Prologue
He kept the beast locked up in a rust iron cage. The damned thing was huge. Bigger than any lion he had ever seen before—that’s for sure.
In his vast experience with show animals Mr. Simon had never been more terrified than he was in the presence of Bain Ventura’s mighty jungle cat. Though he could barely see him to be honest; that may have only added to the terror.
It was dark. With only the matches used for lighting their cigarettes to illuminate the hallway.
“You tamed, that?” Mr. Simon repeated for emphasis. “I mean, good god man.”
Bain’s silhouette leaned forward and clasped his hands together. He then looked over at his beast. “Goldwynn might be the most civilized lion on the planet. But don’t let that make you think he can’t put on a good show.”
Mr. Simon made a show of fixing his hat and straightening his coat. “Right, yes. Very good. Well we have a menagerie and a supervisor for the animals—so Goldy here will have the best of care in our—”
“No. Goldwynn will stay with me.” Bain reached out a hand and gave his lion a gentle stroke across the mane. The lion let loose a deep purr. It gurgled through the room and vibrated Mr. Simon down to his core. “I’ll take care of him.”
“Of course. I only wanted to make you aware.”
Bain took his hand from the lion. “At the show I did before we were in this… this place,” he gestured around the dark hallway. “They didn’t let Goldwynn stay with me.” He sighed. “It was a problem.”
“How long has he been staying here in the dark?”
“Too long,” Bain replied. “Far too long. So I am insistent that he get out of this has-been two tiers of shit zoo and somewhere better. ASAP.”
Mr. Simon relaxed his shoulders a bit. He tried to discern Bain’s obscured face to see if this was his opportunity. The deal had yet to be inked and he was anxious to get Mr. Ventura on board. “Yes well, I am happy to help with that of course. There is still the matter of your act to discuss.”
“Right, sir, I appreciate your offer, I am all about being a team player and all… but my act has always been with Goldwynn. Not this… this… what even is it?”
“I’m not privy to the details,” Mr. Simon responded. “The beast has yet to be brought to circus grounds.”
Bain gestured toward Goldwynn. “I’ve had years to domesticate this animal. From birth almost. He works with me because I’ve invested a lot of training into him. You are expecting me to just, step into the ring with…with what, a bear? A gator?”
“Ah but Mr. Ventura, you aren’t seeing it.” Stars filled Mr. Simon’s eyes. He raised his gloved hands to the air and gestured toward imaginary greener pastures. “The spotlight. The glory. Think of the glory and valor Mr. Ventura. You think you got a good name playing the hero with this one here.” He waved at the lion. “They will remember you for years. You will go down in the books of freak show history.”
“I’m not a freak,” Bain responded.
“No Mr. Ventura, but this beast will be. It will be giant, and terrifying, and never before seen by human eyes. And it will be you who steps into the big top to show that even God’s mistakes can’t best man. They will post your face all over the world! Don’t you see!”
The lion tamer crossed his arms. “Well, is it even yours? You won’t even tell me what kind of creature this is.”
“I have assurances. And until it arrives at the circus, all you need do is what you’re best at—and getting your friend here out of the dark in the process.”
Bain stroked the lion’s mane again. He stared into Goldwynn’s eyes, and it seemed as if the abominable creature stared directly back. “Then these are my terms. Goldwynn stays in my tent, for starters. We do the act that we’ve been doing since he was a cub—and then yes, I will tame this creature, but I get ample time to work with it before we do a show.” He scrunched his fingers into the mane. “And when the beast is ready for performance. Goldwynn retires. No more shows.”
Mr. Simon rubbed his chin and smirked. “Most agreeable,” he said after a long pause. “I think ol’ Goldy has earned a nice retirement. Ah, well, haven’t we all?” He chuckled. Bain reached his shadowy hand out to shake and Mr. Simon met him. Behind their handshake Goldwynn roared gruesomely into the abyss. His growl rumbled throughout the derelict halls of the zoo. The trees where the chimpanzees once swung shook. A ripple went across the waters where the penguins used to swim. And grass that once was grazed upon by bison shivered.
The last thing that Mr. Simon heard as he strolled away plump full of satisfaction from a deal struck in his favor was the insidious creak of the cage door opening.
Adam McDonald 