• I woke up at night in my tiny prison cell. I was surrounded by three high cement walls and a large barred wall with a door. I had spent four miserable years of my life living in this poor recreation of a home. There was little room for movement and this caused my muscles to feel weak. The food I was given lacked important nutrients. The harsh cold environment of the cell reflected on my personal feelings. I could not imagine how any living being could live in such a deprived state.

    My surrounding captives were strange. They were of different appearances and spoke strange languages. At night the languages sounded like a ritualistic chant, which reminded me of the cultures and traditions of my home land. Despite the chattering I felt lonely and longed to visit the outside city for some kind of liberation. My only chance of independence relied on escaping from my prison cell.

    I noticed the barred door which had caused me suffering for so many years was slightly open. Suddenly my heart thumped with adrenaline. Fortunately there were no guards in sight so I took my chance and pushed the barred door completely open. With haste I took off in a random direction. I passed many cells. My fellow captives hollered at me with cries of encouragement. I was able to find my way to the exit gate and I escaped my prison without much difficulty.

    Before me I saw a wide, extensive bitumen road. There were stone pathways on each side of the road. These pathways were lined with streetlamps, trees and towering skyscrapers. Looking up at the sky, the darkness of the night troubled me. Almost immediately a gentle light from the moon washed over the cityscape like a calm tide on an ocean shore. I felt peaceful and experienced pleasant sensations. I had feelings which I had not felt for years. The glowing streetlights above reminded me of angels flying in a never-ending task of solicitude.

    Looking up, the feathery clouds in the night sky were magnificent. Their ever changing shapes had no outline as to where they began or finished. The gentle moonlight made the clouds shimmer with a faint purple gleam. It looked like a floating, enchanted phantasmal city. The stars beyond the clouds looked like glitter thrown upon an indigo coloured airbrushed canvas. This city atmosphere was breath-taking.

    I walked further on the bitumen road. The visit to the city was full of promise and proving to be a satisfying expedition. Such liberation was fantastic. Finally, the moon exposed itself from the curtains of the beautiful night sky. The moon’s white rays broke through tree tops like ribbons thrown in a festive dance.

    A shadowy jigsaw was scattered on the bitumen road. Unexpectedly the tranquil atmosphere was broken by an abrupt scream. I looked sharply to my right. I saw a familiar woman with charcoal black hair standing on the pathway. She was a few metres away from me and her eyes were filled with astonishment. The woman opened the door to the nearest building and went inside. I suspected the woman recognized who I was. In a rush of concern I decided I needed to find a park where I could take cover. I did not want this visit to the city to end so quickly.

    I began running down the street. Luckily there was no traffic at the time. People on the pavement panicked when they saw me approaching them. The sea of violet clouds above me began to move rapidly. I heard the sound of thunder above me like an aggressive over sized tidal wave. I heard more unwelcoming screams as I progressed forward on the road. Rain began pouring from the heavens. The screaming and panic saddened me deeply. I could feel tears building up.

    I heard screeching and suddenly my vision became blurred with red and blue lights. I heard loud sirens and saw large vehicles traveling on the road. These vehicles surrounded me in a circle. I saw several darkly dressed figures with guns. I backed away frightened, meaning no harm. The accompanying rumbling thunder was terrifying. The figures crept closer to me like a circle of black vultures. My simple visit to the city had become a quick succession of drastic events.

    One of the sinister figures shot my neck with a tranquilizer dart. Luckily my long hair was too thick for the dart to reach my skin. Afterwards I felt a dart penetrate my shoulder skin. I settled my body on to the pavement of the wet bitumen road. I let out an ear-splitting yell before I lost all sensation and became unconscious. That following night I was taken back to my prison cell.

    Over the next few days visitors would point and say, “that’s the Lion that escaped from the zoo!”.