The flames were finally dying.
The music was at last fading.
The tuckered out villagers were at last putting an end to their fun, and the celebration was coming to a conclusion.
Things were finally starting to settle down upon the mountaintop.
Maurice watched with predatory eyes as his fellow colonists and friends spawned out from the gates, and guided by their torchlight, wandered into the field. From where he sat in the midst of the canopy, the dozens upon dozens of flickering lights he saw swimming around on the ground reminded him of a swirling minuet of fireflies. Lining out of the gates, and all individually fanning out in their own directions towards their homes. He watched precariously as one by one they were gradually extinguished, and within minutes, the flattened fields and rolling hillsides were dark once again. Gentle wisps of smoke rose from the homes of the doused lights, and the clouds were lined with silver in the moonlight, making it seem like the field was shrouded in a dreamy mist. Exchanging their last regards and goodnight's to one another before retiring inside, it wasn't long before peaceful, blissful silence was restored to the Redwoods.
It was time.
With a determined snort, the orangutan slid from his branch, and descended the mighty trunk with impressive efficiency. Catching the sturdy branches with his enormous hands as he let gravity carry him down, he dragged out his speed, and cushioned his thirty-foot drop to nothing more than a soft muffled thump. Maurice grunted as his heels dug deep into the forest debris, feeling the prickled twigs snap like nothing under his massive weight. He flinched at the sharp sound, snapping his gaze immediately over his left shoulder to the darkened community behind. He stared intensely through the brush, analyzing all the homes within his sight for any slight sort of change. The sound wasn't very loud, but the ape was sitting on a million pins and needles at the moment. He felt he couldn't be too careful, especially not at a time like this. To his extreme relief, no lights had returned to the windows, and nobody stirred from their nests.
The giant sighed, and quickly gathered his bearings before making his way back towards the village. The forest's edge was thin and derelict; nothing much more than a few small trees and shrubs. He stayed close to the sequoias, bracing against their voluminous bodies as he tread through the pitch black darkness. The lights and sounds of the mountain were gone, and all the orangutan had was but a mental imaging of the summit's layout. Without any sort of visual landmark to guide him, the simian was almost completely blind. But what he did have however though was the strong scent of the smoldering embers and smoke of the center inferno, and the unpreferred, almost burning perfume, of some scattered puddles of the hunter's left behind, alcohol-tinted punch. That undeniable stench was a beacon powerful enough to probably lead anybody within a kilometer away! Maurice grimaced as the smell hit him like a brick wall, and an instant sourness pooled in his gut. He didn't like it one bit, but he had to get over it.
He had to get inside!
Maurice pushed on forward, his sights set on the empty looking gate. The only things he saw in the near pitch blackness were a pair of lonely torches posted at the gate's sides. Nobody seemed to be around, and he silently made his way towards it. The closer he got, the brighter the flames would shine, and the warmth that radiated around the light grew stronger, melting away the brisk chill of the mountain air. A comforting purr unconsciously escaped past his lips as watching the gentle flickering flames seemed to lift the distressed ape's spirits, and a glimmering sign of hope could be felt. He sighed with a faint smile upon his snout, and turned to saunter through the empty corridor. The scattered spaces that lined the walls were dark. The sounds of gentle breathing and soft snoring could be heard from some as he passed, and others were dead silent. He marched on as quietly as he could, careful not to make the smallest rustle of grass or tack of a pebble. Treating the stone as he were treading on thin ice, his body was stiff all over, making him feel like a walking statue.
As he turned the corner, he could see a bright light flicker from the opening of one of the many cubic spaces halfway from him and the open courtyard. A jolt of energy shot through him as he could hear distant, muffled grunts and drunken laughter through the dense log foundation. The voices sounded awfully familiar, and a tad slurred. Their deep, bellowing tones and intoxicated, baritone tongues flicked only a single switch on in Maurice's head, and it frightened him to the very marrow within his bones.
Some gorilla guards were still awake!
A shiver raced down the orangutans spine, and he almost turned right around to search for another way in. However, before he took a single step he knew he would later regret, he stopped himself. With wide eyes and shallow breathing, a thought crossed his mind:
"If they're as drunk as they sound, and if they do see me, would they even remember?"
It was a theory, but it was enough to reignite his engines, and turn to face over his shoulder. Maurice gulped, and put on his game face. Rotating his body back, he marched on forward with confidence. Hearing their grunts and huffs grow louder and more enthusiastic as the tense seconds ticked by, he could see their bulky figures shadowed upon the corridor's opposite wall, and see their hands and arms flail sloppily and wild as they signed each other their exaggerated adventure stories and crude humored jokes. As Maurice tiptoed past the brightly lit enclosure he could see four muscular, ebony bodies surrounding a single bonfire. All off duty guards had their own corner of the room, and each held what looked like a bowl of the fermented grape punch.
Maurice rolled his eyes. The hunters must've had a cellar stash or something for all this poorly made wine.
Before either gorilla could catch a glimpse of him gawking in the doorway, Maurice swiftly bounded out of sight, and turned the next corner outside just as one of the four took a peek into the hallway. He was now in the southern quadrant of the courtyard, and it was as empty as you could get it. Dimly lit lanterns hung by hooks weaved into roots or nailed into rock crevasses, and a small flame silhouette could be seen gently flittering inside. They hung around the edging of the catwalk as a safety precaution, and over the doorways of several huts and overhangs in petite bundles of twos or threes. The light played with the textures upon the walls of wood and stone, and seemed to make the village surreal and come alive with movement. Maurice took a quick look around to be absolutely certain that he was alone and undetected, and he eyed his home upon the high cliff shelf above the schooling stage.
Quietly, his fists pounded muffled upon the stone ground, and his leathery skin held a firm grip as he scaled up the roots of the great giant tree. It took little effort to make it to the edge of his shelf, and his thick, meaty fingers clasped the nearest notch to haul his massive weight up. Looking down the cliff face, a relieved sigh escaped his lungs, but he smiled to himself now that he was here. Turning his head, he eyed his peaceful little home. Maurice purred as he entered his humble little hut, and his small smile grew when he saw that everything was just as he had left it this morning. Looking over to the far corner of his one room home, the little pile of herbal bundles remained right where Cornelia had placed them. He thanked her silently again, and without hesitation, snatched the first package off the top of the pyramid. The leaves felt brittle inside, and rattled with an ashy, medicinal scent. The orangutan swiftly spun around to leave, but not before taking his hide satchel off the hook with him. He slipped the fragile bundle inside with great care, and fastened the flap securely shut with a leather ribbon.
Maurice took great caution when he scaled back down the flat face of the shelf, and eyed the precarious glowing corridor across the empty plaza. An eruption of booming, intoxicated laughter shook the very ground, and several tired voices screamed annoyed out of their homes. Before Maurice could take another step, he ducked quickly beneath a thick overhang of vines as suddenly three large bodies came charging out of the east side of the plaza, and went galloping straight into the tunnel without a second thought. His heart sunk as his exit was now filled with seven angry gorillas. Knowing this wasn't going to end very well, he looked around to spy another way out. Then, his eyes caught the lonely log where he was sitting during the celebration. His gaze followed the mental trail of where he fled, and he remembered the empty gap within the framing!
That was his only way out!
Keeping a close eye and ear on the entry to the corridor, the orangutan cautiously shuffled backwards, hugging his right side to the sturdy granite wall. As he was passing by one of the stone overhangs, a bright red lantern caught his eye next to his head. Slyly, the giant plucked the light from its hook, and hid the flame from sight behind his potbelly gut. As soon as the callused nubs of his heels rubbed against the mossy bark of the catwalk, he maneuvered his rear around and over the low placed studs, and slipped back outside into the crisp open air. The chilly wind washed over his backside, and sent a sea of goosebumps through his body. Keeping the delicate tool out of the draft, he hugged the flame against his chest. He felt the heat radiate against his beating heart, and the gentle flame resembled the very same warmth that she possessed. A wave of nostalgia washed over his mind, and an even stronger motivation revved his engine to get to her.
He had to be sure she was safe!
Noticing now how the argument in the plaza wasn't clearing up, Maurice jolted as windows were lighting up again, and a dozen angered villagers were storming out! None of them noticed how he dove into the thick underbrush as they marched right on past to confront the inconsiderate baboons interrupting their sleep. Maurice wasn't sure if this was a coincidence, or a blessing from some unknown god above. But nonetheless, he took great advantage of this heinous distraction, and took off like a caliber bullet into the thick darkness of the forest. The crimson lantern cast off a strong radius of light around him when total darkness was imminent, and he was so deep in, he couldn't even see the light of the open field behind him. The only other source of lighting was the thin beams of moonlight peeking in through the slits of the canopy above, and gave the forest a misty, grey aura about it.
With a confident smirk and a motivated snort, he wasted no time. Without looking back, the glowing ape cast all doubts aside, and dashed off into the darkness.
Immediately, Maurice could feel a change within himself. He could feel the invigorating thundering of his heart, and the racing blood coursing hot through his veins. He could feel the earth itself quake in fear as he punched the ground, kicking up the rich dirt and leaves like a furious stallion. How his breathing came out hard and heavy all around him, puffing from his flared nostrils like the thick, suffocating smoke of a locomotive. His lantern shook violently in his grasp, casting shadows and cautious red glares over everything around him. Animals fled for the safety of their deep underground burrows or their high canopy nests at the startling sight of him charging their way.
Absolutely nothing stood in the way of this determined and uncontrolled force of nature.
About forty-five minutes had ticked by, and the orangutan was coming upon familiar territory. As he felt the ground shift in texture beneath him, the rolling fern fields gradually grew less in volume and numbers, and were replaced with thick leaf mulch and steep, muddy slopes. Acorns crunched beneath his knuckles, and their shells stabbed bluntly at his skin. The rich scent of the oaks was inviting to Maurice, and he knew almost exactly where he was. Turning his attention to the east direction, if he listened real hard, he could hear the hushed flowing of the rapids whisper through the silent air. The ancient trees creaked and groaned as they bent with the wind strong current. Leaves whipped all around his feet as he walked, stirring minuscule twisters along the uneven forest floor. With each step, the herbal bundle would shift inside his satchel, resembling the sound of raspy sandpaper. Even through his holeshot start, the leather strap ribbon stayed tight, and the flap stayed securely shut.
Maurice took in a sniff of the air, and held up his lantern higher. The area was thinning, and more patches of clearings were appearing. The scent of gravel and asphalt was close, and he could practically feel the hard, smooth surface of the road. He was just about to carry on, but not before a second attractive scent caught his attention. It wasn't too far from where he stood, and it was irresistible. Within a few meters of scrounging, he stumbled upon a goldmine!
All the berries you could eat!
Thick, luscious shrubs of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and even gooseberries!
The giant's stomach growled with hungry lust. But instead of his own selfish needs, Maurice had a different plan set in mind. Taking handful after handful of the fruits and stuffing the rich variety into his bag, he thought that this little find would be quite beneficial towards the human's recovery. After spending a few minutes of plentiful harvesting, and maybe a little side snacking, he was now fully prepared to see her!
As he continued on, the scent of rusted metal and peeling paint was growing stronger upon the stale breeze. He knew that he was getting closer! Angling his light higher up, further ahead across the abandoned road, he could see his own light's crimson shine upon the giant geometric sign. A rouge shimmer washed across the bold indigo and orange '76', and it grew in intensity and focus the closer the orangutan came. He didn't hesitate this time as he crossed the highway with confidence. The cracked windows were dark and still, riddled with dust and cobwebs in the corners and gutters. As he peered in, insect corpses littered the inside sill; bellies up, legs curled in against their chests, and skeletal hard. Water stained and fading posters of caution and warnings plastered almost the entire panel of glass, leaving only a handful of openings to peek through.
As he tested each peephole, he could see something familiar curled up in the center of the checkerboard-tiled floor. His eyes lit up, and he instantly made his way over towards the front doors. As soon as he pushed the the metal bar, the glass panel swung in, and the corroded cow bell tolled above his head. A gust of wind spewed inside, and whatever papers or leaves were settled on the floor were instant blown away. He watched as they were pushed deeper inside in between the candy shelves, and rustled gently to a quiet stop. His bulky shadow stretch the whole front floor of the lobby, reaching out to as far as the back coolers. Their racks were bare, their lights were out, and their refrigerant tanks were empty. The bold and colorful printing upon their fronts and sides were corroding, and near unreadable.
Maurice stepped into the establishment, letting the glass door close itself behind him with a cheerful 'ting-a-ling' of the bell. However, it's rings echoed empty against the decaying walls and shelves, leaving the ape with a haunting sense of dread. He turned and sauntered down the shallow slope of the disability ramp, descending down into the second floor of the shop. But upon turning the corner to see the large bundle of twigs and leaves, not only did he see her body still curled up in his creation, but as he came within sight...a shocked silhouette shot up behind her.
It chattered with glowing golden eyes, and Maurice immediately shone his light on it.
Maurice stared awestruck as he saw a furry, masked scavenger poking around the girl's body! A filthy, sniffing raccoon was holding itself up by the rims of her nest, and it stared directly into the flame's light. The animal hissed surprised at the giant before it, and puffed up it's tail in a threatening display. Hunching his shoulders and baring his teeth had little effect against the orangutan, but he was much too close to his human for his liking.
Much too close.
Puffing out his chest and scrunching his snout, Maurice let out a ferocious snarl, and charged straight for the unwelcomed trespasser. The raccoon went straight from predator to prey, and scurried away from the presumed free meal.
But Maurice didn't just stop at 'away from the girl'.
No. He wanted that filthy rat gone!
Darting around to the right of the round nest, and continued for the pest. The panicked animal squeaked as he saw the orangutan still coming for him! It skidded across the smooth tiled floor, trying to catch a grip with it's claws. But before Maurice could pound his fist upon the tip of the raccoon's tail, it dashed suddenly across the room with lightening speed! It fled with his tail tucked between his legs and ears flattened, disappearing behind a rack of sunglasses. Maurice followed close behind, and proceeded with caution upon closing the corner. A trapped animal could be unpredictable, and he kept that mind.
Taking hold of the lightweight rack, he pushed it aside, only to see that there was no raccoon to be seen!
However, there was an open air duct.
Getting down upon his knees, Maurice peered inside. Using his lantern, he saw nothing but a pair of glowing yellow eyes cowering in the very back of the vent. He heard a muffled, echoed hiss, and the fading patter of tiny paws trotting against the metal. Straightening his posture with an annoyed sigh, he looked around for a way to keep that vermin from returning. Then, he noticed the Hallmark card shelf lingering not too far from him against the very same wall!
"Perfect!" he thought, and marched right up to it.
Placing both hands upon the left side of it, Maurice leaned all of his weight against it, and pushed the metal shelf to the right. It's steel legs shrilly screeched against the floor, splitting his ears clean in two. However, against his deafening pain, the flat backside of the shelf made a perfect covering, and the duct was completely blocked from any other woodland pest from breaking in.
Maurice sighed as the job was done, and he turned back around with his raised lantern to face the reason of his being here. The red light spanned the room until he saw the shallow rising and falling of the hunched over backside. As he stepped closer, he could see, with more definition, the many bruises and scrapes that crisscrossed over her entire body. The once whole purple T-shirt was now tattered with stains and rips, the hem nearly completely shredded off! The sleeves were in better shape, but loose strings could be seen hanging. Her shorts were much more in tact than anything else, and the denim was seen as much more durable. However, they too were coated with crusted on stains. Her shoulder-length auburn hair was matted with sweat, and wild with frizz and knots.
This concerned the ape, and with a cool paw, placed the back of it upon her gleaming forehead.
He pulled it back immediately as it seemed to singe his skin upon contact.
She was burning up!
The girl's breathing was raspy, and came out in trembling gasps. Her body was shivering with convulsions, and her teeth gritted against each other in great pain. Maurice wasted no time, and jumped into action! He knelt by her side, and threw the strap of his satchel off over his head. He ripped the leather bindings off, and dug through the rich, juicy berries for his key tool. As he buried his fist deep beneath the fruits, he felt the smooth surface of the wrapped bundle, and took care excavating it out. Tossing the bag aside, he placed the package before him, and swiftly, cleanly ripped the covering off. Spreading out the large leaf used for the bundling, he laid out the inside contents across it. The dried and brittle herbs were already mixed and prepared for use, all he had to do was apply them.
All he needed was-
...Water.
Maurice growled aggravated, nearly punching himself in the head. In the midst of the stress and tight time compression, it completely flew over his thick skull that there should at least be a reliable source of fresh water in order to medicate a patient. The coolers were dead and empty, and the sink was still clogged with whatever black gunk was trapped inside it's pipes. The only near
source that Maurice could think of would've been the river where he found her. But, that was much too far away, and it would be light in a few hours!
The orangutan grimaced, and he hunched his body over in frustration.
However...the only other way that he could think of applying the medication... would've been to chew them.
Maurice groaned. He absolutely hated having to chew medicine herbs! Not only did they taste awful, but it could also be dangerous if you didn't know what plants you were chewing. Some could have a numbing effect, others could sting, or even burn your mouth!
This is where he really wished he attended those sessions with the other medicine apes...
Maurice huffed a sigh. Looking down at the human girl, he watching her suffer and tremble weakly. The very center of his chest could be felt twisting and contorting with a grimacing, torturous pain. He stared worried as he witnessed her squirm with ill aching.
Swallowing his own childish distaste, Maurice scrunched his nose, squeezed his eyes shut tight, and forced back a whole handful of the ashy leaves. Immediately, he could feel a tingling numbness come over his whole inside mouth as the leaves soaked up his saliva hungrily, and a sour, bile flavoring cascaded his entire tongue. His eyes shot open, nearly popping out of their sockets, and the urge to spit out wound and tightened his gears. However, he pushed the feeling to vomit back down into the pits of his stomach, and proceeded to chew the plants to a rich, thick mulch. He felt like a cow chewing it's cud, and shivered as a wave of sick washed through his body. Maurice groaned with disgust, and after several minutes of bearing the unbearable, he spat the herbs out in a steaming, green mud pie. He shuddered as the medicine 'plopped' off his tongue, and back onto the leaf.
He panted with relief. "How on earth can the medicine chimps do that without breaking a sweat?!" he wondered flabbergasted.
Maurice sighed as the pain subsided, and he got to work applying the glob. Taking a scoop of the gunk in one of his hands, he used the other in smearing it all over her dark colored bruising, and deep scrapes. The girl's first reaction was an unconscious, high-pitched whine, and Maurice feared that the sting of the medicine would be enough to wake her up. Thankfully, after covering most of her wounds, her alert mind slipped back under into darkness, and she could finally rest easy as the ape worked.
Chew, apply, repeat.
Chew, apply, repeat.
Chew, apply, repeat.
It took three sessions of torturous chewing before he had enough ointment to work with, and almost a full hour before he was finished. Skin over and under her clothing was covered with lime green goop, and she was treated on all sides of her body. By the end of it all, Maurice's tongue was completely numb, and the insides of his cheeks and roof of his mouth were tingling. His long, pink tongue was coated in a thin sheen of the medication, and some herb leaves were stuck in between his teeth. It hung heavy out of his mouth as he sat hunched over beside the nest, panting and nearly drooling.
"So this is what it must feel like to be intoxicated..." Maurice humorously thought, trying to bring some light back into his clouded mind.
Reaching behind himself sloppily, he felt his fingertips hook onto the thin strap of his bag. He dragged the tool over, and opened it up in the comfort of the light. The hundreds of appetizing looking berries glistened in the delicate firelight, reflecting the gentle flickering of the flame. Taking a sweet, plump raspberry in between his fingers, he prayed that at least this would take away the pain, and give him the energy to stay awake. He flicked the fruit back into his gaping lips, and bit down. Breaking the thin skin in a single crunch, he yearned for the sweet sugar to wash all the numbness away, and he embraced the anticipation of flavor!
Sadly, the ultra slick texture of his tongue didn't even have the friction to hold the sweet juices, and they went flowing down his throat before he could even comprehend taste. The stray drops that didn't make it into his gut either dripped down the corners of his lips, or made his inside cheeks react with a stinging tingle. Maurice gagged in surprise, and tried to ease his stings by biting down onto them. He felt like a child with a mouth full of cotton, muffled tongue and stinging with cavities.
As he coughed the last remaining bits of the once sweet and delectable treat out of his system, his discomfort seemed to alert the child beside him. Her body lightly writhed in the nest as if she was trying to stretch, and a soft moan escaped her throat. His head snapped towards her with an inquisitive tilt, and a small smile was scratching at the corners of his mouth. With his emerald eyes widened, they shone with a passionate inner fire. His heart was racing as the child continued to show signs of waking! Her chest rose higher and higher with each breath, and her eyebrows knitted together upon her forehead.
Maurice grew anxious. Darting his gaze across the ground as he contemplated as of what he should do. "If I'm going to continue to treat her like this..." he thought, warily watching her with growing sadness as she continued to stir, "...she must never know who I am."
As long as she didn't know who the source of her necessities were, Sarah had no reason to fear...
...and Maurice could be spared the heartbreaking truth...
That he was the one she feared...
Picking up his lantern and disposing of the now empty bundle, he was just about to reach for his satchel lying open not too far from where he sat. However, he stopped himself. Out of all the hundreds of berries that sat in that bag, he couldn't even consume one without gagging. With a small smile, he left the bag be, and sauntered towards the door. Just before pushing open the door and stepping back out into the cool, windy night, Maurice looked back to her. Watching her sleep...was one of the most comforting feelings he's ever experienced. It left a warm imprint deep in his chest, and filled him with a proud sense of pride. A small, hopeful smile grazed his lips, and he silently exited the building.
Making a quick stop by the ravine to wash the horrendous taste from his mouth, and race through the woods like the devil himself was nipping at his heels, the orangutan was back at the village just as the first lights of dawn were washing it's colors into the sky. Every ape was still in deep slumber in their homes, and the seven gorillas from twilight's hour were gone. Slipping in through the catwalk and hanging the crimson lantern back upon its respected hook as he passed, Maurice swiftly yet silently scaled up the roots and face of rock, and within moments, was safely back in his home. He could feel the beads of sweat of his run trickle down the sides of his face, and he stumbled over towards his nest that was calling his name. Crawling inside, he folded his arms around his body, and took in a deep inhale of his bedding. Within seconds, the exhaustion of the day took over his mind without a fight, and the ape was out like a light.
July 19, 2015.
It was on this day, a whole year ago, when I started writing this fanfic. It has been an adventure so far, and I can only say that this plot and it's characters will only continue to grow. If it took a whole 365 days to write 48 hours worth of time in this book's universe, then we're going to be here for a long, long time :D
I will start doing time jumps when things get a little more involved, and concentrated development takes the reins. So, it won't be like "Every year in our time is 2 days in their time", absolutely not! XD
I had no idea for plot line for this when I began, but I sure as hell do now! From beginning, to conclusion...and a very special twist waiting for you at the end of the rainbow!
So...without further adieu...I've been waiting a long time to say this:
HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME! *cannonballs into a chocoholics dream!"