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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Horror
- Subject: Horror / Scary
- Published: 12/28/2022
Tigerland
Born 1964, F, from Gordon, ACT, AustraliaWilliam “Buck” Bucksworth peered up and down the street before furtively ducking through the dusty glass door into Tui Le’s Chinese House of Medicines. A small bell tinkled softly as the door swung open. Buck stood in the cool dimness for a moment while the door closed slowly behind him.
A thin elderly Asian appeared from the gloom at the back of the shop, startling Buck. The shop owner, Tui Le himself, one would presume, looked questioningly at Buck, who didn’t know quite where to start.
“I’ve got a problem, you see,” he finally blurted out. “I’m a wild game hunter. William Bucksworth. I’m actually quite famous, I have my own magazine and TV show. You may have heard of me?” He mimed aiming a rifle and shooting at a rampaging beast. Tui just stared blankly at him. “Okay, well, anyway. I’ve got a bit of a reputation to keep up as a ladies’ man as well, you know. My wife’s a lot younger than me, but it’s expected that I should also bed any pretty young thing who catches my eye. The tabloids love it.” He grinned awkwardly. Tui stared at him.
Buck cleared his throat. “Well the thing is, I’m starting to have a bit of trouble ... er ...” He waved a hand over the front of his trousers. “I need to be able to ...” Again, words failed him, and he clenched his fist and raised his forearm to a ninety degree angle to demonstrate his request.
Tui still stared at him, and Buck felt his face go red. “Look, no offence, but is there anyone here who can, you know, speak English”.
“I speak perfect English,” said the shop owner in perfect English. “I was waiting for you to get to the point.”
“Oh,” said Buck, a little ruffled. “Well then do you have anything. You know.” He made the awkward arm gesture again, and Tui shook his head in resigned amusement.
“You want an aphrodisiac,” he stated.
Buck chuckled awkwardly. “Well yes,” he said. “One of them afrodizzycat things."
Tui moved behind the counter and rummaged through some very strange looking objects in a tray, before finding what he was after. A shrivelled brown, vaguely phallic relic that he brandished in triumph.
Buck was less than impressed. “Erm .. what’s that?” He fervently hoped he didn’t have to eat it. Whatever it was.
Tui smiled. “Dried tiger penis,” he said triumphantly. “I guarantee you will not find this anywhere else. It is very rare, and in fact, probably illegal.”
Buck swallowed. “Do I have to .. eat it?”
Tui smiled and shook his head. “I will powder some of it for you, just stir it into your food or drink. You won’t even notice it.” He laughed. “Not straightaway, anyway.”
Buck huffed out an embarrassed chuckle at the shop owner’s small joke. “So. Um. How much will this cost me?” He could feel his credit card cringing in his pocket.
“Three hundred dollars.”
Buck’s pupils dilated in shock. “Three hundred dollars for ... that tiny thing?”
Tui laughed. “No no no. You misunderstand.” Buck relaxed. Tui was obviously having a bit of a joke at his expense. Tui continued. “Three hundred dollars for half a gram.”
Buck thought he was going to faint, but recovered swiftly. He needed this. His reputation depended on it. “Okay," he croaked. "How much do I need to take?”
“Just a small pinch every day for 5 days. I guarantee the effects will last for the rest of your life.”
Buck reluctantly pulled out his credit card. “The number of tigers I’ve killed,” he muttered. “I wish I’d known how much the ... er ... that bit was worth. I could have made a small fortune!”
Tui grimaced. “I thought tigers were protected,” he said, eyeing the mighty hunter with distaste.
Buck laughed and winked. “Not if you know the right people,” he said with pride. “Nothing’s off limit really, if you have the access and a good story. It’s amazing how many villages suddenly need protecting from these vicious beasts, if you spread enough money around.”
Tui nodded without a word, and ground a small amount of the tiger penis into powder, which he weighed on a tiny scale then carefully shook into a glass phial.
Although Tui hadn’t spoken, Buck still felt a little chastened after his boasting, and the rest of the transaction was conducted in silence. He carefully tucked the corked phial into his pocket, and left the shop without looking back.
Day 5.
Buck’s wife, Lavetta, sighed theatrically. “Are you still watching that stupid show?” She peered closer. “Isn’t that the same episode you’ve already seen.”
Buck made a shooing gesture with his hand. It was just coming up to the good bit, and he didn’t want to miss any of it.
Tigerland’s beautiful tigress stretched and yawned, her muscles rippling as she sharpened her claws on the imitation tree scratching post. Buck couldn’t tear his eyes away. She was so darned perfect. He longed to be with her, hugging her warm soft body to his. He didn’t even notice Lavetta huff and leave the room indignantly, she was young and beautiful and not used to being ignored.
Buck rewound the scene and played it again. A pile of Tigerland videos towered beside him, but this was his favourite. He read the details on the back cover, and pulled out his phone to make the most important call of his life.
Two nights later and a thousand dollars poorer, he had Tigerland to himself. It was after zoo closing hours, and the predators were coming alive, revelling in the cool evening air.
And there she was. The beautiful animal he had fallen in love with. He lowered himself slowly into the tiger pit, holding out his hand to her, his heart pounding in his chest ...
The morning news carried the story of the as-yet unidentified man who had been mauled to death at Tigerland.
And Tui smiled with satisfaction.
Tigerland(Hazel Dow)
William “Buck” Bucksworth peered up and down the street before furtively ducking through the dusty glass door into Tui Le’s Chinese House of Medicines. A small bell tinkled softly as the door swung open. Buck stood in the cool dimness for a moment while the door closed slowly behind him.
A thin elderly Asian appeared from the gloom at the back of the shop, startling Buck. The shop owner, Tui Le himself, one would presume, looked questioningly at Buck, who didn’t know quite where to start.
“I’ve got a problem, you see,” he finally blurted out. “I’m a wild game hunter. William Bucksworth. I’m actually quite famous, I have my own magazine and TV show. You may have heard of me?” He mimed aiming a rifle and shooting at a rampaging beast. Tui just stared blankly at him. “Okay, well, anyway. I’ve got a bit of a reputation to keep up as a ladies’ man as well, you know. My wife’s a lot younger than me, but it’s expected that I should also bed any pretty young thing who catches my eye. The tabloids love it.” He grinned awkwardly. Tui stared at him.
Buck cleared his throat. “Well the thing is, I’m starting to have a bit of trouble ... er ...” He waved a hand over the front of his trousers. “I need to be able to ...” Again, words failed him, and he clenched his fist and raised his forearm to a ninety degree angle to demonstrate his request.
Tui still stared at him, and Buck felt his face go red. “Look, no offence, but is there anyone here who can, you know, speak English”.
“I speak perfect English,” said the shop owner in perfect English. “I was waiting for you to get to the point.”
“Oh,” said Buck, a little ruffled. “Well then do you have anything. You know.” He made the awkward arm gesture again, and Tui shook his head in resigned amusement.
“You want an aphrodisiac,” he stated.
Buck chuckled awkwardly. “Well yes,” he said. “One of them afrodizzycat things."
Tui moved behind the counter and rummaged through some very strange looking objects in a tray, before finding what he was after. A shrivelled brown, vaguely phallic relic that he brandished in triumph.
Buck was less than impressed. “Erm .. what’s that?” He fervently hoped he didn’t have to eat it. Whatever it was.
Tui smiled. “Dried tiger penis,” he said triumphantly. “I guarantee you will not find this anywhere else. It is very rare, and in fact, probably illegal.”
Buck swallowed. “Do I have to .. eat it?”
Tui smiled and shook his head. “I will powder some of it for you, just stir it into your food or drink. You won’t even notice it.” He laughed. “Not straightaway, anyway.”
Buck huffed out an embarrassed chuckle at the shop owner’s small joke. “So. Um. How much will this cost me?” He could feel his credit card cringing in his pocket.
“Three hundred dollars.”
Buck’s pupils dilated in shock. “Three hundred dollars for ... that tiny thing?”
Tui laughed. “No no no. You misunderstand.” Buck relaxed. Tui was obviously having a bit of a joke at his expense. Tui continued. “Three hundred dollars for half a gram.”
Buck thought he was going to faint, but recovered swiftly. He needed this. His reputation depended on it. “Okay," he croaked. "How much do I need to take?”
“Just a small pinch every day for 5 days. I guarantee the effects will last for the rest of your life.”
Buck reluctantly pulled out his credit card. “The number of tigers I’ve killed,” he muttered. “I wish I’d known how much the ... er ... that bit was worth. I could have made a small fortune!”
Tui grimaced. “I thought tigers were protected,” he said, eyeing the mighty hunter with distaste.
Buck laughed and winked. “Not if you know the right people,” he said with pride. “Nothing’s off limit really, if you have the access and a good story. It’s amazing how many villages suddenly need protecting from these vicious beasts, if you spread enough money around.”
Tui nodded without a word, and ground a small amount of the tiger penis into powder, which he weighed on a tiny scale then carefully shook into a glass phial.
Although Tui hadn’t spoken, Buck still felt a little chastened after his boasting, and the rest of the transaction was conducted in silence. He carefully tucked the corked phial into his pocket, and left the shop without looking back.
Day 5.
Buck’s wife, Lavetta, sighed theatrically. “Are you still watching that stupid show?” She peered closer. “Isn’t that the same episode you’ve already seen.”
Buck made a shooing gesture with his hand. It was just coming up to the good bit, and he didn’t want to miss any of it.
Tigerland’s beautiful tigress stretched and yawned, her muscles rippling as she sharpened her claws on the imitation tree scratching post. Buck couldn’t tear his eyes away. She was so darned perfect. He longed to be with her, hugging her warm soft body to his. He didn’t even notice Lavetta huff and leave the room indignantly, she was young and beautiful and not used to being ignored.
Buck rewound the scene and played it again. A pile of Tigerland videos towered beside him, but this was his favourite. He read the details on the back cover, and pulled out his phone to make the most important call of his life.
Two nights later and a thousand dollars poorer, he had Tigerland to himself. It was after zoo closing hours, and the predators were coming alive, revelling in the cool evening air.
And there she was. The beautiful animal he had fallen in love with. He lowered himself slowly into the tiger pit, holding out his hand to her, his heart pounding in his chest ...
The morning news carried the story of the as-yet unidentified man who had been mauled to death at Tigerland.
And Tui smiled with satisfaction.
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- 5
Zuhaib Ali
08/15/2023This story is captivating and engaging, with unexpected twists that keep the reader hooked until the end. The characterization of Buck and the clever interactions with Tui Le add a touch of humor to the narrative. The story skillfully explores themes of desire, obsession, and consequences, leaving a lasting impact on the reader's mind. Well done! Keep it up.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Radrook
02/10/2023So he feels attracted to the tiger, attempts to have congress with it and is attacked and killed? LOL! Very surprizing ending! Thanks for sharing.
Reminds me of the evil-genie theme in which the evil genie grants wishes, albeit with a very unpleasant twist.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Valerie Allen
01/15/2023Enjoyed your story. Always nice when the bad guy gets what he deservves. Couldn't have happened to a better guy!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
01/09/2023Not Bad Hazel, two Awards with one story! I knew it was a corker. LOL
Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Lillian Kazmierczak
01/08/2023Oh Hazel, this was a goodie! Shriveled tiger penis...I'm still laughing! sometimes people get what they deserve! I just love this one!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Lillian Kazmierczak
01/08/2023This story was a great story of balancing the scales. Loved this! Congratulations on short story star of the week!
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Shelly Garrod
12/29/2022Oh man Hazel that was really good. Loved the story
line and especially the ending. I could see it coming!
Blessings Shelly
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Hazel Dow
12/29/2022Thanks Shelly, I wasn't sure the idea would work, but the story practically wrote itself :-D
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
12/29/2022Well, there you go again Hazel. I used to like Tigers. But old Buck thought he would be a Tiger in Bed...and he got his (pardon the pun) cumuppence. And I shall never use Chinese Medicince again.
Great Job!
Smiles, Kevin
COMMENTS (9)