The look in the tiger’s eye was one of recognition. It had been years since I had last seen him. His ebony stripes served him well, for he blended with the shadows. The years had been hard on him. The once luxurious coat was thin and straggly. His head, once held high and proud now lay low, resting on his massive front paws. One ear was torn. I held my breath as we looked at each other. Was it my imagination? Could this old tiger be the proud feline from my youth? The memory of his growl sent chills up my spine. I reached out to touch him. He wasn’t as soft as I remembered, but as I looked in his eyes, I knew it was him.
I picked him up and hugged him tight against my chest.
The low growl was just as I remembered.
The child beside me squeezed my hand, and stared up at me with big eyes.
“He’s scary,” she whispered.
“No, honey. He’s the one that scares the monsters away from little girls who are scared of the dark.”
I handed the woman behind the table a worn dollar bill and took my tiger home.
Lori Robinett, from Auxvasse, MO, writes novels under the name Elle Robb, makes her home in central Missouri with her husband and daughter, and two very spoiled Miniature Schnauzers. She has had articles published in The Gavel, MPAlert, WordBeats, Heritage Writer, Writing for Dollars! and Secrets & Strategies. She maintains a website and blog (www.ellerobb.com) to inspire and guide other women on their journeys to fulfilling their dreams. Robb's novel, Denim & Diamonds, is available from amazon.com.
© 2007 Elle Robb. Original for CCF (Robb grants CCF first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).
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