Gorillas Short Story

1913 Words8 Pages
Maisie and Indie are up close against the railing that wraps around the gorilla’s enclosure. Indie asks, “Oh, oh aren’t they gross?” about the two gorillas who are sitting up, almost on top of the glass. One of the gorillas is much smaller than the other. When I point to her and say, “She must be the female,” Indie asks, “So?” Bane says, “I bet you’re right,” and Indie and Maisie roll their eyes. Then Bane reads from the little sign next to the railing, “The big one is called Richard, and the female is Kamba. And look,” he says, pointing to a pink piece of paper, “it says Richard is forty-five today.” Julia says, “They’re cute!” Michael mimics Julia, then he calls her a big dork. “Look babe, he’s–yep, he’s jerking off!” Kyran says, grabbing…show more content…
Then he backs away from us while waving and saying, “Have fun kids! Welcome to the zoo!” Kyran is sitting close to me, huffing and puffing while he tears up the grass. When Mom huffs and puffs like that, she is usually looking for someone to ask, “What’s wrong?” so she can give a monologue about everything that’s wrong in her life: how it’s so unfair that she always has to drop us kids off at school even though both she and Dad are busy with their jobs, how she can’t be expected to pay the bills and make dinner every night, she isn’t Superwoman for the love of fuck– Of frick. I ask Kyran, “What’s wrong?” Kyran says, “I just don’t know what she wants, you know?” One of the elephants trumpets, and Kyran laughs and asks, “You don’t know, do ya?” Then he puts his arm on my head and rests it there. He smells like the inside of Abercrombie & Fitch and when I tell him that, he starts tickling my ribs and making monkey sounds. “Stop it!” I say, but when I start to run away, Kyran pulls me back and I fall on the grass, laughing even harder. Maisie is back. In between chomps of lettuce, she asks, “What are you even…show more content…
Then he cries, “Get her!” again and walks a little bit down the hill. Michael has got both of Julia’s hands in his one hand, and with the other, he is holding up Julia’s shirt so that the boys can get their hands near her armpits. Julia’s bra is white and lacy and reminds me of a bride. Kyran is still on the phone, but when he glances back up, he says, “Get her!” again, even though Julia’s started to screech. She’s crying, “Stop it! Stop it!” but the boys keep at it. Then Julia begins to sob so loudly, she echoes through the zoo. Bane and Igar freeze. Maisie and Indie stop chomping their salads and exchange a look. Vilgot throws his hands in the air, and asks, “Why’s she crying?” Kyran is back. When Bane and Vilgot see him, they get up and move away from Julia. Kyran asks, “What happened?” Michael looks at Julia as though she’s grown antlers. Then he asks, “What’s wrong with your girlfriend?” Kyran grabs Bane by the shirt-collar, “What happened?” he asks. “I don’t know,” says Bane, “We were all just tickling her, but I stopped when she started
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