CRUSH by Chrissy Peebles

Author:Chrissy Peebles
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Chrissy Peebles at obooko.com
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

When morning dawned, I peeked out the window and into the woods. I didn’t see any intruders lurking around. It was actually beautiful outside, complete with all the shining sun and chirping birds the outdoors had to offer.

In hindsight, I felt silly for asking Jesse to meet me at McDonald’s when I was barely dressed and hysterical. I realized now that I should have called my parents and left him out of it. I was relatively certain he didn’t want to date a stark-raving lunatic, but the damage had already been done.

Realizing I couldn’t turn back time, I took a shower, put my uniform on, and left for work.

* * *

Again when I clocked in for work, Jesse was waiting for me.

He looked so handsome in his uniform and with his hair tied back, and I felt a flutter as he pulled me aside. “How did you sleep?” he asked.

“Look, Jesse, I’m sorry I bugged you last night. I’m so embarrassed. I should have—”

“You have nothing to be embarrassed about,” he cut in, speaking with heartfelt sincerity.

“I beg to differ. I was at McDonald’s in a robe.”

“Technically, you were in the parking lot.”

I smiled at his attempt to make me feel better. “I guess. But anyway, I’ve had enough of the wild animals around here. They’ve gotta do something about their wolf problem.”

He smiled. “I totally agree.”

Ms. Aikers approached us, bid us a quick “Good morning, folks,” then handed us our assignments for the day.

“Looks like my job’s for the birds today,” Jesse said. “I guess that’s all right. I’ve been missing Beauty Queen.”

I glanced down at my assignment sheet. “Mine’s worse. She put me on cage cleanup.”

“I can get my stuff done pretty quick, and then I’ll come over and help you,” he offered, ever the good Samaritan.

“That’s so nice of you. Thank you, Jesse.”

“Not a problem. I’ll see ya later.”

“Okay,” I said with a big smile.

* * *

I was mopping one of the empty cages when screams echoed in the air. I quickly threw down the mop and hurried out to find a crowd of people gathered around the cage across from me, screaming in panic about a five-year-old who had fallen into the mountain lion’s cage. The child was unconsciousness in the enclosure, and the big cat was quickly approaching. Shouts and cries pierced the air, especially from the little one’s mother.

“Can you help?” the kid’s mother yelled at me, noticing that I was wearing a zoo uniform.

“Uh…” Not sure what to do, I began to scream and yell and try to get the animal’s attention. When that didn’t work, I reached down and grabbed several rocks, then started throwing them at the mountain lion. The animal didn’t even flinch, as its attention was completely absorbed by the child.

Suddenly, zoo workers entered the pen and desperately tried to get to the child as the mountain lion snarled at them.

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