“Does that look like a long enough entry for today.” I turned and asked my sister.


“Ya it’s more than I wrote so it should be fine.” She rolled over on the soft king-sized bed and stared up at the tent’s tarp top. I shut my African journal and started jumping. We were soon both laughing and giggling excited that mom and dad let us sleep in our own huge tent by ourselves, when we were only 9 and 11.


ROAR!!!!!


Kanna and I got quiet quickly. Then we heard it again we scrambled behind the big bed. locked the adjoining bathroom’s door, and watched for any sound or movement.

Terrified, alone, and with no means of telling time or communicating with the outside world, because there were no phones in the African camp, we crouched.


To our young minds we had seen the movies all we needed was a diversion something to make the lion leave us alone so we could run to safety, wherever that may be. So we planed.


The tall thin totems would work quite nicely as a base. We had a raincoat and boots that were in every tent. We could roll up a towel for a head and keep it together with a baseball cap.


All we had to do now was have the courage to sneak around and make it because of course the lion could see right through the tent and unzip the front to put it outside.


Seemed like the perfect plan. Both of us had planned it neither wanted to risk their life to accomplish it. It was official we would be the Lion’s supper. After what seemed like hours which in reality was 45 minutes, Kanna and I jumped at the sound of a man’s voice asking if there was anyone there?


“Yes, yes, we’re here!” We had been saved!


“Ok you wait right there I’ll be right back for you. Let me see if there is anyone else in the other tent.” We nodded reluctantly of course he couldn’t see us because we were just now peaking around the bed.


A few minutes passed and we heard our mother and Courtney with the man. We came out of the tent. It was after dusk and we were relieved to see mom. We all asked the same question and answer, at the same time.


“Where’s Dad? (Pause) I thought he was with you.”

This presented a problem. It was not good. We went with the escort to dinner. There to our relief Dad was sitting with Mommy J and Granddaddy at a dinner table. All three were waiting for us.


“Why didn’t you guys come, we had to send Anton for you?” Was the first question out of my dad’s mouth. You can imagine our disbelief at this question.

“We almost got eaten by a lion and you are wondering why we didn’t come sooner?” Kanna asked. They started laughing. There was nothing funny about the situation at all. “What’s so funny?” She put her hands on her hips.

“The lion you heard roar is all the way across the river. No where near getting to you even if it wanted to. The Crocodiles and Hippos would kill it before it could make it across.” Even though everyone else was laughing, it was too soon for Kanna and I to laugh about it. After all we were about to be the Lion’s supper, weren’t we?