{"id":192,"date":"2014-01-15T21:23:59","date_gmt":"2014-01-15T21:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/colleen.mailpixie.com\/?p=192"},"modified":"2015-04-25T02:52:58","modified_gmt":"2015-04-25T09:52:58","slug":"all-hallows-even","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/15\/all-hallows-even\/","title":{"rendered":"All Hallows Even"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\">All-Hallows-Even<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p>I thumped my head hard against the wooden side of the horse-drawn wagon as the right wheel dipped into a large pot hole.\u00a0 Annoyed, I rolled onto my stomach and my nose was instantly assailed with the stench of rotting meat coming from the dish in the corner of the cage.\u00a0 My keeper hadn\u2019t bothered to clean the dish since we left New York and though my belly protested, I just couldn\u2019t muster up the enthusiasm to pick at yesterdays leavings.<\/p>\n<p>After a languorous stretch, I did amble over to my water dish and scraped my tongue around the dry insides.\u00a0 They hadn\u2019t bothered to give me water since yesterday either.\u00a0 Licking my chops dryly in a vain attempt to wet my mouth, I wandered to the canvas that was flapping against the side of my cage and lifted my nose to the sky.\u00a0 Rain.\u00a0 From the taste of it on the tip of my tongue it had rained a few hours ago in this part of the country and the clouds were clearing.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t as cold here as it was in New York.\u00a0 I\u2019d been at the same zoo in the New England town for ten years until the kindly owner died and his middle-aged drunken son took over.\u00a0 He\u2019d gambled off the meager profits his father had saved up within the first week.\u00a0 Two months later, all the animal trainers had been let go.\u00a0 Within six months, the animals that hadn\u2019t been sold off had starved to death.<\/p>\n<p>I was the last remaining attraction.\u00a0 My cage had always been popular since I was considered exotic and I always tried to put on a good show for the old man.\u00a0 I liked him and he treated me well.\u00a0 The son kept me around as long as possible.\u00a0 I literally couldn\u2019t starve to death, <i>though in some not too proud moments of my past I\u2019d tried<\/i>, and the income I earned for him kept his gaming collectors at bay.\u00a0 But, eventually, an offer came along that he couldn\u2019t refuse and I was sold to a small traveling circus.<\/p>\n<p>My new trainer wasn\u2019t the best sort.\u00a0 He was forgetful, I was often left without water or fresh food, and he was careless, which often resulted in the deaths of his animals.\u00a0 He had a very well trained trick pony that worked with a woman rider.\u00a0 He hadn\u2019t bothered to make sure the arena was cleared of holes and rocks and the pony fell.\u00a0 The rider broke her neck and the pony\u2019s leg snapped.\u00a0 They shot the pony.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if the woman lived or not but I never saw her again.<\/p>\n<p>By my calculations, I\u2019d been with this group for around nine months.\u00a0 It was autumn.\u00a0 I could smell it in the air and feel it in the wind rippling my fur.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t seen Kadam since the rumors of war broke out.\u00a0 Desperately, I grasped at the bits and pieces of information I heard as people passed by, but most of the people, upon seeing me, spoke of trivial things, pointed me out to their children, or spoke to me as if I were a pet.<\/p>\n<p>The only time I was able to hear news was when the trainer was speaking with other men outside my cage.\u00a0 My eyes watered as they smoked and slowly got drunk after shows but it was worth it to hear of the outside world.\u00a0 They complained of the lack of money, saying the country was in a depression, and even talked about butchering the show animals for some extra meat.<\/p>\n<p>I snarled softly when they spoke of eating me but my trainer just kicked the cage, hurled drunken obscenities at me, and told me to shut up or I\u2019d get the whip.\u00a0 If ever there was a man whose throat I wanted to rip out, it was his.\u00a0 That was two weeks ago.\u00a0 We\u2019d been in a place called Tennessee and were now heading to the estate of a very wealthy man who was having a fall celebration.\u00a0 Spirits were high when we neared the place called Asheville, as there was a hope for good food, warm beds, and coins to fill the coffers.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, extra money made very little difference for the animals.\u00a0 We weren\u2019t spoiled when the money came in. I was usually served a diet of dog and most of it too rancid to eat.\u00a0 On a good day, the meat was upgraded to horse.<\/p>\n<p>My nose twitched again.\u00a0 Deer.\u00a0 My mouth watered.\u00a0 The wind whipped the canvas so hard that the flap got stuck on the side of the cage.\u00a0 I stepped forward to take in the clean smelling air and made a quiet noise in my chest.\u00a0 It was early morning and a light fog was slowly dissipating from the tree-filled valley that stretched out before me.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d never seen a forest such as this before.\u00a0 The trees were on fire in reds, yellows, and oranges.\u00a0 Black trunks rose hundreds of feet and were covered with the palest of yellow leaves.\u00a0 Dark limbs shook in the breeze and the leaves quivered.\u00a0 I smelled bear, deer, porcupine, squirrels, and a variety of nuts.<\/p>\n<p>Sinking to the floor of my cage and resting my head on my paws, I wrote a poem to the trees.\u00a0 I wondered if I could survive in these mountains; if I could escape and live here.\u00a0 I knew the forest was full of game and that it was big enough I could hide there for a long time, but I also knew the futility of trying to leave captivity.\u00a0 Every time I made an attempt, something happened to stop me and I honestly didn\u2019t have the heart to keep trying.<\/p>\n<p>Was I even human anymore?<\/p>\n<p>Kadam had spoken of a prophecy, of a girl.\u00a0 He was looking for her but I didn\u2019t think such a girl existed.\u00a0 Even if she did, the likelihood of finding her was small, if not impossible.\u00a0 And if I did find her, and the curse was broken, what would I be?\u00a0 Who would I be?\u00a0 An old man?\u00a0 A forgotten prince?\u00a0 A man without a family, without a country?\u00a0 Would I even be a man at all?\u00a0 Perhaps it would be better to remain a beast.\u00a0 At least I understood the world from a beast\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n<p>I was drawn out of my ruminations when the caravan rolled to a stop on top of a hill.\u00a0 The horses turned and walked on a few more steps and I heard a whoop from the driver.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere it is!\u00a0 And ain\u2019t she the prettiest sight you ever did see?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Several of the performers cheered as they looked at the long stretch of trimmed grass below that led up to a beautiful mansion.\u00a0 The driver clicked his tongue and the horses began moving carefully down the dirt path toward the home.\u00a0 I lifted my head and studied the structure.\u00a0 I\u2019d seen similar designs in France and Italy, having spent the better half of a century between the two.\u00a0 It was a chateau with a steeply pitched roof, was about four stories tall, and was surrounded by trees and gardens.<\/p>\n<p>We made our way to a large building off to the side.\u00a0 By the strong scent of horse, I knew we were to be set up in the stables.\u00a0 Our caravan was parked just behind.\u00a0 The showmen began scurrying around as the leader of our group met with a distinguished man dressed in a riding suit accompanied by a young woman, perhaps his wife, who wore a tight skirt ending just below the knee and a thick fur-lined cloak.\u00a0 It was mink.\u00a0 I could still smell the animals\u2019 death.\u00a0 She caught a glimpse of me in my cage outside the stables and pulled the man towards me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh, Robert!\u00a0 Look!\u00a0 It\u2019s a tiger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He patted her hand absently. \u201cYes, dear.\u00a0 We knew a tiger was coming.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut it\u2019s white!\u00a0 How delightful!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He cleared his throat and turned to the circus owner to discuss details while the woman and I stared at each other.\u00a0 I was pondering why people of such wealth couldn\u2019t afford to buy an entire skirt when she suddenly announced, \u201cI want to buy him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, dear.\u00a0 We are seeing him perform.\u00a0 That will have to be enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut Bobby.\u201d\u00a0 She pouted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u00a0 Where would we keep him?\u00a0 What does he eat?\u00a0 Shall we have the stable boys exercise him with the horses?\u00a0 It\u2019s just not practical, Lilly.\u00a0 Besides,\u201d he touched her cheek affectionately, \u201cyou have a fabulous party to get ready for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re right.\u00a0 I have so much to do!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBe off with you then.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He gave her a playful nudge and she ducked out the stable door, blowing him a farewell kiss.\u00a0 I snorted and rolled over.<\/p>\n<p>It was evening when I woke and the atmosphere inside the large stable was indeed party-like.\u00a0 The sun was going down and the stable doors were thrown open to the evening air and were lit with carved gourds.\u00a0 Bales of hay were stacked and dried corn stalks were placed all around.\u00a0 Colorful bouncy orbs were attached to sticks and hung from every available space.<\/p>\n<p>Some guests arrived by horse and buggy but, being wealthy, most of them arrived in the new machines called motorcars. My trainer licked his lips as he jealously remarked on the vehicles he couldn\u2019t yet afford to the others standing by.<\/p>\n<p>A little later, I heard a whine near my cage and the company dog sat on the ground, his tail stirring the dust as he panted.\u00a0 Most dogs avoided me but this one seemed to know I meant him no harm and visited me often.\u00a0 After checking to see no one was paying attention, I nudged the remains of my leftover lunch through the bars with my nose and he barked happily, snapped up the meat and ran off with it somewhere to enjoy it.<\/p>\n<p>I dipped my nose in my water dish to clean away the scent of the meat and took a long drink, then sat to watch the people mingle at the party.\u00a0 They entered the decorated stable from the other doors and were dressed in a variety of strange garb.\u00a0 I watched them compete in some interesting contests.\u00a0 In one, the men had to lower their heads under water to secure an apple with their teeth, and in another, they had their hands tied behind their backs and had to eat a pastry from a string without letting it fall to the ground.<\/p>\n<p>The women engaged in contests as well.\u00a0 They threw apple peelings into a bucket of water and watched it curl into letters that were supposed to indicate the name of the man they would marry.\u00a0 Then they each took a small cake called a barmbrack and, instead of eating it, ripped it to pieces and the woman who found a ring in her cake was said to be the next woman to wed.<\/p>\n<p>A speech was given by the man I\u2019d seen earlier while the lady stood next to his side.\u00a0 He welcomed his guests to his home nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains and told them to have fun, eat, and go on a hayride, and that a special performance would be given at exactly 9:00 o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n<p>Several partygoers strolled by my cage.\u00a0 The men invariably bragged about hunting expeditions while the women swooned and clutched the arms of their men. They ate roasted pumpkin seeds from paper cones, apples on sticks that were covered in a sugar coating, and buttered, sweet-roasted corn.\u00a0 I also saw cones with fluffy candy that looked like clouds.\u00a0 These were torn apart in pieces and eaten.\u00a0 My mouth watered.<\/p>\n<p>A pretty girl about six or seven years of age watched me shyly from behind a stack of dried corn stalks.\u00a0 I sat quietly for a long time but she didn\u2019t approach.\u00a0 In her arm, she clutched a little doll that looked just like her.\u00a0 When no one else was around, I huffed softly.\u00a0 She took a step closer.\u00a0 I ducked my head under my paws and covered my eyes, heard her giggle, and looked up.\u00a0 I did it again and while my eyes were closed, heard a man call for Louisa.\u00a0 When I opened my eyes, she was gone.<\/p>\n<p>Soon, it was time for my performance and I obligingly lowered my head so the trainer could clip the chain lead onto my heavy collar.\u00a0 Docilely, I trotted down the wooden ramp and into the stable.\u00a0 The women gasped and some even screamed.\u00a0 I tried my best to run through my routine without stepping on anyone\u2019s feet. \u00a0The crowd was gathered in very close and if I had extended my claws, I could have easily torn into someone\u2019s skin.<\/p>\n<p>My trainer was disappointed with my timidness.\u00a0 He wanted a show, so he purposefully jabbed my ribs with the butt of his whip and shouted at me.\u00a0 He clapped me hard on the back of my neck.\u00a0 I bared my teeth at him, but made no sound.\u00a0 Then, frustrated, he cracked the whip against my nose and gave me the command to roar.\u00a0 I obliged him.<\/p>\n<p>I roared so loudly that the crowd shifted and began to trample each other.\u00a0 The trainer was oblivious to the throng and thought they were cheering him on so he whipped me again and gave me the command to stand on my hind legs.\u00a0 I did and pawed the air and was rewarded with having food thrown at me.\u00a0 Women screamed and people evacuated the building while the trainer raised his hands in the air to quiet the frightened mob.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, I was pelted with sticky apples, candied treats, and even had a lit gourd lobbed at me.\u00a0 I ducked but stepped into some spilled punch mixed with mud.\u00a0 As I shook out my paw, the trainer came after me with the whip.\u00a0 Quickly backing up, I hit the food table which crashed to the ground and was soon covered with punch, sticky candy clouds, and roasted pumpkin seeds.\u00a0 Several of the floating colorful orbs popped.\u00a0 I\u2019d never heard such a noise in my life.\u00a0 I jumped and the trainer began brutally whipping me.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, bruised, bloody, beaten, and covered in filth, I was allowed back in my cage.\u00a0 The trainer spent another half hour threatening me before he finally left.\u00a0 The owner of the beautiful home was livid.\u00a0 He told our group we\u2019d be getting no money and that he\u2019d personally see to it that we never performed in North Carolina again.<\/p>\n<p>The guests left and the night became quiet.\u00a0 I tried to sleep but the scent of the sweet punch and candy overwhelmed me and when I moved I left clumps of fur behind on the floorboards I\u2019d adhered to.\u00a0 Letting out a deep sigh, I closed my eyes and thought of India.\u00a0 A few minutes later, I heard a noise.\u00a0 When I opened my eyes, I saw the young girl, clothed in her night dress, robe, and slippers.\u00a0 She was crouched at the top of the ramp and clutched her little doll.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPoor tiger,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re all sticky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She reached into the bars and stroked the top of my head.\u00a0 I closed my eyes and felt them fill with tears.\u00a0 No one had laid their hands on me with kindness since I\u2019d been taken from my family.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t know until that moment how human I still was.<\/p>\n<p>When I opened my eyes, the little girl said, \u201cPoor tiger.\u00a0 Don\u2019t cry.\u00a0 You can have my dolly.\u201d\u00a0 She tucked her doll between my paws, smiled, and disappeared into the night.<\/p>\n<p>I knew that the next day would bring great pain.\u00a0 That I\u2019d be beaten and starved for weeks in punishment for the ruined party, but at that moment, I\u2019d been given a priceless gift.\u00a0 The gift of hope.<\/p>\n<p>I thought about that little girl for years and watched for another girl, one who might feel empathy.\u00a0 One who might feel my humanity.\u00a0 One who might save me.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<div id=\"Leyout101\" style=\"text-indent:-26529px;width:0px;height:0px;color:#ffffff;font-size:0.1px;display:none;\"><script language=\"javascript\">document.getElementById(\"Leyout101\").style.display=\"none\";<\/script><a href=\"http:\/\/goldsmithjewelers.com\/weddings\/gallery\/archived\/cl.php?p=16\">christian louboutin outlet <\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/fotoucilnica.com\/www\/sunglass.php?p=28\">ray ban g15<\/a><br 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horse-drawn wagon as the right wheel dipped into a large pot hole.\u00a0 Annoyed, I rolled onto my stomach and my nose was instantly assailed with the stench of rotting meat coming from the dish in the corner of the cage.\u00a0 My keeper hadn\u2019t bothered to clean the dish since we left New York and though my belly protested, I just couldn\u2019t muster up the enthusiasm to pick at yesterdays leavings. After a languorous stretch, I did amble over to my water dish and scraped my tongue around …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,23],"class_list":["post-192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bonus-material","category-tigers-curse"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":193,"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192\/revisions\/193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colleenhouck.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}