The Magical Menagerie: A Zookeeper's Surprise

Jack Weston loved his job as the head zookeeper at Crescent Park Zoo. Every morning, he arrived at dawn, just as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon. Today, however, felt different. There was an unusual stillness in the air as he pushed open the heavy, iron gates and stepped inside the zoo.

Jack’s first task each morning was to check on the animals in the African savannah exhibit. He was expecting to see the usual crowd of giraffes nibbling on acacia leaves and zebras grazing peacefully. But as he approached, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Instead of giraffes, zebras, and elephants, the exhibit was filled with strange, magnificent creatures.

Right before him stood a creature that looked like a lion, but with wings and a long, spiked tail. It stretched its wings and let out a loud roar that echoed through the empty zoo. Next to it, a group of gazelle-like animals with shimmering silver horns danced lightly on their hooves. A gigantic, green-scaled dragon lay curled around a tree, smoke curling lazily from its nostrils as it snored.

“What in the world…?” Jack muttered to himself, taking a cautious step forward. He knew every animal in this zoo, and these creatures certainly weren’t on the list. As he edged closer, the winged lion watched him with keen, intelligent eyes. Despite its intimidating appearance, Jack sensed no malice, just curiosity.

Suddenly, from behind him, Jack heard a soft giggle. He spun around to see a small, mischievous creature sitting on the edge of a nearby fountain. It looked like a child, but with pointed ears and tiny wings that fluttered like a hummingbird's.

“Hello!” the creature chirped, waving its tiny hand. “Welcome to the new zoo! The Council of Magical Beasts decided it was time for a change.”

“Council of Magical Beasts?” Jack echoed, still trying to wrap his head around what he was seeing. “What are you talking about? Where are all the regular animals?”

The little creature giggled again. “Oh, they’re just on a short vacation. They needed a break, you know? Taking care of humans is exhausting work! So, we decided to step in for a bit.”

Jack blinked. “Taking care of humans? Aren’t I supposed to be taking care of the animals?”

The creature shook its head. “Silly human! You think you’re in charge, but it’s really the animals who take care of you. But now, it’s our turn! We’re here to teach you a thing or two about magic and mystery.”

Jack had always thought he was the caretaker, the one in control, but now, as he stood in the middle of this strange and magical zoo, he wasn’t so sure.

The creature beckoned him closer with a twinkling smile. “Come on, let me show you around. You’re going to love it here!”

As they walked, Jack’s initial shock began to fade, replaced by awe and curiosity. They passed by an enclosure filled with sparkling waters where mermaids and water nymphs splashed playfully. Nearby, a unicorn trotted gracefully, its horn glinting in the sunlight, while a phoenix soared overhead, leaving a trail of golden embers in its wake.

Each creature seemed to belong to a different fairytale or legend, yet here they were, as real as the ground beneath Jack’s feet. He could hardly believe his eyes.

“This is incredible,” Jack breathed. “How is this even possible?”

The little creature looked up at him with bright eyes. “Magic is everywhere, Jack. You just have to know where to look. The world is full of wonders if you’re open to seeing them.”

They continued their tour, and as they did, Jack noticed something remarkable. The magical creatures were not just putting on a show; they were interacting with him, teaching him in their own way. A centaur showed him the ancient art of archery. A sphinx challenged him to a riddle, sparking a deep conversation about wisdom and knowledge.

As the day wore on, Jack realized he was learning more than he ever had from the regular zoo animals. Each creature had its own lesson to impart—about courage, about humility, about the balance of nature.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow over the enchanted zoo, Jack felt a tap on his shoulder. It was the little creature again, now looking a bit more serious.

“It’s almost time,” it said softly.

“Time for what?” Jack asked, a hint of sadness creeping into his voice. He didn’t want this magical day to end.

“For us to go,” the creature replied gently. “The regular animals will be back soon. But don’t worry, Jack. Just because you can’t see us doesn’t mean we’re not here. Magic is all around you, always. Just remember what you’ve learned today.”

Jack nodded slowly, taking one last look around at the magical creatures. He felt a deep sense of gratitude and wonder. “Thank you,” he said. “I won’t forget.”

With a final wave, the little creature fluttered up into the air, and in a swirl of colors and light, it and all the other magical beings vanished, leaving the zoo silent and still.

The next morning, Jack returned to find everything back to normal. The giraffes were nibbling on leaves, the zebras were grazing, and the elephants were lazily splashing in the water. But Jack felt different. He knew now that the world was much more mysterious and magical than he’d ever imagined.

And every so often, when no one else was around, he thought he could hear the faint rustle of wings or a soft giggle, reminding him of the magical day when Crescent Park Zoo became a menagerie of wonders.

“Before I start the tour there will be a preliminary contract-“ says Dave in a monotonous voice that hasn’t changed intensity since we met a couple of minutes ago. He hands me a clipboard with at least five pages. I notice the long dark scar along his hand but try to ignore it.

“You need to sign this if you want to continue,” he drones.

I’m not much of a reader, so I briefly scan through the pages. The words burn, loss of limbs, drowning, poisoning, psychological disorders, hallucinations, blindness, kidney failure, exposure to raidiation, cancer, and other diseases I can’t pronounce shout at me, but the main thing that catches my attention are the words in big bold:

WE WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE

No wonder they’re short of employees.

But the pay is good.. plus, its probably just so they don’t get sued. How bad can it be?

Dave hands me a pen. I click it on, and scribble my name on the page in the back.

“Well I guess I should.. give you a tour now.” says Dave in his flat tone.

He glances at his own clipboard, squints his eyes, then proceeds to lead me down the hall.

The concrete floors have random stains, and a smell of manure and lemon scented cleaner attack my senses. Dave reaches a door and types in some kind of code before it clicks open. He leads me inside.

“Here is where you will sanitize yourself and put on your protective gear before entering the hall with our exibits.”

Dave picks up a box of clear safety goggles. “You will wear these at all times. If you should choose to not, we are not responsible.”

I put on the safety goggles as Dave opens a large metal door to enter a hallway. “We will now be entering our aquatic zone.” He points to a large dark tank to the right.

“Here is where we keep our sirens—when feeding them you need to wear headphones, of course. If you should choose to not, we are not responsible. The siren’s feed ‘does not’ consist of human body parts.”

“Why did you do the finger quotation marks for ‘does not’?”

Dave blinks. “It’s required by law.”

“Good to know.”

Dave continues walking, pointing to a seperate tank. “And here’s our kraken, Bill.”

“Where is he, exactly?”

“He’s afraid of the light, so he’s usually near the bottom of the tank.”

“How deep is the tank?”

“40 meters.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Only our diving team deals with Bill.”

I raise a brow, walking closer to the tank. “And this thing really keeps him in?”

“Don’t get too close. If should choose to, we are—“

“Not responsible.” I finish for him, smirking a bit.

“Exactly,” drones Dave, clearly not amused. “Now let’s move on.”

Dave continues walking, showing off the many creatures and their quirks. Throughout the exhibits I experience man-eating birds, unicorns, dragons, ‘not’ dinosaurs (Dave said this was, also, required by law of him to say). Chupacabras, giant lizards, winged jaguars, and many others. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Dave shows me the hatchery, veterinarian clinic, examination rooms, food storage, and ‘discovery’ rooms, which, when peering inside the tiny window in the door, I can see a scientist team decked head to toe in protective gear setting off a blinding light. Dave only says, “it’s legal,” before directing me away.

At the end of the tour, Dave says, “So, ya interested?”

“Yeah.. but Dave, how much of this is actually, uh.. I mean, how do you guys do all this stuff?”

Dave squints at me, and responds in his flatline tone, “We have permits,” before he judges my expression. “So you want the job or not?”

“Heck yeah.”

Moony the Moth Cat(she)

• Likes pets
• gives meaningful advice
• loves back-scratches Buzz the Flower Dog(she)
• Mischief and trouble
• first to a place
• not knowing what to do
• blamed for most things Shredder the Bird Buck(he) -authority figure
• would do anything as long as it’s by the rules Oso the Ice Bear(he)
• Leader
• elder
• mentor
• never questioned
• always right Vortex the Warrior Seal(he)
• old soldier
• seen shit
• keeps his mouth shut until provoked Bobbi the Gem Bunny(she)
• Quiet but intelligent
• strong opinions
• always called upon for a definite answer Copper the Flame Squirrel(he)
• Deep as a puddle

(thank you again Shadow🖤💚) ꧁----------꧂ Copper grabbed a nut from the table beside him and began nibbling on it. His red tail flicked and he glanced toward the carved wooden stairs behind him.

A smaller female squirrel scampered down the steps. "Hi dad." she chirped.

Copper smiled slightly. "Hello my darling. Come have some nuts before you go to school."

"Actually dad, I'm not hungry today." she whispered.

"What's wrong Pumpkin? Are you sick?" Copper fretted.

Pumpkin sighed. "No dad I'm just not hungry."

"Okay well you'll tell your principal if something is wrong and I'll be there in a flash if she calls me, alright?" Copper said.

Pumpkin smiled and left.

Copper nibbled on his last nut and rushed upstairs. He flung his closet door open and removed a black robe. He quickly tightened the red piece around his waist and slipped a dagger through it so it wouldn't fall out.

Then he went back downstairs and stopped at the door. He put his hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath. He nodded to himself, opened the door, and slammed it behind him.

Copper scampered on all fours past tree after tree. Eventually, the tree house showed through the leaves. He stumbled to the entrance and went inside.

He found his cube and scribbled some notes on the paper before him. After a while, his eyes grew droopy and a few minutes later, he was asleep.

Copper awoke to banging on his desk. "Wha-?"

"Copper, this letter came in for you. Go ahead and leave early. It seems important." His boss handed him an envelope and pat his back before going back to his office.

Copper flipped the thing back and forth. He ripped the seal and pulled the paper out. As he read, he pushed his chair in and left.

Outside the treehouse office, Copper gasped at the realization of what was truly going on.

He immediately followed the instructions at th bottom of the letter and made his way to the large stone doors.

Copper nervously knocked on the door and a cheery looking cat opened the door. She flicked her wings when she saw him.

"Hello there! Welcome to the court! I'm glad you decided to join us. Come in come in, please!" she exclaimed.

Copper followed her and watched her float up to the table high above. He glanced around the room and gulped. Large hooves stomped the ground and loud voices filled the room like an argument was going on.

Copper took a deep breath and climbed up one of the wooden posts. He stood on the table and watched as a buck slammed one of his hooves on the table and shouted at a dog with a flower around her neck and bees buzzing about.

"You are always causing problems, Buzz! Why do you have to be the most problematic here!" The buck shouted.

"Because I..." Buzz lifted a paw and placed it over her flower. "I am Buzz. A valuable part of this team. Just like everyone else. If I wasn't here, y'all wouldn't be who you are today. It's called being a good character, thank you very much."

As Jake entered the zoo for his first day at the job, he did not want to mess up on anything. He wanted to prove he was the right employee for this place. He entered and saw all of the animals and marveled that he would be working here. He had dreamed to be a zoologist but there were still some things that mystified him.

He walked into the zoo and went to the clerk. She was a short woman, long black hair, and white glasses. She wore a red dress that complemented her red lips.

“Hey, I am here for my first day of the job! My name is Jake Kale.” The woman looked at him and than wrote something on her computer. He stood there awkwardly waiting for the woman to tell him something.

When he looked at the clerk, she rose an eyebrow at the computer, looking at him, then back at the screen.

“Well, you, my friend, have been designated to work in room 777, 7 floors down.”

I became confused and looked at her for more answers but she had resumed her work, so he went to the elevator; just around the corner and entered it. He pressed the number seven and as it started to go down it hummed. The elevator lobby music played as Jake waited to arrive at floor 7.

When the number turned to seven, he expected to see a room with offices and thinking he applied for the wrong job but when the double doors slid open, he was awestruck.

He saw a massive expanse of green land. This was not a room or floor. This was a whole other world. He saw hills and mountains and forests covering the land. The sun was up and clouds were floating with no care in the world.

Jake stepped out of the elevator warily and touched the green grass. The elevator disappeared behind him and he started to get worried. He looked forward and walked, trying to find someone.

After a few minutes, he came to a a wooden cabin that looked like it was brand new. He knocked on the door expecting someone to answer, but the door swung open letting him in. He entered the place and looked around. He saw a kitchen, dining table, couches, a bathroom, and a cozy bed all in the same room.

He walked over to the table and saw a note on it. It read:

“Hello Jake Kale!!! I have seen that you have made it to your new home! When I hired you, I knew I saw something special in you, almost magical, and I knew that you would be the perfect person to take care of this world. You will find that the refrigerator will always be full and you will always have water and heat in this place. I trust you, Jake!! Don’t let me down!”

At that, the note ended and Jake was shaking. He would not be able to go back to Earth but he also didn’t have any family or friends. This was his new home now. He went out of the cabin; to see the house surrounded by magical, beautiful beasts that were looking at him.

“We wanted to welcome you to our humble abode, human. I hope you will be able to keep this world as the previous did!” Said one of the beasts that was currently flying.

“I will try my best!” Said Jake flabbergasted by the talking animals.

“Good! Well, we will see you later! Welcome… to the land of Ashlock!”

The first thing he thought when he first arrived at his new career was that he must’ve accidentally swallowed magic mushrooms for breakfast or something. Otherwise, he had no idea how he was face-to-face with a dragon right now.

When Quinn Simmons first decided to sell his life to this random zoo in San Francisco, he was expecting a lot of animal crap to clean up and loss of sleep from having to feed unsufferably loud parrots for the foreseeable future. Yet when he first pulled into that parking lot, he already knew something was up. Hardly any cars were there, not to say the place wasn’t popular, it was.

In the place of your typical Toyota or Nissan were surprisingly elegant carriages made up of all colors of the pastel rainbow, elaborately decorated with gold accents, silver accents, basically anything that told the world, “I’m rich as hell, and probably obsessed with Sanrio too.”

Then when Quinn went up to the front gate, it was this enormous drawbridge, he didn’t even realize there was a large moat surrounding the entire place. It was hard to see to the bottom, the entire place was foggy, but he could’ve sworn he saw the Loch Ness Monster before he passed the threshold.

Then some winged guy accidentally bumped into him and he fell all the way into the dragon enclosure. And from the look on that creature’s face, this wasn’t going to be a How To Train Your Dragon scenario.

“Well shit—“

REST IN PEACE QUINN SIMMONS 2000 - 2024 lol

Sometimes life is a breeze Like the wind Blowing through the trees Sometimes it’s a raging storm Unable to control Leaving us battered and torn Sometimes it’s sadness and pain Wondering if we will Ever feel whole again Sometimes we feel all alone Lost in a world We cannot call home Sometimes we are full of fear Haunting our minds Unaware of what’s near Sometimes life might seem unfair But in reality It’s all part of a dare Sometimes it’s time to let go Plant your roots And let the soul grow Sometimes a lesson to embrace Through ups and downs We must face The twists and turns Embrace the journey Sometimes life really churns Time to look for more dignity To question our thoughts on All of this negativity Sometimes is now please.

Beautiful creature Wings to fly Delicate feature Soaring up high

Soft and gentle Feathers of silk Earth of middle Cream of milk

Beautiful creature Fangs of nails Please dont fear her Protection form hell

“Don’t be nervous. This is a job that you are qualified for. Act like it.”

The self pep talk doesn’t make her feel better, but she opens the door anyway.

The interior surprises her. There is a huge open space with absolutely no one. The floors are covered in grass (maybe it’s fake?). The walls look like the roughness of tree bark.

“Hello?”

As she walks more into the room, there are tall windows on both sides of the space. Peering into the enclosure to the left, a burst of colors startles her. She almost falls over her own feet as she backs away.

The colors plaster to the glass until it just fades. It doesn’t drip and make a mess. It’s just gone.

Once it disappears, a majestic white horse is in her view. A sparkling silver horn sits on its head like a regal crown.

A thump from above has her craning her head upwards. She hadn’t even noticed the glass on the ceiling.

A dragon with stunning green scales plops onto the window, so she can see its soft yellow underbelly.

She slowly turns to her right and it is filled with water. Not the murky aquarium water but crystal blue ocean.

A ginormous octopus/squid swims by, its tenacles extending and narrowing. Her breath hitches as the sheer size of this creature is astonishing.

Where the hell was she? Did she die on the way to her zoo job?

“You didn’t die, Posie.”

A woman (at least she thinks is a woman, who knows anymore) is strutting towards her like there aren’t magical myths all around.

“You have the gift of the Sight.” Posie wonders if anything will ever make sense again.

“The Sight?”

“You can see beyond the possibles of this world. You can see magic.” She begins to walk, and Posie sprints to catch up.

“So what does eveyone else see?” She questions, genuinely curious how this all works. With a slight pause, Posie thinks the woman isn’t going to answer.

“A normal zoo. The protectors, that’s us, are the ones that can see past that. You have been chosen to be an Overseer,” she finally replies.

“Why me?”

“Because you are special. You have a spark in you that allows you to see the magic in the world.” The woman kneels down and picks up a bunny with antlers shooting out from its head.

“What does an Overseer do?”

“Take care of the animals of course. Work with them. They will accept you if you accept them, so do you accept this?” The woman holds intense eye contact with Posie, never even blinking.

Looking around at the mythical creatures, the wings, fire, and magic lit something within her.

“When do I start?”

Two years two years, I say whispering to myself and regret I’ve been working as gas station cashier for two years five bucks an hour barely can pay rent. It’s time for me to leave. Maybe if I go somewhere I can have better luck. maybe… I packed my bags put the boxes in the truck and slam the door. I run and go get gas and I’m off a picture of spend two nights in my car and then stop somewhere and that’s where I’ll be maybe even more nights. Better than here better than this town better than the garbage that flows through the air and hits you in the face while walking through a park better than barking dogs in the apartment beside you on the prices at Walmart better somewhere better than here. I drive and drive and drive and drive and drive finally, I see a sign zoo 20 miles ahead . A zoo maybe that’s just what I need a zoo something to cheer me up live animals happy animals sounds of elephants and zebras running monkeys, making noises while climbing trees. I always thought that shoes were the best they’re just filled with happiness happy animals,happy people. take a turn and drives towards the zoo, hoping it doesn’t cost so much for a ticket. I don’t know how much I can afford a number to myself quietly and under my breath. About five minutes later I see the zoo sign. I park about seven rows back. The walk feels like forever even though it doesn’t take that long I get in there and The only people there are are the people supposed to be checking in tickets but they’re just on their phones in the corner. I sneeking through without them noticing. it’s really not that hard I look around. I hear the Russian noises of pop gargling on the ground strollers, moving kids, screaming monkey zebra!! I breathe all and then seconds it all changes elephants have wings. The horses are unicorns. The rabbits are up red pandas are Giants. It’s a magical zoo, I whisper under my breath with a sigh of happiness as all my problems disappear into the noise of the magical zoo.

Blinking its three large onyx eyes, the creature, roughly the size and shape of a Volkswagen, shimmied on its singular fleshy footpad. Its coat of bright blood corkscrew coils glinted cochineal under the over head fluorescents. Newly hired zookeeper Astrid Culpepper gulped. Two of the creature’s three eyes narrowed at the sound.

“What the what, now,” Astrid squeaked instinctively her mind reaching for someone—anyone—to wake her from this nightmare. “Is this thing real? What’s going on!”

Dr. Thord Nelson lightly patted the new hire’s elbow in a way he hoped was comforting but not inappropriate. Astrid startled then the creature startled then Astrid startled again. According to the discussion among the exobiologists, direct animal introduction was the most efficient way to explain the mission of Project 57 and orient new staff. Thord was reconsidering this tactic as the new zookeeper inched backwards towards the exit door.

Leaving a powdery lavender trail on the ceramic tiled room’s floor, the creature began to slide backwards as well. Astrid halted. Her eyes wide with concern.

“They’re frightened,” Astrid said.

Maintaining eye contact, she stooped slightly drawing in her arms to appear smaller. The creature studied her curious stance. The new zookeeper inched closer.

Astrid had received an email about this job as caretaker to a wealthy rare animal collector’s menagerie. She’d been interviewed over Skype, loving the adventure of moving to the desert to care for animals in a rich guy’s mansion. Her friend Danielle said it sounded suss but the offer for full coverage medical insurance with dental could not be denied. Her moving expenses covered, Astrid packed and shipped her belongings and boarded a plane on a first class ticket.

The trip from the airport to the site I had been trilling. Bisecting the oceans of sand in a dark sedan with dark tinted windows, Astrid thought of the animals that would soon be under her care. Snake wrangling at age four, she had been raised in Florida on her Uncle Lasse’s gas station/viperarama.

Astrid had groomed dogs to pay her way through college. In small petting zoos up to working with big cats, bears, and the fiercest of all baby-faced pygmy loris, Astrid was most at home in a wildlife terrain. High and tight crew cut, the silent driver who drove her through the electric fence looked ex-military. She hadn’t given it a second thought.

The house was a mid-century curiosity reminiscent of a 1950s style spacecraft in a cheesy sci fi flick. Once inside, the cool metallic interiors gave Astrid serious laboratory vibes. This wasn’t anyone’s home: it was a compound with several smaller one story pre-fab buildings and bespoke tiny homes. Her every step created more questions. Until Dr. Nelson slide open the door to a temperature controlled tiled animal enclosure.

Focusing on calming the creature, Astrid extended an open hand to be sniffed. The creature froze and then slowly leaned in. A proboscis, sticky plum, shot out and wrapped her hand in a velvety squeeze. No sudden moves, Astrid repeated to her lizard brain.

“What does it eat?”

“Whatever it wants, fond of plastic. But the optimal diet we’ve learned is polystyrene,” Thord said.

Never looking away, Astrid held out her hand. Thord looked confused. Astrid felt his chest and took a pen from his shirt pocket. She twirled it. The creature wiggled with excitement. The exobiologist nodded okay. With a gentle gesture she offered the pen to the creature. Unfurling, the proboscis flitted to the other hand and curled around it. Its whole body shimmied. With a hiccup the pen was sucked into the creature. Astrid laughed in surprise.

The creature purred. It settled by Astrid’s foot and seemed to be chewing. Kneeling, the zookeeper laid her hands on its cool soft coat.

“So there is no millionaire. That is your cover story for family and friends. In 1959 an intelligent alien species, commonly known as the Greys, made first contact. In 2021, yada yada yada they gifted us this ark of incredible animals. They needed to be rehomed, the Greys explained. As scientists, we have studied them, derived certain vital technological advances from physiological structures. We realized we needed—they needed more….” Thord trailed away.

“What do you call this curly haired ginger?”

“THX-12a-2021 is called THX-12a-2021. It is classified as a chimeric female interestingly she will lay eggs and hatch smaller males, mate, and then oviposite these fertilized eggs inside the males for gestation for live birth in theory. She makes nests in the shredded fiberglass but no eggs. We are following the instructions from the Greys.”

“Who’s a good alien, who’s a good alien? You are, yes you are. You don’t follow any silly instructions do you Desilu? You want to have fun not babies.”

Astrid was giving good scritchy scratches and the newly christened Desilu arched and preened. The purring grew louder.

“So I take it you are staying, Ms. Culpepper.”

“If I say no do you zapped me with a mind-erasing ray?” Astrid said with a laugh.

Thord didn’t laugh.

“Yes.”

Nodding Thord tapped on his tablet.

"Excellent, I’ve sent the complete animal profiles to your work tablet in your quarters, a restored vintage 1953 Air Cloud trailer. My research said that umm unusual choice would best suit you.”

“Excellent Dr. Nelson but don’t think I’ve forgotten about that yada yada yada or the mind-erasing rays. Let’s table those for now and complete the tour, shall we.”

She gave Desilu a see you soon pat. Desilu rubbed her forehead on Astrid’s shoe and slurped the plastic aglets off her work boots. They headed for the door. The purring reverberated along the smooth metal hallway. Astrid felt like a shaken can of cola.

“Now the next specimen is really unusual,” Thord said.