Within Reach

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.