I had been working in a game reserve (野生动物保护区) in South Africa for many years. Though a part of me longed for the busy familiarity of Paris, I knew my life was in South Africa.
One night there was a sharp knock on my door. I wasn't expecting a visitor. "Francoise? It's me," a woman whispered. I threw open the door. "Amanda? What's wrong?"
Amanda, a thin young woman, was our chef. She motioned for me to come outside. "There's a baby Ellie here."
"An elephant?"
"She's right over there, tiny and terrified."
"It must be ET's baby daughter," I said.
Amanda explained that she'd heard a noise outside her room. She'd taken her flashlight, opened the door and shined it across the garden. A tiny elephant stared back at her, eyes in terror. Not knowing what to do, Amanda had closed the door and climbed out of a back window to call me.
Elephants are fantastic mothers — ET would never leave her baby unattended. Apparently, the baby elephant had somehow slipped under the fence.
Amanda and I had to get her inside the house to keep her safe until we could get her back to her mother. Her frightened eyes stared at us through the leaves. I walked slowly toward the Ellie. She watched me but as soon as I was within touching distance, she ran behind the house. Amanda and I ran after her. Finally, we managed to corner the Ellie in the parking area. She stood completely still, head down and eyes flashing anxiously at any movement or sound. I tried approaching her again, and this time she didn't resist, allowing us to gently get her into my home.
I kept talking to her, telling her she was safe and that we would get her back to her mum. Then I called the reserve center for help and, to our relief, they promised to come right away.
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Realizing the Ellie might be thirsty, I told Amanda to get her some milk.
……
Soon, we heard the sound of a truck on the dirt track.
