My eyes opened to see the same view I had fallen asleep to. The rain poured down from a sky showing only incipient signs of light. Water fell in streams from the edge of the cliff that covered me, looking entirely harmless. I knew better however, with the angry red lesions scattered against my skin as proof. They would fade within hours and were of no consequence to me though the pouring rain in front of me would cause much worse injury. All I could do was wait for whatever expanse of time the Poison Rain lasts. Not the best situation to find myself in, admittedly. Mara would laugh herself to death if she were ever to know. The thought fueled my certainty that I would get out of this valley, if only out of stubbornness that she would never find out. Her scrutinizing, condescending gaze filled my mind but I pushed it away. She will not find out. She will never. The thought repeats like an anthem through my head as I reach for the leather sack which laid at my side, having fallen off while I slept. I pulled out a small piece of meat and ate at it as I sat and waited, daring the rain to continue.

The sun was just visible in the valley at the time the rain began to flicker. The drops became fewer and fewer until they no longer came at all.

I stood with deep self-satisfaction though, in all probability, the natural phenomenon had nothing to do with my power of will. Stepping out of my shelter I carefully dodge a drop of liquid dripping off the cliff. The safest thing to do would probably be to wait until the valley had dried and the puddles of deadly liquid had disappeared; however I may not have time enough to do so. This dry spell could be over in a matter of hours if not minutes. As dangerous as standing out in the open was at that moment, I needed to get out and that was as good a time as any. Whether I made my move in this dry spell or another, it would be risky, though the chances were worlds better than if I simply stayed and allowed myself to starve.

My boot hit the soft ground, creating an indent. Knowing there was no time to waste I took a step back to survey the side of the valley before me. It was almost completely vertical and no doubt slick from the rain. Climbing it would be difficult but not impossible, not for me. I stepped up to it and braced myself before laying a hand on the stone. Pain was immediate, a sharp burn. Pulling my hand away with a slight hiss I examined it. The skin was red and irritated but nothing worse was visible. The layer of liquid over the stone wasn’t enough to severely harm flesh, that is in quick cases of contact. If my hand had rested there for a while longer then the skin would have been dissolved. However I had braced myself for worse so though again these were objectionable conditions, I could do it. Looking up and down the wall I planned my route and went for it.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

With a leap, I was on the valley wall, my hands and feet finding holds. The burn was there but I pushed the sensation to the outskirts of my thoughts, only minding it enough to know when to move my hands in order to prevent permanent damage. I pulled myself up finding hold after hold. At one point the nearest holds were yards higher than I was. I had to make a large jump, stretching my body in a way that caused a sharp pain in my side where my wound rested. I did not stop, instead I pushed away the sensation like I had done before. If I was to scale this hundred yard high acid-coated wall, stopping- even for a moment- wasn’t an option. I continued, making many more perilous jumps in my struggle of getting to the top.

Fear of heights was not something I had. Mara had made sure of that.

A memory took hold in my mind. Me, not yet five years old, tightly gripping a rope fastened to each side of the ravine near our settlement, it being the feeble remains of the bridge degraded over decades. Burns were scored into my palms, my arms straining with effort, as my body swayed with the wind. It had hurt, my sight blurred from tears I refused to shed, but looking down I knew what would hurt far worse. The drop alone would kill me, of that there was no doubt, yet the sharp rocks helped to give the scene a more menacing quality. I squeezed my eyes closed as I took a shaky breath. Upon opening them I viewed Mara still standing on the edge of the ravine watching me, eyes catching every minute tremble and hesitation. Clenching my jaw, I locked my gaze with hers. My grip in one hand loosened, advancing down the rope and pulling my body another foot forward. The sting in my palms remained, but my breath steadied and sight cleared. This wouldn’t be the thing to do me in.

Mara had taught me that fear was weakness, that pain was but an obstacle to overcome. That, like so many of her lessons, had been burned into me somewhere deep inside.