It was the worst kind of day to be lost and alone on a mountain.

The sky seemed to be screaming down at the world, trying desperately to warn us about something. The clouds so dark they were almost black as they covered the once blue sky like a blanket of smoke. It was supposed to be midday yet I could barely see a few steps in front of me. I began to rely on the flashes of lightning that came all too quickly.

I couldn’t afford to stumble. A little slip could cost me my life. The uneven rock below me was slippery from the rain making it difficult to avoid either of those things. But it doesn’t take much for me to remember why I’m doing this.

I peer over the edge and see red. Everywhere. The reddish glow of fire spreading across the trees too many miles below. The red of brick houses crumbling to the ground. The red meaning war. Death. Pain. The red that I had to use to convince my legs to keep steady.

The sight of the blood makes me nauseous enough that I have to regain my balance. This is not a mission I can afford to fail.

The map I had used served no use now that the ink smudged together due to the harsh rain. My clothes providing no warmth now that they are drenched. Yet I continue through the unknown path. I may be going the wrong way, or maybe the spirits decided to guide me. Maybe this time I would finally get lucky.

Somewhere near the peak of this mountain lies a cave. A cave supposedly holding the secrets of this world. I was told to travel there and find a way to end this war. But it’s been hours. Too many hours. And my hope is starting to wither away. Still, I place one foot in front of the other.

Every step hurts. I lift my leg and pain stabs at my thigh forcing it down. Once my foot touches the ground a similar pain shoots all the way up to my hip. My breaths are uneven and my lungs feel like they want to collapse. My body’s telling me to stop but my mind won’t let it.

Eventually, there is a light — although dim — coming from a slight dip in the rocky wall of the mountain peak. I can barely think. I can barely feel. Feel my legs screaming with pain or my lungs struggling to breathe or my head pounding like drums as I run to the cave.

I am not lost. And I am not alone. There is something better out there. There is still hope.