Mountain Thief

High on the mountain I stood before the iron door. A cold wind blew from the between the cracks. Peering in I could see the tunnel stretch far into the darkness, a hollow needle piercing the mountain’s heart, a golden idol stolen by those who had come before me.

Deep in this place where steel tools had scraped at the gold heart of the mountain, the very earth had grown cold and angry. A dark life still seemed to flow through these veins and pressed me onwards to an empty hall. Here, this was where we had selfishly taken the mountain’s treasure, ignorant of the real treasures that lay outside.

While I gaped at my discovery, the mountain saw its chance to exact revenge on the last trespasser to this sacred place. Behind me the first stone fell from the ceiling.

Looking back, my moment of wonder transformed into a sick horror as rocks slid from the walls. If the tunnels collapsed, I would be buried alive, forever entombed in this chamber, a thousand feet beneath warm skies and fresh air. Desperate, I charged through the falling rubble.

From the outside the mountain seemed at peace. There was no sign of the maelstrom I had witnessed beneath the surface. Looking down I examined the stone I had latched onto in my escape. I too had stolen a piece of the wealth in the darkness.

-2016-
bayou goula towhead

-2015-
the sea test

-2014-
the circumnavigator pt5
the circumnavigator pt4
the circumnavigator pt3
the circumnavigator pt2
the circumnavigator pt1
falling dream
the darkness
one hell of a mile 3&4
he will return
the believers
the horror pt2
the horror pt1
traces
death valley
whiteout

-2013-
paradise of outlaws
the mountain climbers 1&2
brought to surface
one hell of a mile 3
primordial
the lost world
inner gorge
a ghost story
the riddle
slaying the minotaur
heart of darkness
bayou
public lands
organ music
two sought adventure
the virgin river
the road north
preparations

-2012-
steal the world
the end of the world
el dorado
the valley of the kings 2
the valley of the kings 1
one hell of a mile 2
one hell of a mile 1
the mountain climbers rr4
heroes rr3
rainy roadtrip 2
rainy roadtrip 1
the transgression
sandstorm
sinister 2
sinister 1
dehydrated
anatomy
sleepwalking
new chapter

-2011-
like sedona?
torn in two
blink
bridge to nowhere
the door
hitting the wall
elusive 2
elusive 1
harquahala
hole
pick up lines

-2010-
revisited 2
revisited 1
which way?
lost mines
chute
monolith
freeze
slice
in their footsteps
a dance with death

-2009-
goodbyes
undercurrents
casting the bones
mountain thief
the deer hunter
strange temple
sanctuary
burial pt. 3
burial pt. 2
burial pt. 1
the apparition
return to hell
forsaken
the lower depths
underground lake
stretch sewer
the hidden lab
shadow movements
meager rations
sw8: the conclusion
sw7: lost gold mines
sw6: the big tubes
sw5: gold!
sw4: el calderon
sw3: redondo
sw2: ghosts
sw1: westward bound
leviathan
formaldehyde dreams
the underdark
in the beginning