Elephant Run

Nick walks down to the village. On the way there, he runs into a Buddhist monk, who doesn't speak back when Nick speaks to him. Nick offers him some of his breakfast and then hurries off. The village had been bustling a moment ago when Nick looked through the windows of the house, but now it is silent. He calls out, and no one answers. He pops his head in a nearby house and looks at the charcoal stove, sleeping mats, and brightly colored longyi—wraps that the Burmese wear tied around their waists. When he comes out of the house, a shadow has been cast over the small village houses. The animals look up at the shadow as it approaches, equally frightened: “Something yellowish, dense, as big around as a lamppost appeared from behind the house, followed by a massive gray trunk, then a head ears, legs the size of small trees. The biggest animal he had ever seen stepped out into the open [...] Hannibal” (39). Hannibal has become violent since being attacked by a tiger and now wears an iron bell. He smacks Nick, throwing him on his back, and then approaches as if to gore him. Nick sees his life flash before his eyes, but Hannibal backs off and walks away, disappearing into the distance.