So, I was off again to make a delivery to Lion Country. It was a lonely ride in the truck. The long road leading up to Lion Country was always deserted, but the route was scenic. The isolation gave me time to think of my future. I was lucky to have this job; it paid better than most delivery gigs. It sounded scarier than it was. The work was fairly routine. The clients were unusual, that is all.
       As I was saying, though the pay was fine, it wasn't great. I had two little boys to bring up and I always worried about the future. My company had had a contract with Lion Country for many years, and it seemed like the business was likely to continue for years to come. But maybe they wouldn't want me. I was strong, dependable, and capable, but in my experience that is never enough. Still, this was the best option I had right now, and I planned to stick to it.
       The winding road dipped and rose. The dense foliage on one side and the mountains on the other side kept me company. I drove on and on with my cargo. I had started early, but by the time I neared my destination, the sun was at its fiercest.
       From a particularly high rise in the road, I saw them: the lions.
       Even though it was daytime, from a distance, their eyes seemed to glint like fiery coals. At my first delivery, it had nearly stopped me in my tracks. Up close, though, their eyes looked normal. After a while, one got used to it. Today there were four of them patrolling the road. Four fully grown male lions on the same short stretch of road would be an excessive number of predators for any ecosystem. Not here, though. This was Lion Country.
       The lions noticed my approaching truck and stopped pacing. I slowed my truck down and then brought it to a halt next to one of them. It was Brad. He was the one who dealt with the humans. I rolled down my window.
       "Here for your regular delivery Cindy?" Brad asked.
       "Yes, Brad," I answered.
       "How are the kids?" Brad was jovial. He always made this kind of small talk.
       "All good, Brad," I said.
       "Go on then, young lady, make your delivery," said Brad.
       I started my truck again and drove to the delivery point. A group of younger lions and lionesses 'manned' the delivery area. I pulled off the freshly killed game (killed within the last twenty-four hours, as was clearly stipulated in the contract with my company) from the truck and handed it over to them. They inspected the meat and nodded to me to indicate that all was okay.
       These younger animals did not talk much; they just followed orders. Their job was to keep Brad and the other bosses happy. Smiling and making small talk with me was not part of their job.
       Brad had always displayed genuine enthusiasm upon my arrival. He was scary, too, make no mistake. But he was always generous with his praise for employees and for us humans. He seemed to know a lot about their families and the goings on in their lives. I would have expected the working atmosphere to feel warmer. Yet the younger lions always seemed to have vacant looks on their face, as if they would much rather be somewhere else. No one ever spoke other than the leaders.
       Anyway, Brad had always been nice to me. I had a small request to make of him, so I completed my delivery and turned my truck around. On my way back, I stopped the truck some distance away from Brad. He was deep in conversation with Tony, one of the other adult lions, so I waited for them to finish.
       "What's up?" Tony asked once their conversation was finished.
       "I was wondering," I asked tentatively, "at the next delivery, could I take a pound of meat for my family? Just a pound? Money has been very tight, and the children are growing up fast. I think we have built up a real rapport...."
       I stopped abruptly because I noticed the change that came over their faces. Their eyes seemed to have solidified into hard stones and there was a chilling stillness about them. Neither of them spoke. They just kept staring at me. I thought I heard a low, menacing growl building up in Tony's throat. The hair rose over the back of my neck.
       Brad, forever the suave one, finally spoke. "Cindy, you know how scarce food has been lately. You've always been friendly, and I would love to oblige you, but we are carnivores, after all." He looked at me meaningfully.
       I immediately looked down and said, "I'm sorry, I completely understand. I'm sorry I bothered you." I tried to keep my hands on the wheel from shaking visibly.
       "Oh, it's all right, Cindy, we all make mistakes. You take care of those lovely kids of yours. See you next time." The old Brad was back.
       I turned on the ignition and quickly put some distance between myself and Lion Country. I don't remember how many miles I drove before I was finally able to stop by the wayside and take a breather. My shirt was sticking to my back, my body was still shaking, and my mouth was dry. I sat and took several deep breaths.
       Suddenly, a lot of things started making sense. The haunted looks of the young lions, the way they all seemed to have fresh injuries every time I went for a delivery. I had wondered why they always looked so beaten up despite the plentiful supply of meat that they did not even have to hunt for.
       And finally, I remembered my predecessor, Dave. I never met him, but the reason I got the job was because he had left abruptly. Maybe he, too, had understood some of what I was realizing only now. How long had it taken Dave to look past Brad's cheery greetings and see the truth? How long would it have taken me had I not asked for the favour?
       Lion Country was not what it seemed. I guess once you glimpse the truth, you cannot unsee it. I thought of my future, and waiting tables seemed the better option.