An Endless Day

Chapter-2

Our feet left the security of the land and soon we found ourselves racing towards the water I had heard angrily slamming into the cliff not more than a minute ago. The jump was sudden, I didn't have time to adjust myself to a comfortable position, if there was any when you jump. I was basically dragged. I didn't close my eyes, terrified that if I close them once, I'll probably never open them again. But it turned out to be the best decision, for many other different reasons. Adrenaline rush made it seem easier, it was not. I heard every heart beat and felt every breath I took. And as I made my way towards the water, I found myself thinking, if I died today, I wouldn't regret it.

It barely took us five seconds to hit the water with a loud splash. However, those five seconds proved to be the best ones of my life. I wouldn't have done this on my own, I knew that. I had heard adventurous stories, I had seen adventure movies, and not one other person could have described the experience to me. No one could have ever described the feeling better. None other than myself. For the first time ever I loved being nervous.  I knew I shouldn't do it and yet I knew I'd regret it forever if I didn't. I stopped contemplating after no more than one second. I was in a bliss, my eyes wide open. I lived a lifetime in those few moments. It wasn't just the water I saw beneath me, coming closer every moment. The wind that was making it difficult for us to stand upright, now made way for us. The clatter that I heard while standing and had made it difficult for me to think a while ago, now was as silent as it could have been. At that time I wished, the ride that I was on could last forever, the rush never ending. And if I ever get tired of it, I knew I wouldn't find anything else nearly as consuming ever.

The water was so cold it numbed me as soon as I got in. I doubt if I could have even moved my hands if it wasn't for the adrenaline. But I did and somehow held myself above water long enough to take a few deep breaths. If I hadn't felt it so clear, I would have doubted I never took one all the way down. I felt someone's finger on my hand. I reached out and held his hand. I looked at him, still struggling to hold myself up. He had the widest smile of the world. He had that kind of face, one can always imagine him smiling. For the short time I had known him, he had smiled half the times, the other half I imagined him to be.  
We swam out of the river. The water became familiar and made me a per cent more comfortable, though I was content with getting outside. We reached the shore, and pulled ourselves outside. We walked a few steps and laid down on the ground, side by side. The land suddenly felt way more hard than I remembered it whole of my life. The sounds came into my senses again, the deafening silence seeping out. The birds chirped again, the water went back to being dangerous and unfamiliar. I turned. We looked at each other and I knew I had the same stupid grin on my face, something I couldn't remove even if I wanted to. We were shivering more than we could handle, our clothes were stone cold and stuck on our bodies, we could have died if we weren't able to swim outside, and no one would have known at this deserted cliff. And surprisingly enough, I lived more in this near death experience than I ever had in my whole life. Our smiles turned into a full blown laughter and I felt my fear creep out silently. And we laid there, vast sky on our heads, challenging our eyes who were incapable of taking it all in at once. The rumble of water in the background we heard and the sound of being alone, the sound of silence we felt. 

"You like being on heights?" He asked, his voice changed to thoughtful. From the corner of my eyes, I saw his. Distant, looking way far than any eyes viewing the view could look. He had a Shakespeare side to him. He could think and imagine beyond.

"I do. Do you?" I turned back to the sky, my ultimate refuge.My voice was foreign, as it shook, and not just due to cold, but also due to the fact that I didn't wanna be caught observing. 

"I do. You wanna know why?"

I nodded. I didn't know if he saw, his face was still to the sky. I didn't turn myself.

" I like to think that death is just one step away, literally. I like to have the option right in front of me. I could die with one step ahead. And I like to choose to live, and every time I do, I defeat death."

I, then realized, that I was looking at him and I had nothing to say. His words were beautiful and like all beautiful words, they were meant to just be listened and appreciated and not commented upon. And so I stayed quiet and turned back to the sky, and took a deep breath. I knew what he meant, I felt that too. I felt the rush with the realization of defeating death. I had chosen to live and every time I will choose to live henceforth, I know I will defeat death.When I felt the movement, I knew he smiled, I knew he understood.