Elliotte

Chapter Twelve

Bloodied hands reached for and gripped an edge of the slippery mountainside with a heave as she drew with great struggle her weary body up to the next spot.

For days unend, they have laboured and slaved over mountains and bled their fill over the grey unyielding sides.

Worst was that unforgiving temperament of nature. It would seem she had plans that didn't include the successful ascent of theirs up the mountain path. No one wanted to take

a glance down - a quick mental suicide that could very easily draw on the physical.

Ailish heaved and groaned, and heaved again. She cast a quick searching glance around and spotted the equally wearied bodies of her comrades in the mission. She searched further and her shoulders fell at the ragged and resigned struggling presence of her. Bloodied and dragging, hair a tragic mess

around her head and her feet and palms swollen and bloodied, her face spared just this much by the viscous elements.

She knew she didn't want to be here.

No one wanted to be here.

Yet here they were as quite a number of lives have been sacrificed for the success questionable as though it may seem at the moment- of their mission.

A fellowship they had set out as but -

Mr. Norman heaved and heaved.

"For the love of St. Stephen's faith, put yer back to it!" Deidre yelled as much as she could over the thrumming sound of the elements.

Even Elliotte turned around to witness the wickedly hazardous predicament of Mr. Norman.

He heaved again.

Deidre tried to reach to him, but it wasn't to be for to reach out was to plummet down the way they had come up; and they had so far come. She tried to reach to him again, as did anyone who had such strength.

Trembling bloodied hand reached out to trap a foothold and missed.

Ailish's heart caved.

"Nay!"

He tried again and missed, his body

swinging precariously mid-ascent.

"Nay!" Deidre railed. "Ye wouldna let go. Ye wouldna let go, ye hear mi? Ye wouldna! I'Il be darned to lose another. As one we came, as one we go." She exhaled. "Ye will strive, | tell ya. Ye will."

He glanced at her. His lips bloodied

from a battle between his head and the mountain. Of course his head had lost and his front teeth amongst some, had paid the price.

There in his empty grey eyes lay sorrow and anguish deeper than any heart could bear.

"Nah" she said beneath her breathe for even she had just so much energy.

Then he glanced up at Elliotte.

She was screaming before she realised it. Hauling curses at him, at the elements, at life and at his surrender.

And she wasn't alone.

They screamed.

They yelled.

They swore.

They cursed.

But even Deidre's outstretched bloodied hand couldn't reach the body fast plummeting down the way it had laboured up.

The elements tore at their voices and snatched at their tears. Leaving them cold, devastated and alone.

Up ahead, lightning struck and let loose a string of boulders and rocks and they had to rein in their grief and plaster themselves against the mountainsides to save what was left of their measly lives.