The Lion and The Stag: Part 1

by Jason Buckland

been put up in the road and two enforcers are there waving cars on and stopping them. “Who are they dad?” Lauren asks scared. “They are enforcers Lauren they are cheeking for anyone that shouldn’t be on this side. There is nothing to worry about” he says calmly “What if you don’t have your zodiac yet” she asks still worried “They just wave you on darling as long as you’re not a carnivore you don’t need to worry” he says reassuringly and holds her hand with his free hand and she calms down. The car in front of us pulls up and as the men talk to the driver they start shouting raising up a strange contraption, pointing it in the car Lauren starts to cry scared and dad cuddles her into his shoulder. Whispering something I can’t hear but I’m sure he’s reassuring her that it’s all okay. A man steps out of the car and puts his hand behind his head. The enforcer pushes him roughly into the front of the car cuffing his hands behind his back. The other enforcer pulls a small boy out from the other side no older than ten by the back of his top. “Dad that’s Oliver he’s in my class at school” Lauren cries and dad just forces her to look away and she busts into a new fit of sobs and tears The boy is wiggling trying to get free but the enforcer has a tight grip. Out of nowhere the man breaks the cuffs on his back as he changes shape into an ox and stamps on the enforcers foot causing his to cry out in pain another boy climbs out the back of the car changing as he climbs out and I instantly know who it is. Luke. He charges into the enforcers with a vengeance sending them everywhere. “Fly Oliver fly get away from here” he shouts and the boy changes shape into an animal I had only seen in books. A falcon. Pecking at the enforcer’s hand he lets go and the bird starts to away. The enforcers turn their attention to the pair and fire multiple bullets into their bodies but they keep on fighting no doubt buying time for the boy not caring for their own safety. Crying in pain as bullet after bullet sink into their skin. Having seen my fill I decide I can’t sit here and do nothing. Un-buckling my belt I clamber out the door before dad or the others even realise what I’m doing and shout at the enforcers as loud as I can “STOP” They turn and look at me curious to see who has the nerve to tell them to stop “Get back in your car boy this is no concern of yours” one of them says. I shake my head “You’re wrong this is my concern because I chose to make it so” I reply. Luke and his dad slump on the floor the injuries becoming too much “This is your final warning boy get back in the car or we will have to use force” he threaten rising his gun to point it at me. I don’t move keeping my gaze locked with his “You have ten second before I fire…TEN” he begins to count “Nine. Eight…seven…” “I hope you have more than one bullet in that thing” a voice says to my side and looking to my side I find dad stood there smiling at me. Nothing but detest in his eyes for the enforcer “Make that three” someone else says and looking to my side I find a woman I had never seen before at my other side. The other enforcers are aiming at us now. Their hands are shaking they don’t know what to do they didn’t expect a stand like this. More and more people climb out there cars and join the stand. “PEOPLE THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING GET BACK INTO YOUR CARS OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE” he shouts and no one moves from where they stand. “You should get back in your cars and go back where you came from” a woman shouts near the back and soon everyone is chanting “You leave us with no choice. FIRE “he shouts and the enforces pull their triggers and bullets start to fly through the air whizzing towards us but they don’t reach us coming in contact with an invisible wall they fall harmlessly to the ground. Round after round they hit this invisible wall and fall. Their faces drop with disbelief as the mass of people descend slowly. Many have changed into their zodiacs intent on fighting a fire in their belly but that fire is quickly extinguished as the enforcers change into their zodiacs. The air is then full of panic as fear as a horrible truth is realised. The enforcers are not over here looking for carnivores they are the carnivores! Creatures I have only read about in books now stand in front of us staring us down as we stop in our tracks. The one that seemed to be in charge now stands on all fours covered in a shockingly bright orange fur with black stripes his eyes flicking from one person to the next and I realise I’ve made a huge mistake. I wanted to help them but instead I’ve placed so many more in danger. More and more carnivores change and start to close in on us. A variety of shapes and sizes all snarling or growling all displaying a method of killing claws, fangs even both. The crowd panics screaming and flee abandoning their cars and fleeing with all the energy they can muster. I can only stand on the spot frozen as they advance. “THOMAS!” my dad shouts grabbing my shoulder “WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE” but I don’t respond. I can’t froze in the moment. Time almost seems to stand still as they whizz past me pouncing on those who aren’t quick enough their screams torture my ears. This is all my fault. “THOMAS THE OTHERS ARE STILL IN THE CAR” dad screams at me and I realise that amidst the chaos is my little brother and sister. Shaking my head out of the daze I turn and run back to where we left brother and sister. Blood and dead bodies both animal and human litter the road as the fight continues around us. We are a few feet from the car when a carnivore jumps out from behind the car in front of us. It growls at us and pushes us back legs bent ready to pounce. The pale yellow fur around its mouth already stained red. “Get ready to run Thomas you get to the others and you run as fast as you can. No stopping no looking back” dad whispers into my ear as he changed into his zodiac a rhino and charges into the strange beast sending it flying. Seeing their friend hurt more carnivores start to converge on the two of us. Changing into the stag I gallop off dodging between there lunges and dives and make my way to the car where my brother and sister are. Getting to the car my heart drops as I find that there no one there. “DAVID! LAUREN!” I shout having changed back and I get a reply that I didn’t expect. A reply that sends shivers down my spine. My reply is a roar long and powerful going over every other sound. Everyone freezes and turns to look to the origin of the sound. Turning around I find it stood there a creature so frightening I can’t even move. The one animal I didn’t want to see. It pads its way towards me is claws coming out its toes its mouth open slightly showing its razor sharp fangs. Its tail swishing behind it a sandy yellow with a thick clump of brown hair at the end. The same brown as the ring of fur the goes around this monsters neck. This is the one that the prophecy spoke about the one that I would ever kill or would kill me. This is the lion. He changes as he gets close to me he changes into his human shape and he looks like my perfect opposite. Where my hair is light brown and curly his is dark black and straight. Where my eyes are light brown his are the deepest blue. Behind him his tail swishes in the air behind him as he walks towards me. Carnivores join him from all sides. Most of them with mouths and claws stained from the carnage. Looking around me hoping that there i
s someone to help me I find nothing but death laying at my feet. Death I caused “You really don’t have a clue what you are do you?” the lion man laughs as he walks ever closer. I can’t respond looking around me for some way to escape but imp surrounded in a circle of predators all closing in on one piece of pray. Me “Who are you” I ask voice shaking with fear “My name is Leon. I’m the one that’s going to save the carnivore race” They are closing in on me and I don’t do anything almost wanting to die. All this death and destruction. It’s all my fault. I deserve to share the same fate as them.