Altar Of Eden

Even to this day, Makeen sometimes woke with his bedsheets tangled, soaked with sweat, a scream trapped in his throat, picturing eyes aglow with a smokeless fire.

As he crossed the gardens he lifted his face to the sun and burned away such dark thoughts. On a bright morning like today, amid the bustle of the early-morning visitors, what was there to fear?

He found Bari dancing at the entrance. “You move like a constipated camel, Makeen. I want to see the new baby chimp, and you know the crowds gather later.”

Makeen followed. He didn’t understand his brother’s love for all things furry, but on this special day he’d tolerate it.

They wound through the various exhibits-birds, camels, bears-and headed straight toward the chimp enclosure. He strode quickly with his brother, matching his stride. Thankfully their path did not take them past the old lion cages.

Subhan’Allah, he thought to himself. Allah be praised.

At last they reached their destination. The monkey-and-ape exhibit had been refurbished after the bombing. It was a popular site. After the war, a few escaped apes had been recaptured and returned to the new exhibit. For Iraqis, such continuity was important. It held special significance for the besieged city, a symbol of recovery and stability.

So the birth last year was doubly special.

An older chimpanzee-one recovered in the streets-had given birth to a baby, a child born bald. It had caused a media sensation, declared an omen of good fortune.

Makeen didn’t understand that.

Even a year later, the naked chimp continued to draw large crowds.

Bari hurried to a separate entrance off to the side. It led into a small nursery ward.

“Over here, Makeen! I can’t believe you’ve not seen it!”

Indulging his brother’s enthusiasm, he walked into the enclosure. A short hall ran past a cage enclosed behind glass. At this early hour, they had the ward to themselves.

With his arms crossed, Makeen stared into the exhibit. A fake tree sprouted from a sandy floor, its limbs draped in ropes, tire swings, and woven slings.

At first, he failed to spot the star of the exhibit.

Then something as black as oil dropped from above and landed in the sand. With its back to the glass, it looked like a tiny bare-assed old man. Its skin was all wrinkled, like a suit cut too large.

Rather than being charmed, a wave of revulsion swept through Makeen.

The creature held a long stick in front of it and beat at the sand.

Bari got excited. “Look how close it is. I’ve never seen it up against the window.”

His brother rushed forward and placed a hand against the glass, trying to have an intimate moment with the chimp.

“Get away from there!” Makeen yelled, louder than he intended, allowing his fear to ring out.

Bari turned and rolled his eyes. “Don’t be a shakheef, Makeen.”

The creature ignored them both and continued to dig at the sand with his stick.

“Let’s head back to the gardens,” Makeen said, moderating his tone. “Before Mother feeds your picnic feast to the birds.”

Bari sighed with much exaggeration. “There’s so much more to see.”

“Another day.”

“You always say that,” he said in a heavy sulk and headed off.

Makeen remained a moment longer. He stared at the small chimp, struggling to calm his heart. What was there to fear? He moved closer to the window and looked down at what the creature had drawn in the sand.

With its stick, it had scratched a series of numbers.

Makeen frowned. Clearly it was mimicking something it had seen. Still, a shudder passed through him. He remembered reading in the local newspaper about how quickly this chimp was growing, how it had escaped its first cage by stacking boxes to reach a grate. It had even fashioned a crude spear by chewing a tree branch to a sharpened point.

As if sensing Makeen’s suspicion, the chimp swung around and stared him full in the face. He fell back. The naked visage was terrifying to behold, like a wizened black fig come to life with fat lips and huge yellow eyes.

That gaze locked onto him.

Makeen gasped and covered his mouth. In those yellow eyes, he recognized a familiar and frightening sheen of intelligence, aglow with a black smokeless fire.

He stumbled back in horror.

As he fled, the chimp’s lips curled into a hungry smile.

Baring all its teeth.