Love you Zoboomafoo

10 years ago

The Kratt family was visiting Madagascar for a family vacation and Martin and Chris was ecstatic. They love animals and new places, and Madagascar was filled with many kinds of animals to see. A couple of days into the vacation, 14 year old Martin and 10 year old Chris were outside the building porch, taking small nap to rest up from the long day they had when Martin heard lemur chirps from the jungle near the building.

Martin sat up when he heard the noise. He's heard lemur chirps from school, and those chirps were ones of distress. Martin shook Chris and said, "Chris did you hear that? I think a lemurs in danger."

Chris wasn't waking up, just mumbling, "Don't worry Mrs. Goat, I'll find the gazelle of fantasia." He continued snoring while Martin looked at him flabbergasted.

He grabbed his bag and put it on his back. "Gosh Chris, you have weirder dreams then I do sometimes." He then walked to the Jungle to try and see where the lemur sound was coming from, hoping to help the poor creature.

He ventured into the jungle looking for the lemur when he heard the cry again, this time more closer. He continued the direction of the sound and then saw the lemur. It was a small one who had his tail stuck under a rock. He was trying to pull away to the trees, but couldn't free his tail. Martin took a breath and walked to the lemur calmly, showing he was no threat. "Hey there little guy, I'm not going to hurt you. I'll help, ok?"

The lemur looked up at the boy and stiffened, but when he saw Martin was not an opposing threat to him, he let the boy in blue go near his tail. "I just need to remove the rock ok? Be ready to leave as soon as I lift it."

Martin lifted the big rock off as much as he could as the lemur immediately ran. As soon as the tail was no longer under the rock, Martin put the rock down and stretched after, but then looked down to see the lemur again, still at his feet. Martin was confused, shouldn't the lemur be running up the trees right now? He knelt down to the lemur. "Hey little guy, it's safe now, you can run and climb now."

But the lemur didn't budge, before he made a chirps and leaped to Martin, hugging him in an instant. Martin was taken aback by this, but hugged back, knowing it was a thank you. "Aww, any time little buddy." He held the lemur for a while, until they both let go, Martin then getting an idea. "Hmm, you need a name. What kind of name would be good for you?"

He paced around in thought, the lemur following him every step until he saw a sign near his building called, 'The Madagascar Zoo' That's when Martin got the idea. "Zoo, gasps, name is Zoboomafoo!" The lemur chirped happily, clinging onto Martins back as he laughed, already loving this lemur. They played for at least 30 minutes, the boy happily laughing when he heard his parents call from the building.

"Martin?!" "Martin, where are you hun?!" Martin looks in the direction of the sounds, realizing it was his dad and mom. He put Zoboomafoo down as he says, "That's my parents, I need to get back. It was nice playing with you, Zoboomafoo."

Zoboomafoo made a confused chirp before going into Martins backpack to go with him. Martin chuckled at the attempt before picking him up and out of his backpack. "Oh Zo, I can't bring you with me. But I promise I'll come back as soon as I visit again, alright?"

Zoboomafoo made a sad little chirp before giving him a hug goodbye. Martin hugged back, not before saying, "Love you, Zoboomafoo." With that, he left the jungle, being in the arms of his parents. "Mom, dad! You won't believe what happened!"

As he told the story, he felt an immense start of happiness going through him. He never felt so alive until he helped that animal in need. And it made him so happy when he saw the relived look on the lemurs face. Maybe he should do that when he's older.....

....

10 years later, today.

Martin did his promise. Every time they visited Madagascar, Martin would visit Zoboomafoo and play with him. Zoboomafoo would always give Martin a happy smile whenever he jumped on his back. As Martins first ever animal rescue, he was always glad to see the lemur happy and healthy. Sadly, the next time he visited, he was in for a not so pleasant and heartbreaking surprise. (TW: Animal death)

Martin was going to visit Zoboomafoo after a rescue in Madagascar and the crew were coming with him. He wanted them to meet his first ever rescue and maybe become friends with them as well. But when they went to Zoboomafoo's favorite spot, they gasped and almost immediately teared up at the sight.

Zoboomafoo was trapped in a poachers bear trap like contraption, stabbing through his poor feeble body, causing it to bleed out. Zoboomafoo was in a lot of pain, his face showing it clearly, with tears and squeals. He looked at Martin and immediately started to squeal for help. "Zoboomafoo!" Martin screamed, quickly running to Zoboomafoo's poor state. He tried to remove the trap slowly, the poor animal making squeals of pain as he did, breaking Martin's sensitive heart. After he carefully removed it, he immediately called Aviva's help.

Aviva brought the first aid kit, and did a health check, but then immediately frowned, seeing the worst kind of possibility. "Martin.... He's lost a lot of blood and has a lot of internal bleeding and his heart was one of them.... I'm afraid he's going to"-

"Don't you say it!" Martin yelled, holding Zoboomafoo in his arms as the poor lemur was in massive pain, "Just help him Aviva! I'm not losing a creature this way!"

The crew look at him in sadness, knowing he'll take this the hardest out of all of them. Chris walked to his brother and sadly talked. "Martin, I know this is hard, but Zoboomafoo has too much damage. He won't make it." But Martin still didn't believe him, tears falling from his eyes a bit as he cried out, "I'm NOT losing him! Not like this!! We'll fix him, and he'll be back in the wild, we'll-!"

That's when Martin felt a hand on his shoulder, but it wasn't human. He looked down and saw it was Zoboomafoo. The lemur was looking at him with a sad smile, nodding his head as if knowing what would happen. Martin felt his tears flowing harder as his voice went quieter, saying, "I don't want to lose him......Not like this..."

Aviva crouched down to Martin, "I know, I'm sorry, but he's dying and there's no way to save him this far in...... Your gonna have to let go.." Martin was shaking at the thought. This was his first ever animal friend from the wild and he has to say goodbye? This soon? He didn't want to, but the lemur just nodded and nuzzled Martins chest, trying to comfort his savior from before. Martin made a small sob as Zoboomafoo did this, shaking more as he hugged the lemur closer. Aviva, wanting to help make the experience shorter for the lemur, was setting up the shot to......Put him down.

Martin saw this and started to talk to Zoboomafoo with tears falling bigger and faster. "Zoboomafoo, I'm so, so sorry this happened to you. I wasn't there for you and now, we have to say goodbye." Zoboomafoo made a chirp, which made Martin want to stop but he couldn't. "But, you'll soon feel a tiny prick, but after all that, you'll feel all better. You'll feel no more pain, you'll be in a whole jungle with so, so many trees. Tallest the world could create, and you'll be free, to do whatever you want whenever and no one would stop you. You'll be happy, and I'll be glad you are."

The crew felt tears in their eyes as they heard Martins whole speech, as Aviva brings out the syringe, ready and telling Martin to say goodbye. "Thank you for inspiring me to be a animal helper Zo, you've changed everything." He and the animals touched heads softly as Zoboomafoo made a smile happy chirp as they did. As Aviva put the stuff in, Zoboomafoo looking uncomfortable but not screeching, Martin says one last thing, "Goodbye my friend....Love you, Zoboomafoo." With that, Zoboomafoo closed his eyes and his body stopped moving. Zoboomafoo was gone.

Martin broke down in tears as he put down the lifeless body before hugging himself and sobbing as a waterfall of tears fell from his eyes. Chris and the crew immediately hugged him, tears falling from their eyes too, holding on as he sobbed.

That's the hardest part of being a rescuer. When you meet them, you learn, grow, and bond with them, and everything feels amazing. But when you've made a bond, the longer it lasts, the harder it is when that bond would be forcefully snapped away from you, without control. It breaks your heart, but one day, you'll move on and let go, even if it hurts remembering the joy they gave you. All we can do, is let go.......

By, Pup Pup Abawi