The earth is alive

We continue with the publication of the micro-stories of the third edition of the competition: High Altitude Storieswe let you enjoy with "The earth is alive"by Uxue Ozcoidi Arizmendi.

The earth is alive

-By Uxue Ozcoidi Arizmendi

The night is closed but not cold. Metres of snowy slope accumulate under our feet. My crampons don't fit properly and every couple of steps I "reset" them by tapping them with my ice axe. The adrenaline levels, over my head, deplete my energy reserves. The last few metres of ascent are the longest I have ever walked, and it is only thanks to the help of my rope partner, who, by pulling, manages to get me to put one foot in front of the other.

At one o'clock with the sunrise we reach the summit, and the volcanic caldera appears before us. Smokes of steam rise into the sky and the smell of sulphur pervades the air.

I sit exhausted in the snow. I've barely eaten and the lack of oxygen slows down my
reflexes. Sitting there, trying to regain my strength, something hits my helmet. I look up but there's nothing there.

Five days later, volcanic eruption.