"C'mon, we're almost there!"

My legs and arms were shaking. Sweat was tripping down my face.  Every step felt like thousands of needles are sinking into my legs. I couldn’t take it. By that time I had three blisters on each foot. It felt like I was in Sahara! Thinking that the weather will be cold like the day befor that I dressed properly. I had a T-shirt a sweater and coat on top of all of that. My bag was fool so I had to leave the mountain of clothes on me. It was boiling hot. I felt that my back and my head are being cooked up. I was never that hot in my life. I was half asleep because I woken up by that stupid fly at five! I tripped on every rock I saw.

It was diskovery week. Grade eight was visiting Altai for a week. We lived in camps near the river. Now we were going up the mountain called The Devil's Finger. But the mountain was only getting steeper. Most of the people were already on the top screaming, laughing and taking selfies on the top of the mountain. Then I realized I forgot my hat at the bus and that I felt even worse. I touched my head. It was warm, but I couldn’t do anything about it.

Most of my friends were up the hill cheering me on. “Pointless!” - I told them. - “can’t go any faster!” They looked at me and laughed. “They have got to be kidding me! Are they doing it on purpose?!”

I was making my way slowly up the mountain. My leg stepped on something. I think it was a rock, but whatever. The rock slipped from under my boot and went tumbling down the mountain. I lost my balance and collapsed to the ground. “Are you ok?” I heard a voice behind me. “Ya shure! Just tired. I’m taking a break.” I didn’t want to say that I fell, that would be embarrassing.

There were only eight people behind of me by that time. I decided to increase the pace because I didn’t want to be the last one up. But it didn’t last. I looked down the mountain. I saw huge hills and plains at the bottom of one of the mountains, was a herd of horses coming down to take a drink. There was pretty much the same view on the other side. There was about 10 meters to the top.

I was sure I was gonna make it no matter what!

I looked up. Yana was already on the top, waving to me. "It's like she isn't tired at all"- I thought to myself. The sun was behind her so I could barely see her face. Actually, no, I could see a huge smile on her face. She was shouting something, but I couldn't hear it. I decided that the rest of the way up I will not stop to take any breaks.  Well I did, like a second later.  While I was walking I was thinking- “Why bother coming! Oh my god I could say that I’m sick or my leg hurts or something! This is the worst hiking experience ever. We came all the way to see a stupid mountain? I wish I was asleep in the cosy bed.” I was surprised and confused what did all of these people see that made them forget about everything and run up. Little did I know...

My body wasn't listening. I sunk to the ground. My lungs felt like they were about to explode. I think you could hear my heavy breathing from the bottom of the mountain. I reached for my water bottle. There was not enough for the trip down the mountain so I decided to save it for later. My throat was soar. I felt like coughing. My lips were dried. It felt like I was eating chili. It was too hot. The sun was shining in my eye’s. I could barely see, I wanted to sleep. My blisters were killing me. I thought if that is going to continue my toes will be bleeding. Everything I saw was blurry like the focus of the camera was broken. People became colorful, oval, jelly like figures. That was the moment I regretted not asking my friend for her extra hat. I was almost there, but my legs decided to stop. I sat down on the grass. For a moment I felt a cold breeze. It was like taking a sip of water after a week of not having a drop.

I was one of the last ones up the mountain. I looked up and my jaw fell. I couldn’t believe my eye’s. I didn’t feel the pain of blisters or the dry throat All of my attention was focused on the view.

I was looking at the most amazing thing I had ever saw. You could see everything from this height. I looked down and my heart sunk to my feet. The wind was playing with my hair. I took a huge breath. I looked up. They sky was the color of the sea on a sunny day. Giant clouds were rushing past me like ships on the ocean. The sun was so bright you could barely look at it. I looked back. There I saw huge field with horses and cows coming down to the lake to cool down. “I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I’m sure glad I made it!” - I told Yana filling my lungs with fresh air. “I think it was totally worth it!”