He felt the wall as he hit it and no longer did he doubt
whether it was in his mind or not. Tumbling down the side of the crater, he
felt as though he hit every rock and pebble on his way back down to the bottom.
When he reached the bottom, though, he wasn’t knocked out as he was before, nor
did he black out.
When he came to rest he just laid there, looking at the
blank blue sky. After a few moments, all pain subsided as though it had been a
dream.
The old man appeared above him, “I told you I wasn’t
worried.”
“You knew I wouldn’t make it?” the young man asked.
“Something like that. You’re not ready to see over the
edge.”
The young man sat up and started to brush the dirt and dust
off of himself. “And why is that.”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“You’re not ready.”
The young man picked up a handful of dirt and rock and
flung it at the old man. “Why don’t you say something useful for once, for
chrissakes!”
“I won’t do anything for Christ’s sake, but for your sake I
will recommend that you get some sleep.”
“It’s not even nighttime yet,” the young man said as he
stood up.
“And it may never be, even if it gets dark. Sleep may bring
understanding, though.”
“And a break from you,” the young man said under his
breath. “Maybe you’re right. Come to think of it I do feel exhausted.” He laid
back down on the sand, not noticing the old man stood still in the same place
he had been since they arrived at the slope. Almost immediately he began to
drift off. In his near sleep state without realizing what he was thinking or
saying, he said, “I just wish I had a bed to sleep on,” and then everything
went dark.
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