Exposure & Shutter Speeds

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The cold creep of panic rose through every inch of my body, my nerve endings freezing with dread. My stomach plummeted, and a cold sweat broke out on my upper lip. The hairs on the back of my neck where standing at full attention, and I was breathing rapidly.

I'd never been so petrified. I could feel my cameras banging against my hips, and the bag strap cutting into my shoulder. They were slowing me down from whatever I was rushing from, but I couldn't leave them. The photos. You could replace gear, and I could repair myself, but you can't replace someone's wedding photos.

I fumbled for my keys, hoping if whatever was coming for me hit it's mark, I could use them as a weapon. Put up a fight, I was always told. It might save your life.

A hand grabbed me and and the shaking started. Someone called my name. It got louder and louder...

"BEE!"

My eyes flew open, and I was face to face with Addie.

I lay there for a second, assessing the situation. It was all coming back to me. Strange man, fresh flowers, spilled coffee beans... And falling hard. Ow. I reached for the back of my head, and sure enough, one large egg was already forming. But I was pretty sure this wasn't a concussion. I'd had one or two (ok, maybe three) in my time - it was the nature of a klutz.

I blinked a few more times, and wriggled my extremities, checking nothing was broken. I then took a deep breath in. Bad mistake.

"Ergh! Addie! Morning breath alert!" I said with as much confidence as I could muster, my voice only slightly shaky. Addie glared down at me.

"Well, if you weren't such a disaster magnet, I wouldn't have to be leaning over you like this, would I?!" She said with indignation.

"Well, you definitely weren't kidding when you said you're a klutz last night!" A deep voice chuckled.

I turned my head, wincing as I felt the coffee beans and the giant egg that was the back of my head scrape against the floor. I looked up, and sure enough, the giant man was in my kitchen, looking down at me with a curious look, laced with concern.

"Are you ok?!" They both asked simultaneously. They turned to look at each other, and Addie glared at him again.

I sat up slowly, wincing as I felt all the coffee beans smush into my flesh. Still not as bad as the time I tripped over the gutter and landed on an gravel road. That was much less pleasant than the latest klutz episode. I rubbed the back of my head and blinked a few times to clear the stars around the edges of my vision. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a small fall. Nothing serious." I pulled myself up using the counter and stood up, having to lean against it as I swayed a little, with all the blood rushing back to its respective places leaving me light headed.

Henry eyed me with concern, "Are you sure? You should be looked at by a doctor. That wasn't a small fall. The sound your head made on the tiles..." his voice faded out and he shuddered slightly, failing to disguise it.

"I'm very sure. I've had concussions before. I know what it's like. And this is not one. I'm a total klutz, unless I'm working." I inhaled sharply and stopped talking.

"Yeah I remember. You said last night you were a total klutz unless you're working. You said you're a photographer, right?" Henry asked.

"Was. Was a photographer." I said curtly. My eyes begging him not to prove further.

"Yes, you said that too. What did you shoot before you became "was a photographer"?" He asked with air quotation marks.

I opened my mouth about to tell him to shove his questions, when Addie answered. "Weddings. She shot weddings. She was one of Australia's top 'togs as well, before she -"