Climbing

The creek is still. The water mirrored the world. And my reflection. I washed my aching, rough hands with water. It's good to be outdoors again. The guys are behind me clearing boulder problem #5, laughing as they joke with the circumstance. Boulder #5, typical V6 outdoors, V8 indoors, with *** due to if you fail, your crash pad is the murky Malibu creek that hasn't moved in weeks.

"Straight up like Paula Abdul" proclaimed Demetri as he gained the courage to grab the first hold. I turn around to watch his first attempt as I rub my elbow still feeling the insecurities from the previous injury. Just as Demetri always does, he shows off by gluing his whole body using nothing but the tip of his toe and palms on the rock. I can see his back muscle ripple with his breath as he reaches the slope on his right and pushes off with his toe and successfully hold to the next. If sliding across the rock wasn't hard enough, the next move is an even awkward one with reaching for a hidden hold with only a two finger grip.

I learned that move a month ago, relying on the very tip of my fingers and trusting my weight is evenly distributed between those two, and that I was strong enough. You were impressed of how much I've improved exponentially in the five months I started training. I did it so I could keep up with you. I rubbed my elbow again, there is a slight chill in the air.

Demetri attempts and was quick enough to jump back on land instead of falling in the water. Better off that way, he'll probably get "creek crud" if he did. He looks over at me and smiles. They wave me over. I return the smile and gallop my way back to the moment.

The memory of you still lingers in my bone. But that's all your becoming.