But Of Course They Didn't Understand

Afternoon sunrays were beaming down in between the leaves, gleaming on the tree canopies up above. If only you didn't have to rush your way, it would be a very good place to take a rest, slow down a bit, catch up some breath, and to take a good look of this beauty. But you were half running with a steady pace across the forest trail.

That huge tall tree on top of the hill. That was your destination. Beyond that point, you will meet your folks, you will find a safe place to drink and eat, you will even find a safe place to give birth to the offspring in your womb. It has been almost twenty times of full moons since you were carrying it inside you.

You were pregnant. And you were a young elephant.

The imagination of reaching that tree on the hill made you rush your steps. You wanted to be there as soon as possible, you wanted to be safe. But desire entices carelessness. There were some little noises at a distance - it must be the baboons having a good time. There were some foreign scents - it must be blown away from afar. There were some movements on the bush to the right - and suddenly, in a rapid succession, you heard a click, a loud bang, you crashed to the ground, and there were an extreme pain on your lower stomach.

You wanted to stand up but it was too painful. The bullet hit something inside you and you can feel that it was wet and warm.

Two hunters came forward from behind the bushes and one of them said, "damn! Why is it an elephant. I was aiming for the antelope."

You moved your head, you could see the big tree on top of the hill was even closer now. You tried to tell the hunters, "I will be ok. Just help me with my bleeding and I can carry on!"

The other hunter, tense and cautious, said to his companion, "we can't carry this elephant. We can't sell it. And it has no tusk. Poor thing is in pain for nothing."

The first hunter nodded in approval and pulled out an elephant gun from his back.

You tried to tell them that you will be fine, that one hunting bullet can't put down an elephant, that your kind can take tens of it and still be alive. You cried for them to stop.

But of course they didn't understand.