Abandoned 10.29.2023

Note: This short takes place after Chapter 7: . . . To Heart Break in my other story, A Lesson in Life, so if you haven't read that work, you may want to read that first to avoid spoilers.

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The penguins awoke the next morning after the New Year's excitement, feeling groggy from how late they'd stayed up. Humans were all around their habitat, ogling the sleepy baby penguins.

"It's already past opening?" the small Skipper asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Affirmative," Kowalski responded, rubbing his eyes as well.

The penguins slowly rose to their feet and shook away their tiredness. For the next several hours they did cute antics for the guests until finally it was closing time. They waved their last goodbyes to the humans as they walked away.

"I haven't seen Dave all day," Private noted. "Perhaps he's still asleep after all the fuss last night?"

Skipper nodded. "I'll go wake him up."

The other penguins waited patiently as Skipper dove underwater to get Dave. The silence was interrupted when Skipper broke back through the water and climbed back onto the island.

"He's gone!" he cried.

The other penguins gasped.

"Gone?" Private cried worriedly.

"Uh-uh!" Rico protested, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Are you sure he isn't just camouflaging himself?" Kowalski asked.

Skipper shook his head and walked past him. "No."

"Perhaps he's in trouble!" Private suggested, putting his flippers over his beak. Rico nodded in agreement.

"But where would he go?" Kowalski asked.

"We should go look for him," Private said, stepping closer to the pool and looking distantly at the city.

"He's gone!" Skipper said sharply, turning to them. The other penguins looked at him in shock, falling silent. "Don't you get it?"

The other penguins couldn't respond.

"He abandoned us," Skipper insisted. "Just like all the other penguins in Antarctica did. Just like our families did!"

Private's brow furrowed. "My family abandoned me?" he asked softly, looking expectantly at Skipper.

Skipper softened a little, then looked away. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. All of our families did. And now Dave did too."

Private looked at the ground. "We don't know that for sure," he suggested quietly.

"We do know that," Skipper shot back, turning to him. "He's gone just like everyone else! Forget him! We're better off alone."

"Skipper," Kowalski said in shock, holding Private closer.

Skipper looked down and saw that Private had started crying. He started to feel guilty for snapping at him. He had scorned Kowalski in the past for his "true, but unhelpful comments," but he was now guilty of doing the same.

Skipper exhaled, then knelt in front of Private. "I'm sorry, Private," he said softer. He reached out and pulled Private into a hug. "All that matters is that we all have each other now. We don't need anyone else. Forget him."

Private tapped his flippers together timidly. "But, Dave has always –"

"It doesn't matter!" Skipper interrupted, putting his flippers on the small penguin's shoulders. "He's gone now. He made his choice. We're on our own and we're better off that way. Let's just forget him and move on."

Private sniffled a little and looked down.

"Aye-aye, Skipper."

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[Words: 492]