What now ?

 

I was stuck.  I couldn’t reach the next edge to pull myself any higher, and I wasn’t sure how much longer the edge of my boot would stay on that tiny lip of boulder below me.   Mark was giving me words of encouragement from the next higher plateau but also kept suggesting I hurry, as the storm was moving in quickly. 

I tried to not focus on how much my muscles were aching, but they seemed to be keeping my attention.  Suddenly Mark cried out.  I yelled up to see what the problem was but got no response.   I called him again, and still no answer.  Whatever had happened had now left me alone, stuck on the side of this cliff.

Now the primary thought in my head was just what was waiting to greet me at the top?  Was there something up there that had hurt or killed my friend?  The only way I could possibly climb back down would be to release the safety line presently clipped to my belt.  I had no clue if it was still affixed to Mark or if someone else was now pulling it tight.  The only thing I knew for sure was that I couldn’t stay in this position any longer.

 

 

 To be continued