Peanuts

Peanuts- a school assignment but great memory 

Peanuts. Salty, crunchy, Chinese peanuts. To any human being this seems like an ordinary protein packed snack, BUT you would you be wrong. A single ordinary pack of peanuts was about to trigger an extraordinary event.

It started off like any other day, except I was in China and about to embark on a once in a lifetime adventure through the Avatar mountains. Yes, yes they do exist. Although, I am not too sure about those blue people with the tails, I never made contact with them.

There we were all 1.832 million of us covered in bright plastic ponchos of varying color in a failed attempt to keep dry amidst the furious unleash of rain. Thousands of us in this particular area climbing the mountain and 5,301 excruciating stairs. Winding in a path like little dots of bright hope that would eventually reach the lookout point, we drudged on. Through the pounding rain, paper thin ponchos, and attempts to dodge every wayward umbrella, we pulled over for a nourishment break. Trust me, when hiking 5,301 stairs you need energy now and then.

Speaking of food. Cierra. Cierra always had food. She was one you needed to be friends with if you were to survive these kinds of adventures in ZhanJiaJie. Today her snack of choice was peanuts. Wide eyed I inched towards her with hands outstretched. With a flick of the hand the top of the peanut wrapper came off with ease but as she reached into the awaiting container, it happened.

That simple smell of salty goodness had alerted them and one ear piercing shriek had alerted us. In a simultaneous turn we saw him, king of the jungle, barrel chested and with hungry eyes he starred us down. Teeth blared and eager clawed fingers ready and waiting. Waiting for the snack we were just about to enjoy. Like a fury from hell he came for us and in the blink of an eye the peanuts were gone. Stolen. Thrown to the demon like a sacrifice in hopes that he would not want us instead.

In the tree above us sat the king and our, no his, nuts. Proudly triumphant on his throne he stared down mockingly at us as he oh so carefully took the peanuts out one by one and savored each morsel. At the last nut he dropped the bag in laughter and it floated lifelessly to our feet. Little did we know this was his signal, his war cry.

From the depth of the jungle came his army. An army of every stature and size crawling out of the darkness, antsy, and wanting more. But, we had no more peanuts. We stood shell shocked, shaking bodies began to give way to curiosity as they approached. How close could we get? Would they eat bananas? Who had a banana? Could I take a selfie with them? You know what they say, if it isn’t on instagram did it ever really happen? I needed that selfie. And so the round of human vs ape began. We may have lost the battle but we determined to defeat the army and win the war.

After a prolonged encounter, with stomachs growling in protest,  we reluctantly moved on, we still had 5,299 stairs to climb afterall. Unfortunately, our salty, crunch, ordinary chinese peanuts had been devoured but we were left with an extraordinary memory that will we cherish for eternity. Well that and one epic selfie.