Climbing With Courage

I was inspecting the ground for the best spot to pitch, when a flash of sandy brown scurried through the grass towards me. It abruptly stopped at my feet. I blinked hard and tried to make sense of the lion standing less than two inches off the ground. I didn't get the chance to wrap my head around what was happening before things got weirder.

“My mane and paws are tiny, but I’m a lion.

By night, I hunt under the belt of Orion,

I know it’s strange to see this little beast,

believe your eyes, or try your best, at least.”

I watched its mouth form the words and felt my head spin.

“Er… Am… I… hal-luc-inating?”

He didn’t hear me.

“I said to mate and cubs goodnight to you.

Next morn I woke, where is this place? No clue–”

“Excuse me! Hello!”

He finally turned his attention to me. “Hello lady, so tall and blonde and fair–”

“Yes thanks! Lovely, I’m confused. Not to be rude, but what are you?”

“As you can see, I’m small in height.

I was a great big lion before daylight,

but not two weeks ago, with wife and cubs–”

“Ok, nice. Can you just talk normally though?”

“I know not why, I only speak rhyme.”

“Ok.” I searched for my next words. “Are you here to see me?”

“I’m here to help. To lift the spell on me,

the witch did say, assistance is the key.”

“Well, I’m climbing up there.” I gestured up the rockface. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure what you can do for me.” I paused. “Can I help you get back to your family?”

But by the time I turned back to him, he was already curled up in a peaceful slumber. This was not what I had wanted for this trip. I was trying to find some tranquillity, not discover that I had lost the plot. So I decided to just pretend the lion didn't exist.

Later in the afternoon, I was analysing my climbing guide when a butterfly landed on my knee. Boasting majestic red and black wings, it was so special that my knee was selected as its resting place. It had no sense of personal space, no sense of needing to comply with anyone’s needs. It just felt that it was going to land on my knee, and so it did. I gazed at it longingly. Despite my best efforts not to move, it was only a few seconds before it followed its instinct to flutter onto the side of my tent. I watched its wings quiver in the soft breeze and absorbed its serenity.

I spent the night struggling to fall asleep while contemplating my sanity. I tried to convince myself it would be restored after a good night’s rest. The following morning, I unzipped the tent with bated breath. I took in the fresh morning dew and scanned the area for any sign of my new friend. He was gone. With a heavy sigh of relief, I began to prepare my equipment for the challenge ahead. But the voice returned.

“The morn is so fresh, no cloud in the sky.

Rested and ready, adventure is nigh.”

I snapped back to my anxious self.

“Hello, I’m off to climb now. See you later.” Leaving as quickly as possible seemed like the best escape plan.

“But I shall join the climb. I’ll help you out.

I’ll guide you through each move, and be your scout.”

I gripped the first hold with my chalky fingers, and the lion scrambled up beside me, digging his claws into the rockface.

“Look, I just wanted a bit of me time, if that’s ok. I lied about where I was going to come here because I knew my boyfriend wouldn’t like it. It’s my only chance, and other people just complicate everything. So please, go find someone else to help.”

But he wasn’t listening.

“We face the rock together as a team.

Using both our heads, we flow like a stream.”

I ignored him and prepared to enter my flow state. The relaxed focus washed away lingering feelings I’d brought with me from the chaos of my life. He didn’t seem to take the hint though, because when I began the ascent he followed closely beside me.

“Turn left, put your leg there, foot on that hold,

but watch it doesn’t crumble, it looks old.”

He was right. I edged my big toe onto the hold and wedged my fingers into a crack, rebuilding the confidence that my relationship had eroded. I listened to the soothing rhythm of the lion’s voice.

“Then swing towards there. Drive with your strong limbs.”

Here I could follow my ambitions, without jibes from Dan sowing seeds of doubt in my mind. As I swung my hip parallel to the wall, I regained trust in myself. I reached forward and leant back to counterbalance the move.

“Jump onto the ridge, rest for a min.”

I leapt onto the ridge and welcomed the respite for my racing heart to slow. Moments like this were impossible in my life back home. I lived in constant fear that I hadn't shrunk myself enough to prevent Dan’s hurt ego from turning into anger. Maybe it wasn’t about what I needed to do, though, just who I chose to do it with. My irritation towards the lion was transforming into a fondness. Then I noticed that he was growing.

“Is the spell breaking?” I said.

“I think so!” he replied.

“You aren’t speaking in rhyme anymore.”

“I know!” His face broke into a warm grin.

I looked up. We weren’t far from the top now.

He saw me scanning the holds. “I think if you put your hands in there and then you can get some grip with your feet. There are some good holds as you go a bit further up. When you get to the top, you might have to make one last big jump because the holds are spread more sparsely up there.”

“Ok, sounds like a plan.” I gave him a fistbump — or a pawbump.

“I’m too heavy now, though. I think I will have to direct you from here.”

I nodded.

And off I went. I manoeuvred my way across the rock with the lion continuing to instruct me. I tried not to look down, but every time I did, he had grown in size. I got into a rhythm that loosened the suffocating grip of my life. A grip I had felt whenever Dan decided that we were going to have sex. I embraced every strain and pain that fuelled my momentum to keep going. I felt a sense of control over myself that I had lost when I thought it would be easier to just comply with his advances.

“That’s it, nearly there! I think you can do it with one big jump now!”

The lion had become like an old friend that was estranged in my real life. I completed the sequence with a powerful leap, landing on top of the wall. I gave a little squeal as my face broke into an ugly grin with tears rolling down my flushed cheeks. I didn’t wait to compose myself before looking back down at the lion — now fully sized, but he was starting to fade away. Locking eyes, we shared one last moment of joy before he completely disappeared. Then I looked out across the landscape. It was time to make some changes.