Chapter Five:
Jungle
Bainbridge stared out the office window at the young woman tending to the various animals of the zoo with interest. He stroked his mustache in contemplation before Fossil walked up to him and began staring at the girl as well.
"She's quite a looker, ain't she Mr. Bainbridge?" Fossil said with a breathy laugh as the other man turned away from the window.
"She is easy on the eyes." He stated and began signing more forms to sell the zoo.
Salem chirped to an owl, deep in a conversation over human behavior. The owl was wise, like most owls are.
"You're very perceptive for a human, Salem." The owl said.
"And you are the perfect example of a barred owl, filled with wisdom as always, Xavior." She complimented the owl, who nuzzled into her cheek.
"You're too kind, my dear, but I believe it is time for me to retire to my nest for the rest of the morning. Good day, lovely." The owl hooted and flew up into its nest. Salem left the enclosure, softly closing the door behind her.
"You certainly have a way with the animals." A deep voice said from behind her. Salem turned and locked her gaze with Bainbridge.
"Thank you Mr. Bainbridge, I must admit, I find myself at a type of kinship with them." She said, trying to maintain her manners. Bainbridge extended his arm to her.
"Walk with me, I find myself a bit lonely this afternoon." Bainbridge said, wiggling his eyebrows. Salem tried to be polite and decline only to have her arm seized by Bainbridge before a word could escape her mouth.
"You know, I own this zoo, captured a fair amount of the animals myself..." Bainbridge said, continuing on about his travels and how rich and famous he is. Salem rolled her eyes and looked for a way to escape. They walked by the office when Fossil came out to finish the plans with Bainbridge.
"Ah it seems I must take my leave m'lady. Until we meet again." Bainbridge said with a bow, taking her hand and kissing it a bit longer than what was deemed proper. Salem grimaced internally as Bainbridge walked away. She grabbed the bottle of hand sanitizer and dumped more than needed onto her hands and began rubbing it in vigorously.
"Gah, that man creeps me right out." She said to herself.
Fossils voice came across the intercom, announcing that the employees would all be out of a job. Salem looked in horror as the other employees shrugged it off and continued their work.
Howard couldn't believe that the zoo was going to be closed. His mentor still legally had ownership as no one had found his body. He had confronted Fossil about it, but all Fossil had to offer was how the zoo was left to Bainbridge to do with as he pleased after 10 years, at that moment, Howard had made up his mind to go into the jungle room and find Tommy.
Salem was wondering around looking for other jobs to do having completed her work at the reptile house and trying successfully to avoid Bainbridge. Giving a big sigh of relief, she began her walk to her apartment, only to be stopped by Bainbridge.
"Ah, there you are Ms. Sterling. I've been looking for you all day, where have you been hiding darling?" Bainbridge asked with a smile that could make a baby cry. Salem shrank back.
"I've been doing my job, Mr. Bainbridge." She said, trying not to let her distaste for the man show. Bainbridge eyed her for a moment before taking her arm in his forcefully. Salem inwardly sighed, as he drug her around the zoo once again.
"Excuse me, Mr. Bainbridge, but I have some matters at home to take care of." She said, slipping her arm away from him trying to escape another outing with the self absorbed man. She turned away from him, only to be grabbed back and drug by his side once more.
"Now, Ms. Sterling, you wouldn't be trying to escape me would you?" Bainbridge asked. Salem shrunk back.
"I'm afraid, Ms. Sterling, that my patience for your antics has run out." He said. Salem took in her surroundings and noticed they were next to the jungle room. She had heard rumors about the old owner going into the room and never dying or in the case of what Howard had told her, he was hiding from the world as his head had turned into cheese. She looked up at Bainbridge in horror as he threw open the door and shoved her in the room, chaining it shut after she hit the floor.
Salem looked around the jungle, the green of the leaves, and the soft earth beneath her feet made her feel at home. She took a deep breath and began her search through the strange but familiar room.
Vince and Howard were beginning to worry when they didn't see their friend walking home or around the zoo. Howard was sure she would want to go along with them to find Tommy in the jungle room. Vince had a bad feeling when she didn't pick up her phone after the 10th call.
"Somethings had to have happened to her Howard, we need to find her." Vince said, barely able to hide his panic. Howard nodded and began their journey to the jungle room. Howard cut the chain on the door and entered quietly with Vince trailing behind, rambling on about how he was the 'Mod King' and the latest fashions. While shortly after they entered, Fossil locked the door.
Salem wandered through the jungle, seeing a small light and deciding to investigate it further. As she came closer and closer the smell of fire and smoke filled her nose. She peeked through the leaves to see a rather short figure sitting next to the fire, dressed in a deep brown cloak.
"Come and sit, child, warm yourself by the fire." The figure called out to her. She obeyed cautiously.
"You seem at ease here in the jungle. Why, may I ask, is that?" The voice asked, sounding like a man. Salem smiled at the figure.
"Well, I was raised by animals most of my life, in places very similar to this. I suppose, I feel more at home here than most other places." She answered, with a far off dreamy look in her eyes. The figure giggled at the girls love of nature.
"That must have been an interesting place to grow up." The figure stated.
"Oh, yes it was. The wolves took me in first. They said I was found under a willow tree, curled up with nothing but a thin blanket around me. They took pity on me and decided to raise me, as well as some other creatures. The wolves were my family for the longest time." Salem said, staring into the fire with a content smile on her face.
"You say were as if they are gone." The figure spoke. Salem nodded and looked out into the trees.
"That's because someone found me one day, I was about seven when it happened. The people accused the wolves of stealing me and a huge fight broke out. Most of the wolves were killed during this fight, and as I tried to fight back and leave, the people captured me, and took me far away from both my family and the friends I had made." She spoke sadly. The figure shook his head in sorrow for the girls loss.
"What happened next? If you don't mind me asking." The figure said. Salem nodded and took a breath.
" After I was captured, the people began teaching me how to be 'normal', but I could never be normal. I would talk to their pets, and to random animals that strayed into the town. I would often sneak off to try and find my old friends but they had gone off in fear of the humans. Shortly after discovering they had gone, I ran away from home, that's when someone else took me in and embraced my odd way of life, but also taught me how to survive with the rest of the human race." Salem said with a soft smile across her lips.
"What was her name child?" The figure asked, listening intently to the girls story.
"Her name was Fae. She was a good mother figure for me to have. She explained everything to me, and raised me as her own child. I never knew what happened to her. One day she was there and the next she was gone, at least she didn't leave with me unable to care for myself." The girl explained. The figure chuckled.
"It would seem child, that you are the perfect example of the phrase ' it takes a village to raise a child'." The figure said with a hint of laughter in his voice. She smiled and gave a small giggle with the figure.
"It's just too bad that I won't get to see my new friends again. I actually made human friends recently. I hope they aren't to worried about me." She said with a small sigh.
"They might be closer than you think child." The figure said.
Howard stood in the brush, listening to the girls story. While Vince had come up on the other side, listening intently to the story of the girls life. He found her story telling ability to be wonderful, and he would have listened to more if the pair hadn't been interrupted by Howard walking into the circle and joining them.
Howard began to tell his own tale, of his lost mentor. Vince rolled his eyes, watching as it played out. Soon, the figure removed his hood, and exposed his cheese like head. Vince took this moment to make his appearance.
They began to bat back and forth like most natural enemies. Salem stood up and listened as they talked about the zoo, and how it was to be closed down if Tommy didn't come back with them. Tommy had agreed to, and they began their long walk back to the doors of the jungle room.
Tommy began to feel tired, and out of breath about half way through the journey. He huffed and tried to catch his breath. Salem knew where this was going and decided to stay out of it.
"Howard, you must do what needs to be done." Tommy said, Howard argued with him for a few good minutes, before taking the cheese grater from him. Salem turned her head away as Howard used the grater on Tonys head. Unable to watch as he performed what could have been one of the hardest things a person would ever have to do.
Howard held the bag of shredded Tommy cheese, and nodded to go forward. Salem didn't argue with the scheme Tommy had come up with, nor the scheme Howard had come up with about feeding Bainbridge the cheese in hopes it would alter his mind during the contract signing the next day.
As the trio headed towards the doors, the sound of wolves was heard, coming closer and closer to them. A magazine had appeared in the small clearing they had reached. Salem looked at it in confusion.
"Their mod wolves." Howard said seeing the wolves all dressed in blue suits and hair done almost exactly like Vinces'. Salem felt her jaw hang at the sight.
"Don't worry, I'm king of the mods." Vince said as they all started dancing. Salem felt her feet begin to move and soon found herself dancing with the wolves herself, with a dazzling smile and a laugh that could cheer up the saddest of people. The wolves left them after that and they reached the door.
"It's locked." Salem said, trying to pull and push on the doors.
"No problem. One sec." Vince said, taking out a small pipe and began to play a few notes. A locksmith appeared out of no where and unlocked the door. Vince gave the locksmith the pipe as payment and the trio left the jungle room.
Salem walked home after a hard day of work, and almost vomiting from watching Bainbridge eat the cheese. It ultimately saved the zoo and her job, but it was still disgusting to watch, but the results of his mind being altered was worth the watch. As Vince and Howard came out of the office they glanced at her paling face.
"You watched, didn't you?" Howard asked, she nodded in confirmation.
"Vince, take her to walk it off will you? I'm going to go bury the rest of Tommy." Howard asked, Vince nodded and escorted Salem around the zoo to ease her stomach.
"So, how DID you end up in the jungle room?" Vince asked taking her shaky hand and leading her to a bench to sit down.
"Bainbridge threw me in there, for basically ignoring him and his advances on me." Salem said truthfully and smiled. Vince smiled back at her, enjoying the warm feeling he as starting to get from the simple gesture.
"Well, I'm done for the day, I think I'm going to go lay down, to get my mind off of the cheese." Salem said standing up and stretching her limbs. Vince nodded.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Vince asked.
"Don't you always? Good evening Vince." Salem said with a smile.
"Good evening, Salem." Vince said with a bright smile on his face.