Chapter 1:

It was closing time at the Hoboken Zoo. As the workers there locked everything up and left to go home, the Hoboken Zoo animals peeked from their habitats to check if the coast was near. When the last worker left, Lulu the chimp called out, "All clear!"

The other animals crawled out from their habitats and came to the center of the zoo. The torches were lit up. The animals were gathered into a circle.

In the circle, there was Lulu, Clemson the lemur, Hans the puffin, Savio the snake, and Rhonda the walrus. What diabolical ritual were they doing on this time of night?

"He's going to be so excited!" Hans cheered, clapping his wings together.

"Sure he will!" Rhonda agreed. "After all, it is his birthday."

"He's here!" Savio said, peeking through the front gates of the zoo. As he slithered back into the circle, the gates swung open… and enter…

Dr. Blowhole!

Rhonda and Hans stepped aside in opposite directions to create an opening so that Blowhole could enter the circle. The evil dolphin wheeled his way to the middle of the circle and greeted the animals, "Hello, my dear Hoboken friends! Isn't this such a fine night?"

The animals nodded and cheered, "Happy birthday, Dr. Blowhole!"

Blowhole cupped his mouth with his flipper to act as if he was surprised. "Why, you shouldn't have!" he said playfully. Then he giggled in his evil-type manner (as always).

"Just curious," Clemson cut in, "how old are you?"

Blowhole looked at the lemur and said, "Why, age is just a silly number, my friend. However, if you really want to know… I'm now 20 years old."

"Whoa!" Hans was impressed. "That's… 40 in human years, right?"

"Who cares about the humans?" Savio spat out. "We're here to celebrate Dr. Blowhole, not them."

"How did the humans offend you all?" Lulu questioned.

"The snake is right!" Dr. Blowhole said, ignoring the chimp's question. "We shall celebrate me! Me, me, me, me, me! Now on with the celebration!"

The Hoboken zoosters scrambled to arrange the evil party. Rhonda pushed out the party table from the zoo's cafeteria. Clemson and Lulu decorated the table with souvenirs from the zoo's gift shop (even though Lulu was still left with her question of how humans had offended her neighbors). Savio wheeled out the white and blue birthday cake from behind Rhonda. Hans hopped over to the head of the table to lead Blowhole there.

Dr. Blowhole wheeled over to the head of the table where Hans was. The puffin now made a speech: "My dear Hoboken friends, welcome to tonight's party! We are gathered here to celebrate our leader… our inspiration to our villainous deeds…"

"Well, not really my inspiration…" Lulu mumbled. The other zoosters glared at her and then motioned Hans to continue.

"The Hoboken Zoo is proud to welcome our wonderful leader and dolphin friend… the friend that we have come to respect… the person with wisdom to share… the guest of honor on his birthday…"

Hans stretched out a wing to the dolphin's direction. "Dr. Blowhole!"

Dr. Blowhole wheeled forward and nodded to Hans. From there, Hans leapt aside to let the evil dolphin take his place at the head of the table.

"Thank you, friends!" said Blowhole.

"Oh boy…" Lulu muttered, rolling her eyes as she sat at the very far end of the zoosters' party table.