The smell of milk (Part 2) - (Five minutes freewrite)

As I've been told privately the story I wrote yesterday was unbearably sad, I felt I should do something about it and this is it.

I don't know what all these people want from me, all that poking and prodding. I remember seeing them before, doing the same things to June who used to live in our cage. But June was old and weak, wouldn't even climb the ladder anymore. No way my time is up, I'm sure - and they all smile and seem happy when they visit me, especially the young woman with the black hair.

Today the most wonderful thing happened, the woman took me to a room and showed me pictures on a really big screen, not like the small ones visitors carry in their hands. She had pictures of home, the place I was born - the colors were the same and the trees Mom used to take me up - I'd recognize those anywhere. I think the girl knows this is where I was born, cause she kept pointing to me and then to the screen. I cannot understand her language, but it sounded so happy. I could feel her excitement and maybe she felt mine, maybe she can take me home!

The first day back home I was so scared. The trees seemed so big and all those sounds I barely remember - I don't know what they mean, is it a friend or an enemy? The girl with dark hair walked a few feet behind, motioning me to go on every time I looked back. But my feet trembled, even the ground feels different - not like the cage where I knew every square of it.
Then.... I saw them! Four monkeys just like me sitting in a big tree, eating bananas. They did not come down, they just watched me, see what I'm made of. If I'm to stay here, I have to show who I am. Climbing up a tree was so much easier than I thought, as if my whole body remembered something it never knew - there I was, going up and down, swinging from one branch to another like I've been doing this all my life.

All those worries for nothing! How silly of me! The others are just like me. They don't know much more about the forest. They grew up in cages, too. We're all good friends now, we spend our days wandering the forest, learning the place and its colors and its smells.
I dreamed of Mom again - she was playing with me, tickling my nose with a big leaf. I did not wake up sad anymore, for I am home now. One day I know I'll have a mate of my own and in time she will smell of milk, too.

Story written for @mariannewest's freewrite challenge. Today's prompt was: Banana! Check out her blog and join our freewrite community.

Image source:Pixabay