I was now in the belly of the purple beast, the final challenge that stood between me and my lifelong dream of making it to paradise. 

Unfortunately the boost of energy I once had was now depleted after being forced to slow down due to the inside of the cloud being completely dark, leaving me to climb completely blind and having to rely on just feeling around the cliff to find the right spot to both strike my pick-axe into and find the right rock to grab a hold of. 

This made climbing through here an absolute nightmare, not just because I couldn’t see a damn thing but also because the intense anxiety this part of the climb had taken a serious toll on my mind, fearing that I’d make one wrong move and fumble it again after making it this far. 

Not to mention the horrid pain from before returned throughout my body, only now much worse with how hard I was pushing my body to keep going. The cherry on top of this hell was that I had no idea how much was left to climb before I made it to the exit, unable to see the top because of this cursed darkness. 

It felt like I was just about to reach my breaking point, unsure how much longer I could keep fighting to go on without a single clue how much was even left to go. 

Was it only 5 ft left to climb or a staggering 500 ft I still had to conquer? If it’s the former, then I really don’t think my body will have the strength to hold out that much longer. No matter how willing the spirit is, it just would be impossible in my current state... Yet I couldn’t let up now! 

Not by a long shot!

Even if it was 500 ft away, I’m going to at least push myself as far as I can before my body gives up on me and I fall back to the bottom again! It was the least I could do after years of climbing and falling down this damn Mountain. 

So reigniting what little spark that remained inside, I glare back up at my destination with a determined scowl as my own promise to conquer this obstacle was going to be fulfilled today no matter the cost!

With that pep talk to myself, I continued to press forward, persevering past this unbearable pain and ignoring the aching screams of my body to stop and just give up, knowing that deep down the stories that have been passed down from generations that paradise is just beyond these clouds and awaits me as long as I just keep going. 

I had to believe it was just a little further... Just a bit more, and my dream that I’ve been slaving away for many years will appear before me... It had to be... Otherwise…

All these years trying to claw my way up this Mountain would have been for nothing…

…

But just as the dark thoughts began to fog my mind was when I began to notice that I could see not only the rock surface I had been gripping onto but also my own hands as well.

It took me a moment to fully grasp that my vision had returned, and once it all clicked in place in my head, my attention shot directly upward and was instantly filled with utter joy at the wondrous sight before me.

A glorious white light, so bright that it hurt my eyes, and I had to turn away for a moment and blink a couple of times before my vision could readjust and I could gaze back up at the bright light in awe once more without issue. Clearly, this was the exit to this horrid purple cloud, which had meant only one thing… What I was looking at…

Was the entrance to paradise

Now all I could see was a bright white light from here, but I know without a doubt in my heart that the moment I exit the blinding clouds, I would finally make it to the very top of the Mountain and be greeted by the paradise that had been waiting patiently for me all these years. 

I couldn’t believe it...I...I did it! 

I was really here!

I’m actually going to conquer this Mountain once and for all!

This was all so wonderful, yet so overwhelming at the same time; the sheer joy that had overcome my soul was enough to cause tears to start flowing down my cheeks. This all felt too good to be true, and I was worried that this was nothing more than a beautiful dream and had to pinch myself on my arm just to be sure…

...It hurt...IT REALLY HURT!!!

My dream...really was just an arm's length away!… The pain throughout my body and the doubts that weighed heavy on my mind had all vanished in an instant, with no other thought on my mind other than to climb! 

Climb up towards this light that acted as a shining beacon that had guided me towards paradise with my body happily following my commands and repeating the same process of slamming my pick-axe into the structure above, then grabbing onto the next available rock I could grip to pull myself up for one last time in my entire life!

Only to arrive just before the light... Now all it took was just to pull myself up one more time and then I made it to paradise! My heart pounded so fast in an adrenaline-fueled mix of excitement and anticipation as all it took was one last climb until I made it to the other side. 

Stopping for only a moment to gaze into the bright light that acted as my doorway to my lifelong dream, taking it all in and looking back on just how hard I had fought to finally make this fantasy a reality, all the times I’ve fallen down the mountain, hitting pretty much every bit of rock on the way down and falling face first in the mud.

Countless days and nights sitting on the ground and looking up at the dark cloud and wondering if I was ever going to actually make it or just continue to be stuck at the bottom for the rest of my life. 

All those years of failure, starting my climb all over again, and endless days of self-doubt—I can now finally say with ought most confidence that it was worth all the suffering to feel the warmth of the light grace the smile plastered across my face as it dried away the joyous tears.

Couldn’t stay here reflecting on the past forever though; there was a bright future waiting for me, so for one last time I strike my soon to be retired pick-axe into the wall, then pulled myself up to grab the nearest rock I could and lift myself into the light and brace myself with glee over what was waiting for me on the other side-

Ready to enter paradise

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