CHAPTER 3 The Eyes in the Darkness Didn't Belong to a Gorilla... Henry's Worst Memory Came Back to Life
The hallway fell into absolute silence.
No one dared to breathe.
The old maintenance worker collapsed onto the floor, coughing violently as dust poured from his clothes. Two guards rushed toward him, but he grabbed one of them by the sleeve with surprising strength.
"Don't..."
he gasped.
"Don't go in there..."
Henry couldn't take his eyes off the darkness beyond the shattered door.
Those glowing amber eyes had disappeared.
As if whatever had been watching them had quietly stepped back into the shadows.
Max remained frozen.
His massive body stood between Henry and the broken doorway.
Not attacking.
Not roaring.
Simply watching.
Waiting.
Henry had only seen that expression once before.
Twenty-three years earlier.
Back then, Max had been barely six months old.
Poachers had slaughtered nearly an entire gorilla family in the rainforest before wildlife officers rescued the frightened infant. Henry had been one of the volunteers who helped care for him.
For weeks afterward, Max reacted to every unfamiliar sound the same way he was reacting now.
Terrified.
Not angry.
Terrified.
Henry whispered to himself,
"Whatever is in there..."
"...Max has smelled it before."
The young veterinarian looked puzzled.
"That's impossible."
Henry slowly shook his head.
"No."
"It smells like fear."
Suddenly—
THUD.
A heavy impact echoed deep inside the abandoned corridor.
Then another.
THUD...
THUD...
Each step was slow.
Measured.
Too heavy to belong to a person.
Security officers aimed their flashlights into the darkness.
Nothing.
Only floating dust.
One guard raised his tranquilizer rifle.
"I've got movement."
Another adjusted his radio.
Still dead.
No signal.
Then every flashlight flickered at once.
The beam nearest the doorway briefly illuminated claw marks gouged into the concrete wall.
Fresh claw marks.
Nearly three feet long.
One employee whispered,
"That can't be real..."
Henry stepped closer before anyone could stop him.
Max instantly slammed both hands against the barrier.
BOOM!
The old man froze.
The gorilla stared directly into Henry's eyes.
Then slowly shook his head.
It was almost human.
"No..."
Henry whispered.
"You still don't want me to go."
The maintenance worker suddenly cried out.
"I heard it talking!"
Everyone turned toward him.
"What?"
"It wasn't speaking words..."
"...but it copied voices."
A chill swept through the hallway.
"It called my name."
"It sounded exactly like my supervisor."
"I followed the voice..."
"...and then it locked me inside."
Several keepers exchanged nervous glances.
No one laughed.
Because the terror in the old worker's face couldn't be faked.
Before anyone could ask another question—
A familiar voice echoed from inside the corridor.
Soft.
Gentle.
Almost comforting.
"Henry..."
The old man's blood turned cold.
It was impossible.
May you like
The voice belonged to his late wife.
She had died eleven years ago.
Related Stories
