ACTING ON IT By: Shaindle

“Max, quick now, everything must be perfect for the plan to work.” Dania Pollack said, talking to a man. She was in a glass walled office, with papers scattered everywhere. On the walls of the office were multiple animal pictures. It was 1997.

“Max let’s practice, I'll go first. My name is Dina Polovaichik, I own a famous fur trading company in Russia, and I came to the Amazon Rainforest to hire two poachers. I want three black jaguars killed, so that I will be able to make a very rare coat.” Dania said.

“Are you confident in what you're saying?” Maxwell Glasser asked.

“I think I was okay. All I need to do is repeat this over again for me to be confident in myself. Max, are you almost ready?” Dania said with concern.

“I sure hope you know what you are getting us into. One false move from these poachers and we'll be rare fur coats.” Max said.

“I know, but someone’s got to do something about animal rights. This is the only way. Now you need to tell me again who you are.”

“I'm your husband, Mikael Polovaichik, willing to pay whatever the price, so that my wife can have a new fur coat in her closet.” Max said a dull tone on his voice.

“That doesn't sound very persuasive, Max. Give a little bit more love in what you are saying.”

“I am! I thought all married couples sound like that, it’s usually what happens after marriage.”

“No wonder you're not married!” Dania answered.

“You're not either! Besides I’m your partner, being a rescue ranger for LIVES RESCUE WILD ANIMAL RESERVE! I’m not an actor playing the part of Romeo and Juliet!” Max shouted.

“I know you're nervous, and so am I, I'm just saying for right now, be Romeo, or you'll have the same ending as Romeo.”

“Well just stop saying your little jokes, this is serious business, so did you call for backup if we need any?” questioned Max.

“Yeah, so are you ready?”

“I guess. Are you ready to kick some poacher butt?”

“You bet....”

It is the Amazon Rainforest. There is a cold breeze. The rainforest seems to be silent. Trudging through the Amazon Rainforest were two camouflaged suited Russian men carrying guns. It gives warning of violating poaching laws. There are many trees with lush green all around. There is dew on all of the plants.

“This forest really is a beautiful place,” Chris said, “I can breathe in the fresh air.”

“That is good. A good place to hunt is a sign of a getting a good hunt.” Alex said, “Oh, and what a plan of a hunt do we have.”

“Indeed, I've never hunted down a black jaguar before, let alone three.”

“It will be spectacular. I have only seen a black jaguar once. They are hard to find, because of their black coats in the deep dark rainforest. That is why the price for them is so high and rare. This is a going to be a great challenge, but I can handle it.”

“So can I. Now where are our clients?”

“They are coming right about now.”

“Oh I see them now. Are they a couple?”

“Yes”

“Darn, the woman looks pretty.”

“Chris, this is business, not pleasure. Now keep your lips shut. I’ll do all the talking” Alex said, now turning around to his clients, “Mr. and Mrs. Polovaichik, is it?”

“Yes, indeed, and you are Mr. Taner I presume, but who is he?” said Dania, pointing at Chris. “I thought you, Mr. Taner were going to be working alone.”

“This is my good friend of mine, Chris Stefenovich. There is no need to worry madam, he has fine poaching skills, we'll still get the job done, if that’s what you're worried about.”

“My wife isn't worried about that Mr. Taner, but only of the quality. When can you begin?” Said Maxwell

“Immediately. We obviously have all the tools we need.” said Alex

“Oh, about that, we need to check your weapons.” Dania interrupted

“Why is this?” Alex questioned.

“To see if they are state-of-the-art, I always want to have known that I have employed the best person with its equipment.” Dania said.

“Fine,” said Alex, looking at Chris.

“Great, we’ll be back in a few minutes.” said Dania.

Max and Dania left, as Alex and Chris were looking behind them.

“Do you think they are suspicious?” said Dania to Max.

“I don't know, but when you said you wanted to check their weapons, Alex had a weird look on his face.” Max said.

“Oh, I hope they just think we're crazy.” Dania said with concern, “in order for this plan to work we need to make them totally helpless and without a thought of us interfering with their plans.”

“I hope you know what you're doing.”

“I do, and now that we have their weapons you call for backup. Tell them to look in the Eastern part of the rainforest, I want to scare those poachers.”

While the Polovichiks examined their weapons, Alex and Chris saw a bunch of Rangers. They were coming in their direction. Scared, they ran into the rainforest and didn't look back. They run into sleeping group of gorillas. The dominant male gorilla sniffled in his sleep.

“Quick Chris! Give me my 7MM MAGNUM, I need to shoot that gorilla before it fully wakes up.”

“Um, Alex, we don't have our weapons. They’re gone with our clients.”

“Curses!”

“Alex, the gorilla woke up, we need to make a run for it!”

As soon as they ran, the gorilla was chasing them. Terrified, they heard the huge beast crashing through the brush behind them, as they ran for their lives. Sweating profusely in the wind. The gorilla seemed even more masculine than possible, horrid with its canine teeth showing. It was unbearable to hear the gorilla’s horrid growl. They felt their end was coming near, and they were helpless. During the chase Alex and Chris went two different directions, each trying to save himself. The gorilla chose to follow Alex. After Alex had gotten a mile away from the gorilla’s sleeping grounds, it had stopped running after him. After walking for a while, Alex came to the Amazon River. He noticed a body on the ground and ran to it. It was Chris, dead. Before he realized what had happen, he heard voices. Dania and Max.

“Mr. and Mrs. Polovaichik, what are you doing here?” questioned Alex.

“Who is that?” asked Max.

“It’s Chris, he’s dead.”

“Oh my Gosh! Max, he’s dead.” Dania whispered to Max.

“It looks like a herd of tapirs stomped on him.” Alex continued, “I don’t know how this could happen. He’s dead and there is nothing I can do about it. Poor Chris, he was probably just tired and wanted a drink, and then....”

“Just like what an animal feels?” Dania said.

“What?” questioned confused Alex, “You're not making any sense.”

“Alex, we're rangers working for LIVES RESCUE WILD ANIMAL RESERVE,” said Max showing his ranger badge. “I’m Maxwell Glasser, and she’s Dania Pollack, and you're under arrest for the attempt of poaching.”

“I can't believe this is happening, I never get caught.” Alex said.

“Well, you'd better come quietly now,” Max warned. “We'll deal with Chris.”

Max and Dania called for backup. They took Chris away, buried him, and Alex was sent into five years in jail. While in jail Alex thought of changing his life, and once he got out of jail he called up Dania to meet with her. They met in her office at  LIVES RESCUE WILD ANIMAL RESERVE, where she still worked. The office was neatly done, where the papers, and everything else was in neat piles.

“Nice workplace you have here” Alex commented.

“Thanks, I try.” Dania answered back.”

“How’s Max, do you still pretend to be married” Alex said

“Not anymore, it’s the real deal, we got married four years ago.” Dania proclaimed,

“so... you wanted to meet me here, because you said you want to change your life?”

“As weird as it seems, when I was in the rainforest I realized for the first time what it felt like to be a hunted down animal. My friend Chris, felt it even more, this is why I want to change.”

“What do you want me to do about it. I can't change your life for you. You have to do it yourself.”

“Yes, but you can teach me how.”   

EPILOGUE

Alex ended up creating an organization which helped young adults to be aware of the nature around them, and helped them find their purpose in life.

THE END