Fear has a way of staying inside ada like a permanent tenant, quite but heavy, refusing to leave, it was not just any fear but that bridge.
The wooden bridge have stood over the river for decades, linking their small village to the town, everyone use it_farmers carrying cassava on their head, woman with their pockets of water, students in school uniforms, traders with their good's, everyone except Ada .
She was seven years old, she tried to cross the bridge with her brother, Daniel. the Plank's had been loose, and halfway across, one shifted beneath her small foot. The space between the wood showed the swirling river below, dark and wild. She froze, screaming until her throat hurt, and only Daniel's strong hand pulled her back.
Since that day she refused to follow that bridge again, even if it will take her extra miles to reach school, she will do it, if her friends make jokes of her, she will laugh it oof, if it's for her to wait for someone to accompany her through the long path, she will do it, that was Ada for you_the girl that has never cross the bridge.
That fear lives in fear throughout her childhood until when she turned 17, her fear left her.
She was like that throughout her childhood until one day her fear finally cornered her.
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Her father fell sick a night before , his body very hot with fever, and the nurse said he needs medicine from the clinic in the town and the fastest way to the town is from the bridge.
Ada stood at the riverbank that morning, she held the money that was given to her tightly in her palm.
The air smelled of damp earth from the night's rainfall. The stretched in front of her like a dare, wooden planks slick with dew, ropes swaying slightly with the breeze.
Her brother walk pass her with a bag of bag which he have harvested that early morning, balanced on his head "still scared" he ask Ada.
"Not today" she replied
"Okay, good luck, but don't look down" he said to her and walked away.
Ada nodded
The Plank's were still weak, but she took a step forward with her eyes closed as she move forward, she heard the sound of the blank and she open her eyes and saw the river as dark as it used to, waiting for any mistake for it to devour and fear grip her
Then she remembered what her father use to tell her that "she's stronger than she thinks" she felt a little relieved but still afraid but she took courage and move forward. The first step was step was very heavy in her as the voice of her brother echo's in her head"don't look down" but she did.
She wanted to turn back but she remembered how her mother died, leaving them in the hands of their father to train them and how her father has trained and believe in her and also encourages her, telling her she could do all things both male or female work, he also thought her how to be brave.
If she turns back now, how will she then prove to his father all he has thought her, all this things going on in her head and the more she wants to turn back, the more she saw her father's face who was sick, weak but smiling to her.
Then she took courage and cross the river, taking one step after another before she finally cross it.
She stood there fir long looking at the river she crossed, still as dark as it was, ready to devour and still surprised she crossed it.
After a while she remembered her self and ran off to the city with joy to get the medicine for her father.
When she was returning, she remembered that the river is also waiting for her to return but she doesn't care anymore, "if I can cross it in the morning, I can still cross it now" she said to her self.
When she reached the bridge, she did not hesitate but cross it, the fear was still there but it does not have power over again.
Back home, she handed the medicine to her sick father, he collected it with his hand trembling and he asked "you went to town?"
"I crossed the bridge father" she said smiling.
Her father opened his eyes that was already weak, wildly but slowing as he smiled and said "I know you can do it, you are braver than you think"*
Ada smiled faintly, is was then the weight of her victory settled heavily in her heart, the bridge no longer symbolized danger. It symbolized the choice she had made: to move forward despite fear .
That night, lying on her mat, she thought of how fear had shaped so much her childhood. She realized something powerful: fear doesn't disappear when you wish it away. It disappears when you gave it, plank by plank, step by shaky step.
And sometimes, it takes a sick father and a roaring river to remind you that you're capable of more than you believe.
Thanks for reading up to this point, hope you love it.
Love you all 