On a warm summer evening, Zach and I embarked on an ambitious cooking venture, preparing a vast feast for an upcoming wedding. The meat smokers, Blackstone griddles, and charcoal grills were fired up and sizzling. Lots of moving meat, flipping burgers, and seasoning has happening. As we feverishly worked to have all the dishes ready and placed on the heat, time seemed to slip through our fingers. Before we knew it, the middle of the night had descended upon us. Exhausted from the restaurant-like cooking we were doing, I decided to take a break and lay down on the lush grass outside for a short nap.
As dawn’s gentle light broke over the horizon, I awoke to the sight of several wild turkey and deer peacefully grazing nearby. However, my serenity was abruptly shattered when a sudden, immense weight pressed down upon me, sending me into a panicked frenzy. I thrashed around, believing myself to be under attack, convinced that an oversized, rabid raccoon was my assailant. There was some rolling around and struggle, but thankfully I wasn’t in any pain. At this point, I was laid still, and couldn’t move.
Fortunately, Zach, alerted by the commotion, rushed to my aid. In the dim light of dawn, it was difficult to see the shape of the mysterious attacker. After a tense struggle, we finally managed to remove the heavy presence from me. Catching my breath, I asked Zach, “Was that a fucking raccoon?” Breathing heavily from his own exertions, Zach replied, “No, it’s a damn elephant!”
Confusion overcame me as I began to dust myself off. Unexpectedly, Zach tackled me to the ground, and we watched as the tiny pachyderm scampered past us, narrowly avoiding a collision. “What in the world is happening?” I exclaimed from the ground.
The bafflement continued when the animal approached me with an unexpectedly friendly demeanor. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that this was no ordinary elephant but an adorable baby elephant with fluffy fur, reminiscent of a golden retriever, and an unusually short trunk. Without hesitation, we bonded, snuggling together on the grass, wrapped in a blanket. While I had never encountered a baby elephant in real life, this one was decidedly unique. Astonishingly, my new friend seemed content and wanted nothing more than to cuddle.
I gingerly wrapped her in the blanket and proudly paraded her around, introducing my exotic companion to anyone in the vicinity. To my bewilderment, most onlookers appeared unfazed, as though a baby African elephant casually found in the wilds of Pennsylvania was an everyday occurrence. One person even nonchalantly remarked, “Oh yeah, I see an elephant in the woods over there from time to time.” I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of surreal world I had stumbled into.
Realizing that I needed to ensure the well-being of my newfound friend, I contemplated taking her to a veterinarian for a check-up. However, someone advised against it, leaving me yelling, “But I have to make sure she’s okay!”
Moments later, darkness enveloped everything, and I awoke. It had all been a dream…
I had this wild dream just last night and it was so vivid and unusual I had to capture it. I hope you enjoy the short story.
