My fingers dug into the fresh layer of snow, raking through it until I got a firm grip on the rock buried beneath. The ice seeped through my wool gloves and stung my fingertips, but I refused to let go.
Climbing this mountain wasn't a choice; it was a necessity. It didn't matter if my muscles were throbbing or if I couldn't feel my toes. Even the importance of survival paled in comparison to the urgency of reaching my destination.
I'd rather die than turn back a failure.
With intense effort, I heaved myself up and over the edge of the cliff's side, screaming through my teeth as I felt the threads of my frozen muscles tear. I pushed past the pain, not letting it influence my resolve.
It wasn't until I was safely over the edge that I allowed myself a reprieve and collapsed onto my back, panting from the energy spent.
Only a minute, I told myself. Time was of the essence. Every passing second posed a threat to my success, much like the dying beats of a heart in cardiac arrest.
I flipped onto my stomach to stand when something caught my eye.
At last, I saw it — the narrow passage that led to my destiny.
A rush of triumph shot through my veins as I stared at the ominous cave. Fortune and power were finally within reach. People would rue the day they spurned me.
Now to secure my desires by negotiating the devil's freedom.
About the Creator
Brin J.
I have a few stories and poems inside me that I want to share. Maybe, if I'm lucky, they'll reach people who'll enjoy them. 📖
I AM
This is not who I thought I would be. Before my family was captured and forced into slavery, I had aspirations of becoming a wealthy business owner or possibly a scholar and philosopher. Becoming a warrior was the furthest thing from my mind. Unfortunately, our Roman conquerors had other plans.
By Mark Gagnon3 days ago in Fiction
Comments (9)
"I felt the threads of my frozen muscles tear" - - fark meeeeee i FELT THAT!
Fantastic, Brin! Such a skill to get so much characterisation, so much tension into 250 words. I was with the character the whole way, feeling everything and then that little twist at the end...brillaint stuff and excellent entry, pal! Well done!
Hehehehehehehehehe I so freaking loved that ending! Now that's what I call a worthy climb! Loved your story!
Ooooo. That didn't quite go where I'd expected. And yet I do believe that it may be a mission from God as I believe God's love & grace never do fail, not even for Lucifer. Perhaps it's time for the prodigal to return.
Nice twist at the end. I loved it!
Whoa!!! That ending! I loved how It turned out to be more than a thrill-seeking adventure. Well done!!!
Excellent story. Loved the surprise at the end. It's very intriguing.
Tension established and fleetingly relaxed in a minute microcosm; the phrase, "the devil's freedom" is tantalizing.
That was a whirlwind of energy! I loved the mysterious tone and ending :)