Honeybee

Chapter 36

The day started off with a light rain, drops falling few and far between through the still, misty air and plopping onto the damp ground. It was warmer, the temperature hovered around eight degrees Celsius and there was a hint of spring in the damp air.

Jason had been playing around with the animal cage which he had loaded onto one of the zoos flatbed trucks. Testing the door time and time again to ensure that when it shuts, it remains shut. He had installed a rope so that when he pulled it, the door would slam shut, but it meant he would have to remain within fifteen metres of the cage. The mechanism worked perfectly and Jason was confident it would perform perfectly when they had a Screamer in the cage. All they had to do was to get a Screamer to enter the cage.

‘How’s it going?’ Amanda asked as she handed Jason a hot coffee.

‘Well, it works.’ Jason replied as he took the coffee. ‘Thanks.’

‘Any idea how we’re going to get a Screamer in?’ Amanda said.

‘I have an idea, if the Doc will allow it.’

‘Allow what?’ The Doc said as he approached.

‘A way to get a Screamer in the cage.’ Jason said.

‘Ok. Explain it to me.’

‘Well…’ Jason said uncomfortably. ‘I need a monkey.’

‘Absolutely not.’ The Doc said.

‘Just let me explain. No harm will come to the monkey.’

‘Go on.’ The Doc said.

‘The monkey waits in the cage. When the Screamer enters, the monkey simply slips through the bars as I slam the door shut.’

‘And what if the Screamer gets the monkey before it has chance to escape?’

‘I know it’s hard, but it’s a risk we’ll have to take.’ Jason said. ‘Either that or one of us will have to stand at the door and entice it in.’

They both looked up at Jason, and the Doc raised an eyebrow.

‘No way!’ Jason said. ‘It would kill me before it got anywhere near the door.’

‘Not if we sedate it.’ The Doc said.

‘I tried that once in the woods when this all started, it had no effect.’ Jason replied.

‘But this time you will be using a 300mg dose of Xylazine. That’s enough to sedate an African Elephant.’ The Doc said, smiling. ‘Of course, the only problem is, it needs to be injected.’

‘That fills me joy.’ Jason said. ‘So I will have to jump on its back and inject it before it kills me? I’m just full of happiness!’

‘Hmm, I know it’s not ideal but it will knock it out.’ The Doc said.

Jason thought for a moment.

‘Ok, I’ll do it. But I still need a monkey.’