Unexpected 9: Crime Set

Chapter 7: Up or no?

As Hondo took the kid to the nearest vending machine for chips and soda, Buck guided the young couple to the side. Chris and Street stood side by side as the older gentleman took center stage.

"So, here's what I want you to do. Shut your eyes and your mouth, and just listen." he said staring down at them.

Boy and girl exchanged looks but didn't dare to challenge the instructions. Instead each closed their eyes and stood still. Chris took a deep breath.

"Chris" Buck called softly, now with a tender voice, "the spot bets 160 plus feet of pure stone and gravel, rough surface that's breaking the edges and peak of your axe and the fall promises a deadly landing. You have your full harness but it's been hours, days, months, years...in this process. Getting over rock after rock after rock, almost falling in many occasions. But! You have pushed through. With every realization getting you closer and closer to the flag at the top. Police Academy, landing ground. Took a breather. Strapped it once again and kept moving up. Specialized unit, landing ground. Took a breather. Up again. SWAT Academy, landing ground. Breather. Up again. Some small breaks here and there as you prepared for the long stretch.But... The higher you go, the less landing spots you find, which demands higher resistance and even more persistence." he paused

He observed as Chris bowed her head, lip trembling.

"A short while ago, you found yourself with a harness that is overused, a rope that may be giving in, less time to waste, but...the flag has become visible! As you kept climbing, you watched as the shadow of the pole and the flailing cloth got smaller and smaller. The only issue? All of a sudden you find yourself with a full duffel bag on one shoulder and a tote bag on the other. After some time, you need to balance your weight so you decide to take some content from each and fill a handbag that you hang from your neck. It feels different now, huh? You didn't ask for it, but...here you are! And all the voices in your head telling you 'that's enough', 'you've proven your point', 'you need a break'. Besides the noises coming from the bottom: a mix between loud boos, laughter, voices from your past traumas and bad experiences, all those people that wished for you to just give up...can you hear them?"

He watched as Chris hung her head down. She nodded slowly. Buck noticed a slight movement as she flickered her wrist. He made sure both had their eyes closed to take a step forward. He grabbed Jim's hand from his back and swung it loosely towards hers. She immediately grabbed it. 

"But...now, there it is!" he said cheerfully, "can you see the landing spot, Chris? It's big enough for you to place the bags down and set up camp. Call it a day! You can use everything in those bags to set up camp and then go down triumphantly, making it almost to the top. Almost completing it. Almost. You stab the rock with your peak and realize: harness is almost breaking. So, if you stop it will give way, end of the road. But hey! You got two bags filled with everything you need. The treasure everybody wants."

Buck paused as he smiled at the two hands clenching together and shy grins on the young' faces.

"You hear that?" he paused, "It's the other climbers saying "Yes!", and the voices in the bottom getting louder and louder. But! There is one particular voice, to the far far distance, saying "Why are you stopping? Well, maybe I don't need to push myself so hard. Maybe I don't even have to try at all. If she stopped, then it's okay. She wont expect much from me either. It'll be ok to settle." and some other murmurs asking themselves "am I good enough? If she isn't, then maybe I'm not either". And between all of these noises and voices, there is only one that has been constant. The only one able to create a thunderous sound with the capacity to overpower everything. The problem? Right now it's merely a whisper!" Buck paused as he noticed Street's face turning into a frown.

He continued as he whispered "Go on...or is it stop along? Maybe it's: hold off here instead of I'm here. Enough or... don't stop? I can't tell! Can you? It's so soft, almost non existent! That one voice, coming from the deepest corners of your soul, has been whispering words of encouragement, Chris. You just...can't hear it! Too much going on and that voice hasn't really stepped up! Provided that boost of energy and confidence you have needed since you got off the last landing space."