“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” by Erin McCabe

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go" - T.S. Eliot

He surveyed his surroundings; vast and expansive, bright, white and glistening. Since the moment of his birth he had overheard stories of these mountains; their glittering impenetrable peaks and glossy rounded summits rendered him ridged with excitement.

Steading himself he took a deep breath as he approached the edge of the first precipice, carefully placing his feet so as not to slip on its unexpectedly sleek surface. The others had thought him mad and had, in their cowardice, opted to head back to the safety and comfort of their familiar home, discarding their walking poles in a shower of expletives and shame. He however could not do the same; he had to know what lay beyond this pale horizon.

He arched his back and took a deep breath before throwing himself off the edge with reckless abandon, savouring the float before the fall, holding on tightly to the cable attaching him to his jump point. He fell hard and for a moment was paralysed by the shock; he had misjudged the distance, an error of youth and inexperience. From here he could see far beyond what existed before; a brand new landscape filled his vision with vivid new colours and inviting textures which reached out towards him, begging to be explored.  

He began adjusting position to allow descent to the lower levels, careful to avoid the tiny pools of clear cool water surrounding him. Suddenly he sensed an ominous shadow looming far above him, instinctively he froze, unsure of what to do next; he had heard stories of such shadows from the others and they had never ended well. Looking up, he blinked as he felt a warm rushing draft of air, hearing only a faint "swish" noise before the chilling "snap." His death was sudden and smearing, so sudden that he no time to think of the new home he would never build, the adventures he would never have or the loved ones he had left behind.

Lucy examined the bottom of her slipper with distaste before wiping the offending stain with a piece of tissue paper. "Stupid spider." she muttered tossing the tiny flattened corpse and broken matchsticks into the watery depths of the toilet, flushing his presence from her mind and her bathroom.