The White Clothes Mountain
It was a cold morning as the three friends walked along the cliff road. The sun was just rising in the distance, bathing the sky a soft pink. It was a narrow path carved from rock that led up to a mountain. There was no rope or any safety equipment as the three friends made their way to the top; it was simply a challenge they had set for themselves, trying to reach the peak. They had only been in the town a few weeks, but they had already heard all manner of interesting and strange things about the "Mountain of the White Clothes."
There had been rumors that at the top of the mountain, you would find riches beyond extraordinary measure. It was claimed that if you reached the top, a reward would be waiting — and you could pick anything you desired.
Three Unlikely Companions
Nate is a handsome young man with dark eyes and a chin full of dark beard. He has a muscular frame and is built like an ox, but in truth, he is one of the most cowardly young men to ever grace that town. He came from a middle-class family that lacked nothing and provided everything for him.
Jack is not handsome. He had a face full of pockmarks from a disease he picked up as a kid that made his skin peel, leaving him looking like someone who had been doused with hot oil. He has a bald patch in the middle of his head, and he also came from a well-to-do family.
The last of the three friends is Abram — a quiet and shy young man who keeps his thoughts to himself and only speaks when the others address him. Above all, he minds his business and never tries to reach beyond what he knows. He came from a poor family and is content with what they can provide; he has prayed that one day he would find a way to lift his family out of poverty. He is an average-looking guy with a soft voice, and yet he always had the ladies wanting to be with him, even though he made no effort to impress them.
A Troubling Dream and an Unexpected Visit
That fateful morning, Abram was lying in thought, turning over a strange dream in his mind. He laughed quietly to himself, wondering why he would dream such a thing — the two people involved had never even met. How could his friend Nate kiss his girlfriend when they had never crossed paths, and he had never told Nate about her? And yet, in the dream, Nate had been kissing her while Abram sat and watched with a furious stare.
He heard his doorbell and called out in his soft voice, "The door is open — come in."
Nate entered with Jack, yawning as he flopped down on Abram's bed with bloodshot eyes. "You will never believe how I spent the night," he said with a sigh.
"I don't want to know," Abram said. "I'm sure it has something to do with something illegal."
"That isn't true," Jack said, rifling through Abram's storage cupboard in search of something to eat. "What are you doing cooped up indoors, man? Your place is as dry as a corpse."
Abram kept silent and just looked at him.
"It is not illegal, man," Nate said, sitting up and glaring at Abram. "How can spending the night at a club be illegal?"
"I don't care. You can keep your business to yourself — it's no concern of mine," Abram said.
"Well, we are here to talk to you about the rumors," Jack said, giving up his hopeless search for food.
"What rumors?" Abram asked.
"About the riches at the top of the White Clothes Mountain."
"I'm not interested," he said. He wondered why they would even think of it — they were both from well-to-do families, yet whenever they caught the scent of easy money, their blood would run hot and they could not resist chasing it.
The Artist's Inspiration
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he missed what Nate was saying to him. "What?" he asked.
"I was just saying we should take a picnic up to the top. We don't have to bother with what the rumors say. All we have to do is reach the summit — and I imagine the view would be breathtaking. Don't forget you're good at painting. Imagine what you could create, eh?"
"Yeah," Jack added. "Imagine painting from the top of the mountain as the sun rises. That view would be incredible. Seeing it and putting it on canvas would be a great start for more excursions."
Abram was silent for a moment, turning his friends' words over in his mind. It was true — it would be a magnificent subject for an artist. He had not come across a single good landmark since they arrived in town. The earth was cracked and dry, and the dust was practically a direct route to the hospital. He still wondered why the contractor had sent them here when the place had virtually nothing — even running water was a mystery no one had solved. He considered it a moment longer, then sighed and gave them a slow nod, which made them both grin.
The Mouth of the Beast
Now they were walking along the path leading to the mountain. They had to crest a cliff before passing through a cave to the other side where the mountain began. As Abram walked and watched the sun climb higher, he shook his head — he still could not find the inspiration he had hoped for. The town was just a wasted, barren stretch of land soaked in gloom. He wondered how his two friends managed to have any fun here at all.
"You need to relax. When we reach the top, you'll find the view you're looking for," Jack said. Abram wondered if Jack could read his mind.
"I hope so," he said, as they continued climbing the cliff, which sloped upward for a few miles before dropping toward the cave.
When the cave finally came into view, Abram stopped and peered inside, half-expecting something to be lurking in the dark. "That looks scary," he said, squinting against the sun as he studied the entrance.
"It's just a cave, man. Don't be timid," Nate said.
"It looks like the mouth of a beast," Abram said.
Jack laughed and turned to him. "Well, think of it like a shy woman in the dark — you know, the kind you have to navigate from memory, not light."
Nate could not hold back. He bent over laughing, tears streaming from his eyes. "Jack, man — I couldn't have put it better!"
"What are you two going on about?" Abram asked, frowning as he looked between them.
"Good grief, man, are you that innocent?" Jack asked, while Nate had practically collapsed with laughter. "We are walking with a certified virgin!"
"Let us go," Abram said quietly, walking past them with a firm look. He had always held himself to a certain standard. He had even told his girlfriend there would be no intimacy until marriage, and she had agreed without argument. He wondered, not for the first time, whether the dream he had that morning was trying to tell him something.
The Shadow at the Gate
When they reached the mouth of the cave, Abram was hesitant to enter. He stood at the entrance peering inside, but he could see nothing—just darkness. The darkness was cold, and he swore he saw a form skittering just a few meters from the entrance where the light stopped. He felt a hard poke on his back and turned, seeing Jack grinning at him.
"What?" he asked, rubbing at the place Jack had poked him. "That hurt."
"Are you scared of shadows? Hurry up, let us get going, and don't forget riches are waiting for us above."
"I'm not interested in the damn riches," Abram said. "Now that I come to think of it, I shouldn't have agreed to this adventure."
"It is too late," Nate said. "Let's go."
As they moved to enter, a shadow fell over them, blocking the entrance. It was so dense that they felt it suffocating them; their bodies were locked in place and they could only move their heads.
"Who seeks the entrance of The Shadow Man?" the shadow said in a voice that sounded like two pieces of sandpaper scraping together.
The three friends looked at each other with no clue what to say or do. They thought they would simply walk from the entrance of the cave and climb the mountain to get the riches; no one had informed them of the process.
"Speak or be consumed," the shadow said, and a row of jagged teeth glistening with blue mist appeared where they thought its mouth was. It advanced slowly toward them.
"Sorry, we weren't told about the rules," Nate said quickly. "What is the price?"
At this, the shadow stopped and cocked its head—or what seemed like its head. Jack swore that if he looked carefully, it resembled a kid, but if he looked at the shadow directly, he saw an old, decaying man.
"The price is two pints of blood each."
The Bargain of Blood
"Not my blood," Abram said, shaking his head. "I don't want your damn riches."
"You're here, and you're in my grip, so you have already entered the bargain," the shadow said, snarling as it hovered around his head. With a flick of a dark claw, a cut appeared on the right side of Abram's cheek.
When Jack saw that, he swore under his breath. "Please calm down, it hasn't come to that. Don't be angry, oh mighty shadow."
"Be warned," the shadow said. "Your time starts now, and your every utterance will be like a ticket to your grave and nourishment for my soul."
As the shadow withdrew—but still held them in its grip—they looked at each other.
"We need to give him our blood if we want to survive," Nate said, looking at his two friends.
"No! I'm not giving him my blood. If I give him my blood, then the riches become a blood covenant. And besides, if he can demand blood, what about the thing at the top of the mountain? Do you think it wouldn't demand its own share of us?" Abram said, glaring at his friends. They had put him in a mess.
"I think Abram is right," Jack said, "but there is nothing we can do. The damn shadow holds us by our balls."
"I don't care. I would rather die than give my blood. I would rather work with my bare hands to earn wealth than earn it through my blood," Abram said.
"Speak for yourself," Nate said. "You think you're so saintly and mighty? Let me tell you, the simplest riches are the best. My dad is wealthy not because he worked hard; it is because he knows how to bypass the system of hard labor."
"Yeah, my dad told me he is working on that angle and that I should grab any opportunity to get wealthy," Jack said. "And when I asked what if it involves blood, he just laughed and said he didn't care."
"I don't think my father would ever approve of me getting wealthy that way or through an easy shortcut. He worked hard honestly and he is content. Mind you, things may change with the coming years, but I will never stick my hand in anything that has to do with blood money."
"Speak for yourself and don't blame us for what happens to you," Nate said.
The Final Judgment
The shadow appeared. "Your time is up. Pay the price or be devoured."
"I accept the deal," Nate said.
"Me too," Jack said.
The shadow turned to Abram, and he was silent. He looked at his friends, who ignored him, and he wondered what would happen when he made his choice. He wondered what his father would say if he heard his son had died in a blood money ritual. He had been taught that honesty is the best policy; he had been taught that the labor of your sweat is the greatest reward, no matter how little.
He closed his eyes, fighting the temptation that rose in him. That small voice at the back of his mind echoed loud: "You fool, don't listen to your father's advice. He has worked hard for many years and has nothing to show for it. He is growing old and the labor has ruined his health. Take this easy way and be rich forever. You will have no stress, no back pain, and everything will be alright. You can even make sure your father never works again." But another voice simply said all is vanity; at the end of the day, you will still grow old and die, and you will answer to your maker and be judged.
With a shaky breath, he said, "I refuse your offer, shadow."
"Very well," the shadow said. It slithered toward him, silent as a grave, and with a claw-like finger, placed a hand on Abram's head. "Young man, you have proven yourself honest and dedicated. You chose to earn wealth through hard work. This has been a test, and you have passed. As your reward, you shall return home, and from there your life will change for the better. You will give your parents the break and happiness they deserve."
"Wait!" Nate exclaimed. "That is not right! We chose to give our blood, and you're doing the opposite!"
The shadow turned to him, and Nate felt its eyes going red. He wondered when it had gotten eyes as he tried to move back, but he still couldn't.
"Young men," the shadow said, addressing Nate and Jack. "The secret of The White Clothes Mountain is in rewarding those with honest hearts—those who desire to work with their own hands to earn a living rather than to be handed wealth. You will both be returned to your families, but I cannot guarantee in what condition."
"This is not right!" Jack said as he tried to shout. But as he opened his mouth, shadow spilled in, and he choked, white foam coming from his mouth. Nate watched, peeing on himself, knowing he was next.
The shadow looked at Abram and said, "The secret of the White Clothes Mountain will endure, because you will forget all about this. When you begin receiving those riches, you will remember you earned them here, but you will have no idea how. So the next person who comes will never know how to pass the test."
And with that, darkness came over him.
If it were you, what would you do? Comment and let me know.
Have you read the war between the god of Time, and the god of Life The Two Gods
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