Butterflies Or Hornets

3 Pages 757 Words

Butterflies or Hornets?


As I looked off of this 400 foot cliff, I pondered the idea of why was I here, was it really worth it, what kind of thoughts would drive me to this point? I moved taking sloth sized steps to the edge only to be greeted by a warm gentle breeze. The blue sky and this gentle breeze was a pleasant welcoming on this mountain of rocks. My instructor for the day was named Bill, he was a very muscular man about my height with wavy brown hair, “Bill,” I asked, “Is it safe to be repelling down this soul catcher? I mean it’s a long ways down!” He replied, “Of course! Would I be up here if it wasn’t?”
I started by slipping into the leg hoops of the nylon harness, then attached the waist belt, and finally the shoulder hoops. Bill asked, “Are you scared yet?”
“No, just anxious,” I replied grimly. He could see right through me; he knew that I was trembling inside. “You’ll be fine, just don’t look down!” This was all of the advice he wanted to give me. The butterflies in my stomach suddenly began to flutter compulsively and my heart began to rev as an Indy car would at the start of a race, an uncontrollable RPM. “Your face is pale as a ghost,” Bill smirked as he tied the ropes to the anchor tree. This tree was a monumental pine, about three and a half feet around at the bottom.
I clipped my rope into the carabineer on my harness and began to have second thoughts. I felt as if the brief repelling lesson was definitely not enough. “Are you ready green horn?” Bill said laughing. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” I picked up the rope, put it between my legs, held the rope in front of me with my right hand and left hand underneath holding the rope firmly. I was starting to feel like something is wrong; did Bill prepare me for this descent? I leaned back on the rope, stretching it as it pulled tight on tension.
My feet started to shake violently as I took...