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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: River (08/31/06)
“Johnny, this river, this ‘place where the soul reflects’ is a myth. It isn’t real. You won’t make it out alive and you know it. You’ve never given up in your life. Not once.”

“Jamie, I know you don’t believe in this place. Honestly I don’t know if I do either. But, this is it. Nothing else has worked.”

Her bottom lip curls up over her top one as she grimaces and looks directly into my eyes with a look of compassion and complete desperation.

“Annie’s dead, John. It was a terrible tragedy. I know she was your soul mate. But, she wasn’t your life force, Johnny. You’re still a young man, you have a life to live.”

Before I can answer she places her hands on my face and implores me, her voice breaking.

“Please live it. Please. Because I can’t take this anymore.”

Smiling sadly, I grasp her hands along the side of my face.

“Neither can I, Sis. Besides, living with a broken heart is one thing. Living without half your soul is another. I’ve gone as far as I can go. It’s this or nothing. Either way, it’s out of my hands now.”


I’m having a difficult time breathing as I slowly make my way up the steep, dense trail. The combination of the staggering humidity and high altitude are only partially responsible for my struggles. The second reason is the fact that I’m nervous almost beyond comprehension.

I’ve never been this close to her, not since that fateful day when God took her away. I’ve tried everything, even leaving my faith, to find a way to communicate with her. I’ve always believed if a strong enough bond exists, a way to be with a departed loved one is possible. This river might be my last opportunity. I’m out of money, ideas, and second chances.

Hitching up my heavy backpack and wiping my brow with my sleeve, I glance up at the trail still to come. I’ve always thought the higher you go the more light there is to guide you. I was wrong. I’ve worked my way through shadows that seemed to stretch for miles. The small areas of light are dim, as if from a twenty-watt bulb.

Looking up ahead I see nothing but darkness. I can’t help but smile grimly at the irony; I’ve lived in darkness for the past six years. The biggest difference here is there could be a way out. I smile at the thought.

With a deep breath, I clench my jaw and continue up the overgrown path, my powerful flashlight leading the way. Large trees, unknown to me, abound on both sides of the trail. They are relatively thin, with tight black bark stretched across trunks that bend and curve towards an unseen sky. The trees are staggered, but the lack of light prevents me from seeing more than a few feet off the trail. Suddenly the temperature dips radically, fog appears from nowhere. I’m suddenly seized by doubt and fear.

Since I stumbled upon the story of this river, this haunted place where your true heart and reason for life are reflected back, I was certain that Annie would be here. This would be the place where we could be together, where we could communicate, where we could be one again. After all, she’s my soul mate, my reason for living. I close my eyes and see her red, curly hair, those vibrant shining, blue eyes, that lilting laughter, her kind heart and soul. Annie has always been my…everything. She has to be here.

But, what if she isn’t? Stunned, I stumble and sit down in the middle of the trail. I could die here and never be found.

That final thought does the trick. Clarity has broken through. Death would be welcomed. I’ve been saying that since that horrible day, but now I know it to be true. If my time here is done, Annie will be waiting for me. Oh, I know there will things to answer for, my behavior the last six years for one. Even if I’m assigned to purgatory, it’s one step closer to my Annie. So be it.

My chest swells with joy. For six years I’ve resisted any emotion that holds true happiness. Through brimming eyes, I realize that I’ve seen my purpose with or without the river. Standing up, I brush my self off, toss my pack to the side and trek on.
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This article has been read 1314 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Marilyn Schnepp 
09/09/06
Wow! First, there's a little "be" missing (I'm sure you've seen it be now), and aside from the fact that one never goes UP to a river, but always DOWN to the river, (which continued to bother me a bit) I enjoyed the trek. But in the end, you've left your Reader hanging, dangling, wondering. But all in all very well written. A real cliff hanger that demands the reader to go on; which is a sign of a masterful writer. God Bless.
Donna Haug
09/11/06
Though I enjoyed reading this, I was a little confused by his final revelation. What was his new found purpose? To die? Your description of the feeling of lostness after the loss of a soul-mate was very touching.
Rachel Burkum
09/12/06
Though intrigued, I guess I was a little confused too. But I wonder if the emphasis was that he really was "misguided," in his way of thinking...that his chosen path was not the one it should have been?
Descriptions of emotions are sometimes hard to draw, but you did a good job of pulling me into his feelings. :)
Edy T Johnson
09/15/06
Steve, this writing gives such insight into a broken-hearted soul, so desperate to find what he has lost he would willingly die trying. I am certain this resonates with the masses of humanity, left with only that one hope to keep them going. Powerful writing, once again, friend!