It was too dark to see anything yet, so I seated myself on a small patch of heather on the mountain top and waited for the sun to rise. Contentedly humming to myself, I kept busy until the first hint of the sun peeked from behind a cloud. The sky turned from almost pitch black to an array of soft, pastel colours in perfect gradients, as if painted by an artist. The valley below was hit by the sun’s silvery rays, illuminating every detail perfectly. I stood there for a while, with my arms open, enjoying the view and the lofty breeze that tousled my hair. Breathing in deeply, the crisp mountain air rejuvenated me.
A very faint bell rang and muffled peals of laughter could be heard from the local valley school. The children could be seen as little tiny dots lining up. I decided to enjoy my solitude while I could. The trees stood ghost-like, the silent observers of my elation. Shimmering brighter than any diamond could, sunlight sparkled onto a river that ran from the mountain and snaked across the valley endlessly. The weather got hotter as the sun rose higher, so I settled into a hammock under the shady trees and drifted away into a lazy doze.
I awoke to a wet nose eagerly sniffing me. Opening my eyes, I laughed to see a giant dog that then proceeded to drench me in saliva. Looking around, I realised that this time I was not alone. A happy family was picnicking under another tree. They apologetically called their dog off, and I was disappointed to see him go.
By now it was late evening and the sun was beginning to set. This time the sky was an explosion of vibrant pinks, oranges and yellows. The whole town in the valley below was abuzz. A very soft, lilting melody was playing somewhere. I wandered around the mountain top until I came upon an old swing set. Kicking the ground every time I came down, it felt as though I was flying into the hues of the sky. I kept swinging euphorically, reliving my childhood memories until the moon and the stars came out.
Taking off my shoes and walking barefoot in the moonlight was incredibly therapeutic. I noticed for the first time that the range of mountains opposite to me were lit up by the moon. They determinedly stretched upwards as if to embrace the heavens. Looking at them made it easy to see why the Ancient Greeks thought the gods resided on Mount Olympus. As I laid down and stared above, it seemed as if every natural element was competing to catch my attention with its mesmerising beauty. The stars shone as pennies scattered over the inky canvas above and the constellations shone so mightily, as if challenging me to pick the most divine.
Sighing, I propped myself up. Leaving was my least favourite part of the day, but the fact that the bewitching scene would always stay with me was comforting. A lone owl hooted at me as if to say farewell, and I contently made my way home.
Ahika
Another Level Higher 