Kingdom Of The Nanosaurs (trilogy)

Kingdom Of The Nanosaurs - chapter 7

7. Transformation

Next morning the sun beamed through the kitchen window as though nothing had happened to the world but everyone was subdued as they sat down to breakfast. Morgan’s parents couldn’t bear to listen to the radio so it stayed switched off.

His father kissed his mother and gave her a badly wrapped present. This lightened the morose mood in the room and Morgan had to smile as he watched her unwrapping a slim, elegant presentation case that she quickly opened with almost a shy smile at his father. She was delighted with her new watch. Lin handed her an immaculately designed I-Ching reading and his mother thanked her for it. She professed that she didn’t like birthdays, but everyone knew she did. They were too much fuss, she always said. Morgan kissed her and gave her a hastily drawn birthday card.

“Your present is coming,” he told her. She smiled at him knowingly and said nothing then glanced at her new watch twisting her wrist this way and that.

“I’d better check on Winston,” she said.

“I’ll go, Mom,” offered Morgan and slipped out of his chair.

“I’ll come with you,” said Lin.

Morgan and Lin went upstairs into Winston’s quarters, a spare room used to store old books, scientific paraphernalia, furniture and toys. In one corner was a straw bed intertwined with branches and leaves. Curled up asleep under a blanket, Winston was just a sprout of orange hair protruding over the top. Nucloid sniffed around and whined quietly as Lin knelt down beside the orangutan.

“Winston, time to wake up – Winston are you all right?”

Morgan snapped his fingers and clapped his hands. “Hey, Winnie, come on, let's see you up and about. Breakfast is in two minutes. It’s hot waffles, your favourite.”

From under the covers came a deep, peaceful voice. “It can hardly have escaped your notice that I am asleep. What a weird dream. For a moment I really thought I was an ape.”

Morgan had turned towards the door.

“Stop fooling around, Winnie. I'm hungry even if you're…”

Morgan stood frozen with his mouth hanging open. He remained immobile staring at the bed.

Lin’s eyes were wide open with a look that said: 'I knew it, I believe in magic!' She approached the bed. “Winston, you can talk, just like the animals in fairy tales. I always knew it was possible. Oh, Winston, this is wonderful.”

“Possible,” Morgan spluttered, “how can it be possible? It’s totally impossible.”

Winston opened his eyes and sat up

As Morgan turned, Winston threw back the covers, yawned and stood up. “Waffles you say. I just adore waffles.”

“How?” Morgan just stared at Winston. “How did this happen?”

“How did what happen, Morgan?” At that moment Winston caught sight of himself in a mirror. His face puckered, registering utter surprise and disbelief. “Oh! My, my, my! I see what you mean. I am an ape – it wasn't a dream. The lab – my cerebral cortex must have – I feel weird.” Winston examined himself closely.

Morgan had by now recovered from the first shock wave and was grappling with the second. What to do about this situation and how to come to terms with what had happened? Lin had no such problems. She walked over and took Winston by the hand. “You must be hungry. Come on, let's get some breakfast.”

“Be prepared for a big shock when mom and dad find out,” said Morgan.

Morgan’s parents looked up curiously and Morgan’s mother touched Winston’s arm. “He looks fine, doesn’t he? All right, Winston, you take your usual seat.”