in size, from 3 full grown females to what we would term 3 teenagers; their sleek tawny bodies rippling with muscles, tails twitching ever so slightly and their sharp cone ears swiveling, noting and cataloging every sound that emerged from the jungle.
Nothing passed unaware by these beasts of prey. The six females squatted side by side drinking from the hole. The two males in their prime with full grown manes lay a short distance from them.
Their bellies were extended indicating they had just fed well. Nikki was mesmerized.
She put one of the males at close to 450 pounds, that was the black manned one, and the lighter manned male looked to be slightly lighter, maybe 400 or even lighter, never the less, very
formidable.
The lionesses had finished drinking one at a time and began to
lounge around the hole, occasionally swatting at the bugs haranguing them.
Then they settled back down, some turning all the way over on their backs, all four paws outstretched, slumbering. Startling her, suddenly the stereo speakers began to blare out the unmistakable sounds of the Tokens singing The Lion Sleeps Tonight. 3
In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps
tonight,
In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps
tonight,
Ahoe ahoe oeawimawee
Ahoe ahoe oeawimawee 4
Turning back to the cam, she froze! Was it her imagination or was one of the lionesses lying on her side now with her head up and twisted almost all the way around, staring at the camera as if she could here the music?
Her lips curling back in a snarl, the thick creases in her snout were rolling back exposing her canines.
She rose and slowly started to make her way around the hole eyeing the camera, or so she thought.
She passed out of sight at the far end of the hole, but she could still hear the rustling of padded footsteps seeming to come closer. 5
Then, all at once, she was there. Her head was consuming the whole screen, peering into the lens, sniffing and uttering low warning growls.
Nikki, at this point, rose and stepped over to the stereo to turn the music off, all the while keeping an eye on the beast.
Pushing the power button and turning the music off caused the lioness to send a roar reverberating through the jungle and house.6
The lioness stepped back, cocked her head, and then began to lift a paw towards the camera.
As her paw neared the camera, the screen began to shimmer and
undulate.
Nikki was frozen.7
Watching.8
Fascinated.9
Terrified.10
The gamete of emotions running through her. 11
Suddenly a whitish brown tint began to show through, and then the screen parted...and the unmistakable claw of the lioness began to cross the threshold of the water hole...to the flat screen of the computer...and into her living room!
It was then Nikki snapped out of her stupor and slammed the lid closed! 12
The End 13
14
15
16
Adding your comment:
