Creatrix

Chapter 19 - The Lake

The virtual landscape was covered with a silky haze. Leaves glistened on the trees and the grass was silver with sparkling dew. Tyr came up out of the mist on the western side. He’d noticed a steep slope falling down to a narrow shelf that cut into the cliff, and near the far end, an immense rock struck up from the ground of the gorge and stretched out to meet it. He knew it would be risky, but thought they might lower themselves down on to the ledge, and with skill, reach the rock at the end. It looked like the only way down. He was sure there was enough rope in his pack, so he searched for a strong enough anchor to hold his weight.

 ‘Hi, I’m so glad you’re here already. Where are you?’  Anika had just switched on and into Creation.

 ‘Hello gorgeous! I’m just the other side of the ridge. Follow the edge round to the west; I think I’ve found a way to get down.’ Tyr said.

 ‘Ok, I’m on my way.’  

It was still early. The morning sun had tried, and failed, to burn off the mist. It had lifted somewhat, but the air was still damp. Tyr was tying a rope around a wide beech tree. He looked up when she appeared and beamed at her. She loved how he was always so pleased to see her, and smiled back.

 ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, and when she nodded, he continued. ‘I’ve found a way down.’  He took her to the edge to take a look, stood close enough for her to smell him and feel his warmth in the chill of the morning. She longed for him to hold her again.

 ‘You see that shelf down there? We can use this rope to get down to it, and then slide down the rock at the end there. What do you think?’ Tyr looked down at her. Her lips were full and her cheeks flushed red in the chill. He turned and put his arm across her shoulders.

 ‘Oh, Anika, I try so hard to be good when we are together, but . . .’ He sparkled, blushed, then closed one eye and winced. Straight away, he wished he hadn’t started.

 ‘But what?’ she said. Tyr looked awkward. 

  ‘Well, you sometimes make me feel like, well like… a guy, you know.’ 

After a long silence, Anika laughed.

 ‘I don’t think I want to know, judging by the look on your face.’ She said.  Tyr pecked her on the cheek, stealing a kiss that she would have freely given.

‘Well, now I’ve gone and embarrassed myself, I guess we had better try and get down to the lake.’ He said. He walked back to the tree and gave the rope a hefty tug to check the strength of his knot. It seemed strong enough to support their weight. In any case, he would go first.  

 ‘That should do it.’ he said. 

Anika took the rope from him. She’d already looped the other end around herself and was walking to the edge of the ridge. She lowered herself backwards over the ledge, and then slipped and stumbled part way down. Tyr gasped and steadied his end of the rope while she regained her balance. She swung out to grab the shelf with one foot and pulled herself onto it. Once she had a solid foothold, she let go of the rope and started to sidestep along the narrow ridge. 

Tyr was much less graceful on his descent; he kicked his legs, scrambled and skidded down in the dust, and nearly missed the thin shelf. He grabbed at the rock face, found irregular handholds and pulled himself up and along. When he got to the long sloping rock at the end, they held hands and pushed off to slide down together. Being heavier, Tyr fell faster, spinning them round. Together they rolled to the floor and laughed as they stood up.

The air was stale in the hollow valley and the atmosphere was dreary. The lake still held no reflection, and on the other side of it, an old waterfall had stopped it's flow and was lined with dry mosses and ferns. They were parched on the rock face. There were no creatures, no breeze, and no sign of life in this part of Creation. To the left of them was an opening where the lake narrowed into a sluggish river. A tar like liquid oozed and bubbled from the lake into the crevice - it covered the gap.