"Devon meets Max Lyon " Part One By Firestorm Six .......... I sat here just staring out the tiny window at the rain dripping off the ragged , leaking roof, . . lost in my own depression, wondering what's out there, being so isolated as i was, sort of trapped in this small town isolation here in a desolate part of cold northern Ontario, thinking to myself; " There must be a better world out there for me, as i was un-employed, & on the brink of getting evicted from this deteriorating apartment that i could no longer afford,...."Thats it ! I had enough ! ,i yelled, It's time I went to seek a better life elsewhere, maybe somewhere near Toronto, or the United States, anywhere but here. Though I never knew much about the world and the changes that may have taken place over the last fiew years, as I never had a TV or telephone, and the only radio channel i got was a local one, this didn't darken my dream of adventure ! I jumped up from the rikety chair that fell apart from under me as I moved, and started to grab my things, i never had much, just a duffle full of my clothes, a dented-up tool box with a fiew rusted tools inside, an old sleeping bag, a small box containing a fiew sentimental family items and my drawings i done as a hobby, then tossed them in my late father's 1967 Mustang. He loved his car, he named it "Anabelle", after my late mother who passed away when i was only three years old. It was his pride & joy, and told me to keep it if anything happened to him, he died in a mining accident two years ago at a mining camp forty miles north of here. A little dented and rusty,but runs good ! So i grabbed the fiew items i have, including about $ 170 i saved up in an old cookie jar, threw them in the car, and started south, never looking back; in search for a new world that i have never seen before. I drove for about ten hours until i pulled into a gas station somwhere near Sudbury Ontario, I asked an attendant how far it was to Toronto , he said; "About 7 to 8 hours south/west fella, just follow hwy. 4 to 11, then turn left on hwy. 11, then follow it south. By the way,be carefull, the highway is dark and treacherous from here on", Thank you sir; i quoted, so i filled up the car,grabbed a coffee, and hit the road again. It was about three hours after the gas stop, i started to feel quite tired , i would set the alarm on an old wind up clock i placed on the dash board to scare me awake every 15 minutes, as the radio hasn't worked for years. My eyes were getting very heavy, as stubborn as i was, i kept driving. It must have been about 2:00 AM , i was hypnotized by the passing lines on the road as i never seen another car for hours,........the alarm must not have worked............the next thing i knew the car jolted to the left after hitting the guard rail on my right with a loud screech of cold steel on concrete, then a jolting, deafening crash ! I woke up trying to gather my senses, it was pitch dark, only the wind through the shattered windows & a hissing sound from the engine broke the silence of the night. I felt my face with my left hand , it felt numb, only to see the glimmer of blood running down my hand in the moonlight. Even though it was only about 20 minutes since the crash it felt like hours, I was ready to give, I thought i would surely die here as i had nowwhere to go, no money, no one to call, and my car was wrecked. I sat slumped over in pain praying to god to god to take me, when all of a sudden i seen headlights pull up behind me, i couldn't see who it was as i tried to wipe the blood from my eyes, all i could hear is the deep rumble of a V-8, then i heard the door open. I could see the shadow of a very large figure walk twards my driver side window, i could only pick out his unusual shape in the moonlight as he got closer, i noticed he looked different, when he got to my broken window i was shocked at what i saw, it wasn't a man, but a huge lion ! he put his paw-hand on my door ledge and looked in at me with a flashlight. I sat shivering in pain thinking to myself; "well it wasn't bad enough to crash and probally die from injuries, but i had a huge lion that would probally reach in and grab me with his enormous teeth & pull me out, tear me to pieces, and devour me piece by piece, until there was nothing left but blood stains,....... but then he spoke, in a deep voice,......."Are you alright sir, don't be afraid, i am here to help you" I sat there stunned, scared to look at him or speak, i could see his tawny fur & glimmering teeth in the headlights of his truck, he then said; "My name is Max, youre goung to be OK sir, i'm gonna' help you out of here, what is your name ?" My name is Devon , please help me" as it was painful to speak . " Do you think you could walk Devon ?" Yes, i think i'm ok, only my face & right arm hurt " He then managed to pry the door open..........he gently helped me to my feet holding me as i limped to the pasenger seat of the truck. As he gently wiped the blood from my face, I continued to thank for his kindness, and explained that i have no money & nowhere to go, " Don't worryDevon, i'm happy to help you, I will call my sister to meet us at my place, she's got paramedics training, she will check you out to make sure you are ok, you can stay at my house tonight and i will call a friend to come out to get your car". As we drove to his house, i caught myself staring, " Oh i'm sorry Max for staring", "That's ok, most humans from the north are usually suprised and nervous, until they see how friendly and civilized we are now" he laughs. When we got to his place , I limped out of the big Yukon 4x4, to be greeted by a lioness, his sister Elsa, she helped me inside and sat me on the couch, checking me over, she cleaned up the gaping wound on my face, then lightly applied a bandage. "You are fine Devon, just a bit bruised up, I have a bed fixed up in the spare room for you, all you need is some rest, I can sense you are very exausted", she said in a gentle voice. Then to my suprise again the door opened , and in walked a huge tiger !"Hello Anthony", said Max, "Devon, this is Anthony, he got your car towed here, it's parked across the street at our garage". "Hello Devon", as he reached down with a huge paw-hand and shook my trembling hand. feeling tired , Elsa helped me limp up the stairs "Goodnight Devon, we will see you in the morning", said Max & Anthony. "The washroom is here if you want a shower, and this is your bedroom there", Elsa speaks softly, I will come over and fix you breakfast in the morning, I do it just about every day for Max and the others, i live just next door", .........Now , thinking to myself, breakfast ?what do do these big cats eat now, my mind wandering strangely, thinking of a fresh kill of deer, or elk, " What would you like ? golden pankakes, or eggs & bacon with toast ?:, Elsa spoke, (suprised again !) "Pankakes would be fine Elsa, thank you very much for what you & Max have done for me, you have been so kind, what can i do to re-pay you ?","Don,t Devon , wer'e just happy to help someone in need, have a good night , i will see you in the morning, be carefull withe bandage on your head",She gives me a gentle hug, then quietly closes the bedroom door. Thinking to myself again, wondering if this is all a dream, i touches the bandage, .........OUCH ! this is real ! I kept thinking about tomorow, as an interesting day it was going to be ! I slowly dosed off to sleep.................... To be Continued: in part "2" (c) 2002 Firestorm Six