Brief Encounters

Timeline 1 (Part 1)

Mountain Province, Philippines
Jeanna's Point of View

"It's all downhill from here, ma'am and sir," the tour guide announced, his voice barely audible over the patter of rain as Paul and I began our descent from the mountain. We had traveled via a jeepney. The rain poured down, chilling us to the bone, and the temperature hovered around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ground beneath us was slick, mud pooling in the divots created by countless other tourists. I had never felt closer to death before, the steep slopes and treacherous footing serving as a reminder of just how precarious our situation was. I knew better than to let fear take over; if there was ever a time to be graceful, it was certainly not now.

Paul glanced at me, concern etched across his face. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. Sure," I replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. If "okay" meant still being alive, then I was hanging on by a thread. I focused on my feet, shifting my weight carefully as we made our way down the path.

"Just remember, one foot in front of the other," he encouraged, maintaining a steady pace beside me. "We'll be at our destination in no time."

"Right, because sliding down a muddy mountain is everyone's idea of a good time," I muttered, trying to keep my spirits up. The truth was, I was terrified. The steepness of the slope felt endless, and every slip sent a rush of adrenaline through me. The rain, relentless and cold, poncho soaked weighing me down.

The tour guide led the way, his rain jacket flapping in the wind as he expertly navigated the treacherous terrain. I could barely see the ground in front of me, the rain-soaked landscape transforming into a blur of green and brown. The air was thick with moisture, making it hard to breathe, and my heart raced with every step.

"Hey, look at that view!" Paul called, pointing to the distant horizon where the mountains met the sky. I glanced up, momentarily distracted by the breathtaking sight. The clouds parted just enough to reveal a sweeping vista, lush valleys stretching far below us.

"Wow," I breathed, taking in the beauty of it all. "It's stunning."

"Just think about this when you're back home," he said, a smile creeping onto his face. "It's not every day you get to experience something like this."

"True, but if I fall, I won't be thinking about the view. I'll be thinking about how I wish I'd stayed in bed!" I replied, trying to keep the mood light.

Truth be told, I wasn't the adventurous type. Hiking wasn't on my list of favorite activities, and I had agreed to this trip mostly on a whim. It all started with a fortune cookie I'd cracked open the other day. "Chase adventure," it had said, and I took it as a sign. Maybe I was tired of my predictable routine, always playing it safe.

"What was I thinking?" I joked, shooting a sideways glance at Paul. "Remind me again why I decided to take advice from a fortune cookie?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You said you wanted to do something different! Besides, how often do you get to experience a rainy adventure in the Philippines?"

"Right," I replied, "because that sounds like the dream. I must have been really desperate for excitement."

The rain continued to pour, and I focused on my footing, the mud beneath us threatening to pull us down with each step. Paul kept his eyes ahead, his expression a mixture of concentration and amusement.

"Just trust me, this will be a story you will tell your kids someday," he said, trying to reassure me.

"Yeah, about how I almost broke my neck on a slippery slope," I said, rolling my eyes.