Beyond Horizon's Edge by Mike Lynch

Author:Mike Lynch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: friend, escape, village, horizon, valley, cliffs, survive, rock climb
Publisher: Mike Lynch

When Frya and Beldyst pushed past the edge of the valley, warm rays of morning light reached across the expanse and gave Jon a gentle nudge. He sat up and rubbed both eyes. When they came into focus, he found Logun sitting against the rock face, a faraway look in his eyes as he stared out into the valley. “You okay?”

A muted grin preceded his answer. “Yeah…I’m fine.” His tone was not so convincing. “I keep wondering what we’ll find when we reach the top. You know, there can be a whole lot of nothing up there.” He turned towards Jon. “Then what? Do we take stock of our meager supplies and head out into the unknown, or do we go back and tell the tribunal what we’ve found? And if there is nothing…what happens to the village?”

“Or there could be wonderful things on the plateau, like herds of moohorns roaming free across the countryside, and orchards of trees, weighed down with the most delicious fruit you’ve ever tasted.” His eyes brightened. “Don’t forget about the forests, with enough timber to build a thousand houses.” He stopped and stared at the village. “The future of our people is at stake. Those things have to be up there, all of it.”

Logun pressed his lips together and nodded. “I suppose there is only one way to find out.” He reached over and picked up his satchel. “If we start now, the two of us should make it before nightfall.”

“Agreed.”

They bundled their things and plotted the most direct route to the top. Jon took the lead, with Logun staying a few paces behind. The air was cold, and getting colder with each labored step. And the wind. It blew so hard at that elevation Jon had begun to grow concerned. One quick gust and it would be the last step either of them ever took.

“I’m going to try for that cleft a little to my right,” Jon said after he took a short break to catch his breath. As he reached up for it, the muscles in his arm ached with pain. He had hoped a good night’s sleep would bring some relief, but they were just as tender as the day before.

When his fingertips latched onto a small outcropping, the rock he used for support suddenly gave way. Both legs slipped out from under him and slammed into the sheer face, his left knee erupting in pain.

“Jon!” Logun shouted. “Hang on!” He scurried up the jagged surface as fast as his arms and legs could move. When he positioned himself just underneath Jon’s feet, it was then he saw a rivulet of blood trickle down the rock face.

The pain in his leg was excruciating, almost incapacitating. “How bad is it?” Jon asked, concern tinting each word. Logun did not respond at first, which concerned him even more. “Don’t lie to me, Logun. How bad am I hurt?”

He rolled his head to one side. “I can’t tell from here, but you’re losing a lot of blood.

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