Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey
Page 22
But unlike the previous attack, Shark now had full vision. He stood directly over his injured friend Wolf and watched the remnants of the hyena pack circle, searching for a weakness in his defenses.
The first hyena made a running start and leapt high into the air and as it came down toward Shark’s head, Shark cut it in two with one chomp of his powerful jaws.
Shark had a renewed burst of adrenaline and energy as he felt a need to protect Wolf. The last two hyenas attacked at the same time, a last act of desperation that would pay no bounties. Shark neutralized the threat with two quick bites from his mighty jaws.
Shark bent down and lifted the injured and unconscious body of his friend Wolf into his arms. He then lowered his knees, reached out and seized the golden saber out of Old Jack’s cold, clutching hand. He stood, carrying Wolf and the saber. Kicking the decapitated corpses of the hyenas aside, he slowly walked out of the killing zone, toward redemption, toward freedom, and as he looked in the direction of the exit, toward Vixen and Gill. She came back for me, he thought. He felt a wave of incredible love rush through his injured and weak body.
The massive crowd rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation, and he listened to their applause as he carried his wounded friend. It’s over, Shark thought. It’s over, and we all survived. . . everyone, that is, but Dog Z Boy. How he missed him. How he would always miss him.
Shark was halfway across the arena floor when the applause of the crowd died away and was replaced by an eerie silence. What now? he thought. He turned to see Shaw standing tall on the hill just above him. Shaw had an elephant gun by his side.
“I am the great white hunter!” Shaw screamed. “And you, my friend, are a great white shark. You will be my ultimate prize. With Wolf in your arms, it will be two kills with one shot. I will be famous.”
Shark heard the boos coming from the crowd of a half million spectators as Shaw raised the gun and pointed it directly at him.
Shark knew he was helpless against a coward with a gun. He stood defiantly with Wolf in his arms, waiting for the shot. If this was the way he had to go, he would go standing tall. Shark watched as Shaw’s finger slowly pulled back on the curved metal trigger. Shark closed his eyes briefly, then heard the empty click.
Shaw heard the empty click, too, and was confused. He checked the barrel of the gun and noticed the shells were missing. He heard a happy scream come from the far corner of the theater. He looked over at Vixen, who was staring right at him. She held two shell casings high in the air. After a second, she smiled and let them drop to the bloodstained floor.
Shaw looked forward and saw Shark running toward him at full speed, the golden saber in his hand. He felt a twinge of panic and fear as he turned and started to run. He moved so quickly that he did not pay attention to where he was going.
Shaw found himself in a grove of trees whose thick canopy blocked out the lights of the arena, leaving him in almost complete darkness. He could hear the large animals in the background. As his eyes came into focus, he felt horrified at the sight of the immense body coining at him in a full charge. He looked up into the large, black eyes of the bull elephant, the one he had captured only months before. It was the same bull he had taken from his small son, leaving the juvenile to starve to death on the African plains. Shaw felt the sharp edge of a tusk move through his abdomen. The pain was immediate and intense. The elephant lifted him into the air as he began to scream.
Shark slowed his approach as he watched the elephant gore Shaw in the midsection. It raised him sixteen feet into the air and shook the horrible man violently. As Shark looked closer he realized the elephant was Bull, the one who had helped with the train derailment in South America and who had told him Shaw had left his innocent son to die.
Shark watched as Shaw held onto the giant ivory tusks he found himself impaled on. He could hear the man’s agonizing screams as they echoed throughout the massive complex. Bull shook him from side to side, making blood splatter from his screaming, terrified mouth. Shark noticed Shaw’s blood dripping down and staining the milky white tusks a vile red.
Bull shook Shaw loose from his thick, pointed daggers and dropped the squealing man to the cold dirt. As Shaw turned to look up, all he could do was put up his hands in front of his horrified face as the giant foot came down upon him, the sixteen thousand pounds of weight causing his body to literally explode. Pieces of the self-proclaimed world’s greatest showman and great white hunter landed on disgusted spectators in the theater’s first rows, a full one hundred feet above the floor.
Shark watched the entire incident unfold and listened to the crowd cheer at the death of Shaw. He looked up and locked eyes with Bull. Each gave a nod, knowing no words were needed.
He watched as the small body appeared from behind Bull. Shark felt a tear form in his eye as he looked at his little buddy, Stripes.
“Hey, Shark!” Stripes yelled. “Wait up. I’m coming with you.”
Stripes approached and Shark took a second to run his hands across the top of the small zebra’s head. He turned, walked back, and picked up his friend Wolf.
He again heard the massive crowd go wild and chant his name. “Shark! Shark! Shark!” they yelled as he and Stripes continued the walk toward the exit, toward Vixen.
He watched as they ran to him—Vixen and Gill were running as fast as they could. When they arrived, Gill took Wolf into his arms.
Shark looked into Vixen’s beautiful green eyes. “I did find your treasure, my dear,” he said as he handed her the golden saber. “We can use the money to save Gill’s Bar.” His exhausted body collapsed into the arms of the woman he loved.
CHAPTER 28
Sunset over the Gulf
The old beach chair sank slightly into the sand under his weight. Shark looked over at Vixen, and they cheered the day by slightly banging their tropical drink glasses together. In front of them was a beautiful sunset that was only minutes from disappearing below the glistening Gulf of Mexico horizon.
Shark looked down the beach and could see the silhouette outlines of his friend Wolf and the gorgeous panther, Cahira. They walked hand in hand just inside the surf line, allowing small waves to lap over their bare feet.
A pleasant calm came over Shark as he relaxed. Things were good, and he felt happy. With the money they had made selling the saber, he was able to save Gill’s by buying half the bar and all of the land. And as he looked back over again at Vixen he felt a warm, contented peace move through his body. She was safe. He grabbed her hand and held it tight.
The silence of the moment was suddenly shattered by the slamming of a car door. Behind him, he could hear the three pups coming. They were moving quickly and barking and laughing crazily, each trying to outrun the other. All at once they were on top of him, jumping up onto his lap and licking his face with their little tongues. They were as cute as could be, and the spitting image of Dog Z Boy. A giant smile came across Shark’s face as he hugged and squeezed the three pups tight. He loved them as if they were his own. The three pups squealed, laughed, and gave little barks as they played in the warm embrace of their Uncle Shark’s arms.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel D. Shields was born and raised in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. He is the youngest of eight children and draws a lot of his inspiration from his family and friends. He graduated from Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey, in 1990 with degrees in both communications and theater. While at Ramapo, his play “Beware the Wind” was the first student production in the history of the college to have a full set production.
In 2006, Shields co-founded LiquidWick Pool Cues. LiquidWick is famous for its “Patented” LiquidWick True Stick 24oz Power Break Pool Cue which utilizes proprietary “phase shifting technology” to help add power to the pool player’s break.
Shields taps into his passion for billiards by using the sport as the backdrop of Shark & The Wolf: Predators and Prey. He enjoys travel and adventure and spending time with his Yorkie
named Charlie. His fondness for animals, especially Charlie, is a source of inspiration for his work.
Shields currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
DanShieldsAuthor@gmail.com
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE: The Serengeti Plains – Tanzania, East Africa
CHAPTER 1: Florida Keys – Gill’s Bar and Grill
CHAPTER 2: The Journey Begins
CHAPTER 3: Mama’s Fangs
CHAPTER 4: Jungle Drums
CHAPTER 5: The Perfect Day at Tiki Wiki Billiards
CHAPTER 6: The Next Day
CHAPTER 7: The Ship
CHAPTER 8: White Fang Mountain
CHAPTER 9: The Auction
CHAPTER 10: The Big Tent Gladiators
CHAPTER 11: The Quacking Duck
CHAPTER 12: The Train
CHAPTER 13: Two Prizes for the Price of One
CHAPTER 14: Revenge
CHAPTER 15: Surveying the Damage
CHAPTER 16: Conquistadors Cantina
CHAPTER 17: The Beating
CHAPTER 18: The Mill
CHAPTER 19: The Serengeti Resort and Casino
CHAPTER 20: Blackbeard’s Bounty Bar & Grill
CHAPTER 21: Serengeti Executive Offices
CHAPTER 22: The Meeting at the Sky Tower Restaurant
CHAPTER 23: KANI Sky Chopper Five
CHAPTER 24: The Long Goodbye
CHAPTER 25: Preparing for the Show
CHAPTER 26: The Blood-Red Carpet
CHAPTER 27: Predators and Prey – The Show Begins
CHAPTER 28: Sunset over the gulf
ABOUT THE AUTHOR