Kaden hadn’t been to London Zoo since he was a small child. He didn’t like animals being held in captivity, particularly when they were kept in environments that weren’t much more than adequate. Animals deserved better. But zoos protected endangered species and educated the public, especially younger visitors. And aliens.
They took the Tube, then walked through Regent’s Park.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Joe asked.
“The zoo.”
Joe exhaled. “They’ll have animals I’ve only seen pictures of.” His voice was full of wonder.
“Did you have zoos?”
“We’re a single species planet, but I think…”
“You think what?”
“I don’t think it was always that way. More likely that over time, other species either died out or were exterminated because there was no requirement for them.”
“That’s sad.”
“Maybe, but it suited the world I lived in.”
Kaden paid for them to go in.
Just inside the entrance, Joe slammed to a halt. “A dead animal. Are they all dead?”
Kaden tugged him back to his side. “Shush! It’s a larger-than-life statue of a famous gorilla.”
“Oh. That’s a relief. Take my picture with it. Use the camera.”
Joe went to pose with the gorilla. Kaden briefly wondered why Joe was looking into the distance instead of at him but took the shot and Joe came back, retrieved the camera and checked the picture.
“You okay?” Kaden asked.
“Fine. I’m excited.”
When they reached the giraffes, Joe stopped dead again, his eyes wide.
“What the… Wow.”
“Giraffes.”
“Oh. Oh! My eyes are leaking!” Joe whispered.
Kaden guessed if you’d seen a giraffe before, you’d just take it for granted but Joe seemed about to emotionally unravel.
“They’re the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. Who designed an animal like that? They’re so tall. Oh, look! They have to spread their legs to drink. I saw pictures in the library, but look how they walk! Do they lie down to sleep?” He took a breath, blinked and continued. “Yes. They do but they frequently sleep standing up. Lying down makes themvulnerable to predators so they sleep in short, five-minute bursts while standing. Wow.” He turned to Kaden. “What next?”
Joe was vibrating like a man about to meet celebrities. A thought that made Kaden smile because Joe wouldn’t give a shit about someone famous.
“Now for some unusual birds.” Kaden backtracked and took him to the penguin enclosure. “Blake sponsors one of them.”
A group of them shot through the water like tiny torpedoes, zooming from one side of the pool to the other.
Joe grabbed his arm. “They’re flying underwater.”
Kaden laughed. “Swimming, but yes, it looks like that.”
One penguin launched itself out of the water and landed on the concrete shore.
