Novels2Search
Life Leaper
Trip to the zoo

Trip to the zoo

The next morning, Luna was up early - she usually was - working out the last bugs of one of her requests. No matter how deep she got into the case, she couldn't stop thinking about Robin. Why was he so familiar? Had they met before somehow? She would know if she'd met someone so- if she'd seen him before.

She went on a short walk, partly staring off into the distance as she made her way down the sidewalk. One moment, she was lost in thought. The next, something had pulled her back to the present. Sitting at a table behind the gates of her favorite cafeteria was a man, a man who looked exactly like Robin's step-dad. He was one his phone, his eyebrows knit together as he jabbed at the screen in frustration.

Luna couldn't look away. Sure, he was looking down, but he was still in the same clothes she'd seen him in just a day before. Her muscles tensed, unconsciously waiting for him to look up. Gravity seemed to press against her, squeezing her with its invisible claws. Then he looked up, his eyebrows frozen in place until he saw her staring at him. It was Dean. He was sitting right there, just looking at her.

Luna's stomach twisted in place. No way. You're dead.

Dean was stuck to his chair for a second before he realized what was going on and bolted out of view. Luna was tempted to follow, but suddenly Robin popped into her mind. She shouldn't tell him. Right? It didn't make any sense and telling him wouldn't change anything.

On her walk back to her mansion, she stared at the ground in frustration.

By the time she got home, she'd decided not to tell him.

"Robin," the two of them sat together in her kitchen while Robin ate his breakfast. "There's something I have to tell you."

He raised his eyebrows, his mouth stuffed with pancake.

"Today, I was taking a walk and I . . ." this is a terrible idea. But it's too late, I've already committed. I could lie- "I saw your step-dad."

It took a moment for the wheels in his head to turn, but when they did, his eyebrows knit together.

"But I thought you . . ."

"Yeah, me too. Does he have an identical twin? Anything like that?"

Robin was already shaking his head. Luna could see him trying to figure it out.

"I have a break in my work. Let's just . . . do you like motorcycles?"

It was around ten-thirty by the time they were zipping down the road on her second favorite motorcycle - a two-person Gold Wing. The wind that blew against and around them was warm, it made Luna think of flying - she didn't know how she knew what it felt like, but she did. For some reason, the thought made her eyes misty, and something tugged at her heart.

Robin pulled her out of her thoughts, pointing in the direction of a zoo entrance.

"Ever been there?"

"Uh," the truth was, she couldn't remember. "no. Have you?"

Even though she couldn't see him, she felt him nod, imagining a smile on his face. Driving ahead of angry, beeping cars, she drove under the giant sign with drawings of animal faces on it.

"To the zoo, we go then."

It took about a half an hour of waiting in line before paying for the both of them, but it was more worth it than Luna knew, yet. They looked at a few different animals - Luna couldn't decide which was her favorite - they ended up in front of the tiger's exhibit. The day was much hotter standing in the sun, without the wind blowing against your face, but something urged her to stay, and Robin was all too happy looking at big cats.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Where are they?"

"There's one over there but-"

Shouting drew her attention away. Luna went quiet, hardly breathing as she listened for the voices again. It wasn't hard, the people were being incredibly loud. Robin noticed both the shouting and Luna's rising anger. It seemed to be coming from the inside of the room connected to the exhibit.

Luna turned, her face flushed by heat and anger, but Robin grabbed her arm. There were many things she could do to get him to let go, but she listened instead - that seemed like the best option.

"Luna, don't. It's none of our-"

She jerked her arm out of his hand, grabbing his arm with her hand, and pulled him along with her to the place connected to the tiger exhibit.

The door wasn't locked, but a sign hung over it that read, Staff members only. Please, keep out.

"Luna, I don't think we should-"

"It's not we if you don't want to come."

Maybe she was being a little unreasonable, or dramatic, but Luna loved animals. No one - staff member or not - had the right to hurt them. Robin hesitantly agreed to help, following her into the place. It was dimly lit, most of the light came from the enclosure. Around the place, boxes were littered, the labels mainly read food or medicine.

A somewhat scrawny man stood just out of view from anyone looking into the enclosure, a long belt in his hand. He was facing a tiger, huddled against the wall, trying its best to defend itself and act bravely. Red stripes replaced a few of his black ones, stepping on the last of Luna's self-control.

"You," she growled at the man with the belt, who spun around to face them.

"You're not allowed in here! Get out!"

"You first," she didn't need her hidden knife for this fight. Luna bolted at the man, firstly punching him in the stomach. Using the few moments he was stunned, she slapped his hand, making him drop the belt before kicking out with her foot, making contact with his chest and sending him across the room where he hit the wall - the room wasn't very big. He coughed, clutching his stomach as he curled up on the ground.

Luna glanced at Robin with a look like, "Watch him." going over to the tiger against the wall.

"Careful Luna! It probably thinks all humans are terrible."

"Thanks, Robin, but I got it," she was tempted to hold her hands out in a peaceful gesture, but something told her otherwise. The poor little guy - yes, he was full-grown - would probably feel threatened and take her peaceful gesture as a sign of her trying to show her size.

"It's okay, it's okay," she crouched down, the tiger still pressed against the wall. He took one sniff in her direction and without warning, pounced.

"Luna!"

Robin rushed over to help but he quickly realized Luna was perfectly fine. In fact, she laughed as the big cat smothered her with his giant, rough tongue. It didn't bother Luna - for some reason, she was already used to the feeling. She stroked his neck, giggling like a little girl.

"Good boy."

In the corner of her eye, she saw Robin relax, sharply exhaling. Luna gently scooted the tiger off, dusting herself off as she stood.

"Are you- that was . . ."

She could tell Robin was about to ask if she was alright, but clearly, she was. She beamed, trying not to smile as the giant cat purred, rubbing himself against her.

"Are you sure you've never been here? Do you just have some kind of bond with tigers?"

"No, just this one," she blurted it out without really thinking about it. But she didn't take the words back, although she didn't know how she meant them.

"He can't stay here."

"Then what? How in the world are we going to get a four-hundred-pound creature out of here without causing any suspicion?"

Right on cue, the tiger suddenly stretched, and right before their eyes, turned into a tiny little, ginger kitten. Luna didn't give it any thought as she scooped the kitten up, cradling it in her arms.

"Okay . . . but . . . I don't think regular animals are allowed either."

The two of them stared at the tiger/kitten, trying to come up with an idea. Luna's smile faded when she saw the slender crimson stripes still etched into the kitten's skin.

Robin snapped. "I've got it."

After a few short minutes, the three of them exited the building as casually as possible - the zookeeper was still in the room, curled up on the ground after Robin accidentally knocked him out with a stray plastic box. But to the rest of the world, it was one pregnant Luna and Robin.

She hoped they looked old enough to fit the disguise. They'd found the smallest tiger bowl in the place, placed the kitten inside, and Luna now carried it proudly.

They made it out of the zoo suspiciously easy. As they were walking to Luna's motorcycle, Robin tapped her shoulder, scaring her half to death. He said nothing, pointing at the crowds swarming the entrance to the zoo. It took a second, but she saw what had caught his attention. Standing at the back of one of the lines, stood Dean. He still hadn't changed, as if he wanted them to see him.

Luna didn't speak, shoving Robin's helmet into him.