I took a large box of large game bullets, and went to the wild.

Short story by Kirsteen Lyons

I took a large box of large game bullets, and went to the wild.

When I had consumed every luxury man makes I was dull, and jaded by every vice. I took a large box of large game bullets, and went to the wild.

I was eager to consume new things, know new things. I used the large box of large game bullets and consumed rhino, and cheetah, and elephant, and ibex, but I did not see tiger.

I made a fire on the edge of the forest and ate and ate...

I used the large box of large game bullets and consumed giraffe, and wild dog, and python and leopard, but I did not see tiger.

I made a new fire of the edge of the forest and ate and ate...

...I grew very fat, first it was hard to run, then it was hard to walk, and still I consumed until I had consumed all of the large box of big game bullets.

I made a fire on the edge of the forest and ate and ate...that is when I saw tiger.

Tiger was vast and orange and he walked his vast white smile out of the forest and sat it down next to me.

Tiger spoke in a polished brass purr, “Why did you come to the wild?”

I looked at tiger’s vast white smile and I tried to explain, “I wanted to consume more, I wanted to have what men had and what animals had, I wanted their experiences, their knowledge in me.”

“And did you consume their knowledge?” Tiger asked.

Now I smiled, “I must have, I said, patting my fat body, for it is all inside me.”

Tiger smiled wider, “Well now, I can teach you something about knowledge, it is never consumed; only ever shared.”

And so I understood.

And then it was tigers turn and he consumed me.

By Kirsteen Lyons