“Give me a second!” he shouted back.
He forced the lock open, ignoring the sharp edge that cut into his palm. The moment the door gave way, the baby chimp lunged forward—not to escape, but to cling to him. Its small body pressed against his chest, shaking.
“It’s alright,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”
They named him Kito.
Kito stayed with the rescue team for several weeks before being transferred to a rehabilitation center. During that time, Brian became something like a constant in the animal’s world—the one who fed him, calmed him, and sat beside him when nightmares made him cry in the middle of the night.
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