Careful What You Wish For ~ A Photo Story

September 09, 2017

Careful What You Wish For ~ A Photo Story

Taryn's POV

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As Charlie and I cleared the supper dishes from the table Charlie looked up at me and said, "Taryn, we really should do something together tomorrow!"

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Well, maybe we could go for a picnic!" Charlie suggested.

"Nah." I said, shaking my head, "Picnics are boring. Maybe we could climb trees or something like that!"

"But... I'm to scared to do anything like that. You know that Taryn." Charlie said quietly, "Don't you want to do anything else?"

"Nope!" I said firmly.

"Oh. Never mind then." Charlie said as she turned away dejectedly.

Later that evening, Charlie was already asleep as I was getting into my bed.

'Boy.' I thought to myself, 'It's really to bad, Charlie is so timid.'

'She would have a lot more fun if she were more like me.'

'I wish she were more like me' I thought as I fell asleep.

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The Next Morning...

I woke up with a start, sitting up quickly and gasping.
I looked around the room to figure out what woke me but I didn't see anything.

As I jumped down off my bed I noticed Charlie's bed was empty!
'Charlie never wakes up before me!' I thought in panic, 'she must have been kidnapped... or worse!'

"Charlie!" I cried, throwing my hands over my head, "Charlie?! Where are you?!"

"Um, right here." Charlie said.

"Oh, uh, hey. Sorry, it just surprised me you were awake before me." I said awkwardly.

"Well, I'm making breakfast so sit down and eat." Charlie offered.
So all through breakfast I talked to her but something seemed different about her...

After I was dressed I decided to try to figure out what was wrong with Charlie.
"So Charlie, what are you doing today?" I asked casually.

"Well, I was thinking we could have a hand-stand contest." Charlie said.

I was so surprised.
"Um, uh, sure!" I answered, "I love hand-stand contests!"
but all I could think of was, 'My wish came true.'

Once Outside...

Charlie and I began stretching.

"So Charlie I thought you didn't really like hand-stands...or contests." I said conversationally.

"Well, I do." she said, abruptly ending the conversation.

"Alright." I said as I stood up, "I think I'm ready!"

"OK then. Let's do this!" Charlie said........almost competitively.

When Charlie sat down and said 'go' I kicked up into a hand-stand.
I tried to remember to keep my legs straight as well.

Charlie, as she sat and watched me, was carefully counting, to see how long I could hold it.

Finally at 52 seconds my legs slipped. I tried to re-balance but it was already over.

I landed on my back with a 'thwump'.

"Hah! My turn!" Charlie chirped.

I sat down and Charlie kicked up into a beautiful hand-stand.

After 4 minutes and 36 second Charlie lost her balance and came toppling to the ground.
She bounced back up right away.
"Let's do it again!" She said excitedly.
"Um, how about we do something else?" I suggested.

"Like what?" she asked, sitting down beside me.
I looked around trying to think of something, then I saw it.

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"So the rules for a tree climbing contest are the same as a hand-stand contest, right?" I asked.
"Yep. To the top and back in the fastest time." Charlie answered.

Charlie put her hands on the trunk and I shouted 'go'.

In a matter of seconds, Charlie was to the first branch and still going.

In 23 seconds Charlie had gone up and down the tree and was standing in front of me.
When I told her her time, she smirked and said, "Your turn."

23 seconds later, I was still struggling at the base of the tree.

I had finally worked my way to the first branch.
I was trying so hard to go faster that I wasn't being careful.

I felt my foot slip.

As I fell I was able to grab a branch and pull myself back up.
Forgetting all about the contest I climbed back down the tree.

I collapsed on the ground beside Charlie.
"I win." was all Charlie said.

"Now, would you like to go for a picnic?" Charlie asked.
That sounded more like the Charlie I knew.

"Picnics are boring." I said.
"Oh, on this picnic, boring won't be a problem." Charlie assured me.

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"On the roof?!" I cried.
"Yeah. It's more fun this way." Charlie said.
"This is crazy! I'm getting down!" I said.

"Whatever, chicken." Charlie said.
"I'm not chicken!" I said defensively.
"Then prove it." She retorted, "Walk along the ridgepole! I dare you."

"Are you crazy?!" I cried.
But what choice did I have?

I clung to the roof as I tried to work up the courage to sit up.

I very slowly sat up.
"Whoa. This is higher than I thought."
I was just about to stand up when the roof simply seemed to disappear!

As I rolled down the roof I reached for something, anything, to grab on to.

I was finally able to find a handhold.
"Charlie! Help me!" I cried but she just giggled.
"I thought you wanted me to be more adventurous!" Charlie laughed.
"Charlie, I'm sorry!" I shouted just as my strength gave out.

"Noooooooooo!" I cried as I fell.

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I woke up, for real this time, with a start as I hit the floor.

"Oh dear. Are you alright?" Charlie asked.

"Wha- b-b-but You were there." I stammered, "And we were climbing trees and doing hand-stands and I fell and and..."

"Man. That sounds like some nightmare." Charlie said.

"A nightmare?" I asked, feeling a bit more calm.

"Well of course. That's all it could have been." Charlie said, "Now come on. I made breakfast."

"Wait.Charlie?" I said.
"Yes?" She answered quietly.
"I was wondering if you wanted to have a picnic today?" I asked.
"Really?!" Charlie cried in excitement.