Temple Over the Abyss

Close to the heavens, engineered without a single nail.

2024 December  ◬  34.9946604, 135.7850466
I walk straight to the edge. The railing stops my body, stabs me in the stomach. The view stretches above the trees, down to city below. I look straight down. Already feeling on a cliffs edge. My heart hammers inside my chest. Blood rushes to my head. My knees are dizzy. Palms sweaty, mind calculating. I'm a goat. My balance is steely. At this height, I'm more of a drunk bear. The pull of the earth's gravity at certain heights is real. I feel it here. Breathe deep to regain awareness. This massive deck is suspended high above the valley. A hundred and thirty-nine ancient timbers interlocked without a single nail. Desperation has brought many to this exact spot. Willing to step, jump, fall, or fly. If you survive, you are granted your deepest desire. You break. And head straight to paradise. The veil is thin.