The woods were nice and quiet just after sunrise. The perfect time for Caesar, the leader of the apes, to hunt for food for his family.
After searching for a few minutes, he came upon a buck who was eating a patch of grass. Sneaking behind a tree, he lifted his spear and readied to attack.
Suddenly, the buck became startled and dashed off into the woods. Caesar wondered what could have frightened him, but deers had better hearing than apes.
Not wanting to return without food, he went further into the woods. He was startled when he saw a human. A young female leaning back against a tree. She was pale and damped with sweat and holding a bundle in her arms.
When she finally noticed Caesar approaching, she didn't bother to run away. Instead, she chuckled and gave a weak smile.
"I was kinda hoping that one of you would come along. Can you kill me first?"
Caesar finally noticed that the front of the woman's dress was covered with blood and that the bundle she was holding was a baby.
"What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kill us?"
The woman had been bleeding for some time and was clearly already near death. He knew that she wanted to be killed out of mercy, but he could not bring himself to do such a thing. He didn't want the last face she saw to be his; as he stood over her with his spear. Instead, he sat a few feet away from her. At least, she wouldn't go alone.
"You're not like the other apes. I hear that they'd kill without thinking. Not that humans are any different, you know?"
Caesar looked at the woman, curious about what she had said. The woman was able to lift her shoulders in a shrug.
"Just a thought. I'm sure you're not happy about seeing a human in the forest. I didn't really know where to go when the pains started. I just took a knife to cut the cord and a blanket. That was it. I had to run. They would have killed us both."
"Who?" Caesar asked.
The woman gasped, not expecting for Caesar to talk. Caesar recoiled, but the woman soon relaxed.
"You're one of the special ones, aren't you? I've heard stories from people that a few apes can speak."
Caesar nodded. "I can speak."
"Well, to answer your question...A lot of people want to kill me and the baby. Even my husband. I-I use to work at Gen-Sys. I never believed that ALZ-112 could work...ALZ-112 is-"
"I know ALZ-112." Caesar said abruptly.
"I thought it was too dangerous. I began to work on a serum. I gave it up when ALZ-112 did seem to work, and when the virus came about...I'd already given up research. Everyone's turned against me, especially now that the war has broken out. I was blamed for not continuing my research. I guess I do deserve to be punished."
"No. You don't. Could not have known what happened." Caesar said.
The woman smiled and nodded. Suddenly, she began to gasp, struggling for air. She looked at Caesar and gestured for him. He came closer and she laid a hand on his arm.
"Please. Take my daughter. She deserves a life. Do not take her to the humans. Please."
Caesar was taken aback by the request. Then where was he going to take the baby? Back to his village? A human being raised by apes? Apes who, for the most part anyway, despised the entire human race?
Just by looking at the woman though, he knew he could not refuse her request. She deserved to die in peace. So, Caesar nodded his head and allowed the woman to hand him the baby.
"Take care of her." The woman whispered.
The woman closed her eyes and took her final breath. Caesar sighed and looked down at the baby who was sleeping peacefully. What was an ape to do with a human baby?