Lorrie marked passage of the fifteen hundred metre mark with a misstep on a loose rock, the result a twisted ankle ballooned beyond the confines of her boot.
The injury on day one of a planned three-day excursion revised plans and created a logistics issue, the need to descend along eleven kilometres of jagged, steep trail. The intrepid hikers chose ignore as their immediate action and embraced hope as their ally.
Morning, it will ebb some by morning, Chloe proposed, and if not, by the following. We’ll hold here and enjoy ourselves.
With dark came the climbing moon, its orange hue different. To one, trees verdant by day evolved into ominousness. A large boulder near their site shivered Chloe, remade from harmless glacial deposit to sacred table in one jump of her formidable imagination. Flames from the campfire flickered projections on the boulder, fuelling skittishness.
“You make me laugh,” Lorrie said. “We camped here because the rock offered advantages for coping with my ankle. Now you believe someone will sacrifice you on it.”
“Well, look at how it’s slotted right in line with the notched V to the east. At least the moon didn’t centre.”
“It will as it rises.” Chloe hadn’t thought of the possibility. Shit.
Dinner segued into tins of sipping whiskey for dessert. The buzz generated comforted one in pain. Talk shifted to the hike, in actuality a first date. “You sure you wish to do this, Chloe? I’ll understand if you change your mind.”
“The date? Why would I change my mind?”
“Did you tell your family we planned this as a date?”
“No.”
“First clue for me. I don’t want to be your test drive.”
“You’re not.”
“Oh, you’ve dated women before?”
“No.”
“Test drive.”
“Lorrie, I’m certain. I want to be with you, even if that rock is the gateway to hell.”
“Come on. Help me over to the rock.”
“Why?”
“So it doesn’t spook you anymore.”
While not crazy about the idea, Chloe assisted Lorrie across the short distance, and both claimed space upon the feared boulder. The two snuggled, taking in the splendour of the sky. Closeness bred desire, and confident Lorrie took control, not at all thinking about test drives. A kiss, two, and backwards they stretched across the boulder. Sweated bodies paused to shed clothing.
On that night and rock, Chloe sacrificed her body to one she knew she loved.
Whoa, hot! Nice
That’s a gorgeous picture, love how the red colour of the moon contrasts with everything else.
Thanks. I know it’s not for everyone, but I represent my community.
I actually snapped that picture in daylight, and through Photoshop brought to it night sky and an added moon. I suppose I could post the original…
Oh wow I just saw the original, good job!
That really is an amazing picture. Wonderful
This is the non-altered original…
http://nellewrites.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=3880
Nice one nelle. Loved it as usual and the colour of the moon is awesome
Thank you… I fished the moon off the net and snuck it into the picture.
Nelle, you’re so damned great with your tales. I love the word ‘segued’. I didn’t know what it meant & had to look it up – thanks!
Love the ending. You write so picturesque.
Segued is a cool word, unlike whimsical, a word that drives me crazy.
Now that’s what I call making a proper sacrifice!
Heh, yes. May we all find ourselves in such dire straits (with the partner of our choice of course.)
Vanilla tea to fight the cold outside and Nelle’s words inside to entertain -segue to ‘Lovers Rock’…….great image, the words, the story fit into it like puzzle pieces. I have some ‘bats’ you can borrow -wink wink.
You played your words in a not usual Nelle way; not sure how, why. your word usage is different in this one, nor will I try to figure it out but it works – orange hue different, chose ignore, trees verdant – this may sound weird but feels or reminiscent of a card dealer in Vegas.
You did a great job with your latest by the way, words, imagery, music.
Different, hmmmm. Different is good.
Thank you Nelle.
Different is good. It provokes, it evokes that ‘non-motherly’ response. Different keeps all, viewer, reader, writer, artist on and off their collective toes – makes us think, perhaps not at first but it leaves the door open for thoughts in reflective past tense. There is that knee jerk response that is normal when one is face with difference but often is the case, creative minds use that reflex to ignite and even insight feelings and talk (should have said dialogue, but seemed too formal).
That picture of the rock with the partially hidden moon behind the trees is awesome.It does create a great environment for creative story-telling.
Shakti