Author's Notes

Hello Everyone, this is my first time uploading a piece onto this site and I hope you all enjoy it. This story takes place right after the ending of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and I would appreciate some feedback if you all will. Depending on whether you guys enjoy this prologue or not I might or might not continue it but enjoy this little beginning nonetheless.

Jennifer hauled herself to the side of her car, and tenderly touched her side where it was bleeding profusely. There was a thud next to her, and the woman turned slowly to face what had neared her. In front of her stood an ape - a chimpanzee, to be exact, with blood splattered along his fists, torso and face. In addition, his body was also covered from head to toe in various scars - the most prominent around his snout. The ape simply stared down at her with concerned-looking eyes. Jennifer merely just smiled at the chimp and reached out for his face.

Looking into his different-colored eyes (one gold, one green), she gave the chimpanzee a small smile as she wiped away at the blood from him with her sleeves.

"It's okay," she murmured softly.

...

Just a bit ago, both she and the chimpanzee were on the road driving towards their destination when her car had finally gave out and pulled to a slow stop. Jennifer knew that they were low on gas, but didn't think that her old vehicle would give out so fast on them when they were so close to their destination.

"Well, it seems like it's just walking from here on out. Sorry, Milo," Jennifer said softly to the chimpanzee seating in the back seat, who bared his fangs in a smile.

"You silly thing," Jennifer smiled back.

As she got out and stretched her sore limbs, the woman looked at the roadway towards their destination. Letting out a sigh, she was glad that they didn't have much further to go, maybe only just a few more miles or so, but they'd both reach San Francisco before sundown. Turning back to her car, Jennifer reached over to her backpack sitting on the passenger seat before closing the door. Setting the bag down onto the ground, Jennifer turned to look at Milo as he hopped up and down in the backseat of her car, waiting for the door to be opened.

"Okay, okay - you silly thing," Jennifer chuckled as she reached in and lifted the lock in the backseat.

Jennifer was about to open the door for Milo when two men popped out the side of the hill. A bit shocked at seeing other humans, Jennifer quickly turn back to Milo with concerned looking eyes.

"Stay okay?" Jennifer gestured quickly to Milo, turned back, and watched the two men approach her. She could make out some of their features now - one was an older man with a stubby beard, while the other seemed younger, with shoulder-length hair.

Jennifer was, to say, at least a bit shocked to see another human out and about. It had been so long since she'd seen another human being, and her face lit up at the sight of them.

"You there, having trouble?" the older man shouted in her direction.

"Yes!" Jennifer called back, and turned to look at Milo in the car, who had lowered himself within the vehicle, all the while taking a peek here and there.

"Wow, haven't seen another human in ages," the other man stated.

"Where are you headed off to?" the older asked.

"I'm going towards San Francisco, heard that there might be a human settlement there, but I'm not sure," Jennifer replied.

"Really? That's great - 'cause we're going there as well," the younger man replied, intrigued.

"Been traveling for a while now, Keith and I," the older man followed. "I'm sorry - where are my manners? the name is Richard."

"I'm Jennifer."

Just as Keith was going to ask another question, something caught his eye, and he peered into the vehicle behind Jennifer.

"Hey - who do you have there with ya?" he asked.

Jennifer's face lit up at the question, and slowly turned her head back towards her car, seeing Milo peeking out at them.

"My god! That's a monkey!" Richard bellowed.

What the two man saw was a big, burly-looking chimpanzee covered in scars, sitting in the back seat of Jennifer's car.

"He's okay, I promise! Please, let me explain," Jennifer pleaded, trying to calm down the quickly escalating situation.

Keith shouted at her. "Are you fucking serious? It's because of t-th-that thing that humans all over the place are dead. Didn't you hear the news? Docs call it the Simian Flu, and it's because of that thing and its wretched kind that all of my family and friends are dead! And you are driving around with it!?"

Milo started to hoot and shout within the car as the humans started to threaten his friend, but Jennifer turned back quickly, and shook her head. Holding her hand out towards Milo, she looked back around at both Kieth and Richard.

"Please, he doesn't mean any harm. He and his kind were not the cause of the flu - you've got it all wrong! Please, let me explain," Jennifer said slowly as she held her hands up, and made to stand between the men and Milo.

"No! Screw this shit, I'm killing that thing for what it did to my family! A dead monkey is the only good monkey!" The younger man stalked over and pulled out a handgun from the bag at his side.

"Keith, hold on," Richard warned, but his voice fell on deaf ears.

"No - wait please!" Jennifer cried as she reached out towards the younger man, and tried to pry the gun off of him. Both of them struggled, and before they knew, it a bang sounded off. Jennifer looked down to see her blue shirt, now suddenly turning red. Falling down onto her side, Jennifer quickly gasped for air as pain started to ripple throughout her body.

"Stupid bitch - look at what you made me do," Keith screamed as he began panicking.

"Keith, you dumb-ass," Richard exclaimed as he rushed towards Jennifer, and held onto her side, causing the woman to scream out in pain.

Suddenly, the door to Jennifer's car swung open, and out flew an angry chimpanzee who tackled down Keith and took a bite out at his throat, ripping it open. Before Richard could comprehend what had happened, Milo was suddenly upon him and started to beat him with his powerful fists.

As things had settled down, Milo finally stopped his assault, and panted as he stood over the still form of Richard. As if coming out of a daze, Milo's vision slowly focused, and noticed that his entire front and mouth were covered in blood. Touching his lips with his fingers and pulling back to see the red blood on them, the chimpanzee lowered his head and whimpered. When Milo saw Jennifer by the vehicle, he quickly scampered back to her. Looking at her wounded side, he started to panic but the woman gently held onto his face, and looked into his eyes. She then proceeded to clean him up as best as she could and then smiled at him with a painful grimace.

"I'm sorry... Milo.. You... Have-ugh-to... go now... Okay?" tears ran down the woman's brown eyes. Jennifer knew that the bullet had damaged an vital organ, and she did not have much time until she bled out. She was shocked at the sudden violent outburst Milo had, but understood that he couldn't control that raw anger, and was only protecting her. It saddened her greatly that he had to do such a thing for her.

...

"Jennifer hurt because of humans. Hurt because of me. Milo find help?" Milo signed frantically as a few tears dropped from his eyes.

Jennifer looked up at Milo from where she sat and gave him a sad smile, but shook her head slowly. Reaching over weakly for her bag, she gave it a few tugs before Milo helped her with it. Rummaging through the bag and it's contents, the woman pulled out some unnecessary items before handing the bag back to the chimpanzee and signed to him.

"Remember why we are out here, silly? We are out here so you can find your friend. Isn't that what you wanted?" her signing became slower and slower. "Be strong for me - it will only be a little bit more before you reach there... I promise."

"Milo scared," Milo signed back to the woman as his lips trembled.

"I... Know sweetie, I know," Jennifer panted. She was so scared - not for herself, but for the chimpanzee in front of her. He was like a child to her - she had taken care of him when he was distraught, and became very close with her. After the virus outbreak, he was the only one left that she considered family. He had taught her many things, and she him.

Milo looked at his friend - his caretaker; understanding her words, he set the bag down and slowly reached around the woman, pulling her close to a hug, but stopped when she had let out a painful gasp.

"It's okay," Jennifer reassured him, and the chimp wrapped his arms around her once more.

"Milo stay... Until end..." Milo spoke out in a coarse, shaky voice as he held onto the woman and nuzzled into her neck.

Jennifer gave off a few sobs, and returned the hug as well as she could, grateful that Milo would stay with her till the very end.

"Thank you, Milo - my sweet, silly Milo..." She whispered as she held him a little tighter, and kissed the top of his head.

It was a long time before Jennifer's hand suddenly dropped from the chimpanzee's sides. Shocked at the motion, Milo pulled back and looked at the peaceful face of the woman who had taken care of him for nearly nineteen years. With shoulders shaking, Milo hugged the woman and let out a cry as he knew he was now alone. As his anguish subsided, Milo pulled back from his caretaker, and placed his forehead onto hers one last time.

" . Jennifer," Milo said softly as he leaned back away from the body, and turned towards the road.

Picking up the bag Milo slung it around him, like the humans did, and made off towards his destination. Turning back to look at Jennifer one last time, the ape stared at her lifeless form before huffing out a breath, and continued on towards the one place where his friend was suppose to be at - San Francisco.