A Tale of the Chinese Zodiac Empress

Terrifying screams filled the air outside. Lacey closed her hazel eyes, clutching her necklace in the women’s restroom. Heavy footsteps echoed like a stampede of wildebeests spiraling out of control, causing her heart to beat faster from fear and desperation. Her sweaty auburn bangs glued to her forehead from the panic attack and heated weather.

Praying her choice of a hiding place would save her, Lacey reflected on her normal life as a newly turned 16-year-old with friends just an hour ago, before everything went to hell at the tiger exhibit.

Perhaps things were no longer normal after she found the necklace in her front lawn on her birthday two days ago. Growing up as a tomboy, she never cared for jewelry. But she and her twin sister Ashley, who was the complete opposite, were very close and if she asked Lacey to wear fifty necklaces and fifty bracelets, she would tolerate it.

The brown chain was made of unique material that she never seen before. The fragments inside the oval shaped pendant were red, blue, green, and yellow, with a tiny fragment of grey in the middle. They sparkled like gems in the sunlight when she picked it up. The necklace instantly brought up memories of Ashley, so she wore it every day in her honor. It was bad enough Ashley couldn’t live to see her sweet 16 because of cancer. Lacey felt it was probably her doing in finding the necklace as a message; have fun, look a little more like a girl, and not feel broken and alone on their birthday.

Lacey’s idea of fun was going to the zoo with some friends on the weekend. She always liked animals. But she didn’t realize how much the animals liked—or disliked her once they spotted the necklace. Every exhibit they visited was filled with animals acting sporadic around Lacey, as if she was a different species of her own. Some reactions seemed affectionate than others, mainly primates reaching out towards her like a kid reaching for a favorite toy.

But the pendent had an interesting reaction too. The fragments glowed a luminescent display in the sunlight, as if connected to the animals’ energy. Whenever that happened, low grunts and hisses crept in Lacey’s head, causing a slight vertigo. She thought she was going crazy. She almost checked out leaving until her friends encouraged her to make one more visit for her favorite beast, the tiger.

When Lacey and her friends reached the exhibit and spotted her striped friend, everything finally went silent in her head. At that moment, it was just the Tiger and herself in the world, as if seeing each other for the very first time. Hazel eyes stared back at focused, calmed yellow ones as he approached her direction behind the high wired cage. Every muscle moved powerfully as he walked, its golden fur shining brilliantly from the sun. Curiosity flowed through Lacey as she took out her phone, along with the rest of the excited crowd. Everyone was happy with the opportunity for a perfect snapshot.

But the tiger had other plans with his powerful jaws and crushing teeth. He ripped the wired net wide enough to walk through the cage, as if it was plastic. And then he walked straight to Lacey and sat down, face to face.

Another shrieking cry snapped Lacey out of her thoughts. She squatted at the corner by the toilet in the handicap stall. She lost her friends in the frantic crowd and hoped they would make it safe. She couldn’t begin imagining how many casualties would appear on the news the next morning, if she would live to see another morning about it that is.

The sound of running footsteps eventually died down. Lacey wanted to peek outside the restroom but understood it was gambling to step foot out there. After taking a huge breath, she found the strength to move her shaky hand and opened the stall door. At least animals, yet alone a huge cat, couldn’t open doors.

But there he was. Staring right at her soul.

Lacy fell and slowly crawled backwards, tears falling. All she could do was stare at the tiger again, who took each step towards her like he did outside and sat back down. She couldn’t fathom how he found his way in the restroom. This wasn't no ordinary animal. It was a monster. The tiger’s eyes slowly glowed a pale yellow. And so did the necklace.

This was it. Lacey was going to end her birthday weekend by being eaten by her favorite animal. How ironic. Her last thoughts were about her family, friends, and dreams of being a traveling Journalist. The only bright side was that she would be reunited with Ashley. Lacey stopped and bravely sat up straight, looking back at those beautiful, dangerous eyes.

“I’m finally ready”, Lacey whispered.

“Ready for what?”, it responded telepathically.

Lacey gasped and stared harder at the tiger. After a long pause, she asked, “Did you just…talked? In my head?”

“I can understand why you may feel afraid, but you shouldn’t be. It’s really you after all these years. Reincarnated”.

“As whom?”, Lacey slowly asked.

“You are the descendent of the Emperor of the Chinese Zodiac. Our new mother is here to save and lead us all.”

Before Lacey could go any further, seven tranquilizer shots pierced the tiger, causing him to slump on the hard floor. His pleading eyes shifted at Lacey, who helplessly stared back. “Please Empress. You know what you must do”, he slurred before full sleep took over. Police squad marched in the restroom and carefully grabbed Lacey. As they escorted her to paramedics outside, her head started spinning from sheer shock on what had just happened.

The trip to the zoo for her 16th birthday changed Lacey’s life forever. But she survived to see another day and learned three things: she possessed a magical necklace, it granted her the ability to telepathically speak with animals, and she was the reincarnation of a seemingly badass Emperor of the Chinese Zodiac! So many questions lingered in her head, but all she knew was that her journey with animals was just the beginning.

The next morning, the news reported there were no casualties at all during the outbreak. The tiger only had one goal: find the Chinese Zodiac’s beloved Empress.