Forever Lost in the Mist

 

Forever Lost in the Mist

 

I sit at my grandmother’s knee, listening to a story from her childhood. I’ve heard the story many times, but it always sends shivers down my spine. Grandmother began her story as she always did. ‘Deary, I’ll tell you a haunting story,’ Grandma began. ‘It happened a day or two ago,’ but what she really meant to say; it happened a day or two after her tenth birthday. ‘I was walking through the Gorge one rainy afternoon. It was then I saw the pair of climbers in the distance through the mist, a boy and a girl climbing up New River Gorge. Some distance in front of them was another figure, and I got an eerie feeling in the pit of my stomach. This new climber should not be there, and then suddenly he was gone. I focused in on the two young climbers. They scurried like mountain goats, and I had to smile at the fun they were having, but in a moment, in the twinkling of my eye, the girl just disappeared from sight.’ Grandma’s eyes glazed over as if she had traveled back in time to that very moment. ‘I wondered at the time if she had fallen, but the boy didn’t give any indication that she had. In the distance I could tell by his body language that he was as confused as I was. Instinctively I looked for the third climber, be he was nowhere to be seen. I watch the boy search for hours, from way down below. Finely he climbed down and ran into town for help. For many days searchers combed the mountainside for the broken body of the young girl, but she was never found. There was no mention of the third climber; it was if I was the only one to see him.’ I looked at grandma, and noticed the chill bumps that popped up on her arm at the mere mention of the vision of the third climber. ‘To this day I have not taken the shortcut through the Gorge. I fear another encounter with the sinister third climber who was only visible to me. To this day it is said that on rainy days in the mist; you’ll see the Climbers of the Gorge. Beware the Climbers’ stare. Gaze into their eyes and stumble into oblivion, and be forever lost in the mist.

 

Reviews

[whimzygirl]

WOW is all I can say. Won't catch me near that gorge. LOL

[Lizanne]

We can see you inherited your story telling and writing ability from your grandmother. Truly enjoyed this story of the third person that did not exist and the girl that mysteriously disappeared. Makes you stop and think. Should go down in the pages of folklore. Great writing.