Hunted Experience
He froze and crouched as he heard the sudden flutter of wings as birds fled the trees around him. He looked above and saw monkeys on tree branches holding their breath and staring silently at him. His heart started to pound as sweat poured down his face. It was now obvious, there was a predator on the prowl. And he was on the menu list.
He started to cry silently as he remembered his wife’s warning not to come for this savanna voyage. She had begged him not to travel because of a bad dream she had about the trip. But coming to Africa to see wild animals in their natural habitat was on his bucket list. He could not pass up on the opportunity of a lifetime, especially as it was all expenses paid.
An hour earlier, he, the National Park guide, and five other thrill seekers had been enjoying the scenery of the savanna from the safety of a vehicle.
All was well and good until they came across a male elephant. The guide had stopped the vehicle for the elephant to cross over to the other side of the road. Instead, the elephant had turned to stare at them and then did a mock charge. The guide slowly engaged the gear and started reversing the vehicle.
The elephant didn’t back down. It kept coming closer. Then without warning, it charged at them at full speed and turned the vehicle upside down.
He jumped out of the vehicle as the elephant lifted it and watched as the rest of the passengers scrambled out from underneath the vehicle. They had fled in different directions as the elephant gave chase.
He had run as fast as he could in the savanna and soon lost sight of the others. Now he was alone, and something was stalking him.
He tried to figure out the direction of the gate to the National Park and was walking cautiously under the cover of the tall grasses. But it seemed his silent movement had not gone undetected.
He scanned the treetops close to him. He had read about death from above, which was when a Leopard leaps down from a tree on top of its prey. Death is guaranteed when the Leopard lands fast and hard on the prey and clamps down on the prey’s throat.
He could not see any Leopard in the trees.
It was worse than that.
He saw movements in the tall grasses as big, brown silent shapes took positions around where he crouched. He watched with dread as they flanked him and waited for him to break cover. It was a pride of Lions that was laying an ambush for him.
It had been a long time since he prayed, but the words of Pslam 23 came stumbling out of his mouth.
He froze as he heard footsteps cautiously moving closer to where he had crouched. He slowly turned to look behind. He saw bloodshot, merciless eyes stare back at him.
He fainted.
Signed
Olumide Holloway (King Olulu)
