Today's writing prompt comes from 365 picture prompts. Click on the picture to go to the website. The photos change everyday. This picture was from January 9 and was contributed to the site by Judy Wood (the photographer, not the scientist).
The chasm loomed ahead of us. It would be unimaginative to tell you that I accidentally kicked a rock and it fell to the bottom of the seemingly bottomless canyon. But, that really did happen. The hike was going so nicely, unfortunately no one told me about this part. Looking over the edge made me a little giddy.
'What on earth possessed me to go hiking with these people? I can't remember how I got here. Really, I can't.'
I could hear a voice, but what it was saying seemed foreign to me.
"Liz. Oi, Liz," someone was calling my name.
"Liz, the bridge is this way," he told me. I finally pulled my gaze from the chasm and looked at him. He was standing there, looking at me with those big brown eyes. He patiently and reassuringly held his hand out to me.
"C'mon, Liz, we just have to follow this ledge"
"LEDGE?" I questioned.
"It's okay, Liz, take my hand and we will be there in no time."
I took a deep breath and put my hand in his. He cradled my hand, and lead me away.
I concentrated on the back of his head, his neck, his broad shoulders and I sighed. Some might say this was a ridiculous response to the situation. I had to have something to distract me from the 500 metre drop to my left and the bushland to my right. We seemed to weave through a few small trees and suddenly right before us was the bridge.
The suspension bridge seemed to have a slight swing in the breeze.
'Did he really expect me to walk across that thing?'
I looked at him with a frown.
"It's fine, Liz, I have walked across this bridge a hundred times, and look at me... could I be anymore gorgeous?" he grinned.
I couldn't help laughing at him. I closed my eyes, took another breath and followed him across the bridge.
'There had better be a fantastic reward at the end of this trek.'
The rest of the hike was rather short. We arrived at a beautiful waterfall and everyone stripped off for a swim. I sat on the edge and dangled my feet in the water. He sat with me. I realised that this was reward enough. We sat in silence for a long time, listening to the waterfall and the laughter of the others. Then his kissed me.
A walk in the bush and a death defying suspension bridge in exchange for a kiss... yeah, it was worth it.
I know that was soppy... but I couldn't resist.
