Lucas H

“Help,” yelled his sister. Malik peeked outside. “Malik, run,” his mother yelled.

“Why?” questioned Malik. He peeked out a bit more. Now he could see the soldiers running down the street. A woosh of air whizzed past Malik’s face. His mum collapsed behind him. “Mum!” Malik cried. Tears streamed down his face. “Run, Malik.” She managed to get some words out. “Forget… me…”

“MUM!” Malik yelled. He noticed they were getting closer. He sprinted through the back door. He spotted a little hole in the road and he ran for it. As he jumped into the hole, he banged his head and fell into a deep, dark sleep.

A few hours later, Malik sat up and rubbed his head. “Wow! Where am I?” Malik exclaimed. He peeked out of the hole. Absolute silence. Malik crept back along the street and inside his house. “Mum...” He looked down his mum who was lying there motionless. “Kyra, where are you?” Malik yelled, looking around frantically for his sister. He looked outside and realised that there must have been a massacre.

Suddenly, he heard people talking. “Where did that boy go?” the soldier questioned his partner. “I don't know where he could have gone,” replied the other soldier. Just then, Malik heard a gunshot. “Bang.” He whipped his head around fast enough to see his sister collapse to the ground. Now all his family members were dead. He ran, trying very hard not to scream at this injustice. She was just a little girl. What had she done? Tears streamed down his face but he knew he had to leave here or he would meet the same fate. One day he would return and seek justice, he swore. When he would be old enough he would return to his village and fight to remove the rebels and free his people. One day…

Finally, he reached the barb wire fence marking the border of the city of El Cantara. His stomach grumbled as the winter wind blew his dry hair off his face. He was so hungry he decided to beg. “Please sir, just a dollar or two. Please?” pleaded Malik. The man grunted as he put 2 dollars in his palm. It was small, but it was enough. He began to wonder what would become of him. Is this how it will be from now on? Begging for scraps of food and money? No, Malik thought. “I need to come up with a plan,” he said to himself out loud. “I need to be strong if I'm going to survive alone in the world.”

Just then, dog walked past him whimpering, skinny and hungry. Malik heard a voice inside his head. “I am so hungry, could I please share your food?”

“What?” thought Malik. “Who said that?” he asked, but all he saw was the sad, sorry face of the stray dog. Malik thought the bump on his head must be more serious than he first thought. As if a dog would be talking to him. Malik gave the dog his last bit of food and then then walked away to go find somewhere to sleep. As he walked, the dog followed with a now respectful mood like Malik was his master. “Shoo. Go away dog,” Malik said with a wave of his arm. The dog kept following. After he refused, Malik finally gave up and let him follow.

As Malik walked along a road with his new friend, he suddenly heard loud running behind him. The soldier’s feet skidded around the corner. “COME HERE BOY!” He yelled angrily. Malik realised that comment was directed at him and ran for his life. He didn't want to be a prisoner. He had heard stories about these men. They would go into towns and villages and remove boys from their homes, violently if they had to and recruit them into their rebel army. These soldiers would brainwash the boys and teach them to become assassins. They will never take me alive, Malik thought, as he ran towards a house he had noticed in the distance. He frantically rang the doorbell but there was no answer. He noticed a sign that said ‘El Cantara Animal shelter’ and ran towards it before coming face to face with a gate which housed a lion on the other side.

He was trapped, nowhere to run realising that he had a decision he needed to make in a split second. Be caught and recruited to kill his own people or take the risk with the lion? He looked past the soldier and noticed the dog was still there. “Climb the fence boy, the lion will not harm you.” Malik did not have time to wonder if the dog was somehow communicating with him, so he took his chances with lion.

“What are you doing boy?” yelled the irate soldier. “The lion will eat you alive,” he exclaimed. Malik ignored him and hesitantly turned to face the lion. “Um… here do you want some food?” questioned Malik, as he grabbed the leftover bread from his pocket. Malik dropped it in front of the lion who suddenly ran towards him. Malik squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the lion to pounce.

After what seemed like forever, Malik opened his eyes to see that the lion stood between him and the soldier who had his gun drawn, pointed towards him. Malik’s mind suddenly started to go crazy. Why had the lion done that? he thought. Could it be that he was protecting Malik from the gun of the soldier? How could this be? The soldier was just as amazed as Malik at the scene that had just unfolded before him. Reluctantly, he turned and started to walked away. “You are very lucky boy,” said the soldier. “I would never shoot a lion.”

Malik became enraged with anger. “But you would shoot an unarmed little girl?” he yelled. “You are a coward!” Malik spat at the soldier. “Hush” cried a voice. Malik turned towards the lion. “Let him leave or he might shoot us both.” Malik could not believe what he heard. It was another voice, inside his head. “Are you speaking lion?” Malik asked in disbelief. He couldn’t move so he kept still. He could hear words in his head as as if he was a mind reader. He asked the lion, “how is this possible?”

“I do not know,” replied the lion as he slowly walked towards him. “What do you want?” asked Malik. “For you to get out,” responded the lion. Malik slowly started to walk towards the gate.

Just then he noticed a man and a woman watching with disbelief on their faces. “I do not know how, but I know you spoke with the lion.” the kind man said. “Don't be scared. We won't hurt you. We run the sanctuary. This is my wife Karen and I am Patrick.”

“My family was killed in a massacre. I have nowhere to go” Malik cried.”

“Your place is here child,” replied a voice.

“Who said that” cried Malik, while Karen and Patrick looked on confused.

Just then, from behind the lion, appeared a zebra. Malik was astonished. Is it possible that he heard the zebra talk? “Did you hear her speak?” Malik questioned Karen and Patrick.

“She is right child. You do belong here” Karen replied, smiling as she and Patrick shared a look. “Welcome home.”