Securing the Dam (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes story) (Excerpt - Opening Scene)

Ellie trudged resolutely through the Muir Woods, following behind her husband Malcolm. Both of them had a shared goal born out of, frankly, desperation. The San Francisco colony was going to run out of power soon. And it would not be long after that before the whole colony descended into pure chaos. Anarchy. Ellie and Malcolm had seen far too much of that in the years since the outbreak already, and they had no desire to go back to that if it could be avoided. Especially when they had Malcolm’s son, Alex, to consider. 

The hydroelectric dam was their only salvation. It could supply power to the whole city and surrounding region for the human survivors that resided there. If they could actually access it and get it up and running again. They had one major obstacle to overcome: an entire colony of evolved, sentient apes occupying the area closest to the dam. 

After the recent mishap with the hot-headed Carver shooting one of the apes during their last trek into the woods, the apes and their chimpanzee leader had delivered a very clear ultimatum to the human survivors: stay in the city and out of the woods, or there would be war. 

Undeterred, Malcolm had insisted on venturing back into the apes’ territory to attempt to negotiate with their leader. And despite his objections, Ellie had insisted on going with him. Though her husband had a level-headed disposition, her tempering presence would only make them more likely to succeed in this endeavor. 

“Do you think he will listen?” Ellie asked, pushing aside some foliage blocking her way. 

Malcolm looked back at her with an expression of doubt. “He made his demands very clear. But I don’t agree with Dreyfus that he’s just an animal. You saw what I saw, didn’t you?”

The nurse nodded. When the ape leader had come to the colony to make his ultimatum to the humans with his ape army at his back, Ellie could not help but be impressed. The ape had a commanding presence and strength about him, as well as wisdom despite his coarse manner of speech. Only two brief interactions with him had led her to that conclusion. He was, frankly, extraordinary. 

Malcolm took her by the hand with a comforting smile. “We’ll be ok. You and I will work this out. We always find a way.” 

She smiled back at her loving husband, nodding. A few moments later, they came upon the massive palisade boundary to the ape colony. Both Ellie and Malcolm looked upon it with awe, stopping in their tracks. Despite its crude construction, it would’ve taken a massive amount of strength and resourcefulness from the apes to build it. 

Ahead of them, they saw movement out of the corner of their eye. Ellie paled and Malcolm froze when a hulking gorilla sentry ambled up to them, puffing out his chest and staring them both down with a hard expression on his dark face. Malcolm and Ellie took a step back as the gorilla stood up to his full height, the ape towering over them. They recoiled in fear when the gorilla unexpectedly raised his head into the air and let loose a bellowing cry. 

Within moments, they were surrounded by an angry, hooting coterie of apes wielding long spears. Ellie clutched close to her husband as many different hands gripped her jacket. She slammed her eyes shut for a brief moment, half-expecting the apes to kill both of them right then and there, given that they had technically defied their leader’s demand that they keep to the city. Hell, even just the gorilla alone could have ripped them both to shreds effortlessly. 

Instead, they found themselves in the grip of many different apes and carried up into the heart of the colony. They heard a cacophony of alarmed hoots and grunts from the many apes in the colony as they were brought to their leader. 

“Stay calm, Ellie!” Malcolm shouted to her over the chaotic uproar of the apes. “We’ll be alright!” 

She was beginning to doubt this with each passing second, but all she could do is hope that he was right. Unbeknownst to Malcolm, however, there was also a strange thrill coursing through her body. Ellie had never revealed this to her husband, but she had a deep-seated fantasy - one that she had never acted on (and likely never would). It was one that more or less began the moment she first saw the news reports of the apes breaking out of the city and escaping into the forest during the height of Simian Flu. Now that she was being manhandled and dragged into their colony by these many apes, that fantasy came creeping back into her mind.

Malcolm and Ellie were dropped to their knees in the center of the colony before a great stone platform that overlooked the entire colony. Looking around, they saw hundreds of ape eyes upon both of them, eyeing them with a mixture of anger, distrust, curiosity, and suspicion. And standing right before them was Caesar - the same chimpanzee who had delivered the ultimatum to them the day prior.  

Even being in his presence again, especially this close, was enough to send a shiver up Ellie’s spine. Though there was probably a slightly different reason for this than the reaction her husband likely felt at that moment. The ape leader was not very tall, but his body rippled with muscle beneath his dark fur. His fur had specs of gray and white interspersed among his dark fur, showing his age. He had a neutral but suspicious expression on his face as he looked at both of them. It was almost impossible not to show respect to him, just from the commanding aura he exuded alone. 

“Why…have you come?” his deep voice intoned. Ellie was still getting used to hearing apes with the ability to speak like humans did. Caesar’s voice was slow, methodical, but had intent behind it. Looking at Malcolm, she saw that he was in awe just as she was. 

“Please…don’t kill us. Just hear what we have to say,” Malcolm said, raising his hands up to him. 

Caesar glanced at Ellie and she gulped under his gaze. Looking back at Malcolm, the ape continued to level an even expression at him, letting him continue.

“We have to show you something. It isn’t far,” Malcolm said, desperation in his voice. Ellie knew this was the moment of truth. Caesar would either choose to listen to them further, deny their request thus forcing Dreyfus to go to war with the apes, or kill the both of them outright. 

After several long moments, with the rest of the apes getting increasingly impatient and angry judging from their hoots, Caesar raised his hand. Ellie held Malcolm’s hand tightly in anticipation. 

“Come.” Caesar turned, nodding in the direction of what appeared to be the tallest hut of the colony. His hut, no doubt. 

Ellie and Malcolm looked at each other with confusion. None of the outcomes that they had anticipated had transpired. Still, understanding the precariousness of their situation, they stood up on their feet and followed Caesar up into his hut, the hoots of the rest of the tribe receding behind them.