Jenny Systerova

The ginger shadow

That night I took a long walk along the motorway, gliding away towards the city, I was going to. It was already eight o’clock, though the yellow hot scrap, suspended in the milky sky, was shining like a hundred-watt lamp that has cut a darkness in the room. It was the heart of the summer and the stuffy air was saturated with tunes of the birds and naughty sunbeams. I was languid with the heat and took out a bottle of mineral water from my travelling bag when I saw a ginger shadow, sliding on the opposite side of the road. I put my sweaty palm on my forehead. “A sunstroke?” – I thought and took some sips of the chilling water. The suspicious foxy shadow continue mowing along the road, leaving a slight path of the dust. “I bet I’m not insane.” – I assured myself. A strong wave of agitation run over me. I looked narrowly to this creature, my eyes squinted. I can’t believe my eyes! It was a tiger! But what he was doing in Russia nearby the city? I didn’t know. I was shocked. But indeed, it was the tiger. The strange striped creature with disheveled hair was strolling slowly in my direction. My placid heart made of glass sank in the fear. I was nearly to become panic-stricken and utter a shrill scream. But I found myself disable to produce any sound and stepped back. The tiger leaped into the forest line. Suddenly the huge van with coal cage reached me and blocked my way. I was perplexed. What the hell is going out? I pondered. A man, a cigarette in his mouth, leaned out of the car and with his reddish face. In the moment I thought I was really insane. With a smiling face he asked: “My dear, have you seen a tiger somewhere here?” I nodded and showed the direction, the tiger had gone to. He thanked me and disappeared in the haze of the burning summer. I breathed. It turned out, that it was the circus van and the odd man with a cigarette was looking for a tiger, who had ran away somehow from the cage in the circus these morning.“Rubbish!” - I laughed to myself and vanished in the deep silent kiss of the evening.
29 April 2009 07:29