A Super Short Story

Sometimes divulging a secret and expressing your feelings is tough to do even if you're stronger than a bull elephant.

By Jerry A. Boggs

SITTING in the front passenger seat of the black Chevy Tahoe, he glanced at the driver as she gunned the company vehicle up the exit ramp.

The pounding of his heart was so strong he wondered if she heard it above the engine noise. He could no longer resist telling her. Keeping it to himself was keeping him in knots. As soon as she parked....

The SUV roared into the Metropolis City Zoo parking lot closest to the main entrance. She hit the brakes hard and tossed aside her seat belt.

"By now it's holy havoc. Unholy." She turned to face him. "Do you have a gun?"

"Uh, don't need one." He looked out the side window, then back. "Uh, there's something I--"

"What? Sheesh. Got mine. Didn't it occur to you how freaking dangerous this could be? And by the way, why don't you ever wear a seat belt, for Christ's sake? How dumb! Are you suicidal? Oh my God--"

"...something...else I, uh, need to talk to you about."

She cocked her head as her blue eyes chastened him. "You pick now? Y'know, sometimes I'm surprised the chief hired you. No. Shocked."

He smiled. "He may unhire both of us once he finds out we're here."

Her crimson lips parted in a sigh. Her face softened. "Which he'll do very shortly. But when he sees my vids -- hat tip to my tipster -- he'll be all lovey-dovey."

"If you say so. You've known him longer."

She blew out air. "Look, are you trying to tell me you'd like to stay in the car? Okay. Be a little safer."

"You said it when we left: 'Two heads and two bodies are better than one, especially in a crisis--'''

She wagged a finger. "Sometimes. Depends."

"Your eyes gave me the distinct impression you definitely wanted me along."

Something caught her attention. Her finger shot forward. "There!"

About 75 yards inside the zoo's wide entrance, on the other side of the thatch-roofed Safari Cafe, men, women, and children scattered in a burst of screams. Behind them a massive gray shape thrust into view. It bellowed and flung its trunk up and down as if to shoo everyone out of its path.

She swore under her breath, gave him a sidelong glance. "Where the hell's Superman when you need him?"

Before he could say anything, she heaved the door open and scrambled out. As zoo visitors fled from the angry, rampaging African bull elephant, Lois, in her burgundy Tahari ASL pantsuit and white Nike tennis shoes, sprinted toward it. Her hoisted phone live-streamed video to the office.

He blinked. Was she insane? Super-ambitious enough to risk her life? Or maybe....

He opened the door part way. "Second thoughts, Lois! I'll stay here and notify the police!"

Her free hand bolted upward and a finger spun circles. "That's my Clark!"

The elephant pulled to a stop. It pivoted in Lois' direction, storms of dust billowing out from underneath its feet. It furled and unfurled its trunk, trumpeting. Ears extended straight out, eyes opened wide, it lumbered fast toward Lois. This was no mock charge. This beast meant business.

Clark scanned the parking lot before slipping out of the SUV. He hurried into the tall, dense skip laurel hedge bordering a nearby side of the lot.