Animal Kingdom Read Free

“Maybe he’s okay,” Joe supposed. “It did all happen suddenly.”
    The other man thought about things for a moment and his expression seemed to get grimmer with each passing second. Finally, he looked back up at Joe and said, “I believe you. It doesn’t seem like you’re lying, and I see no reason why you would. Something is obviously going on, but I just cannot fathom the idea that any of our animals would attack their handlers. There are too many precautions.”
    “ Look, I don’t mean to be impatient, but you’re the only representative of the zoo I could find. You need to do something.”
    “ And what exactly would you have me do? I am a curator , not a crowd controller.”
    Joe sighed. “Nevertheless, you have a responsibility.”
    The man looked at Joe for several seconds before replying. “I suppose you’re right. I should find out what’s going on.” He pushed Joe aside, headed for the front of the hall, and spoke over his shoulder as he went. “I still don’t believe things are as bad as people are-”
    Joe turned around to see why the curator had stopped mid-sentence. He could hardly believe his eyes as people started to scream. Four lions blocked the far entrance to the visitor’s centre and were snarling at the people inside. Each of their fangs was the size of a tent peg and syrupy-thick blood dripped from their jaws.
    Joe had a feeling that he was about to have a very bad day.
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    “ Lions!” Joe didn’t know why he needed to state the obvious, but saying it out loud was the only way he could accept what was happening. “Those are goddamn Lions!”
    The curator headed back toward Joe, away from the snarling beasts at the other end of the hall. “This is not possible,” he said, voice trembling like lime-jelly. “The enclosures are too secure for anything to get loose.”
    Joe grabbed the man’s collar and shook him. “Think about how they got loose later, okay! I need to get my son somewhere safe, right now.”
    The curator finally seemed to accept the situation. “We should…we should get everyone further inside the building.”
    Without further comment, Joe raced over to get Danny from the cube seats. The boy was frozen solid, eyes fixed on the quadrupedal menaces stalking the hall. Joe took his son into his arms and turned back towards the zoo’s curator. “Where can we g–”
    The sounds of fresh screams cut Joe off. Four lions, led by a heavily-maned male, were now fully inside the building. Two females split off to corner a young brunette woman in the gap between two snack machines. The beasts toyed with her, swatting her back and forth, and blood formed on the woman’s white blouse where a set of razor-sharp claws penetrated. Elsewhere, the remaining two lions pursued anyone unable to find a hiding space.
    “ We have to help these people,” Joe said. “Take my son somewhere safe.”
    The curator quickly took Danny into his arms, then turned to Joe. “We’ll be in the research wing, through the red door in the far corner. I suggest you come with us now not later.”
    Joe nodded, “Be right behind you,” then headed towards the brunette woman. He came to a sudden stop when he encountered the male lion ripping out the throat of an elderly gentleman. The big cat’s jaws cut off the old man’s screams, left him gargling blood. Joe swallowed back the burger and fries he’d eaten that morning, while battling to fight away the dizziness that erupted from the base of his stomach.
    How the fuck did this happen? People aren’t supposed to get eaten alive by lions in the middle of England. Or anywhere for that matter. This isn’t Jumanji!
    More screaming. People being ripped to shreds. Torn apart. Somehow the young brunette was managing to fend off the two lionesses, kicking out at them each time they attacked. It was working – for now – but wouldn’t be long before her timing was off. Then she would be done for.
    Joe grabbed one of the