Hi sweetie,

Sorry for the short letter, I just want you to be sure I keep writing to you. It was nothing, really, I was just surprised a girl your age actually thinks about gays. Ok, I forgot the lesbian fantasies I had when I was even younger then you. Never mind.

And now to the reason this letter is short – I'm going to pick my childhood friend from the airport. Her name is Paulina, and she's going to study here in London. She'll live in my pad till she gets settled in one of her own. Ok, I have to go, bye *waving*

Ben.

***

Hey Ben, *sighing in relief*

I did thought I scared you, thank goodness I didn't scare you enough to stop writing to this weirdo (me). Now, if MY PARENTS ever read my stories, I'll die, simply as that, but I'll probably die before I let them read them, so it's fine, and sorry for the writing's style, I slept this afternoon, so I'm awfully tired, but it's fine, it's weekend now J .

My little brothers are in summer vacation now (the bastards) and they defend the computer as if it was a fortress, so I have to use all of my weak military power to get hold of it from time to time, so maybe my letters won't be as frequent as they were until now. Sorry for that.

I want to introduce you the two new roebucks that close our roebucks' family for this year – don't laugh or I'll kill you – Will and Gareth… well, you have to admit it's nicer then Bosh and Moff. They are two sweet yearlings who came all the way from Germany to bring some new blood to the stock. It was necessary, as Zeus f**ks his daughters already… not that the two sissies seem as if they are going to make any attempt in THAT direction. They look so scared and confused, and even the females bully them. M says some German lady has given them drugs and they are still in the trip, but, it's just like him to say such things. Actually, I understand them (Will and Gareth). It must be difficult to be brought to live in a new place, with a strange stock. People that move to other places can handle this, 'cos they understand it. Animals can not, and that is what bothers me most about zoos. Not the imprisonment, our roebucks will be set free, and I don't think our African animals would survive in the real Africa. No, the fact that people can rule the lives of animals, do what they want with them, is what bothers me. I thought about it especially before Liorie was moved. A week before his removing he had stayed in the house of the Giraffes, and it was so sad to see him stuck in the house instead of being outside. And he looked so big, so strong. It's not fair that such weak creatures as us would rule the life of such big strong animal as he.

Oops, here's Ashera goes lecturing again.

I've been to the city's center yesterday, and bought four books: the whole writing of Lewis Carroll, "Don Quixote" and the last book of James Joice (don't remember it's name, I bought it because I decided to buy all of Joice's books. I have "Ulysses", "Dubliners" and "The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", all in English too. Unbelievable, but I can understand even "Ulysses" in English. Great book.)

Ok, I'll stop now. I have lots of work. I have to write 9 chapters for my fics, and I'm about to do the sad task of killing Mark. Cheers!

Ashera.

PS: say hi to Paulina.

***

Killing Mark??!!

You mean Mark a1, don't you? I think it's cruel to kill him. DON'T DO IT! Actually, I'm quite sure you wouldn't listen to what I'm saying, so, do as you please.

Paulina says hi too. She's here for two days already, and I can't even remember how it was without her. It's nice to have a girl in my apartment. It feels… clean and right. I mean, she cleans the place. Don't hit me! I never ask her to, she wants to do it, and who am I to stop her? *winking*. And she cooks! God, she's a great cook! And what else one needs?

We've known each other for all of our lives. My mom says our first meeting was in church, when we were about a year old. I puked, and Polly's mother gave mom tissues to clean it, and both came to tea the day after, and since then we were together, until I have moved to London, at least.

It's weird to have her here. She's quite different. Not bad different, just… a woman, you know. I've known her as a little girl, and now I can hardly recognize the little girl in the smart, ladylike woman. It's strange, but I'm sure I'll get used to it quickly.

Back to work in three days… shit.

Ben.

PS: say hi to Will and Gareth.

***

Hello.

Yep, killing Mark. Someone had killed Ben of leukemia *shivers*, why shouldn't I kill someone in a tragic way? Don't worry, it's not as bad as leukemia, and it's purely fictional, cause it's a dual, and who the hell fights duals on this period?

Talking of periods, I've mine right now. It isn't nice. Today is the first day, and it's always the worst. When I'm in my periods I feel like a dying pig. Not that it should interest you.

Ben, do I smell a loving affair forming in your house? Smart, ladylike, exactly what I look for in a guy, except of the "ladylike" part. She cleans the house, cooks, and really, what else one needs? It's nice, a childhood friends unit, and find out they are the dream guy/girl of each other. Sounds like something from a fanfic. But it does make sense, you know, you knew each other for all of your lives, you probably had started to form your dream partner the way the other was, his/her personality and so on, if you can understand what I just wrote. Ha ha, maybe I should have chosen psychology…

Well, I wish you both happiness, and hope you'll marry soon, to get a free ticket to London for your wedding… just kidding.

I told Will and Gareth hi for you. Gareth gave me an alarmed look and kicked with his leg (he always does it, I don't know why), and Will moved away politely to eat. But I decided to send their love for you anyways.

I've started to work Saturdays, the last one was my second. I did piles of kaka in all "Africa" myself. It wasn't nice. My boss and Y, a volunteer, were suppose to come and help me, but three squirrel monkeys had escaped, and my boss helped on the search, and meanwhile I was stuck in Africa, making piles. I forgot to bring water, and almost died of the heat. One of the monkeys was caught, the other two haven't yet.

And yesterday she (boss) send me to the Hi-Bar to make piles of kaka+hay and I almost died again. Maybe soon I will die completely, which maybe would save me a lot of trouble J

Ok I'm going to eat. Bye.

Ashera.

PS: I forgot to tell you about the week I spend in Tel-Aviv… ok, next time.

***

Hi Ben,

No answer from you yet, but I have to write you today and say how happy I am. Gale is alive!

I will start from the beginning. Today some of the roebucks were supposed to be set free. Now, the leader might harm young males when the courting season starts, the females are needed for braiding, so usually the young males go first. You can imagine how sad I was at the thought of departing from my beloved roebucks. Yesterday night I cried at the thought of the departing, as well as at the thought of my Gale, especially, gets a shot of sleeping "drug" and falls, such a handsome, proud creature, and carried into a small box, wakes up in it, bewildered, and gets into a new weird place, full of strangers. It's awful.

I was still sad during the morning, I know I should have been happy for them, for returning to their natural place – the nature. But I couldn't. We all gathered in the Hi-Bar, the caretakers of the grass eaters, two vets and the main caretaker. The roebucks gathered around the asphalt, waiting for their usual food. Christian has to go. He's the largest and strongest among the young males. My boss said she wanted to keep Gale, in case Zeus loses his masculinity. I was happy for a second, but then the main caretaker said we should keep one of the smaller ones (Ben or Mark). So, the vet shot Gale first. He didn't seem to be too hurt. The drug worked quickly and he fell asleep. We carried him onto the vehicle and into Hi-Bar 1, where the mountain goats live, and then the vet gave him another shot to make him wake up, I don't exactly know why. My boss held his head up, with his horns, till he'd be able to hold it himself, that's the sign they wake up. It took long. We all waited. Gale drooled a bit, but didn't wake up. And then, suddenly, my boss cried in panic, "S, he's dead!" My heart practically sank. Gale is my favorite. It was unbelievable. How come he died? It wasn't any drastic treat or whatever. I thought of him standing next to Christian just few minutes ago, alive. And I thought about him sitting pretty close to me yesterday, while we did the Hi-Bar, alive. The thought he died almost killed me. I got really attached to him. It was unfair, that he died because of us. Everybody gathered around him worried. The vet felt he breathed slightly, but it didn't cheer me up. The other vet tried to find his pulse but couldn't. They gave him a shot of some medicine. And I'm standing there shocked. They hit him on the side, sort of "heart massage". In the end the main caretaker felt he had pulse. Few more minutes, and Gale already stood up, a real bully, he must be J . Stood up and started to walk. Alive as ever! I almost cried of happiness now. My Gale is alive! HE'S ALIVE! Of course we didn't try to shot Christian after that. There is some more time for me to be with them. Gale is in Hi-Bar 1, at the moment. He's a bit dizzy, but does not stop to walk. A real bully, as I said.

Ben, I'm so, so happy, you have no idea!

I think they wouldn't want to take a chance and make him sleep again. I'm happy that I'll have him, but I'm sad for him that he has to live in the zoo.

GALE IS ALIVE!

Yours, Ashera.