Tiger by the Tail by Eric Walters Page B

backwards. I closed my eyes. My ears were filled with the sound of running feet and loud voices.
    “EVERYBODY STOP!” Mr. McCurdy yelled and then everything went quiet.
    I opened one eye and then the other. I looked up and saw nothing but fur. Orange and black fur. I was lying on the ground, underneath Buddha. I closed my eyes again and went completely rigid.
    “It’s okay, just be calm,” Mr. McCurdy said. I wasn’t sure whether he was talking to me or to Buddha. Probably both.
    “It’s okay, Sarah, let me take the rope,” Mr. McCurdy said gently.
    I reached up both hands and I felt him take the rope.“Now just get up, Sarah. Everything is fine, thanks to you.”
    I squiggled to one side and then rose to my knees. Mr. McCurdy was leading the tiger away. The chain was dragging on the ground behind him. Nick was sitting on the ground by the car. Calvin was in the back seat of one of the patrol cars, only the top of his head and his eyes peeking out. The police officers were much closer now. Two of them were leading away the man who had taken our picture. I heard him yelling about the “freedom of the press.” A third officer followed behind carrying the camera. I watched as they brought the man over to a patrol car and placed him in the back seat.
    I turned back to Mr. McCurdy and Buddha. Buddha followed obediently behind. They stopped at the rear bumper of the car.
    “Come on, come on, boy,” Mr. McCurdy ordered.
    Buddha hesitated for a second and then jumped up and into the open trunk. The car sagged and groaned under the weight. Mr. McCurdy leaned into the trunk as far as he could get without actually climbing in. Nicholas got to his feet and stood beside the trunk.
    “Here, take this,” Mr. McCurdy said as he handed my brother the heavy chain. Slowly Mr. McCurdy lowered the lid and then let it click closed. The captain appeared out of nowhere and vigorously shook Mr. McCurdy’s hand. Other officers walked up and surrounded Mr.McCurdy. He disappeared in the middle of a huddle of blue uniforms. Nicholas climbed into the front seat of the car. I felt a hand slip into one of mine and I looked up to see Calvin. He pulled on my arm and I was gently, but firmly, yanked to my feet. He held onto my hand and led me to the car.
    I looked over the long trunk at the cluster of people. Mr. McCurdy finally emerged and rounded the side of the car. He climbed in and started it up. The crowd of officers parted and Mr. McCurdy slowly backed it up. Pulling free from the parked patrol cars he brought the car to a stop, changed gears and started it in motion forward. Suddenly the captain was standing on the road, right in front of us, blocking the way, waving his arms. Mr. McCurdy stopped the car and the captain strolled to the driver’s side of the vehicle.
    “Where can we get a hold of you?” the captain asked.
    “Why?”
    “It’s good to know, just in case we have another dangerous animal situation,” he answered.
    “Just ask the chief,” Mr. McCurdy answered. “We have to get the tiger into a cage before the medication wears off.”
    He put the car into drive and we started to move again.
    We picked up speed quickly. I looked behind and was relieved to see the officers and their cars getting smallerand smaller. Turning forward I saw another patrol car coming toward us. In the few seconds between the time I could see the driver and the time that it passed, I recognized Officer Sinopoli. He waved hello.
    “Sarah, can you pull down on that lever on the seat between you and Calvin, there,” Mr. McCurdy asked.
    “What’s it for?”
    “When you remove that section it lets light and fresh air into the trunk for Buddha.”
    I looked over and saw the handle. I pulled it and a small section of the back of the seat popped out, leaving a black hole that led into the trunk. I couldn’t see Buddha. I couldn’t see anything. Then as I watched I caught sight of motion and a large black nose pressed itself against the