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VortoForgisto — Call for a Change: Baby Hippo
by-nc-nd
Published: 2011-06-28 21:08:55 +0000 UTC; Views: 6265; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 9
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Description
Jesse was just coming out of the theater when his cell phone rang."Apricot Parmesan," a voice said, and Jesse stopped in his tracks.
"Get into your truck and drive to the Zoo," the voice continued. Robotically, Jesse continued walking to his truck and climbed inside. Pulling into traffic, he instinctively knew how to get to the zoo.
"Head to the rear entrance of the zoo," came further instructions. "After you park, you will do the following: Go to the employee entrance and tell the guard 'I'm here for the hippo exhibit.' He will let you in and you will walk to the hippopotamus enclosure. Knock on the door that says 'employees only.' A woman will let you in, help you undress and show you inside the enclosure. Once inside, turn into a baby hippopotamus who misses his mommy."
The line went dead and Jesse instinctively closed his phone and put it into his pocket. He drove on as the sun set behind him, arriving at the back entrance just as the street lights were coming on.
Approaching the gate, an overweight man in a security uniform stepped out of his booth and shined a flashlight at him.
"Zoo's closed, Mister," he said. Jesse continued walking up to him and stopped a few feet away.
"I'm here for the hippo exhibit," he said in a monotone voice. The guard blinked.
"Really? Um, wow. Okay, right this way," he said, guiding Jesse through the gate. "Just keep on this road and it will be on your left."
Jesse walked on, oblivious to the guard's lingering stare. He moved past the monkey cages, the loin enclosure and the bat cave, eventually coming to a single large enclosure with a huge pond, a grassy hill and a rocky outcropping. Noticing the door that said 'Employees Only,' he gave it three solid knocks.
After a few moments, the door creaked open, revealing a brunette woman in a khaki uniform. She looked Jesse over and raised an eyebrow.
"I must be out of my mind," she muttered to herself. "Well, come on in."
Jesse followed behind her, down a small corridor to a small room that smelled like turnips. There was a small desk with some paperwork, a small fridge, and a television. Off to one side was a black gate that led into the enclosure.
He began undressing, gaining a surprised look from the woman. But when he seemed to be ignoring her completely, she watched with perplexed fascination. Unashamedly, he removed all his clothes and then stepped over to the gate, trying to open it.
"Hold on there, Trigger," the woman said, stepping over to him. He stopped trying to open the door and waited, staring through the bars.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is not important," he felt compelled to say. She huffed.
"And what are you going to do in there?"
"My instructions are to turn into a baby hippo who misses his mother," he replied robotically. The woman chuckled.
"Okay, you say so. But if Bertha eats you, I never saw you," she said, unlocking the gate and pushing it open.
Jesse moved through the opening, stepping out onto cool grass and stone.
His body began to feel heavier and heavier with every step. His legs began to get shorter, making it hard to walk upright. Soon he fell forward onto his hands, but his legs were so short now that he didn't need to use his knees. Still moving forward, he felt his face push out and his jaw grow wide. His belly was then brushing the grass as he walked, and he could feel a tiny tail brushing against his butt.
He began to feel very lonely and afraid, glancing around at the high stone walls and unfamiliar surroundings. Smelling water up ahead, he moved toward it, bending down to take a drink into his large mouth. Then he stepped into the water and floated along, kicking with his stumpy legs.
He was still frightened, and cried out with a moan. After his third bellow a loud response came from a grassy island on the far side of the water. He flicked his ears and eagerly began to swim that direction.
As he approached the shore, he saw the round form of his mother stepping out from under a rock outcropping. Catching her scent, he stepped on the shore and waddled toward her, calling for her again. She looked confused for a moment, taking a step back from him. He moved closer and nuzzled at her neck.
She bent down her massive head and sniffed him all over, getting more and more interested with every second. Soon she was nuzzling him back and he felt very safe and secure. Playfully, she pushed him over into the dirt, getting him all muddy. He rolled round, feeling the cool mud all over his body and settling his heavy body into it.
She rolled in the dirt as well, seemingly happy to be playing with him. At one point he could swear he felt someone watching them, and looked around, but couldn't see far beyond the pond.
Mom finally stood and nudged him to his feet, urging him to go into the water. He did as instructed, and they both slipped into the cool water, feeling the mud and dirt wash off his body. They dove deep, splashed and frolicked in the water together, truly enjoying each others company. Eventually they settled down and just floated side by side, comforted and content.
A noise on shore drew his attention. He saw a vaguely familiar woman stepping out of the rocks to dump a bucket full of vegetables on the ground. Mom noticed her as well, and gently adjusted herself to protect him. Soon the smell of the food caught their nostrils, and Mom waited for the woman to leave before guiding him back out of the water.
They ate together, munching and crunching the tasty vegetables in their wide mouths. He found he wasn't all that hungry, but Mom seemed to eat quite a bit more than he would have expected. Fortunately, there was plenty of food, and soon they were getting sleepy.
Mom guided him under a rock outcropping and then laid down. He instinctively knew to lay next to her, nuzzled against her body for warmth. She craned her head around him and watched as he drifted off to sleep.
When he awoke, it was brighter out, but the rock kept them shaded. Mom was still asleep, and he looked around slowly. Suddenly, he spotted the woman from before. She was crouched down about ten feet away and looking right at him.
"Apricot Parmesan?" she said uncertainly.
Jesse blinked and stared at her, awaiting instructions.
"Come with me," she said, and he dutifully stood up and trotted toward her. She seemed surprised by his sudden responsiveness. She guided him away from the sleeping hippo and toward the rocky cliffs on the other side of the enclosure. When they reached a black gate, she stopped and turned back to him.
"Turn back into your normal self," she said. Jesse felt his body begin to contract as his limbs lengthened and his jaw receded. His tough gray skin shifted back to a pale pink as his fingers and toes returned and he bent his knees as his legs to very long. Soon he was back to his human form, kneeling before the woman. She coughed and chuckled.
"Stand up and come on," she said, opening the gate and guiding him through. She directed him to a pile of clothes and told him to get dressed.
"How the hell did you do that?" she asked.
"I do whatever is asked of me," he responded robotically. The woman was exasperated by the answer.
"Well, you did it all right. Ever since her baby died of pneumonia last week, Bertha has been inconsolable. She wouldn't eat, she wouldn't swim ... She was just wasting away. You finally got her to open up. I guess she just needed some closure. Thank you," she said.
Jesse just finished getting dressed and then stood there. The woman stepped up to him, waving her and in front of his face, getting no response. She then leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
"Again ... Thanks," she said.
Suddenly, his phone rang, startling the zoo keeper. He answered it.
"Give the phone to the zoo keeper," the voice said. Jesse handed the phone over immediately.
"Hello? Yes, it was. Thank you so much. He was perfect," she said, glancing at Jesse, who remained emotionless. "Oh, definitely. I'll be in touch. Thanks."
She handed the phone back to him and he put it to his ear.
"Say good bye," it told him.
"Good bye," he said. The girl nodded but looked a little pensive.
"Leave the zoo and go home. You had a long night visiting a sick friend," the voice said before the line went dead. He robotically shut his phone and walked down the corridor to exit the Hippo enclosure.
As he moved out onto the path, he thought he heard someone shout something. He didn't stop and look because he'd been told to leave the zoo and go home. Behind him, there was another shout, then a woman's voice.
He proceeded back to the rear gate, where two guards were talking. The tall one he recognized from earlier, and the one with the mustache also seemed familiar. They smiled and let him out, the mustachioed one giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Good to see you again, Jesse," he said. Jesse proceeded to his truck, climbed in, and drove off.
Once he'd arrived home, he blinked a few times and shook his head. It had been a long, rough night, but at least his friend was feeling better. Suddenly, he found himself struggling to remember her name.
Turning on the TV, he saw a live report from the zoo being reported on a morning show. It showed Bertha the Hippo swimming in her pond, observed by dozens of visitors. She rolled in the water, flicked her ears and yawned.
"And it looks like Bertha is back to her old self again. Back to you, Bob," the reporter said.
Bertha. That was her name. Just like the hippo.
Jesse moved into the kitchen, having a sudden craving for a salad.
