The Politician's Girl

10. Start of Something Sweet (Part 3)

-A sense of deja vu was all it took-

Naina

Wails and loud cries echoed in the air. 

It was my turn next to get punished. Often with iron-hot rods and sticks. Moments like these would really cry into my palms and cry for my mommy. I wanted to go home. It was so dark. I was always scared of the dark. That is why I had night light I missed my toys, and my family, but they weren't going to help me. 

We had been asked to stand in line before an iron door, and one by one the naughty girls were going in. I cried again today, so I was being punished by the main lady. There were terrified, quiet tears rolling down my cheeks. I hadn't able to get any food today. I had no friends and had lost my hair locks. 

I wanted my toys back. I wanted to go home. Trembling and shaking, I began pleading in terror as the door finally pulled out and dragged me inside.

"Ma...Ma!"

There were bright tube lights that woke me up with their harsh blaze. Rubbing my throbbing head, I groggily kept staring at a rusty, grey and shallow roof, feeling tears of misery leak down my face,  until a sense of my surroundings finally caught up with me.

Turning alert, I quickly sat up straight and found myself still inside the lion cage with the lioness now laying down; its back pressed up against the cage. There was a rotting smell of flesh and blood in the air. Yet, there was no visible feasted prey around. I wondered how long it had been since I fainted.

There were lions sleeping inside cages around mine. The scene felt out of a horror story, and I momentarily closed my eyes to keep myself from hyperventilating again. I felt hungry, wild and extremely drained out.

Curling in a ball while pressing myself against the bar wall pushed against the building's wall, I began whimpering and sobbing at my current situation and the depressing sense of my memory-induced dream. The white, lit tube lights falling on the cemented walls were making the whole atmosphere feel even bleaker. 

It was probably nearing twilight. 

I wondered where everyone was. Why no one had yet to come and help me? 

Where were those men who ran away?

I didn't want to scream and wake up the lioness, so with a trembling heart and blanched soul, I pressed my face against my knees and just waited to be rescued.

I was just so drained out 

"Naina!" Suddenly, loud booming footsteps echoed from near, making me jolt. I pressed my legs closer to my heart as the lioness immediately raised up her head with caution. My back was trying its best to dig deeper against the further against the wall and stay out of reach.

Zaroon...his voice was in an echo, as he watched me with alarm, urgency and shock stuck in a cage with a lioness near it. His presence made me feel even more tiny and scared. Whimpering and feeling even more vulnerable, I watched with watery and fearful eyes, as he then began to crack his knuckles in preparation and began taking firm steps towards the observing lioness.

All of his attention was on handling the beast and managing it.

With jaw clenched and the gaze of a firm owner, he bent before the lioness, patted her golden mane with sheer warmth, scratching her behind the ear, and then began giving her some instructions. I was surprised to hear the mighty beast purr with affection and almost roar in shame when Zaroon scolded her for getting out of her cage

Tugging her ear lightly, he then whistled and had her follow behind. I was watching the scene with dried tears on my cheeks. The scene of how Zaroon had easily managed to empower a mighty beast was both fascinating and intriguing. With him, the lioness was completely docile and playful. Not an ounce of aggression.