Novel & Cerita The Mountain Between Us

Not separate claims. Unified. Derek’s marking was powerful, unmistakable. Jax’s was sharp and agile, weaving through terrain others might overlook. Mine settled between them, balanced but dominant enough to signal command. When we finished the southern arc, we did not pause. North. The mountain air thinned as we climbed. Snow still clung to shaded crevices, melting slowly under spring sun. From the ridge peak, the valley opened wide below us. Montenegro spread in stone and forest and river.

The blue light pulsed once, strong, like a heartbeat answering another heartbeat. I stood up. Above me, the mountain was quiet. For the last time. ~~~

“You only say it’s nothing when something’s actually eating at you.” I didn’t reply. The silence stretched again, and this time he didn’t try to fill it. We eventually reached the small park near the lake , a quiet place where families sometimes came with their kids or couples sat on benches feeding ducks. Today, it was nearly empty. The sky stretched clear above us, the kind of blue that didn’t belong to complicated thoughts. Taylor spread the blanket under a tree and placed the basket down. I sat opposite him, legs crossed, fingers worrying at the hem of my sleeve.

His mouth twitched—half smile, half grimace. For a moment, we just stood there, clinging to each other, breathing the same thin air. The mountain pulsed around us, low and steady, as if approving. "I thought I lost you," he whispered against my hair. "You didn’t," I whispered back. We stayed like that a long moment. Then a tremor shivered through the stone beneath our feet. The mountain wasn’t done testing us. I pulled back, meeting his eyes fully. "We have to move," I said. "Aiden's not far."

It's so funny when the weather seems to be very cold, the temperature drops ten degrees this evening. “ Are you all okay?” I arched my brow and bent over my waist to follow what Charles was marking. “ A little swamp, it’s easy to cross.” Said Charles as his forehead climbed up to look at me. “ After the map, there is a path in between Montana and Alaska, it's like a three junction. Although with a little forest…..” he traced down the three paths. “ Was there anything to use as a landmark?” I asked. “ Yeah, a huge mountain with a shape like a human face. Apart from that, there is nothing else.” Charles spoke to me boldly unlike the rest who said no words.

“Wake up sleepy head” someone whispered. I opened my eyes to see Maggie crouched beside me. Maggie? Realization stuck me. I quickly sat upright and rubbed my eyes deranged. “Does your head hurt Maggie?” I asked with a sleep thickened voice. “Not much” she answered not meeting my eyes, that worried me. I looked around to find that we were on top of a cliff. I stood up slowly to get a clear view. Only then I realized that we were on top of a huge mountain! It was cleanly cut into two halves with a wide crack right between them, we were on the smaller part of the mountain. Ethan was standing by the edge of the cliff. We joined him. There were dark cluster of trees right at the foot of the mount

The last day of this chapter. Then Switzerland. Mountains. Quiet. Each other. We survived the storm. Now we get to find out who we are in the calm. And I can't wait to discover it. Together. Always together. One more day.

To think we were in his house. To think that asshole was hitting on me! We start to slow down and my attention returns to what is happening now; everything else can be figured out later. I hear running water and realize the mountain is right in front of us. A stream flows across its base, where the moonlight reflects. Just like our stream. Please Alex…where are you?

A little unsure where we’re going but I think for the third time we’re going down Buttermilk Mountain. This area offers 3 major skiing mountains: Aspen Mountain with its steep and smaller slopes. Buttermilk Mountain with lots of slopes and lots of paths. Snowmass Mountain which is the highest and therefore most versatile. “Oh my god. I am all skied out for today.” I said. Ugetsu kneeled in front of me to help me struggle out of my ski boots. The struggle is real. “So glad I got these goggles.” Ugetsu says. “At one point up on the mountain, it was so foggy I could barely see where I was actually skiing. Couldn’t see snow texture and slope gradient.”

“No, Z. Tell me what you really see. Allow me to experience this through your eyes.” “We are walking on a bridge that is one foot wide. There are no sides, except for this rotten bit of rope that couldn’t support a kitten let alone two adults. The tops of the trees resemble daggers, while the darkness below promises death.” “Tell me about the mountains and snow,” she said. “They are rugged and strikingly contrasted in white and black. Two eagles soar above. A few wispy clouds soften the sky, which is so blue, it seems almost surreal.”