I used my foot to explore the crevices around the rock.

What if there was a snake or poisonous spider just waiting in the dark to sink it's fangs into me?

For a moment I remembered my fear of the dark as a child. Once the lights were out it seemed as if my clothes hanging in my closet would come to life, and they would creak and shift nervously if I watched them. I had to close the closet door before I could sleep and I always leaned a toy against it that had a bell on it so if they opened the closet I'd hear them coming. But I grew out of that fear till junior high.

I watched a silly horror film at a sleepover. After that film, I was jumping from the middle of the room when I shut out the lights, just make sure the monster under the bed didn't grab me by the ankles and pull me under the bed. Where I was sure it would kill me and drink my blood.

What's the deal with virgins and death anyway? How does having sex make you so susceptible to a horrible gruesome death in movies? Were these films a justification for the filmmakers continued virginity? Or was it the fantasy revenge on all the women who rejected them as suitable sex partners? Well there is no way that would be the reason that I was going to die in a makeshift cairn tonight.

My foot had stopped moving. I wasn't sure when. My mind was wandering and I was having trouble focusing.

I started the search again. And found no crevice but a foothold. Perhaps one level up was the answer.

I listened again... only silence. I held my breath but could only hear the sound of my heartbeat.

A light snow had begun to fall, and with it all the sounds disappeared. Finally some good luck, my tracks would disappear if the snow kept up.