Chapter 1.
Hard as a rock
The bright morning sun bathed the nearby rocks the color of salt and pepper, and also dusted the tall firs and oaks of ancient trees that could rival the height of the houses of the concrete jungle of the former San Francisco, which was now nothing but the gnawed ruins of human civilization. The log cabin in the middle of this elevated spot of nature was like a brown mushroom hidden in moss and pine needles. In fact, it was Emily's home, since she really didn't know much else. When her mother was still alive, she rented a cabin in Muir Wood from the park rangers, who used it very little. Jennifer studied the fauna, plants and animals, she was interested in the cave biome and its ecosystem from microscopic worms, cells to bats hiding in the black recesses of the ceilings and Emily loved it, as she loved her mother and everything she did. She never blamed her for leaving society and moving to this abandoned place that had become their home and sort of asylum.
As a little girl, she remembered the well-maintained streets, the school, the children's park, the canteen and her favorite toy store, from which she still had her teddy bear as a souvenir placed on the dresser, but all that faded over time. Emily walked, studied, fished, worked, chopped wood and hunted with her mother. The rugged landscape, full of greenery and peace, was as beautiful as a pristine corner of the park can be, but also dangerous. Jennifer never gave up her years of research, always thinking that the cure for various diseases comes from nature and not from man-made chemistry. She worked so hard but never finished her research…
Emily stepped onto the porch with a Texas foreman's stride, a few planks creaking in protest under the soles of her leather boots, and that caught the attention of a black bird perched on the railing near the chair with the Indian throw.
"Greetings, Batman," she greeted the animal shivering in its perch.
"Eh, Stupid Name! I'm no bat!" the raven fumed, his cawing echoing around. Plumes as black as tar with an emerald sheen like a royal cloak, each raven's pride settled and he just threw his head in offense to express his distaste for the nickname.
This intelligent offensive creature was the woman's closest companion and she was grateful for the bird's unexpected cleverness. He was almost like a parrot, and although he would never climb into a cage, he could tolerate human petting. What he was good at, however, was grumbling, sometimes she even regretted that he and his mother had taught him so much vocabulary as he curiously flew up to their cabin every day as if they were the most interesting spying attractions around.
Emily laughed inwardly, an animal watching humans as if they were locked up in a Zoo, a strange idea. She stepped forward and braced herself with both hands on the cracked railing made from one solid piece of log. Unfortunately, it didn't have any paint to keep the building from decaying, it used to be the guards who brought supplies here, but now that the Siamese flu had spread across the world, there was no one to come here and Emily didn't even care. From what she heard on the radio, there were only people left, looting and pillaging what they could. Someone she definitely didn't care for, not that she didn't miss human contact at times, but Batman always brought her out of her doldrums, just like now when she was thinking about the past. Animals have always been able to sense emotions in some way.
"Be carefulrr...a bear wandered here in the morning..." the feathered one warned her, his long wing tickling the back of her hand.
"Bear? At this time of year?" Emily wondered, but she couldn't compete with the bird's eye view and took his warning to heart.
"Whoa, bear, big furry ball. What else would it be."
"I'll be careful, don't worry," she stroked the beautiful fluffy feathers on the back of his neck, he had such a cute tic, his right eye lid started to twitch, but she was sure he liked the scratching.
Emily's attention was drawn to a sudden rustling in the distance, loud enough for it not to be the wind but perhaps a large enough animal brushing against the branches as it moved. It was only a moment and the woman quickly scanned the surroundings with her eyes, she felt as if something was watching her, but no matter how she waited, the predator apparently did not consider her a worthy prey, as the attack never came.
"I'd rather take a shotgun with me today, just in case."
"And nuts..." Batman reminded himself, "mainly nuts!"
"Like I'd ever forget you," Emily sneered, "you're not to be missed, bird."
"I'm not fat! CRAAAAAH!"
One large tar-colored leathery paw rested lightly on the thick tree trunk. The huge body shifted its weight closer to the center. Luca wasn't afraid that the thick branch might break under him, it wasn't because of the secrecy. The creature wasn't as far from the human as a prudent situation would have called for, and if it hadn't been for Rocket making the noise, the whole situation might have been safer. However, not everything always went according to plan.
Luca wrinkled his big flat nose and let out a warning sigh at the monkey sitting in the next tree. Clasping his hands together, he gave him two quick signs.
Stupid-silence.
Rocket shrugged his shoulders in imitation of a human gesture of apology and refrained from making any noises, bringing the gorilla sitting atop the oak tree back to focus on the human woman below by what he would describe as a log cabin. The tiny sunken eyes that looked like two black pearls were curious, they didn't want to scare the human being, at least until their commander decided what would happen to their colony, but Luca had anticipated the development of the situation in advance...and there weren't many options, and that was the problem.
The general of the monkey army had been watching the woman for the second day. Once he was out scouting the area alone when he noticed a log cabin. The smoke at the top of the chimney and the smell of roasting meat told him it was occupied, so he waited for some presence of whoever owned the house. The whole time he saw only the female, no mate or cubs, she was alone, which was surprising. He found it strange that there would be an unprotected and abandoned female but people did strange things, the other sadder possibility was that she had lost her mate like they had lost their brothers and sisters. Luca knew there was strength in numbers, and with a whole colony of monkeys behind him, she alone was safe from all danger.
The woman below wasn't frail like some of the young people, at least he could tell from the loose clothing she wore. However, he always wondered how this species could even survive, their teeth were not adapted to tear flesh like their canines, they were not strong and they didn't even have claws to defend themselves with, but they had something that was beyond all instincts, all the more insidious . The weapon commanded respect. The human rifle she had just carried on her shoulder when she came out of the porch. A double metal barrel and a smooth walnut stock connected by a leather strap swung on her back.
Explosions...deafening noises, ripping earth, walls...bright light like when the sun explodes, the smell of blood and gunpowder, screams, smoke, that's how he remembered the day of their freedom, with pride and sadness. Just as his massive arm could kill a man with one blow, so the gun could kill a monkey with a single bullet.
The low grunt proved beyond a shadow of a doubt Luca's distaste for violence, despite being a warrior, more precisely the commander of the Gorilla Guard, something he was rightfully proud of. He preferred peace if possible, but there were some of his brothers who were of a different opinion.
Air filled the giant's wide lungs, his chest tightened as if trying to suppress the memories, yet the small new found feeling in his chest near his heart was unexpectedly strange or was it his stomach? Did he eat some bad fruit on the way that morning?
He suddenly had no idea if the heavy stone at the bottom of his stomach meant hatred of people or weapons. Maybe it wasn't either, it was a fleeting sense of protection he felt for the lonely woman below, even if it didn't make sense. Such a thing was ridiculous, but every individual deserved the protection of the stronger, it was only logical that she took the rifle with her. He couldn't blame her for being afraid of nature. The memory of the big bear and Blue Eyes, who had several scars from the encounter with the wild animal, flashed into the gorilla's mind.
Luca blinked and snapped out of his thoughts as the woman slowly disappeared from his sight and the leaves obscured his view of the hillside behind the cottage. The instinct that ran through his veins like a wasp sting was to follow her, but he didn't move.
The waving of a bonobo's arm in the distance caught his attention.
Rocket grinned and tossed his head like a playful cub as he gestured with his hands.
He's gone, we'll be back. Cesar, waiting.
The giant gorilla hiding in the green monster of a tree took one last look down at the log cabin and in the direction the woman had left before standing up and silently following her mate. Jumping from branch to branch, the journey of several kilometers passed quickly. Gorillas were not as nimble in this ape-natural skill due to their bulky, heavy bodies, but what they didn't make up for in damage, they made up for with overwhelming lethal force. Rightfully holding the title of strongest monkey in the colony, he was treated with the high respect that Luca deserved. Lake sometimes called him the gentle hero, because of his concern for others.
Not long after noon they arrived at the camp. The chimpanzees greeted them with a raised paw, but hardly noticed.
Luca jumped to the ground as the ground shook, straightening up to his full height, towering over everyone, and proudly headed to the center of the camp where the others were already waiting in a circle around their impatient king.
The orange-furred orangutan nodded in greeting like a teacher welcoming his student, while the scarred, impatient chimpanzee to César's right made a commotion. He waved his arm aggressively at the two newcomers with a few unpleasant noises, immediately linking his fingers together in sign language and grinning.
Go - late.
Apparently, judging by the empty long leaves that were previously filled with fruit, everyone was already fed up. Rocket lowered his eyes in disappointment and sat down in the circle without another word, hoping that he would be able to eat when the council meeting was over. A stray apple by the stone near him was too tempting not to reach for it discreetly.
A scarred Koba growled as if Rocket was breaking some unspoken rule. He therefore preferred to hide the apple in his hands and act as if nothing had happened.
Luca turned his big head after the scarred monkey. Obnoxiousness had been Kobo's trademark for as long as he'd known him, but he was a good warrior second only to César, so he too deserved due respect. Luca, unlike the other gorillas, was not one to often get dragged into an argument, so he just took his seat with dignity, towering over everyone else like a bear among hares, and listened.
All eyes shifted to the colony leader who began the council as he spread his arms wide as if welcoming everyone to the round table. He looked at each one individually as if a very important decision mattered now, and it did. What was left of the colony was more than half after all the fighting, everyone had suffered heavy losses and now a proposal was about to come to light where a new safe monkey village should be established.
César rose to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, as if placing a heavy stone on the shoulders of each member of the council. The hands moved and the fingers came together.
What did you see?
The question went to the orangutan and his wise deep eyes with pity said more than words.
North, too many mountains, cold, not fertile soil, hard for growing crops. Winter.
He supported his features with a twist of his large head. César acknowledged his words and moved his gaze to Kobo next in line.
The monkey, with an unsightly scar over his eye, puffed out his chest painted war white to intimidate any human he came across. Koba snorted and pointed to the west.
There the land is good, a few empty human dwellings, a lot of game, bears, cougars.
César nodded gravely, though he wasn't too happy with the answer. Many strong beasts of prey meant trouble. The felines saw them as prey and building a village and fortifications would take time, they could lose more lives and he didn't want to risk that. He could not allow the colony to be in further danger.
What did you two see?
Last in line was Rocket and Luca.
César's gaze was as hard as quartz, he wasn't going to risk more trouble and was willing to choose the least evil, all for the good of the colony and every monkey in it, especially the young ones. He didn't want another war with man, he wanted a peaceful time that the colony deserved and his youngest son would be wiped out.
Rocket took the floor.
East good, forest, rocks, soil, near river and fish, good place like previous village. Good home but...
Koba snorted again and curled his lip to indicate that their place should be better than his, but the short-haired bonobo continued.
There is a problem, he fiddled with the apple in his hand before looking up at his leader.
What problem, Rocket?
The Monkey King frowned, eyebrows drawn together in concern. He trusted his advice implicitly. They were the most capable monkeys he could find, he knew they would tell him all the pros and cons as they were, hold nothing back and it would be up to him to decide for the good of all, and that was never easy.
Woman. All eyes turned to the hitherto silent gorilla who allowed himself to continue in Rocket's place.
Human. Koba leapt to his feet as if someone had stabbed him between the shoulder blades with a spear and slammed his fists into the soft ground, causing several rocks to bounce around. A couple of monkeys nearby looked back in fright and squealed, preferring to retreat even further from the monkey council, which now numbered only five members.
Man-trouble. Man-dangerous, Koba screamed viciously with hatred, then punched his strained chest in protest.
However, César ignored any outburst from his adjutant and only looked at the gorilla in front of him who reflected the same icy calmness.
Human? Pin? César asked with the utmost seriousness.
Luca gave a thumbs up.
Koba snarled and snorted like a bull, the thought of even a single human near him made his blood boil, he hated humans more than anything, be it man, woman or child he laid a hand on. He still couldn't forgive César for his affection for the species, and he couldn't come to terms with the fact that he had trusted that group of people led by Malcolm almost a year ago. He knew very well where this was leading. Everyone knew it. Now more than ever he was more furious against the human race.
Bad place, Kobo bared his yellow sharp fangs and his breath quickened as if he was preparing to fight an entire army of humans. He clenched his fingers into his palms and huffed heavily, which made the others a little nervous even though they were used to Kobo's outbursts. It was not a good sign.
A woman not dangerous, Luca signed, and for a moment the council was gravely silent.
Everyman dangerous, Kobo hissed a second time, taking the rock in his palm and hurling it aggressively at the tree trunk to show his fury and frustration. He made it clear that he did not approve of this proposal.
"ENOUGH!" Caesar's thunderous voice reverberated through the clearing like an earthquake.
Koba cringed at his king's reaction, but he didn't give in to his hatred, backing away, grabbing his spear from the ground and glaring at the others with his healthy eye.
Bad suggestion, he spat and stormed off with it.
The council remained half-formed, without Blue Eyes and Cornelia, César now stood like a hard rock over everyone present. They all knew that after the death of the eldest son and consort, things became difficult and their king was forced by circumstances to close himself off more and harden his heart. He didn't trust people as much as before, but he still retained a grain of compassion and understanding.
Cesar, Koba may not be right. There is always a solution. If Luca and Rocket are right, the place is good. We should see our own eyes before you have the last word.
Maurice motioned to his leader, who was pondering perhaps Kobo's words, but the wise orangutan knew it was best to verify the truth and not jump to conclusions. He was always a good counselor with a clear unclouded mind.
We'll take you to the location, Rocket signed and Luca nodded in agreement.
Well, we'll see, César pointedly agreed without hesitation.
And Koba?
The question was spoken by the black gorilla who was looking inquisitively towards the trees where the enraged chimpanzee had disappeared, not seeing him anywhere near didn't feel good, especially since he felt that tight feeling in his chest like before. He remembered the woman at the cabin and
he was worried about her. Koba was both calculating and vindictive, and he hoped he wouldn't be so foolish as to hurt her. Luca pondered over everything that was said here and didn't realize another fact that hadn't occurred to him before. By leading the council to the place where the woman lives and César decides to settle there, he makes a big hole in her destiny. He had no idea beforehand how much trouble he had caused the woman through his own fault...
In the next two days it began to rain in front of the mountains of the Muir wood reserve, and when the rain did not fall like ropes, gray clouds raced across the sky like a harbinger of something ominous. It was a cold unpleasant day that even Batman found refuge inside the log cabin, where he was not normally allowed to go because he might have fleas.
Emily ate lunch, put away the dishes, and realized she didn't have firewood in her basket. Even through the thick wooden walls, an unpleasant cold got inside, biting the toes of his shoes, and if he didn't drown, he would have to throw a blanket over himself or wear a second pair of socks.
"I'm going to get wood, be nice here," she instructed the raven, who was clutching the back of a chair in the living room with its talons.
"Do it, my beak is freezing!" he croaked.
The woman grinned amused, threw the rifle over her shoulder, because she still had the feeling that some big animal was wandering around the cabin and she didn't want to jump into his mouth. She walked to the fireplace, grabbed the wicker basket under her arm, which she had woven this spring from thick wicker, and went out onto the porch. As soon as she came down the stairs, she noticed the strange silence. No birds or crickets, frogs from the stream behind the cabin, nothing but the sound of the wind in the spray. She had goosebumps. The grass was drenched and glistening with water, although it wasn't raining right now, you could occasionally see piles of mud washed up by the trees below the hill. Ice water was dripping from the roof of the cabin, the wind was blowing but not strong enough to poison you.
Emily felt it penetrate her sleeve against her skin and shuddered in disgust and stood still. She looked around, everything looked the same and yet different, and then it was as if everything froze and started running again from the stiffness. She heard rustling from all sides. It didn't come from the bushes, but from the treetops.
Shocked, the woman raised her brown eyes slowly up at the flickering leaves. She couldn't see much, but maybe there was something moving and the sound...
Hooting, grunting, maybe occasional roaring, whistling, creaking branches. It reminded her of the sounds of a zoo, and it certainly wasn't a bear or some feline, and it wasn't even one animal, but probably dozens. The panic meter was rising.
Just as she was about to drop the basket and run back to the cabin like a frightened hare encountering supernatural spirits, brown and black bodies began to jump to the ground. It was an avalanche, a wall of monkeys filled the nearby area, where she looked and Emily turned deathly pale. She couldn't move, only her eyes darted here and there. She never expected to encounter monkeys in the wild, let alone so many. There were dozens of them…
She opened her lips for her own cry of fear, but her throat was dry. The heart pounded like rain on her shutters in the heaviest storm. He'll probably pass out or have a heart attack, one of those for sure, any minute now.
Emily's basket fell from her limp hands into the wet grass, where it rolled over. Brown drops of mud smeared her pants and shoes, and she couldn't tear her eyes away from the roaring mass of bodies. It was like a huge circle closing until it crushed her, how else could it end but kill her. She had no idea what to do, she had never felt such crippling fear before...
Her lungs did what they could to keep her conscious as she took a sharp breath, she could almost see the yellow spots in front of her own irises, she wasn't far from screaming for help, and then she realized the absurdity. Who would have heard her like that and come to save her? She had long since stopped believing in miracles since her mother died.
Emily forced herself to take a step back, her legs wooden, the firearm skimming her drooping shoulder and brushing against the edge of her hand. She immediately had it in her hands, it was an instinct of imminent danger and now she was a little more confident, not much but still. Maybe it was just a delusion, because with two rounds, she wouldn't be able to kill everything she saw in front of her. He will fight until his last breath before he dies.
The barrel gleamed, moving back and forth, looking for a suitable target, the one that would come closest. She jerked it to the right and then immediately to the left, confused yet confident. The heavy metal was almost pleasant in the palm of her hand, but she still couldn't choose who would go to hell first, plus no one had attacked her yet and she wouldn't fire first. To shoot was to sign a death warrant.
What did the wild monkeys want from her? Their furry faces frowned in displeasure, bared their teeth, pursed their lips, raised their fists as if threatening and warning her. They were just as tense as she was.
The hooting and jumping stopped suddenly as she picked up the shotgun. She could literally read the incredulous looks that pierced her as she was.
The mass of monkey bodies parted to the sides. On the other side of the footpath came a tall horse, on whose back sat a rider, and he didn't look very friendly either. The brown stallion had the nerve to stop only ten meters from her and look down the double barrel, as did the hard-faced bonobo on top of it.
Emily tilted her head back, the tension like an avalanche threatening to sweep her away. She knew well with whom she had this honor, which made it all the more terrifying and unbelievable. She knew everything from the radio and the news in the cabin, but the walkie-talkie hadn't worked for the past few years, so she was completely cut off from the outside world, but now it seemed like the outside world had come to visit her and remember. She swallowed and gripped the gun even tighter.
César looked at the person in front of him, she was as scared as a hare from a fox, he was sure of that. A fearful posture, the smell of fear and sweat, drooping shoulders, shaking, a tense expression full of worry, fingers white as she pressed her defenses together and aimed at him. He couldn't blame her for being terrified, but he wasn't about to give up on his decision. He was here to make his point.
"Put down the weapon," he spoke, his voice thick and rough from long disuse. Like the woman, he gripped the leather strap of his faithful stallion's bridle tightly in his fingers, as tense as the man before him.
To César's surprise, the woman was not taken aback by his speech. Did she know who he was?
"No, I won't. Why should I? You came..." Emily didn't show how the voice froze her soul and scared her at the same time, but she had to handle the situation at all costs.
"A monkey will not harm a human," a voice thundered around, but the order was not addressed to her but to everyone else. Not that it calmed her down in the slightest.
"What do you want?"
César kept his eyes on the woman, even from a distance they looked hard and glistened like dark moss, it sent chills down her spine, but it seemed that the others understood his words.
"We want to make a deal, deal," he waved a generous hand to his monkeys.
Emily really had no idea where this was going, but she wasn't happy at all that it was happening and that the monkey in front of her looked like a horseman from the apocalypse.
"What do you want to trade, human?"
The Monkey King looked around the landscape as if considering his inevitable decision one last time. He needed territory, a new home, the colony was tired of traveling and they need to plant crops to survive the winter. César's hard gaze met hers, more lines forming around his eyes, but his voice was firm and resonant as he negotiated.
"We are looking for a home, a place for a village, monkeys. This landscape suits. Fertile, abundant, rocks protect the colony. Animals, food, water. We travel a long time, monkeys exhausted by the fight, the war. Monkeys want peace."
Emily was sure she heard a taunting snort somewhere nearby, but as she tried to find where it came from among the furry bodies, all she saw were masses of brown and black fur.
"This is my home," she suddenly reared up with new strength to resist like an amazon, the corners of her mouth turning down slightly in reluctance. She raised her weapon even higher in warning so she was aiming directly at him and noticed a warning movement around her. Some of the monkeys were wielding spear in hand as if they were only waiting for their leader's war cry.
This was a bad position and Emily felt cornered. Her brain tried to process the information as fast as it could and it still wasn't enough.
"Your home can be our home," César spoke diplomatically, his tone giving her no choice.
"Eh?" Emily blinked in disbelief, she's supposed to house hundreds of monkeys in her log cabin? No way, first of all, they'd kill her right away, and secondly, they have fleas!
"Apes need protection, warriors will provide," he motioned to the spear-wielding males standing closest in the first row, "man needs protection too."
With that, César completely disarmed her. That she can't take care of herself? He has lived here for more than twenty years and is still breathing. She wanted to tell the monkey to go or she would shoot him, but reason prevented her temper. When she shoots him, all the monkeys rush her.
What the hell was she supposed to do now? She wished her mother was here to advise her, but she was dead and she would be too if she didn't say something, but any thought faded and she struggled with more and more questions about how to avoid consent as least drastically as possible.
As if César wanted to nudge her into making a decision, his horse moved forward three meters closer. Fearless and strong. The wind brushing through his brown damp fur, he looked like a rock in the surf, unbreakable, determined with a hard expression that showed no kindness.
He wanted to take her home and give it to his monkeys, and Emily wasn't sure if she could live next to them without it eventually causing disaster, he was sure aware of that too.
"You're putting me in front of a difficult decision, j...what guarantee do I have that no one will hurt me?"
"You have my word," César's fist rose in the air like a warlord rising to attack, but then the fist slammed into his chest to prove his honor.
Emily held her breath and then breathed out again, the whole situation was so ironic, if she didn't have a wooden body, she would have leaned forward and started laughing hysterically.
What word does monkey have? Can she even hold him? It is ridiculous!
She took another look through the trees and into the faces of the eared furballs to see that not everyone agreed as she did. The aversion between the species was mutual.
The woman's searching gaze returned to the king, she tried not to shake as she said, "your word means nothing to me."
The monkeys on all sides began to howl and wave their arms again as if their leader had been insulted, which he probably had. Did she really have the guts to do that?
César narrowed his eyes to small slits, probably thinking the negotiation would be easier than he expected, but the woman argued with him, even saying she didn't believe his word. She had surprised him, his strategy hadn't worked, the assumption that a frightened human woman would bow her head in the face of overwhelming odds, let herself be intimidated and do whatever he was told was a mistake. Human will and tenacity never ceases to amaze him.
The monkey king spurred his horse forward until just in front of the woman as if he wanted to trample her hooves, but he never intended to do so.
"Trust between man and ape. Caesar's word is law."
Emily followed the horse's snout before looking up at the rider. Her legs felt like jelly, she felt as if no blood was flowing through her body, her toes were frozen in the cold, her pants were soaked in water, and her nerves were about to burst. She gritted her teeth. It was all a sham, she knew if she said no now they would kill her and take this place, it was either or, just a nice gesture. She didn't understand why he was making such an effort, why he was giving her such an offer, but she knew he wouldn't tell her now. Not now and not here.
She hated it, she didn't trust him, and he didn't trust her, yet she nodded in agreement, driven by circumstances.
"Okay," she said through gritted teeth, she never believed she would be able to do this, but it was like signing her own death warrant again. This was definitely not going to end well.
"Good decision," César complimented her emotionlessly, the wrinkles around his eyes smoothing out as he turned the horse by pulling on the bridle, offering the human a view of his hairy straight back.
Emily stood scalded, her head bowed in humiliation, her eyes fixed on the wet grass and muddy hoof prints, not even realizing that it had started to drizzle again. She listened to the splash, the horse's retreating feet crunching into the mud, the rustling of bushes, the colony of monkeys turning to leave, wherever their leader was leading them. She completely forgot about the overturned basket at her feet and the wood and was just amazed that she had made it through alive and that she could still breathe.
She lowered the barrel of the gun along her leg like it weighed a ton, suddenly very tired, wanting to scream and thrash around like a disgruntled angry child defeated by adults, yet she just turned back to the cabin when she couldn't even register it. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a massive shadow on the gable of the cottage, and as it leapt down it was like the earth opening up to swallow her into hell. The shock of the impact made her whole body vibrate like a string.
Emily thought the shadow was going to hit her like a huge chunk of rock and crush her, but the large gorilla landed in the grass less than four feet away from her. She stood up a good two meters like a skyscraper, and the last thing she remembered was the sight of a broad leather chest with taut muscles, before she fell to the ground with a startled shotgun...
Another one of my stories that is a bit extravagant but deals with the survival of two different yet similar intelligent species. We will experience ups and downs.
What is it like to live alone and alone? Sad? Scary? What about being surrounded by thinking dangerous animals that are stronger than you? It could be fascinating for some and a nightmare for others. For Emily, it's the latter, and she's more than desperate, who wouldn't be. Is it even possible to live in a monkey village and be unscathed? What if the other apes are skeptical and have the same feelings about the human in their midst?
Throughout the story of the apocalypse and the world that has been overtaken by disease, we learn what it's like to be an outcast among others, a gradual trust and affection that may even cross the lines between man and ape.
Luca is a gorilla, the strongest monkey in the colony, he has been through a lot, but throughout his life, both the one in the zoo and the one in the wild, he has never bonded with a human, so what is it with him that he wants to protect this woman? Is it just because she is weak? That no one protects her? Why does he find her different from the others? On the contrary, the big black gorilla comes to Emily as a giant to be respected, she would never have dreamed that she would meet the dreaded monkeys, let alone that she would have such a strong protector who would look out for her even though he won't see from the beginning...could she start to trust him?
I started writing this story after I finished watching the entire new series of Planet of the Apes, and when Luca died, I felt very sorry for him. He was such a big gentle giant who deserved a different ending, so we'll give him one, there would also be two more stories focused on human-Kobo and human-Caesar.
Also, to put the whole era in the right place, the story takes place after the last volume, César is alive, he lost many of his brothers and they arrived at a place where they could live. Cornelie and Blue Eyes are dead in this world, but Koba the traitor is alive. César spared him after the betrayal and stayed in the colony with the other few monkeys who were working with the humans against them. All of them have no status, but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous, quite the opposite...