"The Shot" a Short Story

     Paul McMillan had just finished college and before going out into the real world and getting a job, he wanted to take a trip to Africa. He had dreamed about going and photographing the wild there since he was a kid, and he had finally saved up enough money to do so. A several-day trip to the wild, just Paul and his camera. 

Paul was awakened by the menacing sound of his iPhone alarm. It was 5:45 A.M, the sunrise was at 6:20. Paul was meeting a guide for his personal safari on Kruger National Park’s game reserve at 6:15. He was giddy with excitement and was bouncing around the room while he was getting ready. Today he’d have a chance of fulfilling his lifelong dream of getting a shot of a lion in the wild.

Paul and his guide, John, left the lodge area and started heading out into the wild. John doing his job as a guide pointed out a large desert tarantula hole to Paul.

“No thanks, we don’t need to get any closer to that,” said Paul with a laugh. He was only interested in one thing. The king of the jungle… and more importantly, capturing him with his camera.

“Stop,” John reached his hand out to slow Paul. Something was moving in the brush ahead. John slowly got his gun ready, just in case. There are many predators out here besides lions such as cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, african wild dogs, and more. Then an impala walked out of the brush, seemingly unbothered by the two men. Paul let out a disappointed sigh. Impalas are very similar to North American deer, and he counted at least twenty that they had already seen today. They had been walking for a couple of hours the African sun was leaving its mark on Paul.

“We’ll keep going for another kilometer or so and then head back,” said his guide.

“Okay sounds good,” replied John. It was, however, not “good”. They still hadn’t seen a lion. Granted they’d seen multiple impalas, a pretty cool python, and had an interesting encounter with a hippo at a water hole, they still hadn’t seen what he came to see.

Every step felt like it hurt. The pain of defeat. They were under a kilometer away from the vehicle and Paul hadn’t seen a lion. He had cool pictures, sure, but no AWARD winners, nothing that could get him in a magazine or article. Paul’s thoughts of disappointment were interrupted by John.

“Hey! Look at this!” He waved him over to the tarantula hole they passed earlier. Paul looked down and saw eight glistening eyes staring back at him. He was stunned and nearly dropped his camera.

“How about that picture,” remarked John with a smirk.

Paul quickly fumbled with his camera and took the opportunity to get the picture.

CLICK

He didn’t know it at the time, but that picture would go on to be used in the next National Geographic magazine issue as well as receive multiple nature photography awards and honors. Sometimes the best things in life are the most unexpected ones.