“Arrey yaar, who ate all the chips?” shouted Raj, leaning over the verandah rail.

“It’s always Ria!” chirped Meera, laughing, “She’s got a black hole for a stomach!”

Ria, lounging on the floor with her yellow backpack, shot them a grin. “Jealous much?”

The trio had been best friends since forever. Raj was the serious one, Meera the joker, and Ria—the bold explorer. Today, however, the mood was different. Ria had big plans.

“You know the jungle behind our colony?” Ria asked, zipping up her bag.

“The one Amma calls ‘bhoot jungle’?” Raj raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t tell me you’re going there!” Meera gasped, half excited, half scared.

“Why not?” Ria said, standing up. “A monkey stole my apple yesterday. I’m going to find it!”

Raj shook his head. “Ria, that jungle is full of snakes and—”

“And adventure!” Ria interrupted, winking. “I’ll be back before lunch.”

The jungle was buzzing with life. Birds chirped, leaves rustled, and the sunlight filtered through tall trees. Ria adjusted her backpack and marched ahead.

“Monkey, monkey!” she called out, holding up a banana as bait.

Ten minutes in, she heard a faint rustling behind her. Turning sharply, she caught a glimpse of fur. “Gotcha!” she whispered and tiptoed closer.

But instead of the monkey, she found… a goat?

“Eh? What are you doing here?” Ria asked. The goat simply stared back, chewing lazily.

Shaking her head, Ria moved further into the jungle, the goat now following her. “Great. I have a bodyguard,” she muttered.

Suddenly, there was a loud shriek.

Ria froze. “That sounded like…”

“Eeek eek eek!” The sound came again, unmistakably a monkey’s cry. Ria ran toward it, her heart racing.

She found the monkey perched on a rock near a stream, looking lost and scared. Its tiny eyes darted around nervously.

“There you are, little thief!” Ria said, kneeling down.

The monkey didn’t run. Instead, it made a sad noise and pointed to its leg. Ria noticed a thorn stuck in its paw.

“Oh no, you’re hurt!” she said softly.

The monkey flinched as Ria carefully removed the thorn. “There, all done. Now, let’s get you home,” she said, offering the banana.

The monkey grabbed it and started munching happily.

“Do you live here?” Ria asked. The monkey responded with a series of chirps and hand movements that made no sense.

“Cool. I’ll take that as a yes,” Ria said, rolling her eyes.

As they walked, the monkey clung to her shoulder like a furry scarf. The jungle seemed friendlier now, with colorful birds flying overhead and the goat still tagging along.

Just when Ria thought the adventure was over, the monkey screeched again. This time, it jumped off her shoulder and ran into the bushes.

“Hey, where are you going?” Ria called, chasing after it.

She pushed past the thick undergrowth and stumbled into a clearing.

And froze.

In the middle of the clearing stood a man, dressed in jungle ranger gear, holding a net. Behind him was a cage full of monkeys.

“What’s going on here?” Ria demanded, her voice sharp.

The man turned, startled. “Who are you? This is none of your business!” he snapped.

“It is if you’re hurting these monkeys!” Ria shot back, her fists clenched.

The man sighed. “I’m not hurting them. These monkeys are pests in the nearby farms. I’m relocating them to a safer place.”

Ria narrowed her eyes. “And I’m supposed to believe you?”

The man shrugged. “You can come with me if you don’t trust me.”

Ria was torn. The monkeys in the cage looked scared, but the man didn’t seem dangerous. The lost monkey tugged at her sleeve, as if urging her to do something.

“Okay, fine. I’ll come,” Ria said finally.

The man led her to a jeep parked at the edge of the jungle. The monkeys were loaded into the back, and Ria climbed in with them, keeping a protective eye.

The jeep bumped along a dirt road until they reached a wide, open sanctuary.

The man opened the cage, and one by one, the monkeys scrambled out, chattering excitedly.

“See?” the man said, gesturing to the lush trees and playful monkeys already there. “This is their new home.”

Ria smiled, relieved. “Okay, you’re not so bad.”

As they drove back, the lost monkey sat on Ria’s lap, looking content.

“You’re free now, little guy,” Ria said, stroking its fur.

The man dropped her off near the edge of the jungle. As she waved goodbye, the monkey jumped off her lap and ran back into the trees.

“Bye, buddy!” Ria called after it.

When she reached home, Raj and Meera were waiting.

“So?” Meera asked eagerly. “Did you find the monkey?”

Ria grinned. “Not only did I find it, but I also saved a whole troop!”

Raj groaned. “Here we go, Miss Explorer strikes again.”

“Next time, I’m coming with you,” Meera declared.

Ria laughed. “Sure, but you better bring your own snacks. I’m not sharing!”

The three burst into laughter, their jungle adventure already turning into a legendary story.

Ending on a positive note:
Sometimes, even the smallest acts of kindness—like helping a lost monkey—can lead to the biggest adventures. And for Ria, every day was just another chapter waiting to be written.