THE MOUNTAIN 

By Tessa Harvey

    Cresting a very steep rise, the young man decided to look around and have a breather. Far away he could hear the liquid bubbling cry of a curlew and nearer, the harsher call of a buzzard. The sun beat down, well past noon. A niggle of unease gripped hm. Why was it so quiet? When he was younger, there had been many people laughing and playing in the snow. Obviously the snow sparkling and beautiful calling out "fun!" was a great attraction, but even then he remembered hikers trekking past, intent on higher goals and higher ground.
    He closed his eyes for a few moments and felt a warm damp breath on his face. He was transported back to childhood, his mum leaning down to brush a butterfly kiss over his smooth cheek. Opening his eyes, Steven panicked. He couldn't see!
    "No!" he shouted, disoriented. There was an answering call. "Hey!" a voice yelled.
Embarrassment at having been caught out panicking, Steven did not answer. 
    "Anyone there?" queried a puzzled voice. It sounded like a child. Annoyed, Steven decided not to reply. He did not want a child to look after. "Sir! I heard you! Please answer!"
    "Over here," he was reluctant, but thought perhaps there other adults around. He could use some help. He had realised belatedly that an intense fog had settled in.
    A vague shape loomed near. "I'm Peggy, stated a young person. Not a child then. "Oh," there was equal disappointment, "you're just a boy." Steven seethed with anger. How dare anyone belittle him! "I'm eighteen," he stated as gruffly as he could. "Why are you here alone anyway?"
    The other, a young woman he now saw, refused to respond to this obvious intent to belittle her.

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