In The Virginity Mission, Mac has a day of hell where she has to rock-hop along a creek.
Extract from The Virginity Mission:
Rock-hopping is exactly how it sounds. We jump from rock to rock along the creek. I’ve never done this. I’ve walked around rock platforms at the beach, with my parents telling me to be careful and to not hurt myself, but I’ve never rock-hopped. After a few rocks, it becomes abundantly clear that I’m no rock-hopper. Everyone hops happily past me, while I quiver and tentatively step from one rock to the next until I give in and wade.
This is new and rattles me. Why can’t I rock-hop?
The rocks become larger and further and further apart. The creek is filled with smaller rocks. I can no longer wade. I have to jump from large rock to large rock. I set myself up for the first jump. My legs become jelly snakes dangling uselessly from my body. My knees are shuddering pieces of flesh, useless to hold me up, much less catch my weight when I land. My stomach takes a nose dive to someplace as low as it can go.
This is ridiculous. I have to move. I steel myself to jump. I call myself all manner of names. I tighten up my jelly snake legs and then Ed’s hand extends towards me. I hadn’t noticed him come back for me.
“Problem, Mac?” he asks.
“Just my knees.” I try to sound flippant but it comes out as a shaky whisper.
and then a little later:
“You have to have faith in your feet, Mac.” I nod and he goes on ahead, leaving me alone to leap and think.
This question of my lack of confidence has come up again. First Jason. Now Ed. I didn’t realise there was a problem.
When I read my diary, there were many many days spent rock hopping and I never did learn to enjoy it.
Here's some of the extracts from my diary:
Did quite
a bit of horrific rock hopping. I guess I have to trust my feet more because
there will be heaps more.
Heaps of
bloody rock hopping again, and hills to climb. We crossed the river at one
point and I swear the jump was about 2m wide. [two of the guys] have been
fantastic pushing me along, pulling me up/across/along. I know I've only got to
trust my feet but it's so bloody difficult to "fly" across rocks.
...my
spirits were failing badly. I was ready to sit down, bawl my eyes out and ditch
out of the big trip. Then [one of the guys] coaxed me along, built up my
courage a bit with heaps of encouragement and then we hit a good swimming spot.
I thought I'd made Mac unlike me... but looks like I snuck in there a bit too much! And I'm ashamed to say it, but Mac seems a lot braver than I was!
Lovely post Cate.
ReplyDeleteI only ever kept a diary for two parts of my life, both on overseas holidays. One of those diaries I lost somewhere in Switzerland. The other one I still have and I look back every now and again at the girl I was then.
Really enjoyed my Sunday Story today.
Lily M
xx
Thanks, Lily. I only have this diary and one other one too ( from yr 11 & 12). I rarely look back at them but I'm glad this one was around to read.
DeleteCate xo
Never heard of rock hopping before, one to add to my extensive collection of pick-up lines: "Want to come rock hopping with me, baby?" ;)
ReplyDeleteHey Rhyll,
DeleteYou're back!!!
Just be careful who you utter that line too - they might run away screaming if they're like me!
Thanks for popping in even with jet lag!
Cate xo