The female gorilla moved closer to the base of the tree, her massive hand brushing against Paul’s arm. Her touch, though gentle, carried a clear message: don’t abandon us. Paul’s chest tightened. The weight of her trust was overwhelming, and he felt caught in an emotional standoff.
“I can’t climb up there alone,” Paul murmured, his voice breaking as he knelt before the gorilla. “But I swear I’m not leaving you. I’ll come back with help.” His words felt hollow in the face of her desperation, her pained breathing filling the silent rainforest.