Chapter 6 – A Pleasant Surprise

By Rita

Sharon walked down the path as quickly as she could. She wondered why she needed to hurry. The monkey sat on her neck, chattering into her ear.

Slowly Sharon realized that the sounds in the woods were changing. The small background noises were gone, instead she heard a thumping accompanied by a crackling, as of small branches breaking.

Suddenly the monkey jumped down and ran up the path chattering and hooting wildly. Just before he reached the end of the rope, a shape dropped from the trees. It was another monkey, but much larger.

“That must be the mother monkey,” thought Sharon, “and I have been caring for her baby.”

“Sharon.” A man’s voice made her jump. She’d been so busy watching the happy reunion that she didn’t notice the man who had stepped onto the path, until he spoke.

“Your grandmother said you had found our lost monkey,” he continued, “but I did not believe her. I’ll have to apologize to her for my doubts.” He walked toward the monkeys, and then stooped to untie the rope around the baby monkey’s neck. The larger monkey, still holding her baby, climbed onto his shoulder.

Sharon recoiled her rope and stared at the man. He looked familiar, but she could not decide where she had met him, until she looked up the path and saw the elephant.

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