Body Language Blogfest

Thank you Harley over at Labotomy of a Writer, for hosting this Body Language Blogfest. Here were her rules: The scene cannot have any dialgoue at all whatsoever. There must be a conversation or some sort going on in the scene, obviously, but the characters must use body language! (Telepathy and sign language don't count!)

This was really hard, and therefore a great challenge. I think I pulled it off, maybe? What do you think the conversation is in this piece?

Image found Here

The Stairway

I paused on a stairway made of white marble with walls rising to chest height. Massive and unending, it stretched upward with a gentle incline curving to the left. I strained to see the top, but it remained hidden among the clouds. My legs quivered as I leaned against the right wall. A stolen glance behind showed how far I had climbed. The base of the stairs lay miles below me. I prayed whatever magic held the stairway in place would not give out. A wave of dizziness washed over me and I closed my eyes. My heart weighing me down. How could I find him among all these people?

I opened my eyes once more and continued looking at each face as the crowd moved up and down the stairs. Hundreds, thousands of people.  Where were they going? I shook my head. It didn't matter; I knew where I headed. I lifted my leg and stepped up one more level; then another, and another. Each step lifted me higher into the eerie silence. I shivered with the unnaturalness of it all. This many people should be deafening, but I did not hear even the swish of clothing. Short, tall, men, women, happy, sad--they all stepped up or down without a sound.

Where was he? Hours passed. I trudged upward, my shoulders drooping, arms hanging limply by my side, until I saw him.

He walked down the stairs on the far left, about ten steps above me. Our eyes locked onto each other the moment I recognized him. Soft brown eyes, dark hair and a smile that melted my heart. My energy returned and I rushed to the middle of the stairs and waited at the dividing rail in the middle. He didn't walk faster, and my racing heart stuttered. He never took his eyes off me, but only moved a step or two closer to the middle. Would he stop?

Eyes pleading, my hand reached for him in spite of my decision to let him pass. They trembled, and when he looked at them his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows rose up. Gravity pulled my hand back to my side. I swallowed and waited. He reached the level where I stood, and it looked as if inertia would carry him away from me.

My mouth fell open, and I leaned toward him, both arms reaching for him once again. I felt tears welling up and blinked them away. He stopped. His eyes looked deep into mine and he shook his head. Only then did he look away. I felt his sigh, but did not hear it as my heart shattered. My breathing grew sporadic and I grasped the railing, knuckles turning white.

I tried once more to speak, but no sound came out. Slowly, he raised his eyes to mine and stepped close enough to rest his palm on the side of my face. I leaned into the warmth, the flicker of hope flaring up. His eyes softened, but he shook his head again. He pulled his hand away, turned and walked down the stairs. He didn’t hurry, but he never looked back.