Rebecca and the Cliff (Rebecca Solo)

[Akirapryde]

Rebecca looked at the cliff with determination in her eyes. She had yet to beat this cliff. She couldn’t remember the number of tries she had on this cliff. Most often ended in just bruised egos. But there were those few times that she could pretty banged up. But she hid her wounds and her bruised pride from the others well. However today she felt like it just might be the day.

She double checked her safety gear one last time. After her nasty fall last week, she learned a valuable lesson about double checking her gear. Her twisted ankle took a bit to heal, but her pride wouldn’t heal for some time. It had been a bitter lesson that paid off afterwards. “Okay, I am going to climb you today” she said with that same look she held in her eyes the very first time she saw this cliff. “I have to climb this cliff, Stinky” she explained. “You can climb it with me or wait down here. It’s up to you.” On that, she moved towards the cliff face.

She reached up and took hold of the first handhold. Rebecca could see the numerus marks from her previous attempts. She started her climb as she had a number of times before. This was the easy part, the hard parts were coming soon enough. Her mind was completely focused on what the task at hand. She heard Stinky saying something but he was on the other side of the world, and this cliff was going to let her climb it today. She pushed up higher and higher as she reached upward for new handholds. Her footing was sound as she came to the point of no return. It was at this point that Rebecca knew that her previous attempts led her to failure. She looked at a white line made out chock. She had made the line as a warning that it was this point that her limits were going to be pressed.

Despite her muscles burning, Rebecca pushed upwards. She would not be beaten today. She climbed higher as she thought back to how far she had come. How much she had learned to reach this point. The cliff was more than just a cliff, it was her life. She knew that there was a connection between the two. When she first saw this cliff, she realized the connection. It was because of that connection that she was drawn to climb it.

She knew that she could summon magic to help her beat this cliff, but then she wouldn’t be beating the cliff at all. “NO!” she said out loud, “I will climb you today” she added. She reached up for a new handhold and pulled her body upward. She would not be denied this victory. Her footing slipped just in that moment. In her mind, she thought back to all the times that she had fallen. Fear and panic gripped her for that slip second, but she didn’t fall. To her own surprise, she was still holding on with her fingers. It was if her body wouldn’t allow her to be denied either.

Her arm screamed out in pain as her mind raced to recover from the near fall. She kicked her leg back and forced her body closer to the cliff face. She was able to grip the cliff with her other hand and within a few seconds she had her footing once more. After a second of breath, she looked up the cliff and smiled. “No I didn’t fall” she told the cliff. She looked around and couldn’t see Stinky anywhere. ‘Must have fallen’ she thought as she pushed higher up the cliff. “Hope he didn’t get too badly hurt” she added with genuine concern. After all Richard would be upset at her if she allowed Stinky to get hurt here. Or maybe not….

Rebecca continued to climb upwards. As her climbed continued, she noticed that there were no more marks from her earlier attempts. This was it! This was the point where she would beat the cliff or it would beat her. Rebecca pushed harder as her muscles demanded a break from the abuse she was putting them through. “I won’t be denied!” she screamed out as she saw the top of the cliff. She could almost make out the edge of the summit of this cliff. She pushed harder and upward pass the pain and past her own doubt. Just before the edge was within reach, Rebecca paused there.

She took a moment to look back at where she had started and realized how far up she had climbed. So many times she had tried and so many times she had failed. It was just like in her own life. She had managed to master the world in this cliff, and her confidence. Finally she had managed to reach the summit of this cliff. Her lung filled with pride as she pushed herself up just that last little bit. Her footing nearly gave out once more, but she wouldn’t be denied. Rebecca screamed in frustration as she quickly found new footing. “No, you don’t!”

She pressed her arms harder as her footing was recovered. She pulled, clawed and kicked her way past that last little bit. It was an amazing feeling as she reached over the cliff edge and pulled herself up. “I did IT!” she barely managed to speak as her breath escaped her control. For a moment she laid there lost in that moment of victory. Then it was gone! Stinky calmly walked in to her vision! Standing over her he smiled and said something. She couldn’t understand his words as her heart pounded in her head. Her heart sank as she realized that not only had he beaten her cliff on his first attempt. But he did it faster than her! Her smile faded as she lost that sense of pride and joy.