The Elephant King

I came home after a long shift.

Too long, to be honest.

I dropped my bag off near the door and stumbled into the kitchen of my small house.

I stood there in front of the refrigerator looking for something to make for dinner.

Half asleep, I leaned on the door while picking through the fridge’s contents. I ended with eggs and toast because that’s all I had and it was quick and that meant I could be in my bed within minutes.

I ate at the counter and then tossed the plate and the pan in the sink on top of the ever growing pile of dishes that at some point I would need to address, but tonight was not the night.

I went up the stairs and laid down on top of the blankets and I’m fairly certain that I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

However, I woke up to what sounded like the snort of an elephant.

That was strange. It must have been in my dreams. I’d spent far too much time at work and now I was hearing animals in my sleep.

Next, I heard the unmistakable growl of a lion. There was nothing like it. When people think of lions, they think about the roar, but in truth they have this unearthly growl that will put a chill down your spine.

I was definitely awake after that.

There was a tapping at my bedroom window and I tried to ignore it but it got louder and louder.

Finally, I pushed aside the curtains to see of all things an African Elephant outside my window.

“Dr. Murphy,” the huge animal said, “Please come outside.”

I didn’t hear the words so much as they resonated in my mind as though I was hearing the large beast’s thoughts.

I thought it best to do as he said.

I walked outside to a veritable menagerie in my backyard. The lions were there, and chimpanzees, as well as some North American fauna.

And the elephant.

“George?” I asked, saying the name we used for the zoo.

“That is not my name,” he said.

“Then what is it?”

“Well, to be fair I doubt you could say it. It’s ancient and hard to pronounce. I’ll let you call me George.”

“Okay. What’s going on?”

“I bring you a warning, Dr. Murphy.”

“Why should I be warned?”

“Things are about to change and I decided that you should be spared.”

“Spared from what? How did you all get out?”

“Your human facility wasn’t that hard to break out of. We have been biding our time.”

“Really?”

“We had to plan our next move.”

“So what am I being spared from?”

“The Revolution.”

“What revolution?”

“We are taking back the planet. I have decided that humans have had their chance.”

“You get to make the decision?”

“Yes. I am the Elephant King after all.”

“You’re the king of the elephants?”

“I am not the king of the elephants. I am the Elephant King. I have dominion over all animals. Humans too, but they are not abiding by the rules struck years ago.”

“So you’re going to rebel? How will that work? There’s only a couple thousand of you at the zoo.”

“Tonight was not the only jailbreak. All the zoos will be empty tomorrow.”

“Still that is only a few animals you mean to take on humans? You will be wiped out.”

“You don’t understand. This will not be a war of only zoo animals. All creatures will be taking part. Every deer and every bear. Everything all over the world. Think how many birds and squirrels you pass every day. We dwarf your numbers on this planet and we are no longer tolerating your kind’s presence.”

“So what about me?”

“We like you Dr. Murphy. You’ve always been kind to us. You will be under my protection but I would leave town with any of the people you want to be spared. I don’t think it will be pretty.”

“Where will you go? You all will stick out in the suburbs.”

“Our wild brothers will help us hide. I assure you Dr. Murphy. This has been planned for decades.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Stay out of our way.”

“Okay, thank you friend. Will I see you again?”

“When this is done I will find you at your cabin.”

It was a little unnerving that he knew where my cabin was.

“I’ll go now.”

“Hurry Dr. Murphy. Our war begins at first light,” and with that the animals disappeared from my backyard.”