He gripped the lines tightly as he felt the rock surface transforming directly in front of him. There was a burgundy glow appearing from underneath as an area roughly 10 feet wide and 20 feet long revealed itself. It was as smooth as glass and provided no place to gain purchase. Even his special climbing shoes weren’t able to get traction against the surface. His feet were trying to get any kind of grip while his feet scratched wildly at the surface.
He paused, hanging there by his lines, when the glass like surface began to buzz and tremble. There was a frequency playing in his ears much like a theremin from the old science fiction movies he had watched as a kid. The trembling increased, now an audible hum was present and the surface began to glow brighter, turning from burgundy to violet. On his left he saw another piece of rock fall at the same instance his left line gave out the piton released, the crack it had been driven into no longer in existence. The force threw him hard to the right, releasing the second piton. He felt his body drop, momentarily in free fall, until his safety line caught him. Jerking him hard to a stop, the cam biting harder into the crevice he had placed it in, he gasped. “Thank God.”
At this point his body was suspended roughly in the center of the smooth wall. The hum was now increasing, becoming a steady vibration, it’s intensity reaching toward a crescendo, while his body was vibrating in unison. The frequencies in his head were almost painful, he began to see stars. He felt his safety line release, as he again felt free fall. He thought, “Oh no, this is it.”
The sound in his head peaked, his body was encompassed in an intense violet light, when the explosion came. Directly behind him the sheer surface of the rock shattered and he felt his body pelted with fragments, driving him forward away from the cliff. He thought of his beat up Ford Bronco parked at the base of the cliff, he hadn’t told anyone where he was going. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Again, he’d ignored one of the most basic rules of climbing. How long would it be before someone found his truck, stumbled across his body lying broken on the rocks below? His eyes fluttered shut and he passed out.
Feeling something warm, wet, and sticky sliding across his face Billy’s eyes fluttered open and he was looking into the face of Buddy, Ethan Gregor’s one-eyed blond labrador. Startled, he sat up quickly and Buddy barked, once then twice more. “Hold on Buddy, I’m almost there.” Ethan Gregor had lived in these woods for most of his life and had decided to take a hike out to Old McCrory Cliff on his way home tonight. Lucky for Billy, as it was dusk and would be dark within the hour when the wild animals started to come out. He was just thankful to be alive and apparently intact other than the normal muscle soreness from climbing.
He tried to stand up, a bit wobbly he leaned against the old Bronco just as Mr. Gregor reached him. “You alright son?”
“I, I think so.” He patted his arms, feeling better with each moment he stood. Even the soreness from climbing earlier was gone. “Yeah, I’m good.”
“Okay. Well you best get under way before the sun sets. The roads back out to the main highway aren’t the best even in the light.”
“Sure. Thanks.”
“See ya later, then. Come on Buddy!” Buddy bounded over to him and they turned and continued down the path toward his cabin.
Billy climbed into the old Bronco and turned the key. It cranked twice, then fired off. Putting it in gear and easing off the clutch he pulled the vehicle around and headed back to the main road.
Stay tuned for the next episode Monday!
The Pulse, Episode 2 – 4/19/21
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