Caesar's Pearl 2 Chapter 21
The following day, early in the morning, the assigned apes went down to the human's campsite on their way to the dam. Most of the work had been finished yesterday so the amount of apes that came was much smaller, cut by half. It was still a good number to do required heavy work if needed.
Surprisingly, when the group got there, not all of the humans were tucked away in their tents. Alexander was sitting outside his family's tent and it appeared he'd been waiting for them. He stood from his seated position when he saw Maurice and then Margo walking beside him. Held in his hands is the comic book Maurice was so interested in lately all this time.
Meetings Alex's eyes Maurice stayed behind while the other apes continued on. Noticing this Margo decided to fall back a little to see what this was all about.
Maurice then slowly lopes down the hill to the boy. He met the orangutan with no fear or apprehension. Margo has to give him some credit for that. After that disaster with Koba, Alex sure does have courage.
Smiling he held out the comic book for Maurice to take. The orangutan was skeptic, but accepted the gift.
"For yesterday," clarified Alex to Maurice, indicating it was because the orangutan prevented Koba from hurting him.
Margo smiled at the contact. Maurice is one of the nicest and hardest working apes in the tribe. He deserves to be recognized for it more often.
Maurice and Alex sat together, the human boy directing Maurice on how to read the graphic novel.
The commotion woke Malcolm and Ellie. When they saw the interaction undergoing between human and ape they were content to sit and watch for a little. They were amused when Alex told them the term "hanging out" when they the apes saw it in the book and they copied the sign. Eventually the passage of time compelled them to rise. A reminder they had a job to do.
As they got ready Ellie saw Margo staring at the same scene with a fond expression on her face. In fact it appears to closely resemble the one Alex usually has when he's gawking at her.
Detecting the sly look Ellie carry's Margo shook it off clearing her throat as she prepared to return to work.
Fortune is in their favor.
The dam repairs were completed as promised on schedule. All that remained to do now was to do a test to see if it was actually functional.
Inside the main tunnel of the dam Malcolm twisted a rusty flywheel. Adjusted enough it would let all the water that had been blocked off into the dam to work the turbines that would create electricity.
There was urgency in Malcolm's actions, the deadline to the one day his team was permitted was barely an hour away. They needed this done now. Soon enough there was a telltale thrumming origination from the turbines and that thrum became louder and louder with each crank of the wheel. As water pumped freely in the pipes, as it hadn't done in over a decade, the gizmos and machines flared to life electricity flowing through them.
"Malcolm," shouted Ellie, excitedly, into the hatch leading into the tunnel. "Malcolm!"
"What," said Malcolm, sticking his head out. "What is it? What happened?"
"You better come up here and see," grinned Ellie, elated.
Malcolm climbed up the ladder to get to the surface. Only then did he glimpse what everyone else could see.
They went to the rundown human gas station.
The humans got there first the apes arriving second, attracted by the glow of the electric lights inside of the building and the orange ball outside the station. All stared at it in wonder and astonishment.
Unable to contain himself Kemp went inside the gas station Alex following him. They found an old CD collection the owner of the gas station must've had before everything went dark. Rooting through the scattered pile Kemp saw one he remembered hearing every once in a while as a kid, an old classic-rock chestnut. The music blared from the speakers engulfing the surrounding area with the sound. Any creature for a couple of miles would be able to hear that.
The humans were beyond happy even Margo. Margo never liked listening to this type of stuff, but at the present time any music is good music. The music and power in the gas station proved they'd succeeded. The electricity was back on at last.
All of the humans reacted in different ways expressing their joy. Ellie and Malcolm were laughing and crying, Foster was dancing in place, Alexander and Kemp were freaking out inside the building.
Margo was hugging Ranger tightly as he licked her neck. The mood here is infectious.
Things could only get better for them from here.
Everyone was all smiles including the apes.
Maneuvering his horse around Foster, Caesar guided his horse over to where Malcolm stood with Ellie. Malcolm met him part way.
Beyond grateful, Malcolm breathed "Thank you. None of this would've been possible without you."
Caesar nods, acknowledging this.
"It worked," said Malcolm to Caesar. "At least here it did. We'll know when we get back to the city."
A thoughtful expression shaped Caesar's face as he considered how to rectify this.
Extending an arm to Malcolm, quietly, Caesar said "Trust."
Malcolm took the proffered hand, shaking it, he repeats "Trust."
In the ultimate act of faith and trust Caesar allowed not only Ellie and Malcolm inside the village, but Alex, Foster, and Kemp too. Now all five knew where the village was hidden, but Caesar wasn't worried. These five had proven themselves in his eyes. They were welcome here.
In spite of the distance the song that had been played at the gas station had carried on the wind where the apes could hear it. Those whom remembered what music sounded like were both very timid. On the other hand the children listened in wonder asking their parents what it was.
When the tribe saw the humans, particularly the other three, they were justifiably skeptical of the humans, but didn't act upon their emotions. Caesar radiated calm assurance that eased their nerves.
Alex, Kemp, and Foster stared at everything and everyone in amazed fascination in just as much awe as Malcolm had been when he waltzed into the camp to meet with Caesar.
Offering a hand to Ellie, Caesar assisted her with climbing the rocks to where the school stood. The others followed them.
Positioning the humans to where they could see the city, pointing in that direction, Caesar said "The…lights."
San Francisco was no longer ensnared in darkness. Beyond the Golden Gate Bridge thousands of specks of light glimmered in the dim night air, getting power at long last.
Malcolm was overcome with a variety of emotions tears glistening in his eyes. Laughing he wrapped an arm around Ellie's shoulders tugging her to him and the other around Caesar's in a comradely gesture.
"This…," said Malcolm, smiling, trying to find the right words to describe how he felt, "This is a new start, the beginning of a new era for all of us."
Caesar smiled nodding in agreement.
A feast is in order.
Bowls were provided to the humans filled with foods edible to share. Reserves of wild mushrooms, nettle, bark, berries, insects, salamanders, meats, and fruits were broke out for the celebration. The supply's that were edible to humans were passed around in carved wooden bowls. A few of the humans winced at what the apes called food, but out of common curtsey and etiquette they accepted the morsels. They'd eat what they could, leaving the rest for the apes to devour.
Babbling from a baby caused the group to look up. Cornelia had emerged from the oak tree. She stood where Caesar could see her cradling the baby in her arms. The antibiotics did their work. She appeared well rested and restored.
As Caesar leaves to join his wife Margo felt a hand slip into hers. Snapping her head downward Margo is stunned to find it belongs to Alex. The two locked gazes. Alex smiles timidly at her and funnily enough Margo finds herself returning it, the two now pressed shoulder to shoulder.
Ranger barks running around the two of them in fast circles.
Caesar went to Cornelia meeting her halfway as she came down with her midwives to join the festivities. Stroking the side of her face, Caesar signed "Feeling better?"
Cornelia nodded, pressing her brow to his.
Caesar stroked the baby's tiny head, cupping it in his hand. The two then pressed foreheads.
Taking Cornelia's hand in his he leads her to a spot under their oak tree. At the base the roots of the tree created a platform. The two beautiful stood there admiring the beauty of the lights in the night.
The Queen noticed they had a visitor.
Cornelia touched Caesar's arm to get his attention. Caesar saw what had her so fixated. Blue Eyes was coming from the side. His eyes were only for his mother blinking at her in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend how she was still alive. Yesterday Cornelia was on the brink of death. Now she was up and about as if the disease didn't nearly steal her away.
"Mother," signed Blue Eyes.
Cornelia unwrapped an arm from around the baby chimp. She gently stroked Blue Eyes temple and that touch was all the clarification he needed. Blue Eyes embraced his mother hugging her tight never wanting to let go.
Satisfied immensely, Caesar smiled at the sight of his wife and eldest son embrace. His entire family both human and ape are reunited.
Malcolm was correct this was a new beginning for apes and humans. Things could only improve moving forward after this.
Hearing a twig snap Caesar looked below into the ravine. Positioned on a branch far below Caesar can see Koba. Forgiveness in his heart, a smile adorning his face, Caesar motions Koba to come up and join the celebration.
Koba has no intention of doing so in the slightest. He has something else in mind.
The gun Koba points straight at him whips the smile right off of Caesar's lips.
BANG!
The booming crack of the gunshot startled everyone. Everywhere you looked apes and humans were looking in all directions for the shooter, wondering where it came from.
Margo did the same with a jolt, befuddled as she and Alex let to go figure out what happened. She then noticed something odd. Caesar, who'd been standing at the edge of the platform, was now standing perfectly still as if he's frozen. Not reacting at all. That's not like him. He had a hand clutching his left shoulder. Unknown to Willow, because his back was facing her she didn't realize that's where the bullet clipped him. He was stock still not moving a muscle.
"Caesar," called Margo, eyes wide with worry.
That concern is justified.
Seconds later Caesar fell forward over the cliff disappearing in the underbrush of the drop off into the canyon.
Suddenly reality struck. Caesar had been hit!
The baby's frightened cry in Cornelia's arms broke everyone out of their stupor.
The air became filled with shrieks, roars, and screeches from the apes as they realized what had occurred.
Cornelia wailed in grief. Hooting frantically she tried to go over the cliff to after Caesar, but Blue Eyes intercepted his stricken mother restraining her.
Luca and Rocket arrived. They each took hold of Cornelia, Luca wrapping his arms around her waist and Rocket did the same to her shoulders. They were both shielding her and the child along with preventing her from doing anything foolishly drastic.
This allowed Blue Eyes to go to the edge. Blue Eyes looked into the ravine hoping to find Caesar's body, but saw something else. Whatever he saw had him screeching furiously. He jumped down to a root sticking over the rocky outcropping below to retrieve his find. Other apes in the village center rushed to the cliff face scanning for the assailant and their beloved leader.
The tension building here is unbearable.
There was the smell of smoke as a fire erupted in the village the billowing flames increasing with each second. It grew rapidly as it traveled with the wood connecting the walls and huts.
First Caesar was hurt and now this. As if things couldn't get any worst!
Apparently they could.
Blue had made a gruesome discovery. Leaping onto the stone slab platform Blue Eyes held aloft a thompson rifle and a cap in his hands for all to see.
Margo immeidately froze as she recognized the cap. That had belonged to only one single human. Carver, the shooter is Carver.
"Son of a bitch," spat Margo, eyes gleaming with unrivaled fury.
Margo should've allowed Ranger to rip that piece of shit to pieces when she had the chance!
"Human gun," shouted Blue Eyes.
Malcolm, Ellie, Alex, Foster, and Kemp were no longer safe. If they stayed they would all be killed in revenge.
Even Margo has no choice but to leave anymore.
"Run," rumbled Maurice to Malcolm.
The humans required no further incentive. While the apes were distracted they snuck out of there.
Koba burst from the darkness leaping onto the stone slab beside Blue Eyes.
Taking the rifle, Koba bellowed "Humans kill Caesar! Burn ape home!" Through the flames he saw the humans escaping. They kept low as they ran through the areas overrun by fire to the gates. "Go! Get them!"
A small group of apes broke off from the main group to pursue. They'd rejoin the rest later on.
Koba wasn't done. All they needed was one more push.
"Apes must attack human city," roared Koba. "Fight back! Come, fight for Caesar!"
In Caesar's memory the apes would do anything to honor their savior.
"Females and young stay in the woods,"commanded Koba to Grey. "We go to the city."
Nodding Grey obediently relayed the order, passing it along.
The tribe riled the way he wanted Koba turned his attention to the young prince. Blue Eyes was slumped to the ground perturbed, lost, and grief stricken.
Marching over to him Koba got him to rise.
"We will avenge your father's death," vowed Koba, fervently.
Koba slid his hands around the back of the boy's neck. Pulling the youngling close he pressed their foreheads together.
Blue Eyes cupped the back of Koba's head in return accepting the comfort.
The tribe shall go to war to conquer the humans and their land all in the name for revenge in tribute to their fallen cherished sovereign.
The cherry blossom tree branch Margo and Caesar planted in front of the school to symbolize a bright new beginning for a shining golden age caught a flame. One by one each and every blossom that's flowered there withering from the embers as if they never existed at all.
Authors Note:
Yes, we've reached that point of the story. I don't like it either, but it's the way it has to be. It's so heartbreaking each and every time.