Chapter 37 - The Summit
Mark drove us an hour outside the city, away from the concrete, the skyscrapers, and the underground tunnels.
We arrived at the base of a hiking trail that wound up a massive, forested mountain.
"I know you don't like being enclosed," Mark said, throwing a backpack over his shoulder. "So today, we go up."
We hiked for two hours. The crisp autumn air filled my lungs, smelling of pine and damp earth, entirely scrubbing away the phantom scent of smoke that always haunted me on this date.
When we reached the summit, the view was breathtaking. We could see for miles in every direction. There was nothing above us but the vast, limitless blue sky.
We sat on a large granite boulder, drinking hot coffee from a thermos.
"It’s beautiful," I said, leaning against his shoulder.
"You know what I love about this view?" Mark asked.
"What?"
"There are no ceilings," he said softly. "Nothing can fall on us here."
Tears pricked my eyes. He understood my trauma so completely, so intimately, that he knew exactly how to counteract it without me ever having to ask.
May you like
"You saved me, Mark," I whispered.
"No," Mark corrected, turning to look at me, his eyes fiercely loving. "You saved yourself in the dark. I just get the privilege of walking with you in the light."
