part 2

But in the blink of an eye, everything changed!

A bright red, helium-filled birthday balloon escaped from a young child’s grip in the front row of the spectator area outside the enclosure glass. 🎈

The shiny object drifted lazily over the high boundary mesh, caught a sudden gust of wind, and drifted straight into Enclosure Four.

It bobbed up and down through the thick green canopy before snagging on a sharp wooden branch directly above the rock where Marcus and Leo rested.

POP!

The sharp, echoing explosion echoed through the stone walls like a sudden cannon shot on a quiet morning.

Marcus leaped straight into the air in pure reflexive terror, his massive heart slamming into his ribs.

Leo bumped awake instantly, his tiny eyes flying wide open in utter shock and confusion.

For a terrifying three seconds, time seemed to freeze entirely.

The baby gorilla let out a high-pitched, piercing shriek that rattled the glass windows of the viewing deck.

The serene peace had been shattered into a thousand jagged pieces in a fraction of a second.

Marcus scrambled frantically back onto the boulder, his hands waving in silent panic as he tried to figure out how to repair the situation.

Leo kicked his small legs, rolling onto his back, preparing his lungs for the mother of all temper tantrums.

The tiny baby breathed in deep, filling his chest to maximum capacity, ready to unleash a scream that would surely wake Maya from her deep sleep in the inner den.

If Maya saw this, Marcus knew his reputation as the dignified leader of the troop would be ruined forever.

In a desperate stroke of pure parental genius, Marcus did the only thing a panicking father could possibly think to do.

He dropped his heavy head down to the level of the rock, puffed out his black cheeks like two giant rubber balls, and made the most absurd, ridiculous popping sound with his lips.

Pffffft-pop! 🦍

The sound was so utterly unexpected that Leo’s breath caught right in his throat.

The tiny infant paused, his wide eyes turning from pure anger to sudden curious astonishment.

Marcus didn’t hesitate; he saw the small crack in the storm clouds and pushed his luck even further.

He crossed his dark eyes, let his long tongue loll out to the side of his mouth, and gently patted his own massive stomach like a oversized drum.

Thump-thump-pfft!

Leo blinked once.

He blinked twice.