
It started as an ordinary sunny morning in the little village where CUTIS and the baby monkey spent most of their days playing, exploring, and making everyone smile. The air smelled fresh after a light rain the night before, and the leaves still glistened with tiny drops of dew. CUTIS was his usual energetic selfârunning, laughing, and tossing fruit up to his cheeky little companion, who sat perched on his shoulder, chattering happily.
But that day, something was different.
As the sun climbed higher, the energy that always filled the yard began to fade. The baby monkey, who usually leapt from branch to branch with unstoppable enthusiasm, suddenly looked⌠tired. His bright eyes were half-closed, and instead of jumping onto CUTISâs shoulder, he clung to his arm weakly, pressing his tiny head against CUTISâs chest.
âHey, little one,â CUTIS said softly, rubbing the monkeyâs back. âWhatâs wrong? You donât look like your playful self today.â
The monkey didnât respondâno squeaks, no mischievous grin. He just curled up tighter, letting out a faint, pitiful whimper. CUTIS frowned. The little monkey never acted like this before. He always had endless energy, always found some way to make mischief or cause laughter. But now⌠he seemed weak, trembling slightly.



Within minutes, CUTIS began to feel strange too. His stomach churned, his head felt light, and a cold sweat ran down his neck. It was as if the energy that usually connected him and the monkey had drained from them both at once.
âWhatâs going on?â he muttered, sitting down carefully under the old mango tree.
The villagers soon noticed something was wrong. CUTIS was rarely still for longâhe was the life of every morning, always playing with the baby monkey, feeding him bananas, and sharing laughter that echoed across the fields. But now, seeing him sitting quietly with the monkey limp in his lap made everyone anxious.
âCUTIS!â one of the elders called, hurrying over. âAre you all right? You look pale!â
CUTIS shook his head slowly. âI donât know⌠I think somethingâs wrong with both of us.â
The baby monkey whimpered again and then went still. CUTISâs heart skipped a beat. He gently touched the little creatureâs foreheadâit was hot, far too hot. Panic surged through him. He scooped the monkey into his arms and rushed toward the small animal clinic at the edge of the village.
Dr. Lina, the kind-hearted local veterinarian, opened the door just as he arrived. The moment she saw the baby monkeyâs limp form, she ushered them inside.
âLay him here,â she said quickly, motioning to the examination table. âWhat happened?â
âI donât know,â CUTIS stammered. âHe was fine this morning! Then suddenly he stopped playing, and now⌠heâs burning up!â
Dr. Lina began checking the monkeyâs heartbeat, eyes, and breathing. âFever,â she murmured. âBut itâs not just that. Heâs dehydrated⌠maybe poisoned.â




CUTIS froze. âPoisoned? How?â
The vet didnât answer immediately. She examined his fur, his little hands, and even the bits of fruit stuck to his face. Then she frowned deeply. âDid he eat anything new today?â
CUTIS thought back. âJust some fruit I picked from the backyard. WaitâŚâ His eyes widened. âThere was one kind Iâd never seen before. It fell from that big tree behind the house. The skin looked strange, but it smelled sweet, so I gave him a piece.â
Dr. Lina sighed. âThat might be it. Some fruits look harmless but are toxic to animalsâand even humans if eaten too much.â
At that moment, CUTIS felt another wave of dizziness hit him. He grabbed the table for balance. âI ate some tooâŚâ
Linaâs eyes widened. âYou what? CUTIS, you could be poisoned too!â
She immediately gave both of them water with activated charcoal, a natural remedy to absorb toxins. The next hour felt endless. The baby monkeyâs breathing was shallow, his tiny chest rising and falling weakly. CUTIS sat beside him, refusing to move, even as his own stomach twisted painfully.


He gently stroked the monkeyâs hand. âHang on, little buddy. Youâre strong. You always are.â
It was strangeâhe could feel something deep in his heart, a kind of connection that pulsed between them. They had always shared a bond, but this was different. When the monkey trembled, CUTIS felt a shiver too. When the monkey whimpered, his own heart hurt like a mirror reflecting pain.
Hours passed. Dr. Lina administered fluids, medicine, and warmth. Finally, the monkeyâs fever began to drop. CUTIS exhaled in relief, his eyes wet with tears.
But even then, something still felt off.
That night, after everyone had gone home, Dr. Lina stayed late to monitor them. CUTIS sat near the bed where the monkey slept wrapped in a tiny blanket. His eyelids grew heavy, and soon he drifted off to sleep too.
And thatâs when the secret started to reveal itself.
In his dreams, CUTIS saw flashesâblurry images of the jungle. He was running through trees, laughing, feeling the wind rush through his furâfur that wasnât human. A baby monkey clung to his back, squealing with delight. There were others tooâa troop of monkeys, leaping through vines, sharing food, living freely.
He saw himself feeding the smallest oneâthe same baby monkey lying sick beside him now.
Then he saw fire. The forest burning. Smoke everywhere. He tried to save the little one but couldnât. The pain of that loss burned through him. And thenâdarkness.
CUTIS woke up suddenly, his heart pounding. The dream had felt too real. He looked down at the baby monkey, who had just opened his eyes. Their gazes lockedâand for a moment, it was as if they both remembered the same thing.


The same jungle.
The same bond.
The same loss.
Tears welled up in CUTISâs eyes. âIs that the secret hidden behind all this?â he whispered. âIs that why weâve always been so close?â
The monkey blinked slowly, then reached out a tiny hand, placing it gently on CUTISâs chest. CUTIS smiled weakly.
âYou and IâŚâ he said softly, âweâve been together before, havenât we?â
Whether it was fate, reincarnation, or something deeper, he couldnât say. But he knew, without question, that this little creature was part of his soul.
As the night went on, the monkey slowly recovered. CUTIS stayed awake, feeding him tiny sips of water and humming softly. By dawn, both were exhausted but smiling. The danger had passed.
When Dr. Lina returned in the morning, she was shocked to see both patient and caretaker awake and alert.




âYouâre lucky,â she said, shaking her head. âIf you hadnât come here in time, things couldâve ended very differently.â
CUTIS smiled faintly. âIt wasnât luck, Doctor. It was something stronger.â
She raised an eyebrow but didnât press further.
Later that afternoon, CUTIS carried the monkey outside. The sun was bright again, and the air was full of life. The monkey climbed onto his shoulder, a little wobbly but determined. CUTIS laughed softly.
âBack to normal, huh?â he said. âNo more strange fruits, promise.â
The monkey squeaked in agreement, wrapping his tiny arms around CUTISâs neck.
As they sat together under the same mango tree, a gentle breeze blew through the leaves. CUTIS looked up at the sky, thinking about the dream, about the secret connection he could never explain.
Maybe the hidden truth wasnât about poison or sicknessâit was about something spiritual. Maybe some souls find each other across lifetimes, no matter what form they take.
And so, in that quiet moment, with the jungle alive around them and laughter returning to their hearts, CUTIS realized something profound:
Some bonds are unbreakable.
Some friendships are older than memory.
And sometimes, the greatest secrets are written not in wordsâbut in the silent understanding between two hearts. đđ
