Once upon a Zoo

Prologue

"So Mr. Hencock -"

"Sir, it's Henbock"

"Yeah, Mr. Henbock, you're accepted as the new Zookeeper of the Modigilani Central Zoo." Mr. Bennylal Banerjee, the General Manager of the zoo responsible for filling the vacancies, said. He was a balding, no nonsense person, in his early fifties.

"Thank you, thank you so much sir-"

"Fine, it's alright." Mr. Banerjee dismisses him with a wave of his hand.

"Miss Shelly, please hand him the service contract." He instructs his secretary and starts scrawling through the files on his overcrowded desk.

Mr. Banerjee, after years of service, had managed to climb the hierarchy of the zoo ladder. (Well, if there can be a corporate ladder, then why not a zoo ladder?) He had a office for himself. Though not Air Conditioned, but at least it was his office and that was enough to satisfy him. It was the result of thirty years of his service afterall. You could guess the amount of hard work put in by him by measuring the large paunch protruding from his stomach.

Miss Shelly, his secretary, a woman in her forties, nods her head in response and moves out of his office.

"What did you say, you've worked with a circus before, right Mr. Henshock?" Mr. Banerjee questions, without looking up from his files.

"Sir, it's Henbock! And yes, with the Great Grand Circus." Mr. Henbock answers. "I managed all the animals there. They used to obey my orders without a noise." He continues with a sense of pride. "Even Simba, the lion, used to tremble with fear whenever I was given the charge of his cell."

Mr. Banerjee chuckles but makes a straight face before saying, "Yeah, I get it."

Miss Shelly gets back to the office with a file in her hands. She extends it to Mr. Henbock but Mr. Banerjee interrupts.

"No. Mr Henrock-"

"Sir, it's Henbock!" Miss Shelly, in her velvety soft voice, corrects him this time.

"Right, Mr. Henbock, it will be better if you go there and see for yourself for a night before signing the contract."

"Alright then, meet you tomorrow. I'll come back with a pen." Mr Hanbock says with confidence and leaves.

"I hope Mr. Henbock does return tomorrow as he said. He's the forty ninth one, I guess?" Miss Shelly whispers.

"Well, I lost count. But yeah. Lets hope." Mr. Banerjee says looking into the space, the expression on his face defeating his words.

Author's note-
Author- Yay! The prologue's out!
Finally writing after a long time!

Mr Banerjee *jumps out of the corner*- You had just abandoned us! We had almost lost all hope!

Miss Shelly- Don't worry Mr. Banerjee!

Author- Yeah! Because now I'm back!

Zoey *with a bored expression*- Yes, only to go back again for an year or two?

Author- Nooo. Also, shush, you haven't been introduced in the story yet! Go away Zoey!

Zoey- Well, I'm the protagonist of the story and you're asking me to go away! I'm not talking to you anymore! Get someone else. I quit!

Author-  And here she starts with her tantrums. *Turns to the readers* Gotta go!
Wait Zoey! Don't leave!

Mr Banerjee- Don't forget to vote and comment!

Mr Henbock *reads the ending of the prologue* Why am I the forty ninth one? Where are the rest forty eight zookeepers? Doesn't sound good. Will anyone care to explain? *Turns towards Mr Banerjee and Miss Shelly*

Mr Banerjee and Miss Shelly *Making an innocent face* - We need to go get Zoey back! See you tomorrow?

Mr. Henbock *scratches his head* Okay. I'll see for myself...