Adventure of the Planet of the Apes
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing of the Planet of the Apes. My respect for the wonderful author, Pierre Boulle, the book was so awesome that I keep reading it over and over again. So only a few people in here are mine. Hannah and Sarah belong to themselves. I don't own any Tolkien quotes either.
A/N: Wow! I got a lot of reviews this chapter, which makes me extra happy! Yeah, you guys are so awesome for reading this story. This chapter would have been done a lot sooner, but I was in Mexico for 10 days. So, now you will have another chapter to read.
JoMarch95- I am not going to abandon this story. You will have your update soon.
Virusea- It doesn't take a whole lot to be able to write like me, but I am very glad that you like this story. Just keep reminding me to update and bash me over the head if you must. Lol. That is what it will take.
Lina Inverse the Dramata- I know, daydreams are so nice. If Taylor would only stop that horrible mouth of hers this story would be easier for me to write. The funny thing is that I was kinda making her like me, but now she is completely different. I am shy and she is obviously not. Thank you for reviewing!
Jacqui12b- I am writing more! I am writing more! I am happy that you love it. Please continue reading it and reviewing.
Chimplady- I love your stories and you need to update as badly as I do. Lol. Thank you so much for the wonderful review. Finally someone else who appreciates Tolkien and PotA. I am a recent convert (Nov. 2003). My e-mail is on my bio if you want to talk anytime.
Enya- If you have a heart attack who review my stories? Please don't die, not yet anyways. Lol. I am very happy that you like this story and that you are pleased with my depiction of Thade. The way I perceive characters might not be the same way that everyone else does, so you will just have to live with it. But I am not planning to let my story rot. It will continue to be updated.
Chapter Three: A New Friend
Again my mouth was getting me into trouble. Why couldn't I just learn to keep my tongue behind my teeth and listen for once? Both Ari and Thade were staring at me because of my rash words. From then on I promised myself that I would keep my mouth shut and adapt a subservient attitude towards all apes. The realization that I no longer had the rights and freedoms that I had enjoyed as an American citizen hit me.
"Where did you learn a different language? Where is your tribe?" The harsh questions fell on my shoulders like sparks of fire.
I took a deep breath before answering, my eyes remained downcast. "My friend and I came up with our own way of speaking, sir." I knew that I had to lie because they would not believe that there was a real language called 'Spanish'. It would threaten them.
"That doesn't answer the question of where you come from."
"Thade!" Ari exclaimed, "Please, you are being too harsh on the girl. Try to be a little more understanding."
"He has every right to be angry with me. I have a terrible temper, and I should be punished for my rash behavior." My pride has always been a problem for me because I can't stand for anyone but me to be in control of what I do or don't do. "Right now," I began speaking again, "I don't know where I come from. I'm lost." Suddenly the realization that I might never see my family or friends ever again hit me. Unbidden tears sprang to my eyes as I thought about my mom, dad, sisters, nieces and nephews.
Ari stirred on the bed, I could hear the sheets rustle as she started to rise. "It isn't safe," Thade said to Ari as she started to walk towards me.
"She doesn't have anything. How would you feel if you had lost everything you had ever known?"
"What if she is lying? You don't have any proof of what she says is true. Humans are born liars, Ari. You can't trust 'em."
My throat was so clogged that I couldn't say a word in my defense, which was probably one of the best things that could have happened. How could he say such horrible things about me?
"Thade, please stop. It seems like you are only upsetting her more." There was a still silence throughout the room for a few stiff seconds. "You are also upsetting me."
When Thade spoke next there was a soft quality in his voice that told me he truly did care for Ari, and did not want to hurt her at any cost. This in turn made me wonder why he would change so much. "Forgive me, Ari, I had no intent of distressing you. But, please, you must understand that you cannot always believe that what a human says in true. Sometimes they don't even know they are lying."
"I know that, Thade, but, I also know that there are times when you need to let go of your doubts and trust your heart. If you promise to try to be a little more trusting then I will try to be a bit more cautious. Deal?"
"Deal." As I watched this exchange between Ari and Thade it reminded me of home, but contrasted sharply. It would not be easy to stop thinking of my home, but I steeled my will to make the best of it. Inadvertently my thoughts jumped to my boyfriend, Don, we were always at odds with each other, but we loved each other so much we could hardly stand to fight. During movies we would fight about what the characters were really thinking at the time and finally it would come to a truce somewhat similar to the one I had just witnessed.
Every year for three or four years I had gone to México and had learned to adapt into different cultures easily, so my problem was not trying to fit it, it was with a thing called respect. I would have to convince myself that the apes deserved the respect that I reserved only for special people such as my parents, teachers and other authority figures. During this brief period of contemplation the conversation between the two Simians in the room had once again turned to me.
"Taylor!"
"Yes, sir?" Out of habit I added 'sir' (or ma'am depending upon gender) to my reply.
"Ari, your mistress, asked you a question. Are you going to answer her?" Meekly I nodded my head yes. "Well?"
"Could you repeat the question…please?"
"Maybe you should pay a little more att…"
"Thade," there was a warning in Ari's voice; "you promised to be more understanding." The aforesaid monkey neither denied nor accepted the charge against him. "Thank you. Taylor," I raised my eyes, "I asked if you were hungry."
"Yes." I resolved that I was not going to give out anymore information than was requested of me.
"Good, you may follow me. I will show you the way to the kitchen where Bon will find you something to eat. You will be staying in my chambers as my hand maiden for the time being until a more permanent site is found." As I took in this information I untangled my long legs and meekly followed Ari to the kitchen while Thade brought up the rear. We used the back stairs because I suppose it would not do to have a human use the 'good' front stairs. When we reached the kitchen I saw a young woman of about twenty putting some wood in the fire box. "Bon," Ari addressed the girl, "find her some food. If she wants to clean up first show her where everything is." Without a please or thank you Ari and Thade quickly retreated through the door back the way we came.
"What do you want to eat?" Questioned the young Asian looking girl. This must be Bon at a much younger age, I thought to myself. In the movie she was quiet a bit older. Maybe that is why Ari and Thade are still in such good relations, at this time.
"What are my options?"
"Bananas, apples, bread, gruel, rice or… Well, that is about all we humans are rationed. Oh!" She suddenly remembered something. "And we also are allowed some bean too." Obviously she had been a servant for quiet a while because she was eager to please everyone.
"A few beans and some rice, if it isn't too much trouble for you."
"No, that is no trouble at all," she smiled. "It seems like the mistress has taken a liking to you."
To me the idea of being a slave had not fully sunk in yet, I preferred to consider myself a 'servant.' Because I was rebelling against slavery it was difficult for me to comprehend who this 'mistress' was that Bon was talking about. "I'm sorry, but who?"
"Mistress Ari," Bon gave me an incredulous look. "You've never been a slave before have you?"
"What it that obvious?" We both laughed at my palpable joke, but then everything became serious again. "Back home," I started, Not again, I groaned to myself, but continued anyways. "Well, back home slavery is abolished and everyone is free to do what they want, within the law of course." It could be worse. Really? Yes, you could have been a slave of another human being. It would be harder to be thought of as an animal by another human than by an ape. I don't like you, you stupid little voice. You don't have a choice. "Yes I do!"
Bond looked at me. "Did I just say that out loud? Sorry. I just really miss my family." A heartfelt sigh escaped my lips.
Softly Bon placed her hand gently on my should and gave it a tender squeeze. "I have to admit I am glad you are here. As much as I love my brother, Trival, it will be good to have another woman around to talk with."
I turned around so that I could see her face. At 5 foot 7 inches I have never thought of myself as tall, but here I am almost taller than everyone. Her face was down so I gently lowered myself down to her level and said: "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Giving me a reason to live."
"Then you will be my friend? I've never had a real friend before," Bon ruefully admitted to me.
"Of course I'll be your friend. I'm running a little low on friends around here myself." I could not restrain myself from giving Bon a big hug as I saw a smile light up her face at my corny pun. Back home I was use to hugging everyone because our church is more like a big family than random people thrown together. Bon relaxed as she realized that I was showing affection, not hostility.
"No one, besides my brother, has ever shown me any kind of love before." Her eyes were moist and I admit that I selfishly did not really want to deal with a crying person I quickly changed the subject.
"Well, maybe you can return the favor by showing me how to cook."
Shock registered on her face, "You don't know how to cook?"
"I can do well enough at home with a microwave, but there isn't one here. So, now it is time for you to become my home ec teacher."
"Microwave? Home ec?"
"Never mind."
"Well, first you put the water on the stove to boil…" I let my mind wander as Bon gave me instructions on how to cook rice. For some reason it has always been easier for me to learn better when I don't completely pay full attention. Because if I do I end up focusing too hard and I get frustrated with myself, but if I allow myself to day dream I can almost recall anything I have ever learned.
Flashback
"There is a curfew for humans!"
"They kill you on sight if they catch you."
"You're already dead if you stay here."
"I'm coming with you."
"Will you lead me back to the place they caught us?"
"Not without my family."[1]
"She is such a wimp," Taylor remarked to her friend Jacqueline a.k.a. Jack.
"Come on, Tay, give her a break. How would you feel if you were suddenly taken away from all that you know and forced into something new?"
"I like new stuff."
"But if you thought that you were going to be killed… Wouldn't you want to preserve your life if possible?"
"I'm not scarred to die, and you know that."
"Come on, she is just not ready. This is some new radical idea. What if someone said that you could become immortal by smoking weed, would you smoke weed just to become immortal?"
"No, that is crazy. Everyone knows that smoking pot kills you faster. You would be stupid to believe that."
"Think of it from her point of view. She has never known the meaning of true freedom," Jack gave her friend a look.
Taylor was not happy that she had lost the debate; usually she won them hands down without really trying to think. "You might be right this time, Jack, but I won't let you win again." She attacked Jack with a pillow and a fight broke out as it usually did when those two were together. Finally after a few minutes of pounding each other with the pillows Taylor had the upper hand and finally won the battle.
"You might have won the battle, but I won the war. Who was the quicker thinker tonight… hum?"
"Watch your back you pirate, you might find a ice cube down it if you're not careful."
"Is that a threat?"
"No, it's a promise." Both girls laughed and continued watching the movie.
End Flashback
"…. And that is about all you have to do to make beans and rice." Reluctantly I returned from my day dreams back to reality.
"Thank you, Bon." With that I sat down at a small table with my meager fare. While I ate Bon sat with me and chatted about things she found interesting. Such as, the new servant over at Senator Nado's house, the baker shutting down and other such small doings that would appeal to a human of this planet. To me such comings and goings were of no importance, but I listened for Bon's sake. The thought occurred to me that I should take interest in the things that involved the human's it would help me to fit in better and somehow find a way to escape… one day. Most often during Bon's endless stream of talk her brother Trival was of man concern. It was obvious to me that she loved him very much, and I was glad, because it would be terrible to live in a loveless society.
A/N: This was an interesting chapter to write. Thank you all again for your wonderful support and forcing me to keep this story alive. I already had part of the next chapter written and hopefully it won't be as long before I update again.
[1] Planet of the Apes 2001
