“No Time Like The Present”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Write a story titled “No Time Like the Present”.

It’s been years since I last saw him. I actually remember the last time we parted ways. Neither of us were too upset about it; our relationship had been a bit rocky at that point. Now, seeing him again, I can’t help but feel some regret.

He hasn’t aged well. I can tell that the years have been tough on him, but hasn’t time been hard on us all? He looks sad, much sadder than he had been when I had known him. His eyes are still the same, though. Just wiser.

I give him a big hug and he squeezes me back. I feel his hands rub my back reassuringly.

“I’m so sorry that I haven’t been back to visit before now,” I whisper to him. “How have you been?”

He pulls back and gives me a small smile. He grunts quietly, as if to tell me that he’s alright. But I can tell that he’s lying. He’s in pain.

I know that he’s old. I know that he’s lived a long, fulfilling life. But that doesn’t make seeing him like this any easier.

I glance up at his handler. “Has he been eating?” I ask.

The handler gives me a sympathetic look. “He’s been slowing down over the past few days,” she says.

I nod and struggle to hold back my tears as I look at him. He gazes back at me with those big brown eyes that I fell in love with all those years ago.

A tap on my shoulder tells me that it’s time to go. But I don’t want to. I want to stay right here with him forever. I can’t let him go. Not now. Not when I just got him back.

I give him another hug and he holds me tight. When he pulls away, he takes my face and makes me look him in the eyes.

He tells me that it’s okay. He tells me that it’s his time. He tells me that I need to let him go.

And I understand. He’s in pain. This is better for him. I just wish that I could’ve spent more time with him. That I came back sooner.

I give him one last hug as I wipe my tears from my cheeks.

“I love you, buddy,” I whisper in his ear. “Safe travels.”

He grunts back in response before gently pushing me toward the door. I smile at him through my tears and walk away without looking back.

Now, standing outside, I find myself wondering if there’s such a thing as a heaven for gorillas. Because if there is, that’s where he’ll be.

Final Comments: I’m not really sure what to say about this one honestly… The story came to me quite early in the writing process, but it was tough figuring out how to actually write it. Otherwise, I think that this one went pretty smoothly.

Overall Rating: 😢