From a Cliff

They were hiking a new path when they came upon a cliff overlooking the sea. They stopped to drink water and take photos. Sun high in the sky. He walked to the edge and looked down and a smile swept over his face. The water was clear and deep.

"It's too high," she said when she saw what he was thinking. He didn't say anything while he studied the cliff.

"Isn't it too high," she said.

"Maybe," he said, but he kept smiling and studying the cliff.

He put his pack down, took his clothes off, and placed his things on the other side of the trail. He toed the cliff edge. This is high, he thought as a soft wind brushed over his rigid body. The sun is my lover. Take me with you.

He jumped from the cliff and hung in the air with arms and legs swinging in slow motion and then in an instant crashed into the sea, sinking deep below the clear water as the air rushed from his lungs. The sun pushed through the water toward him and he looked up and wondered how deep he was.

He floated below the surface for as long as he could and watched the sun move like notes of music. He swam to the surface and between deep breaths he wiped salt water from his eyes. Finally he saw her, standing against the sky, waving to him. He waved back.

She took her clothes off and threw them behind her and without pause she dashed to the edge and jumped.