Out of Left Veldt
A Thursday Prompt story
© 2022 by Walter Reimer

Prompt phrase: poky leopard



“Hey!” Harvey said, and his brother turned to look at the gazelle as he added, “Hold up a minute, Gary.”

Gary’s eyes widened. “Have you gone crazy? We need to keep going.”

“Yeah, but I think we have time.” The two gazelles slacked their pace and Harvey said, “Listen.”

Gary’s ears swiveled, and he looked back the way he and Harvey had come.

Far off in the distance he saw a spotted feline staggering, and he could faintly hear him say, “Hey . . . wait . . . “ The feline finally sank to his knees, gasping.

“Huh,” Gary said.

“Yeah,” Harvey said. “He spent way too much time chasing those wildebeest all over the place before he started after us.”

“You mean - ?”

“Yeah. He couldn’t stop spreading the gnus.”