Finding Me

The sun donates its warmth to my infant body. I breathe in the summer air, ‘What another beautiful day.’ I rise from my resting position, stretching my legs and wandering through the world of crispy grass. As I stride through the Savannah the sun begins to set. I watch its screaming rays slowly disappear behind the hills. I have always wondered where it goes after it sets. That is the problem with me, I wonder too much. My imagination runs faster than I can, so I can never catch it. It is the reason why I was separated from my family at birth. Without even knowing it, I went off wandering until I was lost. It has been five months since then. I am still lost with everywhere to run, but nobody to run to. I curl up in a tight ball as the moon bathes the Savannah in its metallic light. The stars look like sugar scattered over black marble. I smile expressing my happiness and as I close my chocolate-brown eyes, my smile fades into guilt and sorrow that I was the one who left my family.

The sun dawns on me as I roll over and stand up. I look around hoping my life is just one big nightmare and I am with my family, warm and safe. But reality is ever-present. I am alone. I let out a sigh of disappointment as I started looking around for breakfast. Cheetahs are born to chase prey and kill them for dinner, but all I really want is my family. A pack of wildebeest roams far away. I dart towards them hoping that they would have killed something for me to eat.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Ammo triplets are fired, streaking towards me. I hesitate before sprinting away as fast as my little legs can take me. Fearful anticipation washes over me like a wave. Nothing matters more than surviving at this moment. Not even finding home. A bullet comes racing towards me, missing by a whisker. My heart skips a beat as I carry on running.

I find a safe spot and lie gracefully on the ground. I breathe in the smoky air, ‘Today was an eventful day.’ Just as sleep is about to control my body, another bang fills my ears. Sharp pain lances through my limbs. I have failed.

I stretch my eyelids as a blur fills my vision. I shut them, then open them again. I was alive. I stand up feeling the earth on my paw pads. Something is not right. I start to run and after three leaps, I meet with a glass wall, bumping my head. I blink heavily. I am trapped. Walking over to an artificial bush, I sit down in a state of depression. I have lost my family, I have lost my freedom, I have lost my hopes. I am lost. Who am I? Am I anything, am I anyones? Slowly I cry my little self to sleep as depression darkens the day.

Days turn into weeks, weeks to fortnights, fortnights to months. The sun rises, the sun sets. It does this every morning and every night. Over and over and over again. Satisfaction is at its least. I eat, drink, and sleep. Every single day is the same. Over and over and over again. I am just a cheetah, a cheetah with no hope. If I die the world would keep spinning. Around and around. Over and over and over again. I breathe in the musty air, ‘Today was just another day.’

Two sets of moving legs come into my cage. They walk around me and present a slab of meat. The one with the pale legs sticks it in front of my nose and tries to lure me towards their clutches. I hide my face in my paws, not hungry. Seconds later I am in the arms of the lady with the darker legs. She smiles at me and takes me away.

I am in a room, everything is white. A pointy object comes towards me. It reminds me of the gun. I shut my eyes. Darkness falls. I am out.

My eyes open for a millisecond before closing again. My body is soaked in a sticky wetness. I open my eyes, as light pours into my soul. I stand up wobbly. Next to me is my father. Licking me is my mother. Surrounding me are my brothers and sisters. I breathe in the autumn air, ‘What another beautiful day.’ I found my family, I found my freedom, I found my hopes. I am found.