see down to my dirty blue vans for gift shop bags and tin foil once home
to ham sarnies gone by. I needed a drink. I’d been stood in a rhombus
shape of shade for around 8 minutes when I noticed the refreshments
van. Spilt slush attracted bees the size of pigeons as it formed a ravine of
red, blue and purple in the walkway cracks outside the bat cave. Purple
is made by mixing red and blue because they are primary colours and
purple is tertiary. I paid a pretty lady £2.20 for a bottle of luke warm Evian
and walked further in.
A map became free to look at, thanks to Sharon 2.0 hogging the green
hat wearing guide. In the reflection of the glass a lanky sign that read
‘Elephant Sanctuary’ turned my head. It sounded like a spa. A last-
minute deal aunty Sarah books on Groupon for her and mum. When
mum needs it. When her anger is underwater screams at night time. But
that’s rarely.
Original Sharon approached adjacent to my left shoulder. Avoiding
anymore ‘live from the BBC weather room’ talk, I left. In Latin the Asian
Elephant is called ‘Elephus Maximus’ because it is the largest living land
animal in Asia. They don’t speak Latin in Asia.
Supposedly, I’d arrived at said Sanctuary. Blinking, frowning. I went
on. Minors with their carers pointing, bordered a fence structure and
everyone watched. One boy in particular ummed and ahhed. His spiked
hair formed a shadow against the timber that looked ready to argue, but
his face told a fairytale. He had seen Utopia beyond the fence I was sure
of it.
Three adult elephants and two babies. But their Sanctuary was a sand
dune with a paddling pool flung in the middle. Displaced. Like me. They
shouldn’t be here. I felt sick. I closed my eyes.
Sode.
Sode.
Sode.
Mum’s ‘I told you so’s’ pierced through my ears and I held my head until
they stopped. Don’t be strange around strangers. This is where I am
supposed to walk away. Name my favourite Marvel films in order of the
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