What I do here

We continue with the publication of the micro-stories of the second edition of the competition: High Altitude Storieswe let you enjoy with "What I do here"by Andrea Ruiz Pérez.

What I do here

-by Andrea Ruiz Pérez

What am I doing here? I've been incommunicado for two days. I'm sure my mother is worried. My niece was due this week. Is she due yet? The Whatsapp group must be full to bursting. What am I doing here? My ears are throbbing. How many kilometres to Góriz? I think we're not doing badly. A sip of water and I go on. What am I doing here? What do I want to prove? Why do I find it harder to breathe than my companions? What if I'm not ready? Come on, a bit more.

What am I doing here?

My brain forces me to stop dead in my tracks. I take a breath of air and look around me. Everything is calm. The Aragonese Pyrenees listen to me. It answers me. A flock of black birds flies by several metres above my head, although I can almost feel them brushing against my ponytail, which I've been wearing tousled for several hours. The immensity. The beauty. The freedom.

Now I understand.