A Chocolate Treasure

The roaring thunder outside shook the whole house, trapping me indoors with a roaring belly. I squeezed past the pantry door and climbed a stack of canned beans straight up to the third shelf. Behind an oatmeal box, I struck gold: a half-unwrapped square of rich, dark chocolate sitting in a cracked foil wrapper. I gripped the thick block with both hands and bit off a massive corner. The chocolate melted instantly against my warm tongue, silky and deeply sweet, coating my teeth and lips. A little brown smear wiped straight onto my round belly as I savored the bitter richness.