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1. Prologue

Prompt: Vast

Madeline wanted to believe she knew what she was up to when she parked her car close to Celeste Mountain. But she didn't. If there was one word to describe what she had in front of her, it would be vast. Not just by the mountain itself, nor the journey she was about to embark. It was everything it implied, the trip to get here, the sight before her, the courage to not coward out in the last moment, just like Madeline had done in the past. It was all vast and bigger than her. Vaster than anything she had done in months.

The first gaps and crags gave her a hint of that idea. She had barely begun and Madeline could guess the mountain told her this journey would be nothing like any other thing she ever did in her life. The elder woman she found in a cabin in the middle of the road to the mountain's driveway gave her the full taste of that idea.

"If my 'driveway' almost did you in, the Mountain might be a bit much for you. But you should know, Celeste Mountain is a strange place. You might see things. Things you ain't ready to see."

"You should seek help, lady."

Madeline should too. But her obstinate determination didn't let her change her mind to search for said help voluntarily.

As if the mountain wanted to give her one last warning and chance to turn back, before crossing the last patch, Madeline found an old stone bridge, shaky at her every step. It was so old it was just a hard breeze of air away from caving in.

The more Madeline watched the bridge, the longer and narrow it turned, stretching itself into the horizon until Madeline could no longer discern where it ended. She knew this was just her mind playing tricks on her to convincer not to try it. Madeline just shook her head and rubbed her eyes until she saw stars and moved forward.

At first, she tried to walk on her tiptoes, hoping that would somehow put less weight on the bridge, but sooner than later, her feet got tired and she tripped over herself, falling flat to the floor and making the whole unstable bridge quiver.

Her worst fear at the moment became true when she looked behind after she heard how the bridge started to fall apart pieces by piece like a domino.

Without no longer care on the consequences, Madeline got up on her feet and ran as fast as she could, always staying at the edge of the falling bridge. It was only a matter of time before the bridge caught up with her and got ahead of her. She could see it as the last fragment of the bridge fell before she could cross it.

She didn't know if she could make it or not, but the mountain didn't give a damn about what she could or could not do. She had no election but to try keep going or fall down the pit.

The last slab of the bridge fell as her feet stomped over it, Madeline alongside it.

The cold wind hit her face for a few seconds before everything froze in its place, herself and the falling stone fragments in the air.

As Madeline struggled uselessly to get herself out of that moment frozen in time, a blue bird landed at the edge of the bridge in the other side. The bird did nothing but stare at Madeline with amused curiosity, turning its head lightly.

Something inside Madeline drove her to reach for the bird. A warm sensation, contrary to the vast cold surrounding her in every direction. Her arm came out from that magical stasis and extended for the bird, still not being even close enough to touch the bird, remaining unreachable.

Without warning, a sudden dash flew Madeline out of that pit, towards the bird, but it reacted faster and flew as well far away and went back to where it came from and left Madeline alone rolling over herself a couple of meters. She managed to get on her knees as she calmed herself hyperventilating. She didn't manage to grasp what just happened, as her eyes rested on the endlessly mountain she had in front of her.

If Madeline had a sense of humor for this kind of extreme situations, she would say this was the mountain's gentle way of saying "Welcome."


Right now I have the intention of writing eleven chapters for this serie, one per level, including this one, the prologue and the epilogue, but that most likely will change.

Anyways, if you liked it, please add it to favorites, follow and leave a comment, it'd make my day.

See ya!