By Guinevere Avalon
'Hurry up J.J., or we will fall into a big crowd and I know you do not want that,' I heard from somewhere above me. Grunting, I clutched the steel fence even tighter and did not move an inch.
'I'm not going anywhere, especially not UP!' I yelled at my friend Susanne and glared at her. 'Also, do not call me J.J.!' I added for good measure and hugged the cold steel as my friend came to me and tugged on my sleeve to get me to release the poor fence from my tight grip.
'Oh, Jean, the view from the highest point we can go to is magnificent. Come on, you do not want to disappoint Michel, do you? You know how proud he is of being from Paris. You will hurt his feelings,' Susanne told me, playing on my weak spot that was my boyfriend of three years, Michel.
'Fine, I shall do it, but if I fall, it's your fault,' I bit at my best friend and took a shaky step forward. I had a great fear of heights, sometimes I could not even step on a chair, but to climb on the Eiffel tower, it was almost impossible for me. Actually, I would not even be in this situation if my so called best friend did not trick me into coming. Susanne offered her hand to me with an apologetic smile and I grabbed it tightly.
'You will not fall,' she told me and with slow, but sure steps, we started our long way to the top of the tower. I did not look down, only kept my eyes on Susanne's back and did not even dare to breathe loudly. I was imagining countless ways of how this could end badly and it did not do me any good. It took us 30 minutes to reach the second floor with my scared, slow walking. Then we took the elevator to the top, which was another five minutes. When we reached our destination, it was empty, as it was somewhat late in the evening.
'I'm not going anywhere, especially not UP!' I yelled at my friend Susanne and glared at her. 'Also, do not call me J.J.!' I added for good measure and hugged the cold steel as my friend came to me and tugged on my sleeve to get me to release the poor fence from my tight grip.
'Oh, Jean, the view from the highest point we can go to is magnificent. Come on, you do not want to disappoint Michel, do you? You know how proud he is of being from Paris. You will hurt his feelings,' Susanne told me, playing on my weak spot that was my boyfriend of three years, Michel.
'Fine, I shall do it, but if I fall, it's your fault,' I bit at my best friend and took a shaky step forward. I had a great fear of heights, sometimes I could not even step on a chair, but to climb on the Eiffel tower, it was almost impossible for me. Actually, I would not even be in this situation if my so called best friend did not trick me into coming. Susanne offered her hand to me with an apologetic smile and I grabbed it tightly.
'You will not fall,' she told me and with slow, but sure steps, we started our long way to the top of the tower. I did not look down, only kept my eyes on Susanne's back and did not even dare to breathe loudly. I was imagining countless ways of how this could end badly and it did not do me any good. It took us 30 minutes to reach the second floor with my scared, slow walking. Then we took the elevator to the top, which was another five minutes. When we reached our destination, it was empty, as it was somewhat late in the evening.
'Where is Michel?' I asked Susanne and meeped when something wrapped around my ankles. I looked down and saw Susanne putting up something around it. Next thing to hug my body was some kind of vest. 'So you do not fall,' she smiled at me, but there was something weird in her smile. Like she was planning something.
'Susanne?' I asked her suspiciously, but she gave me and innocent look and pointed north. 'Look at the beautiful city, it's even more romantic on Valentine's day, do not you agree?' she took my hand and led me to the railing. I did not care much about the view, only where Michel was. Where was he?
'Look, there!' Susanne suddenly yelled and pointed down. I looked in that direction and down there was my man surrounded with many lights forming a heart and a message 'JEAN, VOULEZ-VOUS M'EPOUSER?'. That took me completely by surprise and I almost started to cry.
'Well, why do not you answer him?' Susanne said, grinning madly and I just wanted to tell her that I needed to come down first when she pushed me over the railing.
'Aiiiiiiie, I am going to kiiiiiiilllll-,' I yelled as I was free falling down right to Michel. A meter or so before I hit the ground, the rope held and there was a time window of a second or two where I was completely still in front of Michel. He quickly took my hand and slipped the ring on, before the rope pushed me back up. Even though I was scared out of my mind, I realized that I was engaged to my the one.
A shrill woman's scream caught my attention and as I was bouncing back, making me look up. Dark, steel platform was nearing my body. It seemed like hours passed, when in reality, it was merely seconds. You know how they say that your whole life flashes before you when you know you are dying? Whoever said that is wrong. No flashes, no happy memories, just dark, deep fear and knowing. I think I blacked out before I hit the side of the tower, because nothing had hurt. I just slipped into blackness.
'U.S. Tourist in a Coma after a Fatal Accident at Eiffel Tower!'
'Susanne?' I asked her suspiciously, but she gave me and innocent look and pointed north. 'Look at the beautiful city, it's even more romantic on Valentine's day, do not you agree?' she took my hand and led me to the railing. I did not care much about the view, only where Michel was. Where was he?
'Look, there!' Susanne suddenly yelled and pointed down. I looked in that direction and down there was my man surrounded with many lights forming a heart and a message 'JEAN, VOULEZ-VOUS M'EPOUSER?'. That took me completely by surprise and I almost started to cry.
'Well, why do not you answer him?' Susanne said, grinning madly and I just wanted to tell her that I needed to come down first when she pushed me over the railing.
'Aiiiiiiie, I am going to kiiiiiiilllll-,' I yelled as I was free falling down right to Michel. A meter or so before I hit the ground, the rope held and there was a time window of a second or two where I was completely still in front of Michel. He quickly took my hand and slipped the ring on, before the rope pushed me back up. Even though I was scared out of my mind, I realized that I was engaged to my the one.
A shrill woman's scream caught my attention and as I was bouncing back, making me look up. Dark, steel platform was nearing my body. It seemed like hours passed, when in reality, it was merely seconds. You know how they say that your whole life flashes before you when you know you are dying? Whoever said that is wrong. No flashes, no happy memories, just dark, deep fear and knowing. I think I blacked out before I hit the side of the tower, because nothing had hurt. I just slipped into blackness.
'U.S. Tourist in a Coma after a Fatal Accident at Eiffel Tower!'