Thankfully, I manage to grab on to another ledge with the free hand. Crumbles of stone fall over me and tumble down onto the ground.
I pause there for a moment.
I inhale.
Exhale.
I don’t feel.
I don’t think.
I simply am.
A still lake.
When I open my eyes, thunder rumbles again. Closer this time.
I’m running out of time.
The anxiety threatens to suffocate me. But I keep its sticky fingers at bay as I continue to scale the mountain, this time a little more careful.
I didn’t come this far, this close to my goal, just to die at the base of the mountain.
I lose track of time as I continue scaling the mountain. Once in a while, my fingers slip on the mossy rocks. But I don’t let it deter me.
Maybe it should, a foreign voice at the back of my head says.
I shove it away and push forward.
No more bigger ledges appear in my path. I’ve got no place to rest. My muscles scream for a reprieve, but I can’t afford it.
The heavy clouds blanket the sun until the last rays disappear. This high up the mountain, the wind is ruthless. It whips at me from all sides, threatening to throw me off.
My cheeks ache from the cold and the harshness of the wind. Despite my attempt to breathe, my lungs struggle. This high up the mountain, oxygen is scarce.
When the first drop of rain lands on my forehead, I freeze.
Shit, shit, shit.
I glance up.
I’m so, so close.
Just a few more feet and I’ll reach the ledge.
The storm doesn’t care. Somewhere on my left, lightning strikes a tree. The whole mountain vibrates when thunder rumbles.
The sound of roaring behind me reaches my ears a heartbeat before rain pours over me with such force I can’t keep my eyes open.
Suddenly, this feels very wrong.
Maybe…maybe I made a mistake climbing to the dragon’s den. It sure feels like nature itself doesn’t agree with me.
My fingers cramp from tension as I try to keep myself attached to the mountain at any cost. Keeping my chain lowered, I reach for the next ledge or a rock, something so I can finish climbing.
The rocks are even more slippery than before. I have to pause and readjust with each step a couple of times. I can’t look up to inspect the terrain because the rain is so strong I can’t keep my eyes open. So I must rely on my senses.
My teeth clatter uncontrollably. I’m soaked through, my leathers clinging to my body heavily.
