Red Dust

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Acrophobia- Fear of heights." -phobialist.com

   I get off the bus five blocks away from home today. I need to think, but I don't know what to think about, so my mind wanders off to that warm July two years ago, just after I graduated eighth grade. We were on vacation at my grandpa's house in southern Illinois. The long ride from Dodge City, Kansas to Eldorado, Illinois made Lyric and I tired, but we never rested We were excited. We got to go to garden of the gods this time. We had been there once when we were little, but I didn't remember much of it. After sleeping at Grandpa's house for the night, mom woke us up early and took us. I remember pulling the car into the parking lot, looking up at all the trees and boulders for use to climb. Lyric dragged me up the steps, and we took selfies with my mom's camera while she was in the bathroom. When she came out, we bounded up the steps, climbing every rock and taking every photo opportunity possible. When we made it to camel rock, I was a little nervous. I wasn't scared, just... wary. I was cautious going around each crevice and pebble, taking care not to trip. I made it to the head, holding Lyrics hand still. She let go of my hand, and she started walking toward the edge, dying to look over. My mom warned, "Be careful!" but as Lyric turned around to ask her  what she had said, she tripped, and fell down into the hard, stony chasm below. "Lyric!" I yelled, staring into where she fell, suddenly aware of how high up I was. I backed away, slowly at first, then running to my mom through all the camera flashes and scared faces. That month, a therapist diagnosed me with acrophobia- a fear of heights. 

** Acrophobia is real people! TAKE IT SRSLY! srsly. >:P And all the places in the story are real! if you google them, you'll find Rhys's brown garage on google maps street view**