Here it is, lads and lasses!! The second installment of Gratitude, the story I started last weekend. As a review, the main character (Karla) was reminiscing on her brother’s harsh words about her complaining. She had gone to her “Me Place” – a spot high on a cliff where she goes to be alone and think. We ended with Karla taking one spot too far and tumbling over the edge.
Did you like that cliffhanger?
Heh heh, pun intended and overused. 😛
Anyway, here you are: Part 2!
Prompt
Same as last week: “Write a story about gratitude.” So go forth and conquer!
Story
Although I didn’t really feel like it, I lifted my arms and closed my eyes, letting the sunlight bathe my face with its warm rays. Wind raked its fingers through my hair and tried to take my loose clothing. It felt wonderful.
Until I realized that I was no longer standing. The rush of air took my breath away as my eyes jumped open and I saw with a scream that I was plummeting off the cliff onto the sharp rocks below.
It all happened so fast. It seems slow writing it down, but millions of thoughts raced through my head as my feet left the cliff’s edge and I began my descent. It seemed like it lasted forever while I was falling, but in truth, I only plummeted for a few very quick seconds.
I’m falling! was my first thought.
What happened? was my second.
I’m gonna die! screamed my third.
But I didn’t, because right in the nick of time a hand reached down out of nowhere and encircled my upper arm in a steely grasp. A loud grunt sounded above me as my body came to a screeching halt and I dangled midair. Flailing, I turned and grabbed my rescuer’s hand, desperately trying to claw my way up the arm to safety. Like a drowning person can pull another down with them in their struggle to reach safety, so I nearly tugged my rescuer off the cliff and killed us both.
“Stop it, Karla!” James’ voice broke through my blind panic. His calm fingers slowly peeled mine away from his arm. “Just hold as still as you can and I’ll get you back up here as fast as possible.”
My mind didn’t really register the words, only the vast stretch of empty air between me and the ragged rocks beneath me. So I did the one thing my body seemed to know how to do: I screamed.
“Ouch,” James grunted. He was laying on his stomach at the brink of the cliff with both hands around my right wrist. Wriggling backwards, he managed to gain enough leverage to cautiously get to his knees – and then my fingers could reach the edge of the soil. He stood as I pulled myself up, providing extra momentum until both my feet were on solid ground. I shook as he led me away from the verge, so badly that by the time we covered the few steps to the tree I could hardly stand up. My knees gave out as the adrenaline drained from my veins.
“Are you okay?” James asked, putting his hands on my shoulders. He was panting slightly. “What happened?”
My tongue only wanted to speak a couple words. I couldn’t think of anything else. So I looked up into my big brother’s dark eyes and let them out.
“Thank you.”
Wrap Up
There you go! What did you think? Was the ending too abrupt or not drawn out enough (I have a feeling it is…)? Do you think Karla learned her lesson, or is she just scared?
Thanks for reading, and remember: take courage, thank God, and smile while you still have teeth! 😉
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