Big Samson: Fire and Fury

By Pervaiz Salik

A genetic abnormality transforms Big Samson into a man-lion (complete with a tail). He is captured and put into London Zoo but manages to escape to Pakistan, where disability and abnormality are ignored and accepted. Big Samson is determined to live his life in human society. However, his animal nature is always dominant, and he quickly makes three deadly enemies, determined to destroy him and his family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pervaiz Salik
• Release date: Jan 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005550165

Pervaiz Salik

I have an honours degree in Mathematics from the Open University and taught in Scotland before gaining an M.A. in English Literature. I taught English to O Level International GCSE Cambridge students for 14 years in Pakistan and was Head of Department there. My Haiku on Cultural Diversity is published in UNESCO’S Cultural Report 2000. My story of Big Samson The Big Lion (in a much shorter form) was accepted for publication by Oxford University Press, but never published for technical reasons. Currently, I have published about 12 e-books on the teaching of English, novels, short stories and poetry. My Spelling book was ranked number 1 in its category on Amazon. My interests include chess, badminton, bridge and astronomy. (Pervaiz Salik)

Book preview

Big Samson: Fire and Fury

Pervaiz Salik

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

First edition. Decenber 2021.

Published by Pervaiz Salik

Copyright © 2021 Pervaiz Salik.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: The Escape and Freedom

Chapter 2: The Lion Versus the Lawyer and the Butcher

Chapter 3: The Two Lions

Chapter 4: Family Joys and a Secret Meeting

Chapter 5: Another Plot Is Hatched

Chapter 6: The Butcher: Greed and Desperation

Chapter 7: Kidnapped

Chapter 8: The Big Fight

Chapter 9: A Beauty Contest

Chapter 10: The Accident

Chapter 11: Raja Goes to High School

Chapter 12: Raja Smokes and Drinks

Chapter 13: Girls, Girls, Girls

Chapter 14: An Old Friend and Another Plot

Chapter 15: The Relationship Prospers

Chapter 16: Raja Returns to School

Chapter 17: Marriage and After

Chapter 18: New City, Old Problems

Chapter 19: An Unwelcome Visitor and His Threats

Chapter 20: The Meeting and Its Consequences

Chapter 21: Exams and the Aftermath

Chapter 22: Unexpected Results; Big Problems

Chapter 1: The Escape and Freedom

London Zoo, famous worldwide: The animals are resting peacefully in the early morning, just after dawn. It is bitterly cold; plumes of fog rise upwards in a spiral dance.

A lonely zookeeper wheels a trolley full of meat for the animals, mostly asleep. He enters a lion cage and is about to throw in a large leg of meat. Suddenly, he is attacked, his greatcoat grabbed by the collar and pulled over his head like a bedsheet. He is unceremoniously bundled into a dark corner of the cage. The perpetrator is a lion-man called Big Samson.

‘This greatcoat is ideal for hiding my identity as well as protecting me from the cold. This wallet will come in handy too.’

At the airport, an officer checks his papers and gives him his boarding pass. Big Samson sits alone in a centre seat. He wears black glasses and a Panama hat. His features show his excitement as he reads an Urdu phrase book.

After eight long hours, the plane lands safely in Karachi, Pakistan. Unable to contain his joy, Big Samson expresses his feelings openly.

‘Pakistan, here I come! Free at last from the zoo. No one cares about abnormality or disability here. I can live my life as I please.’

The second stage of the journey is by train. Big Samson sleeps soundly in the comfortable cabin of the express train. (He travels first class, of course.)

He arrives in Bahawalpur town, where a small stray goat happens to cross his path. As it is breakfast time, he feels excruciatingly hungry. He grabs the goat and devours it.

‘Delicious. That’s what I’ve been missing all these years in London Zoo.’

Big Samson observes with great interest the people, the exotic animals (camels, oxen, horses, donkeys) and his new surroundings. Time passes so quickly.

The sun now blazes fiercely. Big Samson looks around for some shelter. He sees a beautiful house with a silver plaque belonging to a crooked lawyer called Afzal Muhammad. Everybody hates him because he is sly and would charge double if he sensed that the unfortunate person coming to see him is desperate for help.

‘Nobody would mind if I took this house.’

He knocks at the door, answered by a girl servant. She screams and runs away. Three more servants appear – and disappear – in panic as they hear Big Samson roar! Wearing pyjamas, half-asleep and staggering, Afzal almost bumps into the lion.

‘RAAAAARRRRR!’

‘AHAAAAAAAAH!’

Afzal does a fifty-metre dash out of the house, now empty of all humans. Big Samson shuts the door and goes inside.

‘Wonderful! Wonderful! All mine!’ he says while touring the house.

Next, Big Samson sits in front of the television, very close, and watches with great delight the wrestling matches – until the electricity supply is disconnected. The government calls this phenomenon load shedding. He goes to sleep.

Big Samson likes his sleep very much. Often, he would not wake up before eleven o’clock in the morning. When he does get up, he always feels hungry. Although he wants to find food in the afternoon, lions do not like to walk in the heat, so Big Samson sleeps during the afternoon, just like most people do.

Chapter 2: The Lion Versus the Lawyer and the Butcher

Big Samson is fast asleep. The clock, showing 11 am, rings out loudly. Instinctively, his paw reaches out from under the blanket and turns it off.

Minutes later, stomach rumbling, he is forced to get up. He goes out by the back door. A stray goat crosses his path. He grabs it and takes it indoors to eat before going back to sleep. At dinner time, Big Samson's belly again complains, forcing him to go out to find some food.

Walking along the main street, he notices a butcher who sits, legs crossed, on a large solid table that serves as a worktop.

Nearby, tied to a tree, six goats are happily munching leaves.

Big Samson's mouth waters as he eyes the goats.

‘Are these goats for sale?’

‘Yes.’ The butcher smiles broadly at his customer. He may be able to go home early for a change. The smile disappears as he sees Big Samson untie the rope and casually walk away with three goats.

Enraged, the butcher jumps off the table, races after the lion, and yanks its mane. He shouts:

‘You have to pay for these! Give me my money!’

Big Samson snaps at his hand, growls menacingly, and opens his mouth to eat the butcher. Two ladies waiting desperately for meat intervene.

‘Please let him go.’

‘No!’

‘We've known him for years. He's a good person.’

‘Why did he pull my hair? I would have paid him later.’

‘I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean it.’ The butcher addresses the ladies with his reply.

Big Samson’s face almost touches the butcher as he grabs his collar.

‘Nobody – not even another lion – has ever pulled my hair. I will KILL anyone who does that!’

Cowering, the butcher meekly makes a conciliatory offer.

‘You can have the goats free.’

Big Samson releases his grip somewhat and slyly presses home his advantage.

‘And how many goats a day after that?’

‘One.’

‘Four.’

‘Two.’

‘Three.’

Both parties shake hands on three. Big Samson goes home with his prize goats to eat and sleep.

The sun blazes down on a hot afternoon in June. It is 3 pm; not a soul is outside. Big Samson is snoring under a big ceiling fan.

KNOCK! KNOCK! – A loud knocking at the door.

Big Samson opens one eye for an instant. He then goes back to sleep.

KNOCK! KNOCK! – A louder knocking at the door.

Big Samson's other eye opens – and closes. He again goes back to sleep.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!! – A continuous urgent knocking, thunderously loud.

Big Samson opens both eyes. He listens with ears cocked to make sure that someone is there and falls asleep again.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!!

‘Who’s that at this time!’ Big Samson roars. He yawns as he opens the door.

‘A lion! Run for your lives!’

Eight policemen had knocked at the door; eight policemen now wished they