52 Stories, 52 Weeks: June [The Last of the Batch]

 I fell quite a bit behind, but I caught up eventually! 

#22: The Leap & The Way Down

There were two fears of mine. One in mid-swim in the spring of youth. Then there was one as someone approaching the twilight of their time here. In youth, the biggest fear was daring to get to the top of the mountain. In the twilight years, I now see that the biggest fear is that there aren’t anymore mountains to climb. I stare at one of those fears now.

There was a particular hill I walked as a kid. The first time was terrifying because I couldn’t see the top of the hill. Or what was on the other side. So I had to get over that hill to find out. 

I know how to remedy this situation after that. I’ll climb the biggest mountain. The last one I haven’t climbed. It took awhile, but I did get up there. 

I don’t see the ground from all the way up here. I will find out. I have to now. I jump an effortless leap and down I go. The air is guiding me back down to the Earth. 

I don’t recall the mountain ever being this high up. I also don’t remember how small I am in comparison as I fell down back to the Earth. The view is truly something to behold. It was as if the air was stolen from the lungs to feed to mountaintop. I think it needed it more than I did at this point. Free fall was calling me back down, and it wasn’t something I could say no to. Now I thought of a third fear in my life: Just how was the impact going to feel as I reconnect to the ground below. 

It can’t be as bad as the view from the hillside, I swear.

#23: “A Fleeting Moment of Connection”

She moves to the rhythm of a heartbeat,

Much like mine.

Quickens its cadence

Does the dance, my heart,

When our eyes meet.

She sways like the light 

Reflecting gently off glass.

May I keep you like a memory?

I’ll forget you if you’d like

But I wish to keep you close

May I connect with you,

For longer than an eye’s glance?

I’d pay heavily for it.

With the sacrifice of this moment,

Just to tell you.

#24: “By an Arm’s Length or Kicking Distance”

Parasite - By choice 

Or through pressured measures, 

You will stay away.