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I raise my hands as the apes descend on me.
“Please, I just need to see Caesar.”
They shove me.
“Leave him!”
A cold shiver makes its way down my spine at the sound of the growly voice.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing him speak.
The armed apes back away.
I look at Caesar.
He turns to face me.
I hurry to stand in front of him.
He meets me halfway.
“Caesar. You’re not safe here. You have to go.”
He shakes his head.
“They made contact, more men are coming. Soldiers. Do you know what that means?”
I know I sounded desperate but I didn’t want to see him hurt again.
He looks at me.
“If you don’t go it will be all out war.”
I bite my lip to stop myself from saying more.
From telling him how much he means to me, how much I care about his welfare.
“War has already begun.”
I open my mouth but he holds up a hand.
“Ape started war and human…human will not forgive.”
“Caesar.” I whisper.
“You must go before fighting begins. I am sorry, my friend.”
“I thought we had more time.”
“So did I.”
My heart beat thunders in my ears and my stomach quivers as he places a large hand to the nape of my neck.
He pulls me closer and I go willingly.
He rests his forehead against mine, his large hands cupping my face.
I close my eyes and I lay my own hands on his forearms.
I take a shuddering breath.
He releases me.
I look at him.
He turns away.
My eyes burn with tears at the thought of never seeing him again.
“Ask me to stay!” I blurt out.
He stops but he does not look at me.
“I cannot.” He finally says.
I watch him reunite with his family.
“Please.” I whisper.
He does not acknowledge me.
I turn and walk back up the few stairs.
I look at Caesar one last time before stepping into the shadows and into the tunnel.
“Wait!”
I stop.
“Malcolm.”
I walk back towards the stairs.
Caesar stands there.
I stare at him.
He holds out his hand.
I look at the apes around him.
His son does not think I am evil but he does not trust me fully.
His wife stares in confusion.
The other apes stare at me.
I look back at Caesar.
He gives me a small smile.
I look at his outstretched hand.
“Trust.” He says.
“I do trust you.” I tell him.
I reach out and place my hand in his.
********************************
“Malcolm!”
I turn to see Ellie hurrying towards me.
She throws her arms around me and I hug her back just as fiercely.
“I thought you’d died.”
“I’m sorry.”
She releases me and leans back to look at me.
“I’m fine.”
She nods.
“The apes have taken over the tower. Or what remains of it.”
“I know. I saw the people fleeing.”
“They made contact. Dreyfus and the others. They made contact with a military base up north. They are coming to help.”
“But….what’s going to happen now?”
“War.”
“We have to leave. We have to get out while we still can.”
“Ellie. I’m not leaving.”
“What? Malcolm, we have to go.”
I see Caesar make his way towards us.
“I’m staying right here. With Caesar.”
“That’s insane. You can’t stay here. What if…what if they turn against him again?” She asks lowering her voice.
“They won’t. They follow Caesar.”
“Malcolm. Look around you. There are thousands of apes here. He can’t protect you if something happens. And if more people are coming, they will not understand why you are living with the apes. They will see you as a traitor. I like them too, but it’s not safe.”
I take both her hands in mine.
“Ellie. Everything you are saying is true but I am staying here.”
She closes her eyes for a moment.
“Alright.” She says looking at me. “Then I’m staying too.”
“No.”
“I can provide them with medical care.”
“Ellie. You have to think of Alexander. You can’t force him to live here.”
“I can’t leave you here.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Malcolm.”
“Don’t worry about me, Ellie.”
“You’re my friend, of course I worry about you.”
I touch her cheek.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” She whispers.
Caesar comes to stand beside me.
“Caesar.” Ellie greets.
He nods at her.
“Please look after Malcolm.”
“I will.” Caesar says.
Ellie hugs me again before leaving.
I stare down the lane she had gone even after I couldn’t see her anymore.
“Come. We will rest.”
I nod.
Caesar puts a hand on the nape of my neck as he leads me into the building.
**************************
I couldn’t sleep.
I get up, careful not to wake any of the apes around me and I make my way outside.
I nod at the apes standing guard and I make my way down the lane.
I sit down on the curb and I stare up at the stars.
I close my eyes and enjoy the fresh breeze.
“It is late.”
I open my eyes and I look at Caesar.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
He comes and sits down next to me.
“I keep thinking about everything that’s happened.” I look at him. “I’m glad that you’re alive and well.”
He smiles.
“As am I.”
I smile.
I pat his knee before looking back up at the stars.
A large hand touches my back.
I close my eyes.
“Malcolm.”
“Who was he really? The good man in the video.”
“My father.”
I look at him.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“That house, that’s where you lived with him?”
He nods.
“Do you know what happened to him?”
He stares straightforward.
“I do not know.”
“I’m sorry.”
He looks at me again.
“You should rest.”
I nod.
“So should you. You are still recovering.”
He stands and holds out a hand towards me.
I take it and he helps me stand.
I dust off myself before following him back towards the building.
I move to make my way towards my bed roll.
A hand on my arm stops me.
I look at Caesar.
“Thank you, for everything.”
I smile at him.
**************************
We took what we wanted and needed before making our way back to the forest.
I passed my days helping the apes reconstruct their home and trying to make friends.
Rocket and Maurice were easy enough to win over.
Blue Eyes tolerated me more than he used to, I think helping to save his dad had won me a few points.
Cornelia really didn’t know what to make of me so I just tried to be friendly.
Milo was too little to understand but he seemed to like me none the less.
There were a few other chimps and gorillas that let me hang around.
Many of them preferred not to speak so I just sat there and watched them sign to each other.
Sometimes Maurice translated, other times I just sat there mesmerized by their ability.
I had never seen any apes with the ability to sign so quickly and their knowledge of the English language was extensive.
I turn as an ape comes to sit down beside me.
Maurice hands me the book Alexander had given him.
“Oh. Do you want me to read it for you?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.”
I open the book to the page that was bookmarked.
I read to him for a while and other apes join around us.
They all just sit and listen.
I didn’t know how much they understood but they all seemed content enough.
“Malcolm.”
I look up at Caesar.
“Come and eat.”
I nod.
I make sure to bookmark the page before handing the book back to Maurice.
“Thank you.” He tells me.
I smile at him.
“Thank you for letting me read to you.”
He nods.
I follow Caesar to his hut.
Cornelia eyes me as I enter.
I take my seat next to Blue Eyes.
Milo jumps on me.
I catch him.
“Hey little fellow.”
He touches my face before laying his head against my shoulder.
I close my eyes.
I imagine it was like holding a human baby.
He was so warm and little.
I caress his back.
“Here.”
I open my eyes and take the plate Blue Eyes was handing me.
“Thank you.”
I eat with one hand while holding Milo with the other.
Caesar’s look is fond as he looks at me.
Warmth spreads through my chest.
****************************
I startle awake as a body presses against my back.
“Go back to sleep.”
“Caesar.”
“Go to sleep.” He says quietly.
I close my eyes.
I should be questioning his presence.
He always slept beside his wife.
It was hard to go back to sleep once I knew he was lying so close to me.
I try to calm my breathing and I relax my body.
A large hand touches my back and I tense again.
I hear his breathing even out, his hot breath ghosting against the back of my neck.
I stare at the darkness in front of me.
I can hear the apes on watch making their rounds.
I close my eyes and listen to Caesar breathe.
When I wake up, the sun has risen and Caesar is gone.
I roll onto my back and I stare at the roof slats.
I am startled as a small weight jumps on me.
Milo smiles down at me.
“Hey you. What are you up to?”
He jumps up and down on my chest and the breath whooshes out of me.
I lift him up into my arms as I sit up.
“Alright, alright. I’m up.”
I place a kiss on his forehead and he squeals in delight.
I place him on my shoulders as I get up.
I make my way to my bag and I take out my toothbrush and toothpaste.
I had brought with me all of my essential items and anything else I might need to survive.
The apes might not need much luxury but I did.
Milo reaches for my toothbrush.
“This is for your teeth.”
I pretend to brush my teeth and he makes inquisitive noises.
“I’ll show you once we get down to the river.”
I make my way into the front room where Caesar and his family lived.
Cornelia looks at me.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.” She says.
“Is it alright for Milo to come with me to the river?”
She looks hesitant.
Milo jumps in excitement, squealing something at his mother.
“Milo.” She says.
He squeals louder.
I wince.
“You can take him.” She finally says.
Milo hangs around my neck and I make sure to put a protective hand on his back.
“Alright. We’ll be back shortly.”
She nods.
I make my way down the walkway.
Milo takes his place on my shoulders again.
I greet as the apes I meet on my way out of the ape colony.
Milo points birds out as we make our way to the water.
I kneel close to the water, Milo’s little hands clutching at my hair.
I scoop some water and I rinse my mouth before putting some toothpaste on my toothbrush.
“Look, Milo. Like this.”
I brush my teeth.
He stares at my mouth.
He points at the foam and makes alarmed noises.
“It’s just toothpaste.”
I rinse my mouth.
“See?”
He pats my face.
“It’s all gone.”
I kiss his head again.
I bounce him a bit and he laughs.
We make our way back to the colony.
“Do you know where your father went?”
He makes noises but I don’t know what they mean.
Once we get back to the hut, I hand him over to Cornelia.
She takes him in her arms and starts to feed him.
I make my way to the section I was staying at and I change my clothes.
I’d have to wash both myself and my clothes soon.
I go back out and sit with the apes.
Most of the adult males were gone.
I make my way towards Maurice.
I sit and watch him teach the young apes sign language.
They take a break and I walk over to Maurice.
“Where are the others?”
“Hunting.”
“Ah.”
“It can be dangerous. Caesar will not put your life in danger.”
I nod.
“So you’re a teacher.”
He shrugs.
“The young ones respond very well to you.”
He inclines his head.
“Maybe you can teach me sign language.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’d like to be able to communicate with the others.”
*****************************
“Maurice tells me you want to learn to sign.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Not all the apes talk and I want to be able to talk to them in a way that they would understand. I’m not exactly sure how much of what I say gets through.”
“They understand.”
“Just how you understood about the dam?”
“Yes.”
I smile.
“Still. It wouldn’t hurt me to learn it. In a situation where we have to be quiet, it would be vitally important if I could communicate and understand what is being said to me.”
I look at him.
He stares back, an imposing figure as always.
“Unless you don’t think I should.”
“It is fine.”
I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Good.”
“You may begin tomorrow. For now, rest.”
“Actually, I’d like to join the others around the fire.”
He nods and I go.
I sit next to Rocket.
The other apes seemed to be getting used to my presence.
Before the chatter would stop but now they continue as if nothing.
It made me feel like I was finally a part of the group.
Maurice brings out his book and I read to them some more.
In the morning, I go take my lessons with Maurice.
I watch him teach the young apes and after he is done schooling them, it is my turn.
He starts with the alphabet.
Sometimes some of the older apes came and watched me learn.
It made me a bit nervous but they cheered me on when I stumbled or forgot the signs for each letter.
By the time summer comes around, I know the alphabet and I can sign a few basic words.
I had never felt so proud of myself.
***************************
I had gone fishing with Blue Eyes and Milo when Bruce, a gorilla, comes running out from the trees.
He holds his finger up to his lips.
Blue eyes signs to him, asking him what was wrong.
Bruce informs us that humans have been spotted in the forest.
My heart speeds up in my chest.
Milo clings to me and I put my arms around him.
Caesar had ordered a scouting party to watch the humans but to not make contact.
As of now, the humans didn’t seem dangerous but we couldn’t be too sure.
I nod.
Caesar wanted us to come back where he could keep an eye on us.
We follow Bruce back, being as silent as we can be.
There are apes on guard as we arrive.
I hurry up to the hut where Cornelia waits impatiently for her children.
I had Milo over before going in search of Caesar.
He was in conference with the other apes.
“Caesar.” I say.
He puts a hand on my back and he draws me into the discussion.
“Why do you think humans are here?” Rocket asks me.
“They can’t be looking for the dam the way we were. The power is working.” I say.
The apes nod.
“We can only assume that they are scouting, trying to find our home.”
Some of the apes become alarmed and loud chatter fills the camp.
Caesar holds up his hands and the apes quiet down.
“I know it is worrisome but we can’t jump to conclusions without knowing where the humans are or how many humans have come into the city.”
“I agree.” Caesar says.
He signs that he will lead a scouting party into the city.
“I will go alone.” I say.
“No.”
“Caesar. They will be less inclined to shoot me. I can invent some story about being lost or something. I am one of them and they will believe me.”
“Not if some of the others are with them. They will recognize you.”
“Dreyfus and the men who were with him are dead. Look, you can post some of the apes up high where they can hide and remain unseen but I really think that I should go alone.”
“Malcolm makes a point.” Rusty, an orangutan, says.
I look at Caesar, he stares back.
“Alright.”
I breathe a sigh of relief.
I had expected him to fight me on this but I was glad he had listened.
“Tomorrow.” Caesar orders.
I nod.
The scouting party comes back later in the afternoon.
They report that six men had camped in the woods, far from our location.
At least they were heading in the opposite direction.
Caesar sends another party to keep an eye on them.
That night I couldn’t sleep.
I just kept thinking about when I had walked through those woods in search of the dam.
Caesar had every right to kill us when they found us trespassing in their forest.
Especially after Carver shot Ash unprovoked.
But Caesar had let us go and he had stopped the other apes from killing me when I came back after he had explicitly told me not to come back.
He had let us stay even after Carver threatened to kill Blue Eyes.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
I was worried that these men were looking for the colony.
Or perhaps they were setting traps.
The apes had weapons now to defend themselves quicker and more efficiently.
They had taken everything they had found in the armory.
But it didn’t mean that they still couldn’t get hurt.
I was worried that Caesar would be lenient with the men in the forest the way he had been lenient with us.
I was glad he had been, that he had trusted me.
But I couldn’t help but think that he was weak when it came to humans because of his father.
Koba had been right when he had told Blue Eyes that humans made Caesar weak.
I sigh.
I tense as a large weight presses against my back.
“You never sleep when you’re supposed to.” He says.
I relax.
“I can’t sleep. I’m too worried.”
He drapes an arm around my waist.
“Caesar.”
“Hmm.”
“Why did you let us live? When you found us in the forest, I mean.”
He is quiet for a while.
“You told them to drop their guns. And you spoke to us, you didn’t even know if we understood or not. You made me feel like we were equal.”
I turn in his hold so that we are face to face.
He stares at me.
“I am worried that you will be lenient with the strangers in the forest. The way you were with us. You had the right to kill us but you didn’t. We were the reason why Koba-”
“No. Koba chose to make war with humans because he hated them. He could not see the good.”
His large hand cups the side of my neck.
“Every person is not good.”
“I know.”
“I’m not saying that I want you to kill them, I just don’t want harm to come to any of you.”
“Humans might have come for war but until we know more, I will not send apes into battle.”
“Good.”
He presses his forehead to mine.
I close my eyes.
****************************
I walk into the city.
I wasn’t sure where the humans would take residence so I make my way to the old tower.
I stay in sight in case that I was being watched.
I knew the apes where up high, ready to fire if the humans tried to kill me.
I knew they wouldn’t let me get hurt.
“Hello!”
My voice echoes.
I make my way into the building.
Everything was a mess as it had been when we had left.
I check every room and home inside the old city but it is abandoned.
I make my way out and I sign to the apes that there are no humans here.
I make my way down the residential area.
“Hello! Is anyone here?”
I start to feel relieved that there didn’t appear to be a big army of soldiers but it also made me worry.
Who were the men in the forest and why were they here alone?
Where there others here? Were they just hiding from me because they knew I was with the apes?
I stop as I come to Caesar’s old house.
I go in and I take the picture of him and his father and I make my way to the attic to grab the video camera.
I store them in the bag I had with me.
I peek out the window.
In the house across the street I see some movement inside.
My heart picks up speed.
It wasn’t one of the apes.
They were told to stay out of sight.
I put my hand on my weapon and I make my way outside and towards the other house.
“Hello!”
I make my way inside.
Everything is eerily quiet.
“Is someone in here?”
I listen for any sign that there is someone else here besides me but I don’t hear anything.
I check every room, top to bottom, but it was empty.
I make my way outside.
I didn’t want to linger.
I was in a vulnerable position.
If there were people stationed inside the houses, I was a sitting duck.
I hurriedly make my way back towards the open area.
I signal for the apes to move out.
I follow them into the forest where I had left my horse.
We make our way across the bridge and back home.
Just because we hadn’t seen or encountered anyone didn’t mean that the city was empty.
What had I seen in that house?
Had I imagined the whole thing?
When we arrive, it is past lunch time.
I let one of the apes take the horse and I follow the others towards Caesar.
We give our reports.
We had not seen anyone in the city.
I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach but I keep it to myself.
I didn’t want to worry the apes.
****************************
“You are sleeping less and less.”
“I’m worried.”
“I know. So am I but the humans have not made a move towards our home and they do not seem to be doing anything in the forest.”
“That’s what worries me. I mean, who are they? What do they want?”
“Malcolm.”
“I thought I saw someone.” I say quietly.
He is very still behind me.
“I was in your father’s house, up in the attic. I looked out the window and I swear I saw movement in the house across the street. But when I went over to look, it was empty. I don’t know if I imagined it or if there really was someone there.”
“The apes were watching. No one could have left the house without them seeing them.”
I sigh and rub my tired eyes.
“You need to rest.” He says pressing his forehead to the back of my head.
“I just can’t sleep.”
“Close your eyes.”
I do as instructed.
A large hand touches my chest.
I curl my fingers with his.
His breathing is slow and peaceful.
I try to match his breathing.
I relax my shoulders.
His warm breath ghosts against the nape of my neck.
The tension leaves my body and I sigh.
“It’s alright. Just put down your weapons."
“Are you crazy?” Carver asks
“Just do it.” I order.
I stare up at the chimpanzee towering over me.
I hold up my hands.
“It’s alright.” I tell him.
He takes a deep breath.
“GO!”
My heart jumps in my throat.
He jumps off the rock and stands right before me.
I back away, afraid of what he’d do to me.
I look into his green eyes and he stares back in recognition, one intelligent being to another.
“GO!” The apes around us shout.
My team panics and they scramble away.
“Okay. Okay.” I say.
We run away.
All the way back to the city I could not stop thinking of those green eyes.
“He was…extraordinary.”
I sit up.
“I did not mean to scare you.” Blue Eyes says.
I sigh.
“No. It’s alright.”
“Here.”
He hands me a plate with fruits and dried meat.
I eat.
“The humans are leaving.” He says.
I look at him.
“Are you sure?”
He nods.
I stand and follow him out of the hut.
Caesar turns his head to look at me.
I hurry over to his side.
“Is it true? Are the humans leaving?”
“They are.”
“But….do we know what they were doing?”
He shakes his head.
“After they are gone, we will check the area.”
“We have to be careful. They could have set traps or tracking equipment.”
“We will be.”
“Okay. Good.”
He lays a hand on the nape of my neck and I feel like I can breathe a little more easily now.
***************************
We wait a few days after it has been confirmed that the humans have left the city before going to survey the area they were in.
There was no explanation to their presence in this part of the forest.
They had not tried to make contact, not once.
I poke the path I was walking with a stick just to be safe.
We did a thorough check of the location and we found nothing.
There were no recording devices, no cameras, no traps.
Nothing.
There was no sign that humans had been there expect for the remnants of a camp fire.
We make our way back home.
I really didn’t know what to make of it.
It just didn’t make sense.
What had they been doing out here?
Were they just trying to see if we would notice them?
If we would make the first move?
Had they wanted to see if we were aggressive or if we choses to be diplomatic?
Had they chosen this location because it was far away from our colony and we would not think of them as a threat?
Had their mission also been not to make contact with the apes?
There were so many questions and I had no answers.
I was glad they were gone but I was worried of what would happen if they came back.
I was tense the first few weeks, waiting for droves of humans to come back and attack us but nothing happened and I allowed myself to relax.
Apes were always on watch and I knew we would be warned if anything happened.
I was safe here with my new ape friends and my ape family.
“Milo. Like this.”
I show him how to sign ‘deer’.
He copies my movements.
“Good.”
He smiles at me.
“You are learning very fast.”
“Y-yes.” He says.
I tickle his midsection and he bats my hands away.
A warm weight falls on my back and I turn my head.
Buck, a young gorilla, stares back at me.
“What are you doing?”
He starts riffling through my hair.
I wasn’t exactly sure of what he was doing.
I knew apes groomed each other in the wild to form relationships but these were not regular apes.
They had a democracy.
They had no need to groom each other for protection or to form friendships.
I didn’t want to tell Buck to stop so I just let him continue.
Soon I am surrounded by youngsters grabbing at my hair and my clothes.
“Is this your guy’s way of saying that I need a bath?”
I was glad I shaved my beard every fourth day otherwise my face would be covered in little hands trying to find something in my facial hair.
I am startled by laughter.
I turn my head to my left.
From in between the little bodies that have surrounded me, I can see Caesar standing there laughing at me.
The other apes join.
I push the young apes out of the way before I launch myself at Caesar.
I manage to throw my off balance and he falls on his back.
I straddle him and I tickle his underarms.
The youngsters start hooting and laughing.
“It’s not so funny now is it?”
He rolls us over and he kneels over me.
I stare up at him.
He pats my hair down.
I lift my hand and I skim my fingers through the hair on his head.
He closes his eyes for a moment.
My heart pounds in my chest.
He opens his eyes and he looks down at me.
His face softens and he smiles at me.
I can’t do anything but stare up at him.
He stands and he extends a hand out to me.
I take it and he helps me to my feet.
***************************
I stare at Caesar as he sleeps next to me.
I touch the scar on his chest, on his right side.
He places his hand over mine.
I look at him.
“Why do you not sleep this time?”
“I can’t stop thinking of you.”
His lips quirk into a small smile.
“I know we are not the same, we can’t ever be. You’re an ape and I am human. But….I love you.”
“I know.” He says quietly. “I feel the same way about you.”
I close my eyes and press my forehead to his.
“I thought talking apes would be the craziest thing to ever happen to me. And now look at me.”
He chuckles quietly.
“I’m scared of whether or not humans are going to come back to try and tear down this life we have here. I’m scared of what would happen if they took you away from me.”
He places a hand on the back of my head.
“Malcolm. I will make sure you are safe.”
“I know that. But it doesn’t stop me from worrying. I want you all to stay safe. I want my life here with you to never end.”
His lips touch my forehead and I clench my eyes closed.
“If the humans come back, we will be ready. For now, let us be happy here.” He says.
“It’s all I want.”
“Good.”
I press my body against his and his arms hold me close.
“Caesar.”
“Hmm?”
“I want you to know that I trusted you the moment I saw you standing on that rock in the forest. It’s why I told the others to drop their weapons. I knew you wouldn’t hurt us.”
“You are a brave man to trust an ape you do not know. I could have killed you.”
“But I knew that you wouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because when I looked into your eyes, I did not see an ape. I saw a magnificent and intelligent creature.”
He is silent for a long time.
“Go to sleep.” He finally whispers.
I rest my head more comfortably against his bicep.
I would always worry about humans coming to destroy our home and our family.
But I would do all I could to keep them all safe.
As long as I had Caesar at my side I knew we would endure.
The End.