My wrist ached. The boring teacher with the weird accent droned on. My mind wandered to where I would rather be...

Rock climbing up a cliff. The cliff would be impossibly high and the walls so steep that no one could even imagine attempting to climb it. But I would. With the help of a fellow climber, named Amanda (who was younger but just as good at climbing as I was), we would scale and conquer this cliff.

The first step would be to prepare. We would get out harnesses, ropes, and other random supplies, half of which we really didn’t need, but brought it anyway, just in case.

Amanda would always say, “Better be safe than sorry, you never know what’s going to happen.”

Some supplies we didn’t have, so we just borrowed, rented, or bought them. Now we could start small.

Next, would be to boulder (rock climbing without harnesses or ropes) to get the feel and rhythm of climbing. We climbed and helped each other to the top of a small cliff only twenty feet high and a gentle slope, shouting the commands that only we knew, like iceberg (chunk of rock) and hills (field of bumps). This was typically dangerous but we were seasoned climbers that climbed down the outside of our houses instead using the front door.

Then we would be ready. Looking up from the bottom, the sight was amazing. Even Amanda said, “This cliff sight from the top better be worth it.” which was high praise from her.

I was just in awe, the cliff in all its glory was so tall that it reached far past the line of sight. I grinned, saying, “This one will be a fun one to tackle.”

Several hours later...

Amanda gave me a boost to the next ledge. I leaned over and pulled her to stand beside me. My watch (very handy-dandy) on its barometer, said that the elevation was 8,213 feet. Amanda leaned out and as her hair whipped around her she shouted, “No sight of land below!” I leaned next to her, my ponytail flailing around. All that was in sight was a lot of fog.

Suddenly, a loud crack split the air as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. To my horror, the ledge on which we were resting was sporting a large crack next to the cliff wall. I slung my backpack on a shoulder and in my fright, messily began to climb. Amanda wasn’t as fortunate. She didn’t have my lightning fast reflexes, so she only got a single hand in a crack before the ledge crumbled away beneath her. The rope connecting us had been shredded in the chunks of rock, so there was no lifeline for Amanda. She clung on, but most of her strength had been sapped away in the climb up, so she was weak.

Her eyes showed not fright, nor anger, but merely acceptance. She wasn’t afraid to lose her life, she was a follower of fate. Me however, I hated losing anyone I knew, so I tried in vain to reach her, but my strength had waned too, and I wasn’t strong enough to pull up her anyway.

Her eyes were calm as she let go. I panicked and reached down, but deep down I knew that she wouldn't want me to interfere.

Then, I barely caught the barest of words, “Goodbye, my fellow climber.” At that I my heart shattered and I released my hold...

The air whooshed past me as I fell. “So this is what flying is like,” I said to no one in particular. “It’s so calming...” But my bliss ended abruptly when my shoulder slammed into an outcrop of stone. “Owww...” I groaned and attempted to sit up, but the pain was too great. My efforts caused my vision to darken at the edges. I waited until the pain had ebbed to turn my wrist to my face.

And once again, almost sat up in surprise. The barometer in my watch stated that the altitude was 2,647 feet. No way that I had fallen 6,000 feet and survived, much less with only a broken bone. My head swam from the shock and so much pain, and I instinctively raised my injured arm to attempt to fend away to coming headache.

And yet again, almost sat up in surprise. Two seconds ago, endless pain that sucked any thoughts away, and now, just nothing. Nothing, like the amaranthine vacuum of space.

This time, I actually sat up. Once more, no pain. “What in the world?...” I mumbled, “This should not be happening.”

Then something caused me to widen my eyes. A helicopter! I jumped to my feet (with no pain) and waved my arms. The pilot nodded in my direction and flew closer.

“Get in.” He had a deep voice that though it wasn’t loud, filled the entire helicopter. An odd yellow aura surrounded him, but I took no notice of that. His arm extended to help me in.

I jumped the gap, ignoring the hand, and gracefully landed inside. “Thanks,” I said almost indistinguishably.

He nodded. “What were you doing out there?”

I swallowed hard. “I fell from the ledge above.” I decided to lie, since he definitely wouldn’t believe the truth.

He nodded, seemingly believing my story. “Are you injured?”

“No.” At least I didn’t have to lie for that, because though I had a broken right arm, it had healed, which I still couldn't understand. I cautiously probed the closed wound, there was a raised scar. It was a circular shape, since the shattered bone had broken my skin. I couldn't explain nor understand why this happened.

The helicopter flew down the cliff, the rotors loud. As he set the helicopter down, I leaned out slightly. There was a crowd with (weird)auras all around them held back with a barricade surrounding an ambulance. My heart raced. That was Amanda! I jumped down, landing with cat-like agility that I hadn't possessed before. I didn't pause to puzzle over this, instead I ran to the ambulance. Amanda lay on a stretcher, her face chalky white. I hurdled over the barricade and jumped into the ambulance. A policeman came up, but the doctor pulled him back.

Tears ran down my face. Amanda didn't have a pulse. She was dead. I lowered my head. Words popped into my head. In my despair, I said them.

Thy spéir, beseech mé dhuit a ardú mé suas i thy scamaill, tá aill thou is airde bhí de réir scála go dtí an barr, ní bheidh mé ag dul ar strae, mar sin tusa holiness, a ardú dom chun freastal ort.

I glowed a brilliant gold and pure white wings sprouted out of my back. A rush of power filled me. I was speechless. What was that cliff? I flew up above the clouds, following a sense that I didn't know. I broke through something...

And appeared in another place. There were angels like me walking around, except they glowed different colors on only their hands and head.

One of them saw me and bowed down. I was, again, speechless.

He said, Ár Dia, ár naofacht naofa, an ceann amháin is féidir a conquer an gcuairteoir airde, beidh muid ag freastal agus obey ach tú le haghaidh rá saol síoraí, beimid ag do sheirbhíseach riamh, riamh chun dul ar strae.

Miraculously, I could understand him. He beckoned me to a throne. I sat down.
My mortal life was over. Now was the start of an immortal one.