The One and Only Ivan

awakening

I awake to glass and steel. It’s a new cage not unlike my old cage, except that it’s much cleaner.

Maya’s here, and other humans I recognize.

“Hey there, Ivan,” Maya says. “He’s coming to, guys.”

I have three walls of glass. The fourth wall is a curtain of wooden slats strung together.

This doesn’t look like the zoos on TV. Where are the other animals?

Where are the gorillas?

Is this where Ruby ended up? In a cage just like her old cage, still alone? Is she cold? Hungry? Sad?

Is there anyone to tell her stories when she can’t get to sleep?