It was so very noisy and crowded. People were pushing and shoving to get into the parade walk. My family and I were in Cow-Boy Town, in Afamosa. We were just entering the a hall way to the parade place. I was extremely excited. There were lots of shops on our right and left. The shops mostly contained souvenirs. I knew there was going to be two shows, and that they were about to start. What I didn't know was that two lion cubs waited for me at the end of the hall way. We kept walking and squeezing through gaps. When we found out that there was no point on walking through the middle we slowly started edging to the right side. We finally made it to the right side but when I turned around to check the shop on that side I nearly screamed. Two lion cubs just sitting on a stage with only one chain around their necks. Both of the cubs were chewing on their chains, as if they knew that was what kept them locked on the stage. I had quickly tried to calm by breath, by forcing myself to take big breaths. I wondered what these cubs were doing here. I turned my head to ask, but my unasked question was answered by a man wearing a Afamosa shirt."Come take photo! Come, come! Lion photo here now!"
Oh, so that's what they're doing here. I thought. When we were near the edge of the stage I dived in the crowd and waited until I was past the stage then I got out to find my parents. My mom and dad were standing on their toes looking for me with a worried expression. I had almost ran to them. They were standing close to the entrance of the parade place. I put on my best smile and dashed to them.
"Where have you been Zara?" My mother asked curiously.
"I just got lost." I answered back.
I hoped my lie would work. Amazingly it did! We walked into the stadium and started to look for a good spot to sit. I found some seats on the front row that were empty. I sprinted to those seats with my brother trailing behind me. When I sat down I picked my legs up and placed them on the others seats for my dad, while my brother saved a seat for my mom. My mother and father came to us slowly, flowing with the crowd. I quickly put my feet down as soon as my parents started to walk down the row to us. My mom sat down with us while my dad went to buy food. This time I saved the seat with a bag instead. When my dad came back he had hot dogs, cokes, popcorn, and fish stick. I just started to eat popcorn when a horn blew. Then cow boys came on horses that were huge. So the parade started. I was a bit sad though. We had missed the first show, the Native American one. I didn't really care anymore about the first show because the parade was great. lots of different animals came and went so did people. Half way through the show, when the lions came out on the walk my father said. "I think the pictures with lions will be there again when the show is over. So lets take pictures with them if their there."
I got all edgy after that. I couldn't concentrate on the show anymore, all I did was pray that the lions wouldn't be there on the stage to take pictures. I figured a lot and moved about. Then when the lions walk into the parade I got really frightened. I waited for the parade to end, but things kept coming and coming in. It was a horrible prospect of taking pictures with the 'King of the Jungle'. I tried to plunk some courage but just couldn't! I waited for what felt like ages, though it was only twenty minutes. Huge fireworks ended the parade. Different colors and shapes filled the sky with brightness. It was like a painting that kept moving because the artist kept changing his mind. The fireworks danced in front of me with the that bust into my ear. The fireworks distracted me from my worries. All I thought then was why wasn't life like this all the time? Bright, happy, cheerful, no worries, etc. That would only be a dream. If is was real than I wouldn't be trying to plunk courage. That was all that took to drive my attention to the up coming event, or should I say the up coming picture. I thought of arguing but, that would I was afraid, and showing I was afraid was an excellent excuse for my brother to tease me.
When the fireworks ended, which also took forever, Everyone started to slowly make their way up to the exit. A thought occurred to me. The longer I stayed here then the longer it would be till the time we take pictures with the lion cubs. Then another thought occurred to. We would have to take pictures either sooner or later. Better get it over with than have to wait full of tension. So with that thought I brought myself together and stood up. I urgently asked my parents to get going, and lied I was getting tiered. I got through with my lie and my parents hurried out. I could barely hide my excitement when we walked right past the stage, without even stopping, we just kept on walking. This time the lions were gone, replaced by tiger cubs instead. I thought that it didn't make a difference weather or not it was lion or tiger. They're pretty much the same animal. I sighed a relief when we got out of the hall way and into the street. I was content that we didn't take pictures with beasts. My happiness only lasted a bit, it went as suddenly as it came. My brother, Shayyan, my annoying four year old brother ruined the moment. He just had to blurt out the most horrible question for now.
"Ma, we didn't take pictures! Can we please, please go. Now there are tigers instead! Please Ma, pretty please!" He asked
My father answered instead, to Shayyan's question. "Oh, right! I totally forgot. Come on quick! They might take the tigers away. Hurry up!"
To my annoyance we pushed and shoved our way to the very last place I wanted to be right then. I guessed that there was nothing to do anymore. I had to just take that picture. So I searched for courage inside me, and plunked every ounce of courage inside me then and walked up to the stage. Most people were afraid to take pictures with beasts like tigers, so there wasn't much of a line. We got to the stage and it was our turn just like that. I slowly walked up the stage ignoring all my intentions. Every cell in my body was screaming "Run away. Don't do it!" The walk to the middle, where the tigers sat looked like a life time of walk. I slowly walked to the middle. Preoccupied by my thoughts of danger. My mother, distracted me, telling me to hurry up, and saying that was slower that a granny. I picked up my pace a little bit. I was so very scared by the time I made it to the middle, that I was trembling. I was told to sit. So I sat, but I sat way behind the tigers, not too close to them. Then I heard my brother laugh. I don't why he laughed but back then I thought he was laughing at me being such a coward. That did it. I stood up and sat right next to one of the cubs, and put on the very best smile I could do just then and it was big, very big smile. Caretaker said we could pet the cubs if we wanted to but I thought that sitting next to them was enough for today. My brother started to pet them like they were ordinary cats. Scratching under their ears, chin, and also on top of their heads. I tried to plunk more courage and I did. I stretched my hand out and started petting me! It felt good, their fur was smooth and warm. I felt and still do feel proud of myself. Courage is something that helped me feel proud of myself. I showed courage when I ignored all my intentions and walked up the steps of the stage. I am very, very, very proud of myself.
By,
Zarafsha
inewscatcher.com
0r3nz.blogspot.com
Hey Zara,
ReplyDeleteThat was really long story which took me about 5 to 8 mins to read, still though it was interesting to read it and also I have been to Afamosa and that Cow-Boy town it was kind of really fun but I did not take a picture with the lions or the cubs.. But you had words that you didn't have to have in your paragraphs like you said "We were just entering the a hall way........" it was ment to be " We were just entering the hall way........". After all it was perfect.
Aatiqah