The sun rose slowly over the small jungle village where CUTIS, the clever and playful monkey, lived with his best friend—the curious and mischievous Baby Monkey. Their days were usually filled with laughter, games, and adventures in the market. But this morning was different. Something unusual was about to happen, something that would make both CUTIS and Baby Monkey feel confused, worried, and full of questions.
It started when the air around the little wooden house at the edge of the village felt heavy with silence. Normally, the place was full of cheerful voices—the voices of the mysterious parents who had taken care of CUTIS and Baby Monkey since they were tiny. The parents weren’t like other humans; they always appeared with secrets in their eyes, carrying bags that jingled with unknown objects, leaving and returning at odd hours. But they loved the monkeys dearly, and the monkeys trusted them.
That morning, CUTIS noticed the parents moving quickly, packing things into strange bags. Baby Monkey rubbed his sleepy eyes and tilted his head.
“CUTIS,” he whispered, tugging on his older friend’s tail, “why are they rushing? Where are they going?”
CUTIS didn’t know. He watched carefully, his clever mind trying to put the pieces together. The parents were speaking in hushed tones, exchanging glances, and writing something on a piece of paper. Then, without looking back too much, they patted CUTIS on the head, kissed Baby Monkey’s tiny hands, and walked out the door.
The sound of the door closing echoed in the monkeys’ hearts.
“Wait… they left?” Baby Monkey’s voice trembled. He scampered to the window, pressing his little face against the wooden frame. “They’re gone, CUTIS. What if they never come back? What if they don’t love us anymore?”
CUTIS frowned. He wanted to be strong for Baby Monkey, but inside, his chest tightened. He, too, felt worried. The mysterious parents had never left without saying exactly when they would return. CUTIS hopped around the room, searching for clues.
On the table, he found the paper. It had human writing on it—strange symbols that CUTIS couldn’t understand. He picked it up carefully, his tail curling around it, and showed it to Baby Monkey.
“They left us a message,” CUTIS said. “But we can’t read it.”
Baby Monkey’s eyes filled with tears. “Then how will we know? Maybe it says goodbye forever.”
CUTIS shook his head firmly. “No. They wouldn’t leave us like that. We just need to think. Maybe they’re going somewhere important. Maybe they’ll be back by sunset.”
But as the hours passed, the house remained silent. The monkeys paced the floor, their stomachs growling. Baby Monkey clung to CUTIS’s arm.
“What if something happened to them? What if… bad people took them away?” His little imagination ran wild, creating scary pictures in his mind.
CUTIS pulled him close and stroked his soft fur. “Shhh, don’t cry. We have to be brave. We’re a team, remember?”
To distract Baby Monkey, CUTIS decided they should explore the house. Perhaps there were more clues about where the parents had gone. In the bedroom, they found half-open drawers, some clothes missing, and the smell of perfume lingering in the air. In the kitchen, there was fruit left on the table, as if the parents had wanted to make sure the monkeys wouldn’t go hungry. CUTIS noticed something else: the parents’ favorite pair of shoes was still by the door.
“That means they didn’t go far,” CUTIS reasoned. “They’ll be back.”
But Baby Monkey still looked worried. He clutched CUTIS’s hand and whispered, “What if they’re hiding something from us? What if they don’t want us anymore?”
The words stung CUTIS’s heart. He remembered how the parents had cared for them—feeding them, protecting them, teaching them. No, he thought, they wouldn’t just throw us away. But then why did they leave so suddenly?
The day dragged on, each minute heavier than the last. CUTIS tried to stay strong, playing little games with Baby Monkey, telling him silly jokes, even dancing around the room to make him laugh. Sometimes Baby Monkey giggled, but then the worry crept back into his big, round eyes.
By evening, the jungle outside grew noisy with crickets and cicadas. The monkeys sat together by the window, watching for any sign of their parents. Baby Monkey’s small body leaned against CUTIS.
“I don’t like this,” he whispered. “I feel scared inside.”
CUTIS wrapped his arm around him. “I feel scared too. But we’ll be okay. We have each other.”
Just then, Baby Monkey’s ears perked up. He heard a sound—a crunch of footsteps on the path. His eyes widened. “CUTIS! Someone’s coming!”
They both darted to the door, hearts pounding. But it wasn’t the parents. Instead, it was a neighbor carrying a basket of fruit. She smiled kindly at the monkeys, setting the basket down. She seemed to know they were alone. With gentle words, she patted CUTIS’s head and walked away.
Baby Monkey blinked. “She didn’t tell us where they are either.”
CUTIS felt a flicker of relief, though. If the neighbor knew they were alone and wasn’t worried, maybe it meant the parents’ absence was planned. Maybe they had asked her to check in.
Night fell, and still the parents hadn’t returned. The house was quiet except for the chirping insects outside. Baby Monkey curled up in CUTIS’s lap, his little hands trembling.
“I don’t want to sleep without them,” he whispered. “What if they’re gone when I wake up?”
CUTIS stroked his fur softly. “I’ll stay awake. I’ll watch over you. If they come, I’ll wake you right away.”
Slowly, Baby Monkey’s breathing grew steady as he drifted into uneasy dreams. CUTIS, however, stayed awake. His eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight, scanning the door, the window, every shadow. Deep down, he felt the same ache of uncertainty as Baby Monkey. Why had the parents left? Where had they gone? And when would they return?
But CUTIS also felt a spark of determination. Whatever the reason, he would protect Baby Monkey. He would keep the house safe. And when the parents finally returned, he would demand answers—even if he didn’t yet understand the mysterious lives they lived.
The night stretched on. CUTIS yawned, but he stayed alert, his arms around his little friend.
At last, just before dawn, a familiar sound echoed outside—the soft hum of voices, the creak of the wooden gate. CUTIS’s ears twitched, his heart leaping. He peered out the window, and there they were—the parents, walking back toward the house, carrying more bags, their faces tired but relieved.
CUTIS shook Baby Monkey gently. “Wake up, they’re back!”
Baby Monkey’s eyes popped open, and when he saw them, his fear melted into joy. He leapt into their arms the moment the door opened, clinging to them tightly. CUTIS followed, though he stood back a little, his clever eyes full of questions.
The parents laughed softly, hugging them both. They didn’t explain much, only whispered, “We had to go, but we’re here now. Don’t worry, little ones. We’ll never leave you forever.”
And though CUTIS still wanted answers, his heart finally calmed. Baby Monkey’s smile returned, and together, they clung to the parents, realizing that no matter how mysterious their world might be, love was still the strongest thing holding them all together.
