Rosie saw a second ape that looked exactly like Yasteer coming to save the day. Indeed, it seemed it was about to save them both. When the two fought, the chacma wasn’t fast enough for the punches that the new bonobo had in store. Too quick and strong. The foot landed on the chacma’s chest and smashed down on the floor.

Rosie had hope. She crawled again towards Yasteer while the two monkeys continued fighting. But this time, the chacma was in charge of the round. Punches
were knocking the bonobo dangerously, causing it to fall on the ground, powerless, allowing the chacma to take advantage of the bonobo by strangling it.

It was only saved by Yasteer when he stabbed right through the heart of the chacma with the wooden table leg. When it pulled it out, the chacma transformed back to human form. The blind brother tried to stop the bleeding but it was no use as he was knocked on the ground. He was dead.

Rosie sighed; the nightmare was over. Yasteer turned back to his human form and so did the other bonobo. It was a woman: chubby with brown skin with braids. Yasteer smiled and they both embraced, not letting each other separate, which made Rosie a bit jealous as she assumed it was someone special, maybe the somebody he
mentioned earlier at the picnic.

“Wonderful to see you again,” said Yasteer, smiling at the woman, who was mute.

She had no voice and would only communicate with her hands. Signing, she asked who the woman behind him was.

Yasteer turned to Rosie who watched and looked displeased.

“This is Rosie,” he said, “and Rosie, this is Lin, my little sister.”

Rosie found herself smiling, relieved the mysterious woman was family.

“Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.” She waved.

Lin didn’t bother to respond or return her smile. She looked back to her brother and again moved her hands, telling Yasteer they should get out of this place because it wasn’t safe any more, and that they should get rid of the body before the other brother sensed his brother’s demise.

Yasteer turned to Rosie again and gave an order, “Please get the car ready. We need to get out of here.”

Rosie nodded and said, “Sure.” She walked past Lin with a smile on her face, forgetting she was rude when they were introduced a second ago.

“Come on, sis. Help me up with this body.”

“Where are we going?” Rosie asked, as her hands stuck on the steering wheel.

“Where I lived when I got here,” said Yasteer.

Throughout the journey Rosie kept glancing at Lin in the rear-view mirror.

“How can she hear you speaking when she can’t?” The question was directed to Yasteer.

“She’s not deaf. She just can’t speak any more.”

“Any more?”

“When she…”

Lin tapped her hand on his shoulder, and she signed with anger that it was none of her business. She glared at Rosie in the mirror.

“Let me guess. She’s saying it’s none of my business right?”

They arrived the place, hidden in a sort of a forest. It was another cottage but more beautiful as flowers surrounded it. Rosie smiled at the thought, Yasteer was a really good gardener, especially with flowers. They hopped out of the car and Yasteer went for the body in the trunk.

“We have to burn this body so his brother won’t sense him,” he said, and commanded Rosie to wait inside the house.

She wasn’t surprised at all to see how clean it was when she got inside. It was just dusty on the furniture since no one had stayed in it for ages. It was also bigger with an extra bedroom, a kitchen and a lounge. She wondered how he managed to build it and where he got the furniture from, or whether it was an abandoned home he had fixed up.

Tell us: Why do you think Lin doesn’t like Rosie?