The sky darkens, harmless white clouds turning into something much more sinister in a matter of minutes. Black clouds sweep over the sky, followed by the drizzle of rain and the rumbling of thunder in the distance. It all happened so fast that I have yet to find shelter from the storm, and panic is ever rising within me. I am such a moron, the epitome of stupidity. Not only had I not secured a shelter when I SUSPECTED that the weather could turn bad, but I also had to climb the mountain ALONE and without a PHONE. *Sigh. No contact with the outer world and all alone, oh boy does that not sound like the recipe for disaster.
I turn to look up toward the summit. It still remains another hour of climbing to reach the top, at the very least. I shake my head in incredulity, part of me refusing to give up when I have come so far, and yet another part telling me that it is not worth the risk. Should I fall… well, that’s it. I slap my wet face, chasing the wimp out of me, and having made my decision, I slug my way onwards, trying my very best to be both swift and careful not to slip on the wet stones underneath. I feel the adrenaline building up within as I climb, pushing my body to heights I never thought possible.
Approximately 2 hours afterward, I reach the summit.
The remainder of the climb up was not easy… I even lost my footing a few times, but it was well worth it. I sit on the plateau, noticing that the weather has shifted. I see the sun breaking free from its prison of clouds, and I stand up with the last of my energy and roar at the sky, boasting my triumph over the thunderstorm.
Benjamin Bratz 