The Long Way Up

A heavy, sinister canopy covers the sky as distant rumblings of thunder reverberate through miles of tranquil dreariness. Overhead, clusters of stratus, cumulus, and nimbus clouds seem to intentionally congregate for the sole purpose of darkening the already somber midday. Strong gusts of cool wind dance to and fro above the pitch black mountain peaks, making occasional dives into the valley below it; they make ominous whistling sounds as they bounce off each other, adding to the natural orchestra of boisterous thunder and deafening silence. On the ground level, three men dressed in distinctively different black-themed outfits arduously trudge on the valley floor made up of dark charcoal soil and jagged gravel. As they slowly persist on the terrain, they notice the barrenness of the landscape: treeless slopes as far as the eye can see; several gradients of gray, ash, and lead decorate the sides of cliffs jutting out of the earth; no sign of any possible shelter from harsh elements; an...

 

"Jordan, make sure you stow the hose and the cart properly in the barn, okay? It's almost dinner time. You know your Mom does not want us to leave the food waiting at the table and get cold!" The voice of the elder male reverberates across the field as he finishes herding the last of his sheep into the pen for the night. His instructions were promptly heeded by the younger male, who was making his way into the mahogany-hued outhouse. "I'm on it, Dad. Were you able to catch up with Polly? Today has been the twelfth time she's gotten lost -- or run away. Such a cheeky little bugger, she is!" As Nigel shuts the gate of the sheep pen, he starts heading towards the barn, where his son is. "Yep! She'll be right, son. She never wanders too far off anyway. But..." he pauses mid-sentence as he stops by the door of the outhouse, looking at Jordan tidying up the rest of the barn. "We could definitely use some help around here. I'm knackered e...

Pitch black. Groggy. Disoriented. Jimmy came to his senses, but wasn't so sure what had happened prior to this, or what was going on at this particular moment. He felt dizzy; his head heavy from something... he had no immediate recollection of. He tried to open his eyes; but couldn't see anything. "Oh God! Eyesight! Have I lost my eyesight!?"  Jimmy started to panic but did his best to push the fear down, and assess his situation. He tried to reach for his eyes but felt his hands restrained. "Hands tied? Oh God!" he thought. At the time, he wasn't as concerned of the fact that both his hands were tied; he was more focused on his apparent lack of vision. He blinked several times trying to get a glimpse of... anything. Nothing! He tried again, hoping that his constant eyelid movement would somehow activate his sight. He blinked a few times more; he felt his eyelids and lashes brushing against something. "Blindfold?" He tested his t...