Part 2: The Transformation
Chapter 16
"Welcome to the Family"
Jane hooted to the gorillas that were now her new family. They all cheered with excitement, knowing that woman that Tarzan had fallen in love with was now one of them. Tarzan looked on happily as he got onto Tantor's back and taking his arm to Jane's mounting her onto Tantor's back. Jane struggled to get comfortable as her heavy wet yellow dress prevented her from doing so. But, it didn't matter to her now as they all waited for Archimedes to come off the shore and meet them there.
Everyone seemed to forget that he was one of them too and after all, he had waited thirty years to actually see and study a gorilla. In the end, he decided that if his daughter wanted to spend her life with the man that she loved so dearly, he would spend the rest of his life with the creatures that he always admired greatly.
"You are not going to leave without me, aren't you?" panted Archimedes. "I'm part of your family too."
"Of course you are, daddy," said Jane. "Come on."
Jane reached out to her father and pulled him onto Tantor's back and they all made their way back into the jungles. As they all left, Captain Gerard, having gone through the most bizzare period of his maritime career, looked on in bewilderment from the rowboat as they all left with the gorillas. By the time he got back to the boat, he called his officers and crew into his quarters for their usual pre-sailing meeting.
"All right, men," he said. "Professor Porter and Miss Porter have confirmed to me that they are staying in the jungles forever. We are to take their luggage and supplies off the ship at once and bring them to them."
The men moaned and groaned at this as they had already lugged their luggage once already.
"Yes, I know you don't like it and neither do I," remarked Captain Gerard. "Let's just get rid of their luggage and leave it here with them. Who knows what that savage will do with Miss Porter?"
All the men nodded in agreement at that and after a few more briefings including what to do with several of Clayton's captured men, they all set to work on unloading Jane and Archimedes' luggage and supplies to be brought back to the jungle. All the men were looking forward to being on their way back to England having been through probably the most bizarre event in their maritime careers. No one looked more forward to leaving than Captain Gerard, although he would get some heat upon his return to England.
Meanwhile, Tarzan, Jane and Archimedes rode on Tantor's back through the jungle with the gorillas trailing behind back to the gorilla nests that were now free from Clayton and his men. But, despite their celebrations, there was a sense of sadness as the gorillas had spent most of the day burying Kerchak. By the time that they all returned, Kerchak was already buried in the spot where he had died and this would be where the gorillas would stay from now on. Jumping off of the elephant's back, Jane walked over to the gravesite and knelt down at it for a silent prayer as Archimedes looked on.
"Oh, Jane," he said to himself. "If only your mother would be here to see this, maintaining your morals for a creature that almost attacked you."
Tarzan soon got off of Tantor's back and crawled over to meet his mate to join her in her silent prayer. Tarzan knew that he was sad along with everyone else over Kerchak's death, but he was confused by what Jane was doing.
"What is Jane doing?" he asked.
"I'm saying a prayer," she replied. "A prayer is a group of special words we use to say something that is now spiritual like Kerchak. You are now the leader of the gorillas Tarzan and you need faith and guidance to help you. Perhaps one day I can teach you the meaning of faith."
After doing the sign of the cross, much to Tarzan's confusion, Jane got up and wanted to get out of her heavy wet yellow dress and into something more comfortable. But, of course, her luggage was still being brought to the campsite and she also didn't have any privacy to undress.
"Daddy, where is the crew with the luggage?" she moaned. "This dress is making me uncomfortable."
"They are now bringing our luggage ashore," said Archimedes. "I suppose that maybe while we are waiting, Tarzan could maybe take you around the jungle some more."
"There is something Tarzan wants to show Jane," said Tarzan, taking his hand out to hers. "Come."
"Where are you taking me?" she asked and Tarzan grabbed a vine and carried her up it. After a few swings through the jungles, Tarzan took Jane to his parents' tree house and Jane was astonished by what she was seeing in front of her.
"What is this place?" she gasped.
"This was my first home," said Tarzan as they stepped inside. "It was where I lived with my parents when I was a baby."
Jane walked in and was horrified to discover the mess that was in the tree house. The curtains had been slashed and the furniture had been knocked over. As she looked around, Jane could not help but sorry for Tarzan as he never really knew his parents. Walking around, she came across a picture that she nearly stepped on and it was a picture of a man and a woman and a baby. Picking it up, Jane studied it as Tarzan looked on.
"Where did you find that?" asked Tarzan. "That is my mother and father."
Realizing what she was looking at, Jane turned around to look Tarzan, filled with remorse.
"Oh, Tarzan," she sighed, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I am so sorry for you."
"It's all right," he replied. "I just wish they were still here to meet you."
He then looked over to what appeared to be a grizzily sight where a pair of skeletons laid in the corner of the tree house, followed by blooded paw prints. Jane gasped in horror upon seeing the skeletons.
"Tarzan!" she gasped, nearly falling over before Tarzan caught her. "Are these your-Parents?"
"They are," he said sadly.
"But, they can't be here," Jane gasped.
"But why?" Tarzan asked.
"When people die," explained Jane. "Their bodies must be committed to the Earth and maybe this meant that the promise we made to God was not fulfilled. But, I will teach you about God one day, Tarzan. But, right now, we need to give your parents a proper dignified burial."
So, although it was difficult, Jane and Tarzan set about picking up the bones that once belonged to his parents and carried them down to the site where Kerchak was buried. Archimedes, who had spent his time still getting to know his new family, gasped in shock upon what Jane and Tarzan were bringing down to them in buckets.
"My goodness, Jane Mary Elizabeth Victoria Porter," he gasped in horror. "What is that you are bringing down here?"
"It's Tarzan's parents," she explained. "Or what is left of them I suppose. We are going to bury them."
"But, where are you going to bury them?" asked Archimedes.
"Right here, with Kerchak," said Jane. "Do we have shovels?"
"I'll ask the crew for some," asked Archimedes and after getting two shovels, the bones of Tarzan's parents were buried next to Kerchak in a kind of catholic manner. As the bones were being buried, Jane and Archimedes held hands and said the 23rd Psalm together before doing the sign of the cross and leaving.
"Actually Jane," he said. "The crew has finished unloading our luggage and supplies, if you want to change into comfortable clothes."
So, Jane smiled happily and went back to the campsite accompanied by Tarzan to change out of her heavy clothes. Archimedes soon followed and unbeknownst to anyone, a pair of yellow green eyes were hiding in the bushes and growling slightly waiting for the moment or day, when it would strike upon Tarzan, his new mate and his gorilla family…
