THEHIKER

One late snowy night, a man sits in front of a fire warminghis callused hands. He repeatedly rubs them on top of eachother in an effort to stay warm.

The man is a husband, a father, and a worker. His house issmall, and the fireplace is even smaller. It has been a hard yearfor his family, and he has struggled to keep food on the table;but the greater struggle is the one within his own mind.

As his kids are sleeping he begins telling his wife thegrandiose dreams of riches and success that has cluttered hismind since he was a child. The man's wife, a homemaker, hasnever dreamed such dreams and can only nod and listen as shecannot relate or tell a story of her own.

The man is full of ambition, the type that is unusual andpossessed only by the greats. Furthermore, he is a scrupulousman who has never deceived nor injured his brethren, even athis own peril. Sadly, however, this kind hearted man was bornwith nothing, he is the descendant of nothing, and according tohistory, will die nothing. As a child he grew up watching theelite live a wonderful life of splendor and awe. He swore thatone day it would be his turn.

Though what is even more unusual than his makeup arethe man's surroundings. Every morning he wakes up to a giantmountain watching over his town as a father does his children. Themountain is so large, in fact, that the peak cannot be seen for it ishidden by the clouds. Since the days of his first memory the manhas heard inspiring stories about the few who have successfullyhiked to the top. Many of these men lived the same life and had thesame dreams as he.

Along with the mountain's gigantic size comes an evenmore gigantic legend, one that has been widely told in thevillage since the town's conception. The story itself is enoughto erect a smile upon even the most unhumorous of men, butthe fact that it is actually true makes it extremely dangerous.Hearing a nice story is one thing, but to hear a story anddevelop hope that your dreams can actually be fulfilled is thedangerous part.

The story goes that a powerful wizard sits atop thehidden peak and grants unbelievable riches to those who cansuccessfully reach him. Upon receiving their riches the hikersare then free to return home and live out the rest of their livesin grandeur. The process, however, is also the problem. Mostmen never make it, and their souls remain on the snowy cliffsfor all eternity.

Back in front of the fire the man ends the talk with his wife.Unlike the previous times, however, the man is not simplypacified by his words. Unexplainably, he is suddenly filled withcourage. The man stands up and tells his wife he must go andseek the wizard. In his eyes he will die having never lived if hedoes not attempt to achieve his dream.

His wife pleads with him not to leave, telling him dead mencannot dream. He wipes the tears from her face, promisingto return. The two embrace more passionately than on theirwedding night, as if it were their last night. He then grabshis bag, slings it over his shoulder and heads out. She standson the decrepit porch as the moonlight hits her face. Once hedisappears into the horizon, she walks back inside and closesthe door; assured she would never see her husband ever again.

The mountain is a three hour walk from the man's home,and he arrives at the base shortly before sunrise. Once theman begins the hike he knows there is no turning back. Hetakes one last look at the life he is leaving behind, a past thatwill soon become obsolete. The last thing that runs throughhis mind is all of the men who have been successful on theirjourney. He knows that he could soon join them in history. Helooks up at the mountain with an unfettered spirit and beginsthe ascent.

The base of the mountain is an easy victory for the man,but things are soon to change. After a day of hiking theelements begin to pick up. With the passing elevation hisbreathing becomes much heavier, and the snow much thicker.Minutes pass by as if they were seconds, and yet, pass by as ifthey were hours. Before long the sun's rays disappear under thehorizon, blanketing him in darkness. Alone on the mountain,the moon's light brings him an odd comfort as his shadowbefriends him on the fluffy white snow adjacent him.

With little time for a companion he stabs the jaggedice above his head and uses the handle of the pick to fighton. Having vowed to never rest until he reaches the wizardthe man is unbothered by the force of the growing blizzard.Though his vision is greatly impaired by the downpour he haslittle trouble seeing the iced over remnants of former hikers.The unmarked remains litter the mountain side and causeindentions in the thick white pallet. Yet, he pays it little mindand climbs through as if the bones were broken twigs. Theman won't allow his mind to think of death. For he knows ifthe thought creeps in he has already lost.

The sunrise brings no change, only a new day and one lessfriend. The hours slowly pass as the man continues his ascentthrough the wintery monsoon. Soon another sunset, followedby another night, and another sunrise. Before long the sun risesand sets with no rhyme or reason, and the man loses all sense oftime. The hiker begins to wonder if he will ever lay eyes uponthe wizard. He ignores the doubt and fights on.

Soon, though he believes it to be the middle of the day, theintensity of the storm becomes so great that he is covered inthe whitest darkness ever imagined. A sea of ice begins to raindown and cut his face like a knife. The flakes of snow becomeso numerous that it cakes on his thick brown beard. Though heis no reindeer his nose becomes more red than Rudolph's, andhis ears do its best to mimic. His eyelashes become tiny iciclesobstructing his already strained vision. And now, his mostimportant article of clothing, once whole, now more resemblesa pair of open toed sandals. Frostbite soon fills the void left byhis shadow.

Another night comes, this one very well his last. Runningonly on fumes he struggles on, refusing to quit. Thankfullyhis prayers are soon answered with a new sunrise. But it isnot the sun which gives him life; it is the revelation. For nowbefore his eyes appear the clouds he has seen and dreamed oftouching since his childhood.

Full of newly found adrenaline he scurries up the mountainand bursts through the clouds as if he had been trapped in acage. Immediately, he drops to his knees and thanks God forallowing him to survive the incredible journey. For minutes heremains facedown in the snow, worshiping the Lord. Finallypulling his face from the frozen tundra, he reveals a bright redface of tearless sobs.

Prying his lids open, he peers down the mountain. Fewsouls have seen what the man's eyes behold. High atop thepeak he scours the landscape. It is a view fit for a god. Whenhe spots his home it instantly brings to mind all of the fondmemories from his past and the beautiful family waitinganxiously for his return. He sends up one last prayer and asksthe Lord to bless his family and keep them safe.

Unfortunately, his celebration is quickly interrupted. Inthe near distance he hears a loud shriek, the words muffledby the elements. With great force, he snaps his head aroundto where he believes the cries to be emanating, but he seesnothing more than the formation of his breath. He assumes hisweakened condition has made him delirious. Yet, seconds...