A wildlife safari

7:00 am on a bright sunny morning, a single golden ray of sunshine diffuses through my frosted windowpane, striking my closed, sensitive eyelids. I squeezed my eyes shut before gradually fluttering them open. I rubbed

them gently and ambled toward the door. It was safari day. I'd usually be excited to go on an adventure, but that day I was not. I was drowsy, and the beguiling, scintillating gleam of the morning sun, as well as the warmth of the air, was soporific- like a cosy blanket. After sluggishly getting ready and hopping onto a van, I set off.

I had just arrived at the wildlife park. Exhausted and fatigued from the early awakening, I decided to sit inside the jeep and simply glance around. I didn't want to be there. I'd never see anything interesting on a safari, so what would be different this time? After 45 minutes of observing nothing but leaves, native plants and trees, the only exciting thing I recall seeing was a tiny rabbit hop past. The monotonous chatter of the tourists and the explanations about the wildlife around me seemed to be a blur. I could hear the words, but they didn't register in my half-asleep brain. It was just noise. All I thought was, "Oh how I feel like taking a quick power nap!" I could barely keep my eyes open for the rest of the journey. The heat on my pounding head tortured me as the massive sun did a tantalising dance. Barely surviving, I shut my eyes for a few minutes, briefly listening to the conversation between the tourists.

At around 8:45, I heard the conversation get louder and the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Worried that I had missed something, I opened my eyes and blinked them a few times. Everything was a bit vaporous, and I tried to get used to the corruscating light. It was scorching hot, and the deafening tourists were exclaiming. I turned around to see everyone disembark the vehicle and whip out their video cameras. I slowly approached them, trying to figure out what was happening, but when I got close enough, I knew.

I saw a beast. A terrifying beast walking on its four paws, like a powerful, mighty king. I froze. I stared at it long and hard, my mouth wide open. I could no longer feel my legs, my headache had seized and the muffled voices were unfathomable. It was striped ebony and orange, had sharp claws- like chisels. It had prolonged, fangs that looked like they could penetrate through the toughest rocks with ease. It kept walking closer to us as if it was about to attack, but I was too bewitched to move. I had no idea what time it was, or who was around me, as the rest of the people had their cameras out, recording with such delight. I just stood. I didn't move, blink, cry or run. I stood. Watching it like a hawk. My feet were firmly planted in the ground like the roots of trees. Paralysed almost, staring. Just staring. I remember nothing else from that day except the beast trodding along the path, a few inches away from me.

We waited for it to retreat before manoeuvring toward the jeep and climbing on, speechless. I looked at the time. 9:30. How long did we stand there for? What happened? Did I faint? Clueless about the recent events, I knew that my day was getting better.