The scene was heavy with silence as baby Alba lay weakly on the ground, her small chest rising and falling with fragile breaths. The morning that should have been filled with playful sounds turned into one of pain and confusion. Alba had only wanted love and comfort, but what she received was neglect and rejection from Anna — the one she trusted most.
Alba tried to reach out, tiny fingers trembling, eyes filled with longing. She didn’t understand why Anna had turned so harsh, why her warmth had vanished. Every time Alba tried to approach, Anna pushed her away, leaving the little one to cry helplessly in the corner of the enclosure.
Her cries echoed softly, a heartbreaking sound that could melt even the hardest heart. There were no other monkeys nearby to comfort her, no gentle arms to hold her. Alba’s once bright spirit dimmed, replaced by confusion and sorrow. Her breathing slowed, and her eyes closed halfway as if the world had grown too painful to bear.
But then, something stirred inside her — a faint spark of will. Alba opened her eyes again, gasping softly, as if whispering to the wind that she was still here, still fighting. Her body trembled, but her heart didn’t give up.
Slowly, Anna turned to look. Maybe it was guilt, or maybe instinct, but for the first time in hours, she moved closer to Alba. The baby’s faint cries reached her, and Anna hesitated. It was a powerful moment — the space between cruelty and compassion, the chance for love to return.
Even though Alba was weak, she lifted her tiny hand toward her mother one more time. The sight was too much for anyone to bear without tears. It was a cry for forgiveness, for love, for life itself.
No one watching could hold back emotion — not from anger, but from deep sorrow and hope that this innocent little life would be safe again.
