Day 13 brought low spirits to the remaining two members. Felicia’s body was left in the ice and snow — they would see it on their return. Gustav was incredibly quiet. Blake could see pure sadness and grief in the man’s eyes.

“Don’t beat yourself up, Gustav,” Blake told him that evening, “it wasn’t your fault. You warned us. We asked her every night if she wanted to return, and she refused. It’s not your fault.”

Gustav only nodded but never responded.

“Hey,” Blake said quietly. “Tomorrow is day 14. We’ve reached the summit.”

“But Felicia never will.” The two men embraced briefly, wordlessly, before they carried on.

Day 14, Gustav stopped and pointed up. Blake looked up and saw the summit — the peak of the snowy mountain. A flag blew on top of the mountain.

Blake smiled a wide smile underneath his scarf and patted Gustav on his back. They had actually made it. From a team of four down to two, they had embraced the harshest conditions and somehow they had made it to the top. One more hour, Blake estimated. One more hour before they would reach the summit.

They continued climbing with their goal in sight. The hike grew slower as the path became narrower. Strong winds blew that threatened to push them off the path but they continued on. Blake looked past Gustav in front of him and kept his eye on the flag. Just a few more steps and he would have acquired his goal. Gustav’s knee bent in front of him and he saw the man go down on one knee.

“Gustav! Are you alright!?” Blake tried to hurry to where Gustav was.

Gustav held his thumb up, to show that he was fine. He stood up and took another step and lost his balance just as another rough gust of wind blew. Blake set his feet into the snow, bracing himself against the wind. Gustav couldn’t do the same.

“Gustav!!!” Blake screamed, as he saw the wind push the man over the edge of the path. Blake took two hurried steps towards him and fell to his knees, hands pressed down into the cold snow as he watched Gustav fall, down the side of the mountain.

“GUSTAV!!!” Blake yelled once more into the wind.

Tears began to prick at his eyes. He looked up at the summit, 15 minutes away from him. 15 minutes away and he was alone at the top of the mountain. He took a deep breath, swallowed, and turned, climbing higher on his own. His mind continually thought back to Gustav, and the vision of Gustav falling. After 15 minutes, he reached the summit. He put his hand on the icy flag, breathing deeply. Then he sat down, back pressed against the circular concrete slab that was there, and he began to weep. He wept for Felicia’s icy body that they had left in the snow. He wept for Gustav who had fallen just moments before. He wept for the goal that he had achieved and the price that he had paid for it. 14 days of climbing and he had made it…alone.

Blake didn’t remain long there. It was time to descend. The descent from the summit was a hard one. Not because the ground was icy, nor because the air was cold. It was hard because he had to do it alone. 14 days he had spent climbing this mountain with others and now he was alone. There were others around; other hikers who traveled in their own private little groups at their own pace. Somehow that just made the loneliness worse.

He managed to reach the campsite just before evening struck. Gustav had instructed him to leave the tent set up before their final climb since they would be returning to the same location the same day. He entered the tent and looked around. He was truly alone. The other tents around him that were filled with people and laughter mattered nothing to him. His people, his group — they were gone. He found relief in the memory that Caleb had decided to return to base camp. He surely wouldn’t have made it all the way to the summit.

Blake put the gas stove and the heater on while removing his clothes. He brewed himself coffee and opened a can of already cooked eggs along with a can of sardines. He had his pick of food. The meal was eaten in silence; no talking, no laughing, no complaining. Just silence. He got into his sleeping bag and offered a prayer. Then he willed himself to sleep. He had nightmares that night of Felicia sitting on a rock and watching him. Of Gustav falling down the mountain and pulling him down also. That Caleb hadn’t made it down the mountain safely. He hadn’t slept well at all that night.

In the morning, he had to take down the tent himself. That was a struggle. The wind blew and made it quite difficult for him, threatening to blow the tent away each time he loosened a rope. Another hiker decided to help him. He thanked the man with a nod of the head and began his descent. Day 15. The weight of the bags was a struggle for him. He now had to carry the tent, the gas tank, and the food on his own. The food was much reduced: he only needed enough for himself, and so he left behind that which was not necessary. Gustav had fallen with the emergency supplies. Blake had given the smaller tent to the man who had helped him. He wanted to leave the gas tank as well but he thought against it. Seven days before he returned to base camp. Seven days and this blizzard hell would be over.

Tell us: How would you feel if you were in Blake’s shoes?