I Like Creative Writing
THE WATERFALL
The cascading waterfall deafened my ears as I continued to climb. This was not going to be easy, but what was I supposed to do? If I turned my back and walked away, sleep would not have come easy to me that night or doubtfully any other. So here I was.
The wind howled cruelly, through the ridge of the mountainous rock that formed a channel for the water to fall from. As my forehead moistened from exertion, I felt relief as the cold spray hit me, drenching my attire. I stopped. I questioned myself once again. Was I doing the right thing, should I interfere with nature in this way?
Very nearly at my goal, I turned to revisit the image that had clouded my vision from earlier that day. At the bottom of the waterfall, she lay. Motionless. First thing that morning, I had seen her, so full of life, so full of confidence as she tenderly showed her offspring the ways of their world. And later that morning, without her young at her side, I saw her again, no doubt trying to provide herself with some nourishment to keep her strength up in order to feed her young. And after one mistake, now…stillness.
The rhythmic power of the water, like a heartbeat to the world, engulfed all my senses as I tentatively took a step though the rapids. Beyond the curtain, I knew there was a cave, observation had shown me this.
Within a couple of seconds, my eyes became adjusted to the dim light that seeped in to the ravine and it wasn’t long before I found what I was looking for.
There in the corner, it lay. It too, was motionless and for a minute I thought my journey had been in vain. But then…..movement.
Opening my rucksack, I edged nearer. Weak from lack of nourishment, it never resisted, it’s eyes blinking at me, begging me to save it from its plight. Picking the bear cub up, it clung to me, as if I was its mother and putting in to the rucksack, I knew that time was against us.
The descent from the climb was a perilous one, now soaked to the skin and with extra weight on my back a burden to me, I was careful to find the correct foot holes.
Back at the rescue centre, with dry clothes and a fire to warm myself, I sat with the cub nestling contentedly, in my arms, sucking on the teat of a bottle; I smiled.
The cascading waterfall deafened my ears as I continued to climb. This was not going to be easy, but what was I supposed to do? If I turned my back and walked away, sleep would not have come easy to me that night or doubtfully any other. So here I was.
The wind howled cruelly, through the ridge of the mountainous rock that formed a channel for the water to fall from. As my forehead moistened from exertion, I felt relief as the cold spray hit me, drenching my attire. I stopped. I questioned myself once again. Was I doing the right thing, should I interfere with nature in this way?
Very nearly at my goal, I turned to revisit the image that had clouded my vision from earlier that day. At the bottom of the waterfall, she lay. Motionless. First thing that morning, I had seen her, so full of life, so full of confidence as she tenderly showed her offspring the ways of their world. And later that morning, without her young at her side, I saw her again, no doubt trying to provide herself with some nourishment to keep her strength up in order to feed her young. And after one mistake, now…stillness.
The rhythmic power of the water, like a heartbeat to the world, engulfed all my senses as I tentatively took a step though the rapids. Beyond the curtain, I knew there was a cave, observation had shown me this.
Within a couple of seconds, my eyes became adjusted to the dim light that seeped in to the ravine and it wasn’t long before I found what I was looking for.
There in the corner, it lay. It too, was motionless and for a minute I thought my journey had been in vain. But then…..movement.
Opening my rucksack, I edged nearer. Weak from lack of nourishment, it never resisted, it’s eyes blinking at me, begging me to save it from its plight. Picking the bear cub up, it clung to me, as if I was its mother and putting in to the rucksack, I knew that time was against us.
The descent from the climb was a perilous one, now soaked to the skin and with extra weight on my back a burden to me, I was careful to find the correct foot holes.
Back at the rescue centre, with dry clothes and a fire to warm myself, I sat with the cub nestling contentedly, in my arms, sucking on the teat of a bottle; I smiled.
56-60, F
