It’s a Small Uber World After All
 

Chapter Fourteen

Cruise

 “Jul...” Lark began to scream out of fright, but was stopped by Rayne who placed her hand over her mouth.

“No, don’t scream it might scare the Leopards.” Rayne advised in a calm whisper, staring deeply into the frightened green eyes of her lover. “I need you to find the handler we just saw or anyone else who works here. I’m going inside to get Julia.” Rayne told her in a composed, assured voice to calm her partner and removed her hand from Lark’s mouth.

“No! You can’t go in there. They’ll tear you to shreds!” Lark retorted in a hushed, frantic tone.

“Lark, I’ve got to do something, our daughter is in there and there’s no time to wait for someone else to help!” She answered with a quiet and anxious reflection, glancing over her shoulder to check on her daughter then looked back at Lark.

“Rayne, how could this happen? We are horrible parents. How could we have not seen her get out of the stroller and how did she get in there in the first place?” Lark questioned rapidly and began to cry.

“Listen Lark, I need you to calm down and find a park employee. We’ll figure out what happened later, but I’m not going to wait another minute. Can you do that for me?” She asked soothingly and stared deep into her eyes, trying to settle her panicked wife.

Lark wiped her tears and nodded her head, “Yes I will, but please be careful and bring our daughter out of there without a scratch.” She emphatically demanded, intently staring at her lover.

“Not a scratch.” Rayne promised with a small smile to reassure her. “Try to find an employee! Now, go.” She told her and watched as she pushed her way through the crowd. ‘Great, now how do I keep these leopards from ripping Julia and I to shreds? Too bad I don’t have my gun. No, that wouldn’t be a good idea either. ’ She thought and looked at her daughter through the glass who seemed to be completely enthralled by the wild animals. She hurriedly walked along the wall and noticed a gate on the inside of the habitat that formed a barrier between the glass wall and the moat, which she surmised the handlers used to feed the animals. She looked up and judged the wall to be about eight feet high and took a few steps back, then ran towards the wall and jumped up. She grasped the top of the wall and pulled herself up onto the tall wall. ‘Ooh, that brings back bad memories of having to scale that killer wall and all those pull-ups from basic training. Well, I’m putting that training to good use now.’ She quipped inwardly, inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm her pounding heart.

“You can’t go in there!” A bystander shouted out.

“I’m not leaving my daughter in there!” Rayne spat back.

“They’ll kill you!” Another added.

“I’m going to take my chances!” Rayne answered with a smirk and swung her legs onto the inside of the wall.

“Well, look at who thinks she’s brave enough to step into my domain.” Xandra commented contemptuously and glanced over at Ginelle who was lying on her side, enjoying the little toddler who was stroking her fur. “If I can’t eat the cub can I eat the big one?” She queried sardonically and licked her chops.

Ginelle lifted her head up and looked up at her larger counterpart, “NO! I don’t think she’s going to harm us. I think this cub is hers. Maybe she can help us get out of here?” She hoped her latter comment was true.

“You’re too trusting Ginelle. I’ll tell you this, she better not try anything funny or I will eat her.” Xandra threatened boastfully and stood up. She intently watched the tall woman and whipped her tail from one side to the other as a warning that she was agitated.

Rayne held onto the top of the wall and slid down as far as her long body would allow. She released her hold and dropped the rest of the way to the ground. She rushed to the tall gate and saw that it was locked. ‘Damn where is that guy that was answering questions earlier?’ She questioned agitated and looked around for the employee who was nowhere in sight. ‘Great, now why didn’t I see that small door down there going out to the where the crowd is standing? It would have saved me a lot of grief if I would have seen it sooner!’ She thought frustrated and turned her attention back to the door. She jiggled the lock and shook the gate, and then noticed a board was loose at the bottom. She knelt on one knee and pushed the board, which swung through to the other side. ‘So, this is how Julia got in there, that little stinker. Now, how do I get in there because I know I won’t fit through that hole?’ She chuckled and stood up, then kicked the gate where the loose board was located.  She kicked it repeatedly until she created a large enough hole for her to fit through. She pulled the broken boards away and crawled through the tight space, finding a large Leopard staring at her from a few feet away. She swallowed the large lump in her throat and stared into the Leopard’s eyes to assess what her intentions were with her. ‘I hope she doesn’t think I’m an entree.’ She smirked, and then noticed something familiar about the Leopard. ‘Does that Leopard have blue eyes?’ She queried and squinted her eyes for a better look. ‘I’ll be damned, it does!’ She observed. ‘Well, it looks like they can’t be that vicious if they are allowing Julia to pull on their ears and jump all over them. Let’s hope they are nice to me.’  She mused wishfully and blew out a deep breath to calm her pounding heart, and slowly stood up.

“Uh-oh Xandra, we have trouble.” Ginelle warned and sat up.

Xandra turned her attention to where Ginelle was looking, “Nothing that I can’t handle,” She remarked confidently and poised her body defensively. Her tail snapped back and forth, aggravated by what she was about to encounter and let out a loud wail as a warning.

Rayne focused on getting to Julia and was briefly distracted by the voice she heard. “Rayne, Rayne...look out.” Lark replied in a hushed, anxious tone. Rayne glanced over and saw Lark standing near the wall. She flashed a smile and waved her hand that she was fine, and then turned her attention back to Julia. “Rayne!” Lark said in a louder tone trying to get her wife’s attention and not scare the animals. She sighed frustrated, as Rayne wouldn’t look at her.

“Xandra!” Ginelle shouted anxiously and protectively sat in front of the baby.

“Oh, no you won’t!” Xandra replied and rushed towards Rayne. She lunged and jumped on the Leopard who was ready to pounce on Rayne, which had ventured over to investigate.

“Shit!” Rayne shouted startled by the clash and jumped away from the fighting animals. She looked towards the crowd when she heard their gasps and screams, then motioned with her hand for them to be quiet. ‘They need to shut up so they don’t agitate the animals more!’ She snapped her head around to find Julia and was relieved to see that the smaller Leopard was protectively sitting in front of her as the other two leopards fought. ‘Damn, I’m getting too old for this!’ She thought nervously and inhaled deeply to calm her labored breathing from the fright. She glanced over at Lark who frantically paced back and forth along the wall. She chuckled when she saw Lark grab the park employee by the shirt when he attempted to pass. “That’s my girl.” She snickered and smiled proudly, focusing her attention back on her daughter.

“My wife and child are in there! You need to get them out!” She shouted emphatically and tightened her grip on his shirt.

“I’m trying to do everything I can ma’am, but our handler’s had an emergency in the Gorilla habitat and I was just informed that they are on their way.” He explained flustered with a wide-eyed and surprised look by how the smaller woman grabbed him.

“You’re not doing enough!” She implied angrily and tearfully.

“I know you’re frustrated, but they are on their way. I can call again if you want me to.” He offered and raised the radio.

“Just go find someone who can help. Move!” She demanded adamantly and pushed him away, glaring at the man as he ran off to find help.

”Get out of here!” Xandra growled menacingly and swatted the smaller Leopard with her paw. She watched the animal limp away and lick the wounds she inflicted on him, thoroughly satisfied with her conquest. She turned back around and saw Rayne approaching Ginelle and the baby. ‘Let’s see what this she-man has on her mind.’  She wondered as she trotted over to where Ginelle was sitting and stopped in front of her. She protectively stood by her mate a few feet in front of Rayne and stared deep into her piercing blue eyes.

“Xandra, she has beautiful blue eyes like yours.” Ginelle pointed out excitedly and licked Julia’s hand after she stroked the top of her head. “Don’t hurt her, she looks friendly.”

“They all do, but that’s not reality.” Xandra snapped and stood her ground protectively, not as trusting as her mate.

“Look, all I want is my baby. I won’t hurt you.” Rayne promised calmly and hoped the animals would somehow comprehend what she was saying. ‘Do they understand what I’m saying? Where’s the pet psychic when you need her?’ She wondered with an inward chuckle at her latter comment.

“See, I told you.” Ginelle snapped sarcastically and turned to Rayne, staring intensely into her eyes.

Rayne was caught off guard and looked at the wild animal before her. She met Ginelle’s hypnotic gaze and for a brief moment, which felt like an eternity, Rayne allowed herself to be immersed in the mystery of the Leopard’s eyes. In less than a second she understood everything. These animals were not going to hurt her or Julia. She felt their fear and urgency, realizing that these animals were meant to be free. She knew then that Julia had not entered their domain by accident, and that her presence there had more purpose than just to rescue her baby. She turned to Xandra and the words came to her before she realized it. “Let me take my baby and I’ll get you out of here.”

Xandra’s ears perked up at her last comment and moved away from Rayne, closer to Ginelle in case she had other ideas. “This she-man better hold true to what she just said.” Xandra threatened and closely watched her blue-eyed counterpart who seemed fearless. She felt respect for this she-man who was brave enough to risk her own life to save her cub and dared to stare her in the eye.

Outside of the habitat, the crowd grew larger with each passing tourist who was intrigued by the events taking place inside.

“What’s going on?” Kerry wondered while her partner and she causally strolled towards the group of people standing near the Leopard’s habitat.

“Who knows? Maybe they are transfixed on two Leopards going at it.” Dar retorted with a chuckle and laughed harder when Kerry nudged her in the ribs.

“You’re bad.” Kerry giggled and walked closer to the group. “Oh, my god Dar, there’s a baby and a woman in there!” She replied astonished by what she saw.

“What?” Dar asked in disbelief and the pair picked up their pace for a better look.

Dar and Kerry pushed through the crowd for a better look and saw a shorter blonde woman pacing back and forth near the wall crying. "She must be with them. We should do something to help." She suggested and quickened her pace towards the distraught woman.

“Now Kerry, what do you think we can do to help?” Dar asked and grabbed her arm to slow her partner down.

“I don’t know...something.”

“Okay, let’s see what we can do.” Dar agreed with a smile as they approached Lark.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Kerry stepped next to Lark and was shocked when the woman looked up at her.

Dar did a double take when she saw Lark and how much she looked like Kerry. ‘They could be twins if her hair was longer.’  She thought astonished by Kerry’s look alike. ‘Very weird.’ She added and turned her attention towards the habitat, and then the crowd, noting there were no park employees around. ‘Where is everyone? I can’t believe there are no handlers to help with this situation.’ She wondered, surprised by what was happening and scanned the area for an employee.

Lark took a step back and stared silently, shocked by the familiarity of the woman standing before her. “Aah, well, aah my baby...” Lark attempted to explain and shook her head thinking she was hallucinating that the woman looked like her and continued, “My baby crawled into the pen with the Leopards somehow and my wife is in there trying to save her. I feel so hopeless and no one else here will help.” She answered tearfully and looked to the pen.

“Don’t worry. We’ll stay here and try to help in anyway we can.” She wrapped her arm around Lark’s shoulder. “Isn’t that right Dar?” She asked and looked around to find her partner that didn’t answer her. “Dar?” She questioned and didn’t see her as the crowd moved around them. ‘Where did she go? I hope she didn’t jump in with the Leopards too!’

Rayne inched her way closer to Julia and reached for her daughter. She clutched her in her arms and quickly engulfed her in a hug. “Oh, Julia. Sweetheart.” She sighed relieved and kissed the top of her head, then held her tighter, inhaling deeply, and then exhaled to calm her racing heart. She was ecstatic to have her daughter safely in her arms and wiped the tears that filled her blue eyes. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and looked between the two Leopards, staring deeply into the familiar greens of the smaller one. She lost herself again in those enchanting eyes and smiled warmly as they reminded her of Lark. “Thank you for not hurting my baby.” She graciously remarked and smiled as she looked at Ginelle who leaned forward and licked her hand. ‘Hmmm, maybe they do know what I’m saying.’  She thought with a chuckle and looked at Xandra, “And thank you for protecting me from the other Leopard,” She added with an appreciative smile as Xandra let out a soft roar in response. Their steely gaze intensified and Rayne furrowed her brow at how eerily similar they were to hers. “There is something strange going on in this park and the two women that looked similar to my wife and I were right about you two. You were worth seeing, albeit not this close.” Rayne chuckled at her last comment and stared into the larger animal’s haunting blue eyes. 

Julia giggled and pointed at Xandra, then looked up at Rayne. “Kitty!” She exuberantly shouted and wiggled in Rayne’s arms, giggling incessantly.

Rayne chuckled at her precocious daughter and answered, “Yes baby girl and I promise when we get home we’ll get you one. Just not quite that big,” she guaranteed and winked at Xandra as if she knew what she was saying.

Rayne stood up and turned, walking back to the gate. She looked up from her daughter and saw a woman who resembled her, half way through the hole she had created in the gate. ‘Wow, that is so strange. She looks like me. Either we have a bunch of twins running around here or the sun is getting to me!’ She thought in disbelief of encountering another look alike and quickened her pace towards the gate.

“The Leopards are following you.” Dar warned with a calm tone and suggested, “Hand me the baby and I’ll get her to safety,” as she held her hands out to take the baby.

“It’s no problem, they are with me.” Rayne replied jokingly and smirked as she approached, astonished by how much they looked alike. ‘This trip here has been like something out of the twilight zone.’ She thought with a chuckle at all the strange events that happened and the people involved in them. “Okay sweetheart go to the nice lady that’s going to help us out of here.” She told her daughter sweetly and handed her to Dar.

Dar grabbed a hold of the squirming toddler and chuckled at how the little girl was too fascinated with the Leopards to be bothered with what was going on around her. She turned and quickly walked to the small door, exiting the habitat. “I think this little one belongs to you.” Dar quipped with a smile and handed Julia to Lark.

“Thank you so much.” Lark answered gratefully and grabbed her daughter, then pulled her to her chest, hugging her tightly and kissing her baby’s cheek repeatedly. “Oh, my sweet baby. You’re safe.” She cooed tearfully, relieved to be holding her child. She checked her daughter over to make sure she wasn’t injured and held her tighter when she was satisfied that she was unharmed.

Rayne ran to the small door and promptly stepped through to safety. “Hey, thanks for your help.” She smiled gratefully and held out her hand, shaking Dar’s in appreciation.

“No problem, I’m glad to help and happy to see that your daughter is safe.” She smiled, surprised by the woman’s resemblance to her and shook the offered hand.

“Thanks again.” Rayne answered with a slight smile, unnerved by how much the woman looked like her and walked towards Lark. Dar cast a slight wave when Rayne glanced back and walked towards Kerry.

“Ginelle, look! The door where the cub crawled through is open. We need to get there so we can get out of here! It’s our only hope.” She indicated as she looked back at her. “Let’s get out of here! Make sure you stay close to me. Once we are out, head for the brush just outside of the cage and then we are off to hunt down Verrath for getting us into this mess!” Xandra instructed and guaranteed as the pair scrambled through the opening in the gate.

“I’m right behind you!” Ginelle informed her and nudged Xandra’s hip with her nose as they ran towards the door.

“Shut the door!” A handler shouted towards the crowd as he ran down the path.

The Leopards quickly ran through the door to freedom before anyone could reach it. When the animals rushed past them, the people in the crowd screamed and scrambled like a bunch of cockroaches after a light has been turned on.

Rayne and Lark turned around to see what the commotion was about and caught a glimpse of the Leopards before they disappeared into the heavy vegetation near the habitat.  “Bye kitty!” Julia called out gleefully and moved her small hand side to side in a waving motion.

Rayne and Lark chuckled as they watched their daughter wave. “I hope they aren’t harmed now that they are loose.” Rayne commented nervously with a newfound connection to the animals and hoped that they would avoid being captured. She looked around for the handler she heard yell and saw him laying flat on his back after the crowd knocked him down in the melee.

“Thank you honey.” Lark stated, looking up at her tall partner and smiled appreciatively.

“For what?” Rayne asked and smiled warmly at her companion.

“For bringing our daughter back without a scratch.” Lark answered with a grin, moving onto her tiptoes and kissed her heroic wife.

“Well, I promised that I would and besides, it’s just another normal day in our life.” Rayne quipped offhandedly and laughed quietly as she leaned forward for another kiss from her wife who gladly accepted the offer.

“I’ve had enough excitement for one day. Let’s head back to the hotel.” Lark suggested and kissed her daughter, who was intently staring at the vegetation where the Leopards disappeared.

“Kitty.” She softly whimpered and pointed, then looked at Lark with a sad look on her face.

“I know honey, but they are running around and happy now.” Lark told her sweetly and smiled to comfort her dismayed daughter as she brushed her hair off her forehead.

“You know what this means don’t you? She’s going to want a kitty...or two.” Rayne asked pointed out with a chuckle, looking down at her shorter partner.

“As long as they aren’t that big, it’s fine with me.” Lark answered with a laugh, shared by Rayne as the pair walked towards the stroller.

Rayne grabbed the stroller and looked at Lark asking, “Do you want to put her in here?”

“No, I think I’ll hold her and not take any more chances. We may have to use multiple straps to keep this little monster in there snug as a bug from now on! I still don’t know how she got the belt undone to get out. By the way, how did she get in there?” Lark stated and asked, looking back at the habitat.

Rayne turned to Lark and attempted to explain how her daughter might have wandered into the habitat. “Well, she had to have crawled through that door where the Leopards ran through,” She began and pointed to where she was referring. “After she got inside she went through the gate over there where one of the boards were loose. Of course, that’s my best guess as I can’t imagine she scaled that wall to get in there!” She explained with a chuckle at her last comment and looked back to Lark. “We are in for a lot of grief with this little one.” She added with a laugh, and tickled her daughter’s ribs that giggled and squirmed in her mother’s arms.

“Lord help us!” Lark retorted with a hearty laugh shared by Rayne. “We are so lucky that she came out of this unharmed.” She added grateful and began to weep, as the magnitude of the situation hit her. She kissed Julia’s head and leaned against Rayne who wrapped her arm around her.

“I know sweets, we are very lucky.” She agreed, thankful that Julia was safe and kissed the top of Lark’s head, then Julia’s. “Come on, let’s go.” She softly suggested and led her family away.

“Well, that was wild!” Kerry commented flabbergasted by what had just transpired as she sidled up to Dar.

“Did that really happen?” Dar asked with a chuckle as they watched Rayne and Lark standing near their stroller.

“Oh, yeah. I wonder what other strange things might happen today?” She queried with a wry grin and looked up at partner waiting for her answer.

“Who knows, but let’s hope we don’t run into those Leopards that are on the loose!” She answered with a laugh shared by Kerry and wrapped her arm around her as they began to walk off.

Kerry stopped as it dawned on her who the blonde woman might be and glanced back at the family they just encountered. “Dar, you know what? I think that blonde woman is Lark Morgan, the actress.” She stated and stared at the woman to confirm her hunch.

“Really?” She asked skeptically and focused on Lark for a better look then added, “You know, you’re right. That might explain some of the weird stuff going on and that they were involved in them. It seems they lead quite the adventurous life. I remember reading about them in the newspaper when the taller one was involved in a plane crash with Congressman Morgan and his wife.” Dar explained and led her blonde away.

“Ooh, I remember reading about that. Let’s hope their life settles down a bit, but it doesn’t look like it will with that mischievous daughter of theirs.” Kerry answered with a laugh. “So, what’s next other than avoiding the Leopards?” She asked with a snicker as they walked off.

************

“Um, leopards?  There are leopards running loose now?   Is that safe?” the blonde looked to her taller companion.

“Actually,” the warrior answered with a smile and a twinkle in her eye, “Some of the two-legs around here are more dangerous than the four-legs.  You know that is true even now.”

The bard nodded.  “Um hmm.  Will we see them again, do you think?” looking in the direction the two cats had fled.

“I think that is a distinct possibility, Little One.  C’mon.  Let’s go see what other kinds of trouble we can find.”

************

To be continued in Chapter 15 ....

Return to Orlando BardCon 2003