1 Hunger

I woke up more hungry then I had ever been in my life. My stomach was cramping it felt like I had just come back from starving to death. I rubbed the sand crust out of my eyes. I saw that I was in an alley surrounded by mud brick houses and my first thought was that I was back in Afghanistan somehow. Trying to sit ilup I noticed my arms were dark tan small and anorexic looking. I groaned as my whole body hurt to move.

Sitting up and looking at my aching tiny body, I had the distinct certainty, that what ever has just happened to me is absolutely real. No dream I have ever had was so lucid or painful. I put my existential crisis on hold and just tried to breathe. Air hit my lungs feeling heavy and moist. I saw a puddle on the ground near me and I could tell a storm had just passed. Survival outweighed dignity and I leaned over crawling my aching body to the divot that had collected rainwater. I laid there taking sipps of water feeling it coat my dry throat.

For at least 20 minutes I did nothing else. Breathe. Sip. Savor. Repeat.

I turned over on my side looking at the dingy alley. I saw it was near evening, I could hear the bustle of my surroundings now. I was in a small alcove between buildings. There was some junk lying around, a cracked ceramic jug without a lid was in the corner near me. It had collected some water so I decided to finish draining the puddle into my malnourished body.

I heard some chittering near me, looking over i saw a small capuchin monkey holding a loaf of bread. My body ached for food as I stared at it with desperate eyes. It was watching me as I laid curled on my side. It's eyes were so expressive, making me think it knew that if it didn't help me I would surely die here. I don't know why it cared but all I could do was beg. "Please." I said desperation racking through my body.

I watched as it contemplated then drew closer climbing down from on top the wall it was sitting on. It landed on springy legs and shuffled over to me hesitantly. I reached out hope filling my being as I saw a chance to live. The bread hit my palm and I cried "Thank you." Taking a bite I was filled with joy. I saw the sadness in the eyes of that monkey as I was probably eating its only food for the night. "Kindness for kindness." I pulled a fourth of the bread off and handed it back to the monkey. We sat there eating and enjoying the solidarity of the moment between man and beast.

After we both finished we looked at each other. I sat up again now that the desperation was gone I could think about what was going on. I was clearly in a different body, I was in my 30's and kinda fat. I had been injured in the military and couldn't run anymore due to the pain in my knees and lower back. I also had breathing issues from the exposure to harmful chemicals in the burn pits on the tiny base I stayed at in Afghanistan. All this led to a very sedentary lifestyle, I lived off my disability and investments. So I was in a better position than some veterans. I had spent most of my time gaming, reading, or watching TV. I was basically already retired.

Now though after my hunger has subsided for the most part, my knees feel fine my joints don't pop. My back doesn't hurt and my lungs can take easy deep breaths for the first time in years.

I don't recall dying or meeting a god. I don't know anything about where I am either. It was starting to get darker and the sky was filled with more stars than I have ever seen in my life. I could immediately tell that wherever I was, was not the modern age.

I looked at the monkey that hadn't left the alley yet. "Thank you for your help." I said to the little one. "You think there is anywhere we could get some more?"

The monkey perked up and nodded at that. It was definitely weird how much this guy could understand. And now that I look he is a guy. "Well partner let's look around lead the way." I stood up the pain already receding quite a bit.

We walked out of the alley and looked around, the buildings around us looked arranged in a haphazard manner. There were no straight lines that would let you see clearly in the distance. I didn't want to get lost so I shuffled behind the monkey as he was moving through the streets. I was wearing loose-fitting dirty pants and no shirt or shoes. I could see every one of my ribs. Whomever abandoned this child did not really leave him a chance.

We walked around and the monkey stopped in a street he tip-toed to the corner and spied around the corner he waved me over and I followed. We peaked around the corner and I could immediately tell what the target was. A warehouse with the entrance guarded by two scimitar weilding buff guys with white pants and a black vest on. I watched as two more guards rounded the corner of the building trading positions with the ones at the door as they began to circle the building as well.

After watching for a couple rotations I pulled back and started whispering to my partner in crime. "Ok here is the plan you see the windows at the top of the building?" He nods. "I wont be able to fit but you could the gap is too big for you to jump from the next building. So, we will sneak up I will throw you in the window then go hide. You will poke around try to find some fruit I will wait a little bit then go back and you can jump down into my arms with whatever you can carry. If you don't take too much they won't notice and we can continue raiding this place every night. How's that sound?" He nods enthusiastically and I say "Remember just one fruit each if this works we want it to keep working okay?"

I back down the street crossing over I wait untill the guards are switching and cross the street. Slowly I move closer to the building being very patient and discreet. We make it to the corner and I crouch behind a barrel waiting for the next guard to pass. Once they do I sneak around and pick up the monkey he is a little heavy for my emaciated body but I know this will lead to more food I launch the little fella up the eight feet into the small window thats used for ventilation. Putting my faith in the little guy I quickly hide by the barrel again and wait until the guard passes by twice more being thankful my knees are not bad anymore. After they pass I move around to the window again and see the little monkey poke his head out. Waving him down he hops out into my arms and we scurry around the corner before the rounds are finished. Still holding the mokey I hide again and move down the road after the guards pass moving slowly still. Finally we make it a few streets down and I can appreciate the fruits of our labor two ripe juicy pears. We laugh and hug as the rush from the theft finally ends. He hands me one and I say "Lets get somewhere to spend the night and enjoy dinner."

I follow the little guy as he leads me around the city and up a ladder on the side of a building. We cross a plank between buildings and enter a doorway that never had a door. We go up some stairs and arrive at what looks to be a curtained watchtower that the city outgrew. The monkey sits on a ledge and starts biting into his pear. I walk to the curtain and pull it open only to be struck by realization that I know exactly where I am. Out in the distance I could see the white  Palace with massive golden domes at the tops of the many towers. "Agrabah... which means." I look over at the little monkey and say "Abu... which likely means I'm Aladdin the prince of thieves and the diamond in the rough."