Day 161: Becoming Human

The Prompt: Take an animal cartoon character like Scooby-do or the characters from Madagascar and make them human.  What happens? Do they act the same or are they different?

I am going to use Alex from Madagascar 2, when the gang is in Africa.

Alex felt the sun penetrate his skin.  It felt welcoming, like a hug from his best friend Marty after a hard day.  He curled his back in the dirt, as a cat would normally do.  Something felt…different though.  Alex slowly opened his eyes and sat up. 

“I’m hungry.  What should I eat today?  I’m feeling like going Asian, but cow could be tasty too.”

Alex stood on all fours but yelled when he saw his feet.

“What? What’s this?  FINGERS?  Where did I get fingers?  Ahhh!  And a hairless arm, and human legs?!!”

Alex tried to run but tripped over his long forearms.  He shakily stood on his feet, and after losing his balance a few times, he ran to the nearest watering hole and looked at his reflection.

“AAAAHHHHH!!!  I’m a human!!!”

The animals that were drinking stopped and stared at him.  A few scared ones ran away.

“Marty!!!  Marty, you gotta help me!  Help!”

Alex called around for the zebra, and tripped every fifth step as he ran.

“What is it, Alex?” Marty asked with annoyance.  Then he turned around and saw him.  “Ahh! A human loose on the savanna!”

“No, wait, Marty, it’s me.”

“Alex?” He sounded incredulous.  “But how?”

“I don’t know.  I just woke up this way.  You have to help change me back.”

“I don’t know how.  There’s no voodoo master or anybody nearby.”

“But I don’t WANT to be human!  I miss my mane, and my roar.  And look at my feet.”  He pointed to them as he tried to dance around and stumbled.  “No one will want to see this!  What will I say? ‘Alex, the human! Grr!’ “  He tried to do his classic pose with one leg up and his hands poised in front of his chest like he was about to attack something.

“That’s not that funny, anymore.”

“I know!  I’ll be forgotten.  Out of a job.  I’ll go hungry!”  He started hyperventilating. 

Marty put his hooves on Alex’s shoulders.  “Get a grip on yourself, Alex!”  Then his voice echoed as it repeated what he said.  It was louder now.  “Alex! Get a grip!”

Alex woke up to Marty shaking him, and he jumped up and looked to see his tail flopping in the dirt. 

“You were dreaming again, pal,” Marty explained, “and saying weird things like starving to death.”

Alex only half-heard him.  He was too busy laughing and jumping around.  “I’m a lion, I’m a lion!!!”

Marty shook his head.  “He shouldn’t have eaten that spare rib as a bedtime snack.”