Then, walking a little further, I"ve seen below me the beautiful beach ever! "Le Due Sorelle"!

"Le Due Sorelle".. so close..

It was a huge rock, quite vertical, beautiful.. I couldn't see if there was some path going to the beach from the bottom of that rock but I hoped there was..

I tried going down slowly.. Then.. I remember everything: I lost my grip on the rock and slowly started going down. Two-seconds of slow falling and then I accelerated. Every detail is now time-stamped on me.

One-Two-Three-Four! Those first four seconds, I was mad with disbelief — upset by destin and annoyed that my crazy plan of arriving at the beach by descending the impossible surface of the very steep rock wasn’t working out. Five! By the fifth second, I was already falling very fast.

Six-Seven-Eight! I could only see a void and the edge of rock about 30 meters away. I thought — no, I knew — I was about to die. Nine-Ten seconds pass. But I couldn’t see the other side of the rock.. The huge rock was actually two rocks: some earthquake had broken it into two pieces a few thousand years ago.. Eleven! I land on my ass on that second piece of the rock. For a brief microsecond of that eleventh second, I felt relief and hope. Twelve-Thirteen-Fourteen: I start falling again — this time incredibly fast. A voice inside me cried, “Oh God!” Weirdly, I had the time and the presence of mind to remind myself that I didn’t believe in God. I really didn't want to count on Him, so I took my prayer back. (I also realized that I was addressing "God" in English, "why not in Greek or at least in Italiano, I thought? That definitely proves God is just some mental software). Fifteen-Sixteen! I felt my palms burning — holes were literally forming in them. I put all my effort into keeping my hands clamped down on the surface of the rock and tried to send my body to the left, I don't know why... I did the same with my ass and my back, which were also burning. Seventeen! Again I noticed the edge of the rock, certain that I’m about to die. I risk a glimpse at the beautiful landscape around me. I felt enormous pity and regret about my passing away. I also thought : "how strange, it's cloudy, it's summer already and this started as a very sunny day but I bet it will rain! Eighteen! I must have been rolling at that point because I have specific flashbacks — mixed images of rock, sky, rock, and then, suddenly, a little tree on the far left. (continues)

Written for Purple Fashion, Read

"Nineteen: a violent impact. I smash violently into the little tree, hitting it first with my jaw and then with my forehead. Pure blackness framed my consciousness, and then, just as quickly, my eyes opened. The sky turned cloudy-gray overhead. My jeans were ripped apart. Blood was everywhere. But I didn’t know all this. I realized that I was still alive, and that it was about to rain. The change in weather seemed strange, because until that very moment, that very second of that day, Monday, May 31st, 2010, it had been sunny out. I was suddenly deeply tired, and thirsty, and I felt a rush of gratitude for the presence of that little tree. I now feel that if we do have religious feelings they should be directed exclusively toward trees. They seem to be the only truly holy creatures surrounding us. As I regained consciousness, I started thinking of my BlackBerry, wondering if it was still intact. I thought, “I can take some black-and-white pictures with it and post them on Facebook.” I tried to reach the back pocket of my Levi’s, where it was located. But the entire back of my pants was gone. Miraculously, my Blackberry was safe inside my little American Apparel bag that still hung from my shoulder. But my hands were covered in blood, so I couldn’t use it. The realization of this brought on a brief moment of panic. Then it started to rain and I turned my palms towards heaven so that the rain would wash some of the blood away. I opened my mouth to drink some of the rain. In some strange way, the rain relaxed me and made me feel happy. Everything that happened up until that moment, including my fall, made me realize that the one thing that really matters is just staying alive. I don’t remember how I walked the difficult terrain to the beach. When I made it there, I looked back at the rock, and in a loud voice, somewhere between a moan of pain and a cry of passion, I offered thanks — to everything. I thanked the tree, the rain, the rock, and the mountain for existing — and for allowing me to exist. Miltos Manetas, Mt Conero, July 2010.

Written for Purple Fashion, Read

They didn't do their work well in this hospital though.. "You are fine they said.. Go back to your hotel, enjoy your stay".. They had not x-Ray my lower back that was about to broke and I could have continued "enjoy" my life paralyzed.. Thank you for Nothing Ospedale di Osimo...

Soon I met a cave. Later I learned it's a Hermit's Cave.. That's where hermits retreated penitents to pray in solitude. This specific cave is also known as Pietra dell’Abate, o Romitorio di San Benedetto and its build by humans around 1000.

Tired

You are fine they say..(They haven't scanned my back). Go back to your hotel and return Friday here so we can change your bandages..

Three days passed.. I was happy at my hotel with sting internet and good food. But of course, I was delirious.. Pain in all my body and blood everywhere. Then the curator who had put me in contact with that guy came by..

Then I"ve seen the beautiful beach of "Le Due Sorelle"

"Le Due Sorelle".. so close..

"Le Due Sorelle".. so close..

inside..

Then I found a hole in the ground.. I sit there exhausted for a while.. I put my leg inside the hole, took a picture and posted it on Facebook with the following memo "Stepping inside"