The Ayahusaca

Huayna Picchu | Google Maps

“Oh my god, stop it.”

Josh dropped the chalk and lolled on his back, grinning up at the sun. A stream of drool ran from one corner of his mouth. His chest heaved. The Ayahusaca was a bad idea. Since the tea ceremony, he’d been wallowing over the Incan ruins and blathering about the god-Inca-love-connection that ‘binds us all.’

I walked to where he’d scrawled my name on a granite outcrop downhill from the Incan temple where he’d stripped down to his underwear. The graffiti would probably wash off in the next rainstorm. His sunburn was another matter.

“Honey, you’re getting red. At least put on some sunscreen.”

He jolted up from the slab. “My heart.”

My chest tightened. “You’re not having a heart attack, are you?”

He fumbled for the dropped chalk and turned around to scrawl a heart in the space below my name. “I forgot my heart.”

150 words

Sorry Josh, I couldn’t resist.

This has been an edition of What Pegman Saw. To read more stories inspired by the prompt, click here.

Ayahusaca is an hallucinogenic drink used in spiritual ceremonies by indigenous people in Peru. As of late, it has become a bit of a tourist industry. Foreigners pay big money to go on Ayahusaca retreats and experience the enlightenment it promises.

15 Comments

  1. Wow – never heard of this trend and enjoyed the fiction – action….

    Like

  2. Mmm, ayahusaca, indeed; me thinks he could be seeing other things. 🙂

    Like

  3. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

    But well-written nonetheless 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hehehe, sorry dear. I got carried away!

      Like

  4. This was soo good! Now tell me that it is a total stroke of luck to find a picture with a rock with your name on it?? 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was in the third place I dropped down. The second I saw it I knew the whole story I was going to do! I was giggling the whole time. Thanks for reading Dale.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Talk about serendipity!!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. In all the places I’ve been, it’s the first time I’ve come across my name!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Definitely cool!!

        Liked by 1 person

  5. That’s so cool! Brilliant to find your name and so clearly written! Made me smile too. Nice one Karen

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Lynn. It was such a surprise to stumble across my name. Thanks for reading!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. My pleasure 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  6. […] to Josh and Karen for trying to keep this great challenge […]

    Liked by 1 person

  7. peterkirsch

    A-HA! NOW I know how you and JHC have been vacationing!

    Seriously, how did you find a picture with that chalk scrawl?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Isn’t that the craziest thing? Thanks for reading,, Peter.

      Like

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