When I woke up again, it was broad daylight. It was already past ten in the morning.
I was horrified. This was peak time for visitors during the festival. The animal riot was about to happen.
I ignored my injuries and ran.
When I
got to the zoo, it was packed with people. The entrance was a long, winding queue. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if a tiger was unleashed into this crowd.
I used the staff entrance and ran as fast as I could into the park.
As passed the elephant enclosure, all the elephants trumpeted in excitement. On the monkey hill, the Monkey King jumped three feet in the air, waving at me franti-
cally I didn’t have time to respond. I had to get to the tiger enclosure.
The chat was exploding. I didn’t need to look to know that all the animals were talking about me.
Berry is back!
The paths were crowded with visitors, and sometimes I was completely blocked.
When I was about a hundred meters from the tiger enclosure, the pain in my head returned, so sharp that I had to sit down on a bench to catch my breath.
I quickly glanced at the chat. SkyScreecher was giving a live commentary of my progress.
[Berry is a hundred meters from the tiger enclosure! She’s in so much pain she can’t walk!]
[It’s obvious she’s trying to stop the Tiger King, but it’s too dangerous! The Tiger King hates all humans!]
His words caused a huge commotion.
MonkeyKing: You stupid parrot, tell Berry to get out of there!]
SweetTrunk: [Parrot bro, please, get Berry out of there!]
Fatty TheSeal: [When the Tiger King gets out, he won’t spare anyone! Whoever goes near him will die!]
LionKing: [Family, the Tiger King is about to make his move! The pressure is so intense! I’m terrified over here!]
theVulture
TheVulture: [Even my gut–plucking beak is trembling! This is terrifying!]
The animals were all talking at once. The messages were flying.
I took a deep breath, forced myself to my feet, and continued towards the tiger enclosure.
I was almost there.
Suddenly, a crowd of people in front of me screamed and jumped back, and then they all started laughing.
“That scared me! This tiger is so fierce!”
“Why is it suddenly ramming the cage? Does want to get out?”
“That must hurt so much. It’s not going to work, you silly tiger.”
The crowd murmured, but no one left. They were all watching the tiger ram the cage.
I was out of breath. I took two more steps, and then I heard a loud CRASH! The iron bars flew, dust filled the air, and the crowd screamed in terror.
A tiger’s roar, powerful enough to shatter stone, echoed through the park.
At the same moment, from all corners of the zoo, every animal roared in response.
