well this spiraled....

maxiel. wildlife keeper Daniel

Max sat under the umbrella and took a deep breath. Australia was hot. But the trip had been fun so far. The kids were completely enthralled by the animals all around them and Hailey had been excited to feed the giraffes every morning. Max had to give it to Vic, she knocked it out of the park with this family trip.

They were ‘on safari’ now. Which was mostly a picnic lunch on the grounds while the animals grazed around them. Max had been skeptical at first but the concierge promised them that the animals wouldn’t hurt them. The head trainer, Daniel, had even come out to assure them personally that the animals were docile.

So far so good. The boys were up in a tree house with Tom and another trainer, learning how to use binoculars to see in the distance. Hailey was asleep in a small nest of pillows and blankets—a fan pointed directly at her. Vic and Sophie were oohing and ah-ing something, Max didn’t really care to look.

So, Daniel.

He was cute. Curly hair, wide smile, beautiful nose. Max enjoyed hearing him talk about the animals. He seemed really passionate and happy to be there, and he seemed to be really great with kids. He told horrendous jokes that had them all in stitches, Max included. He was slightly embarrassed to say.

“Max mate… do nawt move.” Daniel’s round accent was a steady whisper behind him. Max froze, feeling a shiver go up his spine.

“What is it?” Max whispered back, afraid to look to see how close Daniel was. Instead, he looked out into the expanse of dry grass and trees.

“You’re being stalked mate.” Daniel’s voice was right by Max’s ear now. He could feel the air on his exhale, Max was sure he could feel Daniel’s full lips on the edge of his flesh.

“What does that mean?” Max didn’t know if this was one of Daniel’s jokes or the real thing. He was too focused on what Daniel’s voice and presence was doing to his body.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect ya.” Daniel said confidently, Max glanced back to see Daniel already staring at him with a wide smile on his face. And then he was off, bounding over the pillow beside Max and into the sunlight. His khaki work shirt and shorts only slightly paler than the deep tan on his legs and tattooed arms.

Daniel jumped and Max blinked at the lioness that materialized in the grass. Holy fuck. Daniel hadn’t been joking around. The lioness jumped to meet him in the air.

“Oh my!” Sophie’s voice came from Max’s left.

Max lurched forward, ready to… do something. He didn’t know what, but he needed to help!

Daniel was fighting a freaking lion!

The lioness snarled and they fell to the dusty ground. And then Daniel laughed, a booming sound Max was coming to know. He and the lioness rolled until he was flat on his back and she laid her head on top of his chest.

Daniel chuckled and scratched behind her ear, she leaned into the touch and made a chuffing sound at him.

“Okay okay you greedy girl! But you gadda let me up though.” Daniel complained, a wide smile on his now dirty face. The lioness stood and nudged him to stand, Daniel did so with a roll of his eyes.

Max watched in awe, then Daniel turned his happy attention to Max.

“Her name is Emilia—my niece named her. Do you want to pet her?” Daniel asked, bent over and patting the side of the lioness.

spring will come again!

ITALIAN COMMENTARY OF LEWIS HAMILTON WINNING BCN

“On the track where in 1996 Michael Schumacher won his first race in red, thirty years later on the finish line Lewis Hamilton—sir Lewis Hamilton wins the Cataluña gp, his first in Ferrari, his first in red, it’s hammertime ladies and gentleman, it’s emotion, it’s adrenaline”