“This anaconda is from Brazil. Or, rather, its egg was harvested from the rainforest,” Nikola looked at Pablo the anaconda as he spoke, and it stared back. Something about its stare unnerved him.

Not every animal liked Nikola. Snakes and goats disliked him on principle. When he had been little, he had thought that it was because they were the devil’s creations. Then, he grew up, and decided that he couldn’t call them evil just because they didn’t like him.

“Pablo makes hiss,” said Eric, and some people around him cooed. Sadik then proceeded to tell the guests about the lifespan of Pablo and what he ate.

“You mean he can eat an entire pig?” Jake looked at the giant snake with wonder. He tried to move closer to the glass, but Nikola tugged him back. Jake stepped on Nikola’s foot. Nikola let go of Eric to tug the ruffian’s ear.

The boy’s mother still hadn’t come, and Nikola was beginning to get worried. They had informed security to tell her where they were, so she could come, but so far, no one had seen her.

“Yes, Jake. An entire pig. Bigger anacondas can even eat a deer,” the boy’s eyes grew wide.

“How can he fit a deer? He is like a pencil?” Sadik looked pointed at Eric, who puffed up his chest.

“By unhinging his jaw. But, it doesn’t hurt him to do so,” Jake looked at Eric with something akin to respect after that and Nikola let the boy go and hold Eric’s hand instead of his own.

Nikola smiled at the change of demeanor. Maybe, Jake was simply craving a friend? His mother looked to be on the edge of her rope with him. He might be spoiled, but that was nothing a good example of a well-behaved child couldn’t fix.

They moved to the salamanders. People asked questions about whatever they were feeling at home here. Nikola remembered salamanders in Rilla. They were everywhere after rain. He added that tidbit, and some people ah’ed. The wetness of their enclosure suddenly being explained to them.

They passed by Larry the iguana, who waved its tail at Nikola. It did it every time Nikola saw it. When he went to clean the enclosure, with the iguana taken to a cage, Nikola could feel its stare from the bars that were separating the cage from the enclosure. It liked looking at him.

Jake was looking at Nikola strangely after the greeting of the iguana.

“Sir, why are the animals staring at you?” He spoke. Eric wondered the same, but he was too polite to ask.

“They like me,” answered Nikola simply. Then, he shushed the boy as Sadik was explaining about the activities of Larry in the zoo. Which included naps, feedings and play times.

“Pablo looked like he wanted to eat you,” Jake wasn’t giving up. He had a mystery before him and he wasn’t giving up. They heard someone running in the hall, and the entire group looked as one at the embarrassed woman who came to a stop by Jake.

“So, sorry. I lost track of time,” she said as she took the free hand of her son. Jake made a face at her, and Nikola looked confused. The boy had behaved, for the most part, and now he was reverting to a badly behaved boy. Why was that?

Nikola took a closer look at the woman as Sadik began leading them out of the reptile house. She looked dead tired. With bags under her eyes and oily skin. He felt bad for her. Maybe she took a small nap? She certainly looked like she needed one.

“Ma’am, I will be doing tours for two more days. Two hours each. If you like, you can drop off your son here. I wouldn’t mind looking after him,” the woman seemed like Christmas had come early.

“Really? Can I leave him with you for the end of the tour? I just require an hour of sleep in the car,” she pleaded to him just as they reached Ivar the bear, who did his dance to the amusement of the crowd. Nikola waved at the bear, and the bear waved back.

“Sure. We finish in an hour and a half. Please wait in front of the entrance when the time is up,” the woman all but ran from the group. No one paid her any attention as Nikola spoke.

“Ivar the bear is a miracle case. He had kidney stones, but a boy prayed for him and…” Sadik tuned Nikola off. He liked the false story more than the truth and liked to tell it to everyone who would listen. Sadik found that tiring, after the umpteenth time.

When it came to Sadik to speak, he regaled the crowd with all the little details he knew of the bear. All the colors bears came in. Eric added how white bears were actually brown under the white fur, when he looked at the boy. They were a good team, Eric, Nikola and he. Sadik liked to believe that their group would get the most comments in the zoo’s review book.

When he was done, they passed Ivar, who waved at Nikola again. Everyone waved at the bear this time, almost as if they had been expecting it. They reached the giraffes, and it was the turn of the little girls to look excited. The baby giraffe was out and waggling its tail.

“This little one is Alfred,” said Nikola, pointing at the little animal. “He will grow as tall as his parents. When he becomes a year old, he will be transferred into another zoo.”

Nikola finished by sharing some private things about the family of three, and Sadik finished with the technical stuff. The older giraffes once again showed their heads over the fence. Little Alfred poked his neck over the bars.

“All the animals here are so friendly. Nothing like the zoo in New York,” said a man. Nikola grinned. He was happy that all the animals were alert and performing for the crowd. He knew it was because of him, but, if the people thought that the animals here were special, they could come again. And that meant more money for the care of the animals.