BECOMING AN ANCESTOR

What's happening to me? Why am I all hairy?

Touches body all over.

Well, at least I don't have a tail. But it seems like I've turned into a monkey. I apparently look like a chimpanzee or something like that. Look to one side, look to the other. I'm in some forest.

No matter where I looked, there were only trees. I decided that staying in the same place wasn't a good idea, especially because I didn't know the place or what was there. So, I chose to walk slowly, observing and listening to everything around me. Although I don't know why I turned into, I don't know, a chimpanzee or something like that, but I believe that standing still where I am is not the solution.

After a while of walking, I decided to stop and climb a tree to try to locate where I am or what's around me. I looked for the tallest tree, which must have been around 10 to 12 meters high, and tried to climb it. Back in my adventurous days, I learned how to climb trees, but now, I guess, being turned into a monkey, I should be able to do it quite easily.

After climbing the tree, I realized that it was probably the largest tree in the forest because from up there, I could see the entire forest, and it wasn't that big. It probably took me so long to get from one point to another because I was walking slowly. But if I were to run, I should reach it in just 2 minutes. And... I may not be seeing clearly, but... Beyond the forest, apparently, there's a plain or savannah, or something like that. This is very strange because it looks like the savannas of Africa. There are even trees of acacias.

Am I in Africa? How is this possible?

What a strange thing. First, I was supposed to have died. I remember being in my bed, closing my eyes. And when I opened them, I was in the middle of a forest and had turned into a monkey. And now, I'm in Africa.

Let's take a deep breath, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Uh! Well... Let's recap. First, I didn't die. Second, I turned into a chimpanzee or something like that. Third, I'm in Africa. Fourth, I'm getting hungry. Fifth, I'm getting thirsty. And sixth, I think I'm having a post-death hallucination, or maybe it's before actual death, or something like that. I think... I'm going crazy. I think my obsession with researching the ancient lives of humans before I died has made me dream as if I had become some, I don't know, primitive monkey in the middle of the savannah millions of years ago. Yes, it must be that. I'm dreaming before my death, and in my dream, I'm a primitive monkey. Now that I've noticed... I have some differences from chimpanzees. First, I have a pretty nice butt. And I don't have a tail. I seem to be only about a meter tall, as if I were a young one instead of an adult. I was supposed to be an old man, or at least an adult, not a teenager.

Suddenly, I heard some noises in other trees of the forest. Things were swaying. I thought at first it was the wind, but then I began to see some movements, realizing there was something in those trees. I stopped and stayed still. Is it a monkey? Am I not alone?

I became tense because I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know their reaction to me, whether they would attack or try to do something. Many primates have violent reactions to outsiders, so I don't know what will happen.

Suddenly, I noticed that some of them were approaching me. Now, what decision do I make? Do I run or stay? I made the decision and chose to wait and see their reaction.

Finally, I got to see them clearly. Three of them climbed up the same tree I was in. They were getting closer, and...