| WELCOME TO THE 10th EDITION |
| ALCOHOLIC REPRIEVE |
| An exerpt from the short story entitled Walk of Deception |
| HEAVEN ON EARTH |
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| I awake to the thunderous roar of rapids that sound of a jumbo jet taking off. A sharp pain inside my scull from another over indulgence of drinking, sends a tingling chill down my spine. Rising to my feet, I shake my head in the absent-mindedness of where I lie. A great wall of jagged slate on the other side of the raging river faces me. I am amazed at the work of Mother Nature, especially the small pine tree that has grown out from the middle of the wall, twisting out and then straight up to the blue sky above. The raging water sixty feet below has a filthy showing of yellow, grey and black. I feel shaky upon my feet as I mumble �this noise is deafening.� I begin to walk along the precipice of Piers Gorge, joining another path that leads down a winding slope. Tall green needle pine and spruce trees that surround me reach to the blue heavens above. Carefully stepping down the rooted dirt path I witness in the distance the many colors of autumn foliage. The true beauty of nature paints a picture for me with a sheer fascination. The different shades of brown, red, yellow, purple and green waver in the breeze. A strange feeling has erupted inside me, as I'm able to witness the many colors and see nature like I never noticed before. �Is this really possible?� I ask myself as I near the bottom of the winding dirt path along the river�s bank. The boisterous sounds of the rapids have gradually dissipated that I can hear the ruffling of leaves and birds chirping from all directions. The raging waters� of the river has turned to a smoothness of dark shining glass. I�ve captured a new sensation of my life as I focus on the water with only a few ripples to overcome. Leaning up against a huge pine tree, I glimpse at the soiled clothes that I wear, smelling the crud of my own body sweat. I rub the long scrubby beard upon my skinny chin and think that this is not right. That I am isolated from the rest of the world, a desolate being standing up against this here pine tree observing in awe the true nature of existence. What is it that I'm experiencing? Why should this new found feeling of life come abruptly? Why are the colors and sound of nature opening my eyes and ears? Why is the cool breeze I feel upon my body making me want to shiver with joy? Exiting the dirt path upon a gravel road, I begin to walk back to the main asphalt highway. I am alone and think that I must get back to town. I have never felt this way in all my life. I mull over the thought that God or some universal power has intercepted my line of thinking and decided to take over my life. I yell to all of nature surrounding me, �is there truly a God?� As I continue to strut along, I remember my belief that there was only a punishing God. It was easy to blame God whenever things didn�t go my way. It was God�s fault for my life of misery. My nostrils suck in the autumn smell of nature. The bright sunshine peaks from behind a puffy white cumulus cloud, glistening off the many colors of autumn foliage. Two chipmunks of light brown and black spots dash across my path, sounding a squeal for wherever their destination. I yell at the small critters as I stop in my tracks. In the open air are several birds flying, swirling, chirping of different sounds; starlings of shining black, orange breasted robins, small sparrows of white and gray, and a red-wing black bird that flings on by me, landing on a fence post twenty feet to my right, where a white-tail deer points her face in my direction from a meadow of tall grass. She flips her ears up, jerks her head, and leaps back amongst the forest flashing her white tail high. Lifting my head up I witness a huge cumulus cloud taking shape of an angel spreading her wings, I yell to the whole world. �Are my eyes deceiving me? Is my imagination playing tricks on my body and soul?� I lift my arms to rub my eyes to the disbelief of what I see. Mesmerized by what I do see, I feel a distinct fire engulf my skinny body as I clamp my hands together and skip along the gravel road toward US8. * Bingocliff 12/1/06 |