Touched by a Wild Mountain Gorilla - Vanessa Froese

It was a hot summer’s day and I was looking forward to seeing animals that I have never seen before on this amazing African Safari. I was walking through the jungle, exploring, trying to find an interesting animal to observe when I saw them, a whole family of gorillas. They were only about five meters to my right. My heart started to smack hard against my ribs, and I froze. I realized that the gorillas hadn’t yet noticed I was there, so I slowly crouched down and put my head between my knees, as the safari instructor directed. I knew they were closing in, I could hear it. The tormenting sound of their feet and hands hitting the tropical forest floor made the beat of my heart distracting. So many thoughts and ideas and scenarios were running through my head, I couldn't tell them apart. What if the gorillas attack me? What if they all of a sudden decide they want to eat me for lunch? These crazy things were all I could think about as I sat there, as still as a rock, hoping and praying that they wouldn't hear the pounding of my heart. My legs started shaking and I was In fear that they would give out. The gorillas’ footsteps were getting louder, which means they were getting closer. They sounded about two meters away now. What were they going to do to me? Maybe they were nice gorillas, I thought. Not a very big chance of that, especially with the silverback around. The silverback was he father of the entire family; he is the protective one. My own family started flashing through my head, what were they going to do without me? I should have never come on this trip; I’m never going to make it home! The family of gorillas was now surrounding me; I could see feet directly in front of me. My heart skipped a beat; I closed my eyes tight, preparing myself for what was to come next. I felt their hairiness on my back, on my legs, every muscle in body tightening, I have never been so scared. Nothing came. Nothing. I was crouching for the next hour, or so it felt. When I finally felt confident enough to open my eyes and look round, there were no gorillas. They hadn’t noticed me after all. They were just passing through. They must have thought I was a tree or something. My heart was still beating up a storm but I was safe, none of my crazy thoughts happened.