Jack couldn't stop smiling. He had scared off aleopard!
Bu-bu and Ho-ho stared at Jack with awe. Annielooked at him with awe, too.
"When did you learn to do that?" she asked.
Before Jack could answer, he heard a rustling in thebrush. Then Big Guy stepped out from the shrubs.
The giant gorilla walked silently over to Annie. Hetook Little Guy from her and put the baby on hisback. Then he touched Annie's cheek gently.
Annie grinned at him.
Bu-bu and Ho-ho ran to Big Guy and clung to hislegs.
The giant gorilla barked at the small ones, directingthem to come with him.
As he walked past Jack, Big Guy stopped.
Huh-huh-huh, he said in a low voice. He reachedout toward Jack.
Jack ducked.
But the silverback patted him on the head. Then heand the small gorillas moved out of sight.
Jack felt as if the top of his head were glowing.
"Wow," he whispered. "Did you see what he justdid?""Yeah," said Annie. "He must have watched theshow you put on. He was proud of you.""Well, he was proud of you, too," Jack saidmodestly.
Annie nodded, smiling. "I guess it's time to leavenow," she said.
"Leave?" said Jack.
"We have to say good-bye now," said Annie.
"Goodbye?" said Jack. He didn't want to say goodbye to the gorillas. He loved them. They were totallygreat.
"Yeah," Annie said softly. "Come on."She led the way back through the shrubs, aroundthe trees, to the clearing.
They found all the gorillas awake. Some werestretching and yawning. Others were munching ongrass or leaves.
The baby was back in his mother's arms. Bu-bu andHo-ho were chattering away to their moms.
They're probably telling them what I did, Jackthought.
He and Annie walked over to Big Guy and stood infront of him. The other gorillas gathered around.
"We have to go now," Annie said to all of them.
"We have to say good-bye," said Jack.
"Thanks for letting us be a part of your family," saidAnnie.
She and Jack held up their hands and waved. Thegorillas looked sad. They murmured soft sounds.
Big Guy lifted his hand in the air as if he wereabout to wave. But instead, the silverback raised histhumb, his index finger, and his little finger.
I love you, the giant gorilla signed.
Jack couldn't believe his eyes.
Annie signed back, I love you.
Jack signed, too.
The silverback stared at them for a long momentwith a gentle, shy look. Then he turned away andgave a short bark to his family.
All the gorillas lined up behind him. The baby'smother held her baby close. Ho-ho rode piggyback onhis mom. Bu-bu held her mom's hand.
The silverback started away from the clearing. Theothers followed.
Bu-bu was the only one who looked back. Shescreeched and waved at Jack and Annie. Then shewalked away, out of sight.
Jack couldn't talk. His heart was too full. He took afew steps in the direction of the gorillas.
"Hey--." Annie said softly. "You're going the wrongway."Jack looked back at her.
"The tree house is over there," she said. She pointedin the opposite direction at the tree house peeking outfrom the fog.
Jack sighed. Then he turned and started to followher out of the clearing.
"Oh, don't forget this," said Annie.
She leaned over and picked up Jack's backpack fromthe grass. She handed it to him.
"Thanks," he said.
They kept walking.
"And don't forget this," said Annie. She picked upJack's jacket from under a tree. She handed it to him.
"Thanks," said Jack. He tied his jacket around hiswaist. They kept walking.
"And don't forget these," said Annie. She pointed tothe flashlight and umbrella. They lay on the grassunder the wide, mossy limbs of a fat tree.
Annie picked them up and carried them herself.
It started to drizzle again just as she and Jack got tothe rope ladder. They climbed up into the tree house.
When they got inside, they looked out the window.
Jack hoped to catch one last glimpse of the gorillafamily.
But there was nothing to see. A white mist coveredthe cloud forest.
Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book. Shepointed to a picture of Frog Creek woods.
"I wish we could go home," she said.
Suddenly, a joyous screech rang out. The happy,wild sound shot through the white mist, through thecool rain, straight into Jack's heart.
He opened his mouth to answer the call of thegorillas. But it was too late. The wind began to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still. |