Free Forest of the Pygmies by Isabel Allende

gorilla raised her head, sniffed the air, and looked around her with curiosity. It took her some minutes to comprehend that she could move, and then she stood up and shook free of the net. When Alexander and Nadia saw her standing up with her baby at her breast, they had to cover their mouths to keep from yelling with excitement. They didn’t move a hair. The gorilla crouched down, clutching her baby to her chest with one hand, and sat staring at the two young people with deep concentration.
    Alexander shivered when it dawned on him how close the animal was. He felt the warmth of her body, and a black, wrinkled face swam only three or four inches from his own. He closed his eyes, sweating. When he opened them again, he saw a blurred, rosy muzzle filled with yellow teeth. His glasses were fogged over, but he didn’t take them off. The gorilla’s breath struck him square in the nose; it had the agreeable scent of freshly mowed grass. Suddenly the curious hand of the baby gripped a lock of his hair and tugged. Alexander, choking with happiness, stretched out one finger and the baby gorilla grabbed it as a human child would. The mother was not pleased with that show of confidence, however, and she gave Alexander a shove that knocked him flat, though she wasn’t being aggressive. She uttered one emphatic grunt, in the tone of someone asking a question, and with two leaps bounded off to the tree in which the male was watching, and all three faded into the foliage. Nadia helped her friend to his feet.
    â€œDid you see that? It touched me,” yelled Alexander, hopping with excitement.
    â€œWell done,” Brother Fernando said approvingly.
    â€œWho could have set out that net?” asked Nadia, thinking that it must be of the same fiber as the bits of rope she had found by the river.

CHAPTER FIVE
The Bewitched Forest
    B ACK IN CAMP , WHILE THE others discussed the recent adventure, Joel improvised a fishing pole from a length of cane, some string, and bent wire, and sat on the riverbank hoping to catch something to eat. Brother Fernando agreed with Nadia’s theory that there was hope that someone would come to help them, because the net indicated a human presence. At some moment the hunters would return to check the pit.
    â€œWhy would they be hunting gorillas?” Alexander wanted to know. “The meat’s terrible, and the skin is ugly.”
    â€œThe meat is edible if there’s no other choice. The organs are used in witchcraft; they make masks from the hide and skulls, and they sell the hands for ashtrays. Tourists love them,” the missionary explained.
    â€œThat’s horrible!”
    â€œIn the mission in Rwanda, we had a two-year-old gorilla, the only one we were able to save. They killedthe mothers and sometimes brought the abandoned babies to us. They’re a sensitive breed and often die of melancholy . . . if they don’t die of hunger first.”
    â€œBy the way, isn’t anybody hungry?” asked Alexander.
    â€œIt was dumb to let that turtle go; we could have dined in style,” Angie noted.
    The persons responsible for the centenarian’s reprieve said nothing. Angie was right: In such circumstances they couldn’t allow themselves the luxury of sentimentality; survival came first.
    â€œHow is it going with the radio in the plane?” asked Kate.
    â€œI’ve sent out several SOS calls, but I don’t think anyone received them. We’re a long way from nowhere. I’ll keep trying to contact Mushaha. I promised him we’d call in twice a day. Surely he’ll be surprised not to hear from us,” Angie replied.
    â€œAt any moment someone will miss us and come looking for us,” Kate consoled them.
    â€œI think we’ve had it,” blubbered Angie. “My plane is in pieces, we’re lost, and we’re hungry.”
    â€œWhat a pessimist you are, woman! God may put a rope around your neck, but he