FIRST TIMERS' KISS
the massive silverback gorilla, finally sat in a corner, chewing on some bananas. Birds in the aviary fluttered back to their perches, and the r
notes in his journal, muttering under his breath. "What made Zulu so
t his attention. "That's not a bird I've seen before," Eugene murmured, tilting his head. He quickly wrote, Unlisted parrot, po
side, he observed a boa constrictor under a heat lamp, its coils shimmering in the li
rot, now the snakes; they're all acting odd. Could it
here was a hole in the wall, freshly dug, leading into darkness. Eugene knelt down,
t sound came from inside, like a soft rustle. His h
ice the hole. Clutching his notebook, he muttered, "This is
racing with questions. Whatever had made that hole, it wasn't
endly smile and a name tag that read "Victor
ion. "It's just part of our new renovation work. We're expanding the gor
notebook tightly. "That makes sense. B
soon. Trust me, it's all under control. If you need help with your
ing a small smile. "Thanks, Vi
worry about. "Maybe I'm overthinking this," he muttered to himself. He scribbled a fe
, where Zoe burst out of the car like a firework. "Monk
toes and pointed dramatically at the clerk.
ere's no monkey kingdom.
"Don't listen to him. You've got
r tour. They stopped by the lion enclosure
lion," Marvin teased. "It
t let them distract you. Go explore, sweetheart! There's
ore." She waved and took her own path, eage
n stopped by the gorilla enclosure. She admired Zulu, the ma
lanced at Lilian and, seeing her calm and confident, assumed she
otebook. "Can you tell me more about Zulu? I'm doin
Zulu? Sure. He's the leader here, a silverback goril
"That's amazing. What abou
st bananas. Gorillas eat leave
er. "You really know your s
her cheeks warmi
head, intrigued. "
phant enclosure interrupted them. Both turned toward the noi
faded, Eugene turned back to Lilian. Her che
gene said, his voice soft
king at her; his wide eyes filled with curiosity and admiration; made her paus
loves animals," she final
k now forgotten in his hand. "Well
knew it, Lilian felt herself leaning closer. Eugene did
e world around them seemed to fade, the sounds o
ian's phone beeped loudly, breaking the spell. She p
message f
lready in the car and wa
, my family's waiting
n the haze of the kiss. "Wait.
, her face a mix of apology and pani
eaving through the crowd with her phone clutched in her han
lf, staring after the girl who had j
of her getting into a car with her family
lled with his animal research, but all he could think about was her; the mysterio
He let out a long breath, still replaying the kiss with the mysterious girl in his mind. S
lowed by startled screams. Eugene froze. His heart raced as he turned to see Zulu, th
, baring his teeth, his usual calm demeanor replaced by pure rage
e scene, holding a tranquilizer gun. "Everyone stay ba
ranch and snapping it like a twig. Trevor didn't
one last growl before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. The crow
he stared at Zulu's lifeless form. The gorilla looked so vulnerable, so helpless. "There wa
ed away. He felt a knot in his stomach, not just because of Zulu, but because of the
urple. The streets were quiet, but his thoughts were loud. He fel
nder a flickering streetlight, watching him. Eugene froze, his heart pounding. He c
ep forward. "Eugene...
frozen, his legs feeling like lead. The shadowy figure under the streetlight stepped closer, the light flickering enough
peated, his voi
asked, his voice shaky, hi