THE GUARDIAN

Day Three. "Not an Idiot."

Every step I took was well calculated.

The cost of a misstep would be extremely high – I constantly reminded myself as we hiked down the steep rocky terrain.

I tapped each rock to ensure it was stable before stepping on it. Neal Gordon gave me his wooden staff to aid me keep my balance.

We had exited the grassy plateau and he was already a couple of meters away from me. Judging by how he has descended with ease the craggy landscape, I presumed that this must be a familiar place for him. Occasionally, he would stop to check how I was going.

Metamorphic rocks of varied compositions filled the hill. The lighter brown rocks in the upper part of the cliff were calcareous schist formed from impure limestone, and the dark rocks below are primarily metamorphosed basalt.

My heart was pumping anxiously, so I calmed myself and entertained my thoughts by imagining how the faces of Geology professors and students would light up upon seeing these rubble. I knew my uncle Pete would…

When I was young he would bring me to dig sites and would teach me types of stones. I would bring home with me some samples like marbles and quarts. I really liked the colors those stones made when hit by light, and so, I gave some of them as Christmas presents when we were in third grade.

That year I learned two important lessons: 1) rocks have different types, and 2) rock as a gift was a bad idea. It made me to the unpopular kids’ list in school right after the holidays.

"Honey, no one else in the world would be happy to open a gift box and find a stone in it, except you... because you are special", my father said lovingly to cheer me... then, we went to an ice cream parlor with my kid brother, Vince. 

Memories from my childhood faded when Neal Gordon whistled fainlty to signal me where he was. Several minutes later, I arrived at the bottom. He was already resting on one of the boulders.

I stood facing the treacherous cliff. He was right by making this steep rocky terrain as our escape route and I was convinced.

It would be difficult for the giant serpent to follow us here. Razor sharp stones filled the path and some of the boulders could easily roll down. The creature could be crashed along with the boulders to the bottom.

“So, what’s next?” I asked him with a forced smile on my face.

He pouted his lips, which made my eyes widened. I instantly asked in my mind, "Does he want us to kiss?"... but, he pointed them to my shoes and I realized that my laces were loose!

A bit ashamed, I crouched down right away and tightly secured them. I was glad that I had a mud pack on my face for it hid my blushing cheeks. Then, I saw a stone which was the shape of a spear blade.

It’s obsidian - a volcanic glass formed as an extrusive rock. It is still used today as premier tool in surgery as blade in scalpels, since fractured obsidian makes the cleanest and most precise cuts of any material.

“Hey”, I called out to him. “This is an obsidian rock... This will make a good cutting tool”, I excitedly conveyed to him.

“So, you’re not an idiot. That’s good.” he replied and somewhat gave me a grin.

Of course, I am smart – I murmured in my mind. I did not utter a word for I did not want to pick an argument with him. There was no point... besides, he was a stranger and his motives for saving me, along with this place, were still a mystery.