My Short Short for the Day

The monkey swung up and over the branch, launched himself to the next tree, executed a triple flip and landed perfectly on the branch.

“Wow!  That is some serum!”  Bob’s eyes were fixed on the youngster as he sat perched on the branch.

“Yeah, but I can’t seem to stabilize it enough for the effects to last.”  Ann muttered tapping away at her computer.

The monkey suddenly yelped and flung himself at the tree trunk.  He scrabbled a bit but managed to get a grip on some bark.  He yelped again, then grabbed a branch and swung clumsily to the next branch and again until he reached the plank with bananas and other food sitting in the large plastic bowl.  He plunked down on the plank and chomped away.

“Oh, well, I’d say it lasts about 5 minutes or so.”  Bob turned to look at the computer screen.  “It’s still pretty amazing.”

“Yes, I just wish I could figure out where my mistake is.”  Ann continued to tap away at the keyboard.

“Well, I think it’s pretty cool.  The idea that animals might be able to have quirks someday.”  Bob walked to the glass and watched the monkey scratch himself and continue to eat his banana.  “Do you think they would pass it on to their offspring?”

“Yes, that’s the idea.  Once the quirk entwines itself with the animal’s DNA, then it would be permanent and as the DNA passes down to the offspring, so would the quirk.  We would have to continue to study what happens with the quirk and see how it affects the animal as well as the offspring, so it might be several years before the serum could be sold to others.  But the possibilities are amazing.”  Ann’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Yeah, that would be amazing.”  Bob smiled.  “Amazing.”