Author: Wow. I had a lot of grammar problems in the last chapter. I don't think Open Office can cope with my sloppiness. Anyway, now is when the story actually starts to reflect the summary.

Chapter 5: The Plane

Gloria was afraid to enter the hut, After all, she had just accused her friend of murder. She looked back for support: Melman gave a sweeping motion in the direction of the hut. She tried to stall by pretending to get distracted. She looked over at Maurice standing on the wet sand, water rushing past his feet at every bigger wave under the shadow of the massive ship beached on the sand. Melman, gave a little nudge. Gloria mouthed angrily, 'You did it too!'.

Melman knew she was right, and lumbered over to the door, defeated. The two stood silently, not wanting to say the first word. Meanwhile, Alex and the penguins watched, amused, through the non-existent wall. "Alex, hon, can you come out so we can talk to you," Gloria said sweetly.

Alex answered, "Why, so you can misjudge my character, even after years of knowing me, after just two days on some island." He stood up, "We got here, we found the lemurs, we built a home, I went a little nuts, and you guys helped me, we got rid of the foosa, then we got on the boat thinking we'd all go home, but we couldn't, I freaked out again, I ran into the jungle, and now me and Marty returned from the jungle." Alex opened the door. "And, you're going to let that tear down everything we've experienced together?"

"No, Its just," Melman struggled to find the right words, "My past experiences have taught me to assume the worst."

"And, it did look pretty bad to someone who didn't know what happened," she added.

Alex quit the hut and looked up at the two. "I know," he admitted, "I understand. I've just been feeling... emotional lately."

"Well that's an understatement," Melman rolled his eyes. "So, um, we're sorry."

Gloria added, "I don't know it was just, we didn't sleep much when you two were gone-"

"It's OK guys, I understand," He smiled at the two. "Just promise to have a little more faith in me next time."

"We promise," Gloria put her hand on Alex's shoulder.

"Hey," Alex interjected, feeling worried, "Where's Marty?"

"We left him with King Doofus," Gloria pointed. Sure enough Marty and Julien were talking. Marty looked particularly horrified. "Oh no, he must be telling him about his dad too."

"What about his dad?" Alex asked.

"Trust me, Al. You don't want to know" she gave a shutter.

"I still feel queasy... though I feel queasy most of the time..."

Alex smiled, "Should I rescue him?"

"Go on ahead," she patted him on the back. Suddenly, she looked around "Where are the penguins."

Alex assured her, "In the hut." Gloria was surprised. He explained, "Don't worry, we arbitrated our differences."

He left to see Marty with a bounce in his step. Having settled his differences with everyone, he felt like himself again. He strutted along the sand peacefully. Though, he didn't want to appear too happy, after all his friend was still sore from the long night. Alex was a little achy himself, but his high spirits dulled the pain. 'This must be how Marty copes with things,' he thought.

Ahead, Julien told his fascinating story, "So, after the blood stopped squirting from his neck, my mother told him-" he noticed Alex coming, "Greetings my nearly savage friend."

Marty's ears perked up, "Oh thank god you ca-" Julien looked at him, "-I mean, er, thank god you're here to hear this story..." Julien was unconvinced, but didn't care.

"So, Marty, how you holding up?" Alex checked on his friend.

"I'm alright. I can stand for a little while, now. I'll be fine by tomorrow" Alex grinned at the good news. Marty noticed the lion's change in mood. "Man, you look happy."

"I feel happy," he explained.

"What for?" the zebra inquired.

"I'm cool with Skipper, and I worked things out with Gloria and Melman. And, best of all,your gonna be alright," he stated.

Marty pointed out sincerely, "You haven't been this happy since we got here."

Julien interrupted, "Not true! He was quite content at my 'bon voyage' celebration!"

"That's true," Marty agreed, "But, that's when you thought you were going home..."

Alex sighed, "Ah, home..." Alex's ears suddenly shifted.

Knowing Alex's heightened abilities, Marty interrogated, "What is it, Alex?"

Alex kept his ears in the awkward position for a moment. He answered, "I don't know, but its something I've heard before. Soon Marty heard it too. A faint buzzing sound overtook the normal noises of the lapping waves. "Marty!" Alex yelled happily, "It's a plane!"

"Really?" the zebra exclaimed.

"Plane?" Julien looked confused. "Oh yes, a PLANE!" he realized thinking of the crashed air-plane in his baobab tree. Which, incidentally, was his home.

"Shh," Alex's ears shifted more wildly. "It's coming closer!" He looked over at the Hut where Melman, Gloria, Maurice, and the Penguins all stood talking. "Melman! Gloria!" he shouted "It's a plane!"

Excitedly, they ran to Alex and Marty followed to the side by a black and white blur as the penguins slid over the shallow waters of the beach like living boogie boards. Maurice followed last, his cane in hand, struggling to keep up. Melman was first to reach them. "What'd you say, Alex?"

"A plane! Listen!" Now, everyone heard the humming turbines of a jet.

Maurice peered into the sky with his giant eyes, "Look, over there!" He pointed to the south.

A black, private owned, jet was flying straight towards them. Skipper turned to his followers, "Shitaki Mushrooms! This may be our only chance. Rico! Private! Kowalski! Get on that boat and blow that horn. We need to get that plane's attention." They obeyed, using their same effective method of transportation to reach the boat. "Tall one! Come here!" Melman leaned over. Skipper took a floating huge palm leaf from the surface of an incoming wave. He fastened it too the giraffe's neck. "Flag that plane down!" And so he did,bending his long neck back in forth. The plane flew closer and lower. The sounds of the deafening ship horn made speech futile. Though, everyone still shouted incomprehensively. The plane was right on top of them. Alex never felt so happy to see one in all his life. Finally, their hard work was acknowledged. The jet performed three circles around the area before finally speeding off.

"It- it's gone?" Melman asked after stopping his flag waving fiasco looking slightly disappointed.

"For, now," Alex said a smile still on his face. "It couldn't have landed anyway, but he definitely saw us!" He cheered. "He'll call someone, and they'll send people to rescue us!"

Overjoyed, Melman gave Gloria a giant hug. Alex jumped in the air, almost completely over Marty's head. The penguins soon returned, exchanging high fives along the way. Maurice simply smiled, happy to see his friends get what they wanted. But, Julien was not celebrating. In fact, he looked strangely pensive.

Maurice noticed this as well, "What's up, Julien?"

The lemur stirred, "Cancel the banquet tonight, Maurice!" he commanded, "I have some business to attend to."

Marty also didn't join in the celebration, but Alex had an inkling of why. He didn't feel like prying at his friend, deciding to talk to him about it later.

From all the excitement, the day past quickly. The afternoon sun soon became but a glow on the horizon. Melman lit a fire and the penguins had found another bottle of champaign on the ship. It was evident that they had all had a bit too much already. Rico began playing wild knife games with himself. Kowalski and Skipper were sharing in a captivating conversation about Bigfoot and area 51. Private, on the other hand refused to drink and simply listened to the outrageous discussion, all the while dodging knives being thrown at Marty's dart board. Maurice had left to inform the other lemurs of the banquet's cancellation.

Gloria joined Melman in a fire side conversation about returning to New York. Meanwhile, Marty lied his bed (constructed entirely of sand) resting his muscles, not engaging any chats or discussions. Simply, staring into the fire lazily, thinking of all the possible prospects. Julien sat on the floor with his back resting on the side of Marty's bedding. He stared down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs in thought. But, Alex, on the other hand, sat on the beach, staring at what was a beautiful sunset and meditated (something he only did when he was happy).

After a half hour or so of inner focus, Alex stood and turned towards the hut. He felt prepared enough to talk to Marty, now. He entered gracefully, every move deliberate. He worked his way over to Marty's bed. He noticed Julien staring blankly at the floor, but decided not to say anything. He knelt down by the zebra. "Hey, Marty," he suggested, "You wanna talk?". Marty gave an meaningless grunt. "I'll assume that's a yes." He hoisted the zebra over his shoulder, once again. He began to make his way out of the flat when a knife grazed the back of his mane. "Hey, watch it!" Rico made an apologetic hand gesture as Alex worked his way out of the room.

He set Marty down on the sand over looking the waves reflecting the now star-filled sky. "How's your legs?"

"Fine..." he said blankly.

"Marty, I know what you're thinking," Alex analyzed, "You don't want to go back to New York, do you."

"That's just it," the zebra replied, "I actually want to go back."

"Huh?"

"I realized that I'm only happy when my friends are happy. And we just aren't happy here."

"Oh, come on. You can't let me-"

"Its not just you, Al" he pointed out, "Melman doesn't get the attention from the zoo staff that he loves so much. Gloria doesn't get to show off her looks in front of hundreds of people, anymore. But you. You are fighting a life battle every minute you are here." He stood up. He wobbled a little, but retained his position. "When I see you guys suffer, I'm not happy. I actually think I would be better off back in the Central Park Zoo."

"Then why have you been so down, today?" Alex questioned.

"It's because, I realized how much I made you all suffer. All because I wanted to take a little stroll around town."

"It's not your fault."

"That's the problem I'm having. As much as you guys want to deny it, this was all my fault."

"It's no big deal then," Alex tried to comfort him, "I mean, this is only the third day we've been here."

"Then, tell me, Alex," he started, "Do you think you'll ever stop feeling that wildness inside you, now that you've come here."

Alex's face grew hot and his ears folded back, as he often did when he was angry. "You had to bring it up, didn't you," he snapped, "Just when I felt like things were going right!" Alex began walking off.

"Alex!" Marty said in a commanding tone, "Where are you going?"

He didn't stop. "Fishing, now leave me alone."

"What did I do?" Marty asked in defense.

Alex turned around and looked at Marty, "You bit the hand."

Author: So that was chapter 5. Review, people, REVIEW. Otherwise, you may never know what the dead with Julien is.