Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Mountain Road, Part II

Saturday Centus time again. Last week was a cliff-hanger and this week, the continuation of it. Only thing is...we're supposed to finish it in 50 words. Hah!! Are you kidding!?! Sadly, it would still be a cliffhanger, unless I just used photos and nothing else... so, I'll be doing the best I can.

Following is the beginning of it from last week (without the photos), in case you need your memory refreshed. If not, jump down to the line right before the images start. (To see the photos with the writing from last week, click HERE). The prompt was "Hanging off a cliff...".

I drove in silence, replaying that conversation with RT from just a little while ago. Old wounds for each of us, collective but separate, had been revisited.

Climbing over the steep and winding pass with its towering walls, I glanced a hawk gracefully landing on a lofty roadside perch where, likely, an egg was safely nestled.

I made a mental note of the storm looming ahead, reminding myself to be extra cautious on the treacherous road.

Rounding a corner, something caught my eye. Hanging off a cliff ahead of me, a single tree, barely clinging to the stark rock. Strong. Beautiful. Independent.

Suddenly, my mind snapped back to attention…




A buck.





















Time too swift to feel. Tumbling. Rolling. Seemingly without end. Life eerily on hold.







Caught in a tangle of trees. Crawling from the car.

Dangling by fingertips high above a rushing stream. Thoughts of dying racing through my head.




“No!,” shouting to the air. “It’s not going to end like this! No! I’m better than this. 
Strong! Beautiful! Independent!”



A soft voice. “Are you ok? You were yelling.”

Opening my eyes. Looking around. Closing them again, reopening them slowly to check my surroundings. 

Sun shining through a window, RT smiling down at me snuggled in the nest of our bed.

It’s real. It’s morning. I’m safe.

Only a dream. It was only a dream.

The end (or maybe the beginning...)


Hop on over to Mrs. Jenny's to see who's still hanging on the cliff ... or if someone pushed them over... but drive carefully, when you do! 

9 comments:

Susan Anderson said...

Great twist, Anita. I didn't see it coming at all till the very end.

=)

Christine said...

you had me going...

Daydreamertoo said...

Dreams can seem all so real. Nice cliff hanger :)

Ames said...

What nightmare. Had a few of those. But woke myself up. That would be a horrible thing to experience. So glad it was just a dream.~Ames

moondustwriter said...

You angled that nicely (both with the shots and the story)
It could have been a nasty ending for two beautiful creatures...

Judie said...

AHHH! There's nothing better than your warm bed! What a dream, Anita! You did a great job with this story!!

Jo said...

I did a dream as well! your ending was beautiful!

Nonna said...

That was a brilliant,enjoyable conclusion... BRAVO !!!

Jenny said...

I'm actually shivering from reading this.

I didn't see the twist coming at all.

I was holding my breath.

And then I had a glorious exhale.

What a wonderful story.

Official apology (and hopefully redemption) for tomorrow's SC!