World Tour

Maldives: waterfall

¨Have you got everything?¨ Eddy asked.
He'd been busy finding full water bottles to take along.
¨Yeah, I think so. Let's just grab some food, okay?¨
¨Yeah¨, Eddy replied. ¨We should take some extra as well so we don't die of starvation in the jungle.¨
Brett grinned. ¨Full of sensible ideas as always, I see!¨

They quickly walked past the breakfast buffet on their way out and they grabbed a few extra bread rolls wrapped in a napkin for lunch, before hopping on the bus that would take them to the beginning of the trail. 
As they drove over narrow roads flanked by green on all sides, Eddy looked out of the bus at the landscape around him. It was just so beautiful here! 
¨It's something else, isn't it?¨ Brett said in his ear, reading his mind as usual, while grabbing his hand. 
He looked to his left at Brett and smiled at him. ¨Yeah, definitely.¨ 

The beginning of the trail was quite inconspicious: they would never have found it on their own. 
¨God, I'm glad you managed to get that map!¨ Eddy said, once again grateful for Brett's arranging talents. ¨I'm sure we would have gotten forty kinds of lost here.¨
Brett grinned. ¨Forty hours of lost!¨
They walked off in the signposted direction and Eddy started singing.
¨Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to...¨
Brett laughed out loud. ¨You're like a jukebox, bro. A song for every occasion!¨
He grinned again and pointed at the map. ¨Anyway, we don't have to chase it: it's right here by the red dot.¨

It really was a long hike. It was very beautiful too, the jungle all around them was verdant and there were all kinds of plants and even animals they had never seen before. But Eddy's feet were starting to smart even before they hit the waterfall. 
¨Wait up a sec!¨ he called to Brett, who was walking up a hill before him. ¨Can we have a quick break?¨
Brett turned around straight away, and asked: ¨You good?¨
¨Yep, fine! Just a bit of a wuss who needs a sit down.¨
Brett smirked and found a big root to sit down on. Eddy sat down next to him, as close as he could possibly get, and wrapped his arm around his back. 
He leaned his head on Brett's shoulder, sniffing up the scent of his shampoo. 
¨I love you, you know...¨ he said, softly. 
Brett turned his face to him. 
¨I love you too, more than you'll ever know...¨
He kissed him softly, Brett's soft lips finding the contours of his own. 
The beautiful surroundings only intensified the feeling, and Eddy felt himself growing again already. 
But there were sounds up the path ahead, and he could hear someone laughing. 
They broke away, somewhat breathlessly.
Eddy giggled softly, waggling his eyebrows. 
¨Later...¨ he promised in a whisper, before getting up and extending his hand to pull Brett up as well. 
¨Let's go see a waterfall!¨
They greeted the group that was coming down and walked briskly up the hill. 

They'd been walking for about another half hour when they heard the rustle of water falling in the distance. The air felt full of moisture, almost as if the droplets of water reached all the way to here. 
¨We must be there!¨ Eddy said, excitement in his voice. 
He walked on quickly, and then fell silent as soon as he saw it, his jaw dropping.
Wow. It really was as beautiful as advertised. 
The water fell from quite a big distance up onto the slippery looking rocks below, and the sun, shining through the leaves all around them, played with the small droplets and turned them into a thousand little rainbows. The water foamed and gurgled over the black stones as it flowed into its river going downhill. 
Brett took his hand and leaned his head on Eddy's shoulder, and together they stood there, wordlessly, for ages.

Then Eddy turned slightly to look at Brett, still in awe of the beauty in front of him. 
But when he saw his face he looked right into his burning eyes. 
¨It's so beautiful¨, Brett said softly, smiling at him. ¨I'm so glad we came.¨
And then he added in his hoarse voice, as simply as if he were suggesting having a bite to eat or something:
¨Come on, let's walk off the path a bit and find a private spot. I want you, and I don't want to wait anymore.¨ 
Eddy felt his body reacting instantly. Whoa, what? But there was nothing in the world he wanted more right now, so he took Brett's hand and followed him into the greenery.