Red Rock Candy Mountain (NVC-Hank)
John heaved himself up the cliff face, sliding wrapped fingers into shallow handholds, boosting himself up with only the strength of his toes. He ascended, body pressed warm upon warm against the red rock. At one point he was left without space for his feet and hung, dangling, from a ledge, suspended by his shaking digits.
This was what freedom felt like. His body acknowledged the humid heat but John didn't let it drag him down. Far from it, in fact, He was already one hundred feet from the bottom of the ravine. Another fifty to go and he'd be on high ground. Nothing could touch him there.
Narrowing his eyes against the glaring of the scarlet sun, he continued dragging his weight up the cliff face. Gravity was his child; he had a responsibility to it but at the same time he had become so accustomed to it that he barely noticed it anymore.
Reaching the peak of his own personal mountain, John levered himself up with his forearms, pulling his legs up after him. Wiping the drops of sweat from his forehead, John paused.
There was someone watching him.
Not changing his stance at all, not wanting to alert whoever it was watching him to his awareness, John continued to cool off. The entire time he remained tense, waiting for whoever it was to make their presence known.
After ten minutes John called out, impatient.
"You know, you might as well come on out. I know you're there and it's getting goddamned boring waiting for you to show your sorry face."
This was what freedom felt like. His body acknowledged the humid heat but John didn't let it drag him down. Far from it, in fact, He was already one hundred feet from the bottom of the ravine. Another fifty to go and he'd be on high ground. Nothing could touch him there.
Narrowing his eyes against the glaring of the scarlet sun, he continued dragging his weight up the cliff face. Gravity was his child; he had a responsibility to it but at the same time he had become so accustomed to it that he barely noticed it anymore.
Reaching the peak of his own personal mountain, John levered himself up with his forearms, pulling his legs up after him. Wiping the drops of sweat from his forehead, John paused.
There was someone watching him.
Not changing his stance at all, not wanting to alert whoever it was watching him to his awareness, John continued to cool off. The entire time he remained tense, waiting for whoever it was to make their presence known.
After ten minutes John called out, impatient.
"You know, you might as well come on out. I know you're there and it's getting goddamned boring waiting for you to show your sorry face."