Driving to the Mountain

“Drive to the mountain.”
“Rest and relax.”
That’s Dr. Monroe’s idea of therapy. Drive to the mountain and get healed. I got so tired of hearing him say it, I decided to call his bluff and actually drive to the blasted mountain.
This really was a terrible idea, one of his worst. I had been driving for three days and the mountain never seemed to get any closer. I checked the map, my odometer, my GPS. (I always like a second and third opinion.) I tuned into the local radio station and heard the weather forecast for Mt. R&R (my nickname of course. The real name will remain anonymous, for obvious reasons). All the clues said I was getting closer. But every day, the mountain was just out of reach, covered with fog, laughing at me.
On the fourth day, I finally caught on to the doctor’s plan. The mountain of course was a fantasy. It never existed. He wanted to push me over the edge. He had hypnotized me to see and hear what wasn’t really there. But now I was onto his game. I’d prove how brilliant I was, how sane, how together.
I had stashed a small recorder on board, so now I had an alternative plan. I’d stop and interview the natives, pointing to the so-called mountain. They’d all say no such mountain existed, and we’d laugh together at the cosmic joke. And every word would be recorded!
I stopped at the next rest stop. There were people milling around, taking pictures, stretching their legs. I switched on the recorder. “Look at ole Mount R&R,” I giggled and pointed. No one even turned around. “What a joke, huh?” I roared. “Dr. M’s non-existent mountain!!” No one seemed to see me. I walked up to a guy in a blue sweater, stared directly into his eyes. He looked right through me, then turned to his companion and exclaimed, “Lovely view of the mountain from here!”
I see it all now. The mountain isn’t the illusion – I am. 
Help me, Dr. Monroe, please help me!
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Sandra James
Sandra James(@sandra-james)
2 years ago

I didn’t see that ending coming, Fuji! Very intriguing 🙂

Carrie OLeary
Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
2 years ago

What an interesting read and a great twist at the end.

musing mind
musing mind(@musing-mind)
2 years ago

The end was not predictable at all. This was a beautiful story. Picking mountain as the goal to reach was a very good idea.

Susan Dawson
Susan Dawson(@susan-dawson)
2 years ago

I think we are all becoming invisible, til the only reality is behind the computer screen, on Zoom. My area goes into lockdown again tonight – could do with a mountain to bang my head against.

Melissa Taggart
Melissa Taggart(@melissa-taggart)
2 years ago

Beautiful story. I love the twist at the end. Keep on going!

Christer Norrlof
Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
2 years ago

As a comment to your answer to Sandra, I would like to say that it happens to me too that a story surprises me by taking its own turns; by going where I didn’t plan for it to go. It’s fascinating when it happens because I think that’s where the subconscious part of our minds can help us to make the story more interesting and intriguing, both to its writer and to… Read more »

Eric Radcliffe
Eric Radcliffe(@eric-radcliffe)
2 years ago

Am I right in thinking this story begins with the word ‘blasted’? It’s this end of her listening to the Ego? (second and third opinion) I think Christer hit the nail on the head, when he said that it’s only when we subconsciously lose our self in a story, that our intuition takes over. Well, Fuji another great story from you – well written.

Lotchie Carmelo
Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
2 years ago

Very interesting story but I am astonished when I came to read the ending part of the story. What an excellent twist, Fuji. You surprised me a lot.

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