Morning light slipped gently through the small window, but little Milly didn’t feel the warmth of it. She lay curled on her blanket in the corner of the quiet room, her tiny fingers gripping the edge as if holding onto someone who wasn’t there. The house was unusually silent, and for a baby monkey like Milly, silence felt scary.
She lifted her head slowly, eyes heavy and watery, then let out a long, sad moaning sound. It wasn’t loud, but it was filled with loneliness—soft trembles that rose and fell like someone calling for comfort but not knowing if anyone would answer.
Milly was usually cheerful, always following Mom around, climbing tiny chairs, or curling up in Mom’s arms. But today, Mom had stepped outside for a short moment to finish some chores. To Milly, even a few minutes felt like forever. The room felt too big, too empty, too quiet.
She dragged herself forward a little, still moaning, her belly brushing the blanket. Her voice cracked with each sound, as though her little heart was sinking deeper the longer she stayed alone. She didn’t want toys. She didn’t want fruit. She didn’t want to explore. She only wanted Mom.
She tried sitting up, but her body sagged again, dropping onto the blanket with a gentle thud. Her eyes scanned the door, hoping it would open. When it didn’t, she moaned again—longer this time, deeper, almost like she was pleading with the empty room to bring Mom back.
Every sound echoed softly off the walls, reminding her that she was still alone. She pressed her face into her hands, rocking slightly, trying to comfort herself the way she had seen Mom soothe her. But nothing felt the same. Nothing felt warm.
Just when her cries began to fade into exhausted sighs, the door finally creaked open. Milly’s ears perked. Her head shot up. A tiny gasp escaped her lips. Mom stepped inside holding a warm towel and a gentle smile.
The moment Milly saw her, all the sadness burst out at once. She rushed forward on trembling legs, letting out the saddest, most relieved moan of the morning. Mom scooped her up instantly, pressing her close to her chest.
Milly buried her face in Mom’s neck, sobbing softly but finally safe again.
She wasn’t alone anymore—her world was whole again.
