The Ascent

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his foolishness. He was a liability, not a savior, and his bluff was getting called. But he

couldn't bring himself to confess.

He had joined up, gambling the rescue team would teach him the ropes, literally, as

time passed. Afraid they would judge him too young, or his unchipped fingernails or

bayou accent would expose him as a flatlander, he had entered the rescue office shyly

and with his hands in his pockets. When they asked if he had experience, Abe had said

yes, though carefully, keeping the sir off his yes, and dropping the names of some

mountains in Patagonia which he figured to be safely obscure. Only two days later –

yesterday afternoon – they'd phoned him in urgent need of dumb backs and strong

legs. And now he could not share that this was the first snow he'd ever seen and the

coldest sun he'd ever woken to. This was his first mountain.

They set out through the trees, shortcutting along a frozen river. The water was