David and the Dreaded Black Diamond by Will Anderson

 
​“Of course I want to go on that black diamond!” I lied, as panic and fear consumed me and begged me to answer honestly. My uncle smiled and responded “Sounds good. Let’s go!” My uncle is my role model when it comes to skiing and I was dying to impress him, even if it meant doing something that I wasn’t at all ready for. Up until this point I was what one might call an average, if not cautious, skier. Whenever we went to get new equipment for me, I would always be asked my skiing type, a one, two, or three. I would happily classify myself as a level 2 skier, not a beginner and not a diehard, fearless expert, just simply average. My uncle was new to the family having just married my aunt, and the minute I met him I knew that I would like him. He reminded me of an older version of me with the exact same interests. We watched the same shows, played the same video games, and more importantly we both loved skiing. When offered the chance to go with him on a skiing trip, I almost fell over in excitement. I spent the week before wondering what we would do and I asked almost daily if we could go any earlier. I was always met with the firm reply of “Will, you asked this yesterday and the day before. No David has not said he wants to go sooner and I doubt he will, seeing as this is a school and work week for everyone.” I, barely able to keep the excitement out of my voice, would always respond, “Okay, let me know if he says he wants to go earlier.”
 
​When the awaited day finally came I was ready for it. We drove to the mountain, talking about what games we had played recently and how we liked them the entire ride there. We got ready, put on our skis and we began the day. We got on the first chair lift, one that would take us to the top of the mountain, and I watched people skiing from above. We began playing an easy game of I Spy, looking for certain color ski jackets. We found out that many people had an interesting taste in color, the best being a magenta and pinkish mix (there may have even been a hint of sky blue). We finally made it to the end of the lift and dismounted it. The sun beat down on us, offering us no warmth, but sparkling and dancing on the snow. We looked at the trail map and decided on some easy blue squares, the second easiest trail. David was a great skier and had many helpful tips for me, all of which he was happy to share. We laughed at the prices of the ski lodge food, comparing them to that of a very high-end steak restaurant.
 
​We went back up the mountain again, and my uncle spotted a black diamond on the trail map. “Will, how would you like to try a black diamond?” He wondered. I quickly agreed, without hesitation, and panic pounced on me like a lion on a gazelle. I was terrified at the idea, I had only gone as high as a blue square and I had a deep fear of getting hurt. There was no way I can do this, I thought to myself. Yet, I still followed David to the trail. We managed to get to the start of the black diamond trail without me passing out in fear. I read the name of this black diamond, “Ripsaw”. I almost did pass out then. My uncle brought me back to reality and out of the world of my own fear. “Do you want to go first?” he asked.
​I couldn’t even open my mouth; it was clamped shut like it was filled with glue. I finally managed to choke out “Yeah, I will go first.” He smiled and gestured for me to go right ahead. I took in the staggering sight of the pure white, snow covered hill, and something inside me willed me to go on, forced me in fact. Before my brain could react my body had decided for me. I sped down the hill, going fast, yet in control. I stopped wallowing in the fear and reveled in the excitement of the wind speeding past me and the snow kicked up by my skis. All this time I had been afraid of a hill, a hill that felt like every other trail I had gone on. I reached the bottom well ahead of my uncle and looked around, I had conquered what I had previously thought unconquerable. My uncle finally made it down and stopped next to me. “What did you think?” he said. I replied, with pride in my voice and fire in my heart, “Can we try a double black diamond now?”