Monte Rosa

By S.T.O.L.M.

“Humankind is just a minuscule dot up here. We don’t belong here, yet we keep coming, driven by longing for adventure or curiosity. I am no exception. Young and foolish, they said when I was sixteen. Now I’m eighteen. I wouldn’t have any sense of loss if I had to turn back now. It’s still a long way to the top. I am not the first to ascend, but it hasn’t been climbed very often. My backpack is heavy, and my boots are still dry. As long as I’m moving, I’m not cold.”

The young man stops for a moment, stepping about a foot away from the trail. It’s not advisable to go much further, as nobody knows what lies beneath the snow. The typical blue of the glacier is all over visible. He is thirsty; the snow helps enough to keep his mouth moist. He is about to get going again, but a man wearing enormous sunglasses appears out of nowhere, scaring the heck out of him.

“Who are you?”

“My friends call me Johnny. And you are?”

“Lawrence. Nice meeting you.”

“Likewise.”

“I’d keep going, Johnny, and I don’t want to be rude. Could you step over to give me some space to pass?”

“Why so much in a hurry? Take your time, my young friend. The weather’s fine today, the peak is just around the corner. You won’t miss anything if you spend five more minutes talking with me. What do you do for a living, Lawrence?”

“Natural sciences.”

“Which branch?”

“Mathematics and physics.”

“Interesting. Me too. Let’s talk a bit.”

“Any suggestions?”

“The problem of space junk, for one.”

“Space junk? The air is too thin here. I wonder if I’m hallucinating things.”

“You’re not. I did say space junk.”

“Ok, so what do you mean?”

“William Leitch had an idea in 1861.”

“That was only five years ago.”

“That depends on the point of observation.”

“Never heard of Leitch.”

“He described a way to get into space.”

“What?”

“You don’t think it’s possible, do you?”

“I don’t know. Not really. For the moment.”

“We have three hundred meters to think.”

“That depends on the point of observation.”

“Fair enough. Let’s move on slowly.”

“Air’s pretty thin here. What’s your thought?”

“People can’t use knowledge. Science is advancing. Humanity, however, does not. I was once involved in a military project. It was a significant scientific breakthrough and contributed to a war effort, but I can’t disclose further details about it. Since then, humanity has been on a path of self-destruction. Pollution, litter, even in the mountains. It’s trendy to ascend, but nobody seems to care about taking everything down. The tendency, or the need, to think is diminishing. There is consumption and the pursuit of happiness instead.”

“Isn’t that a result of unhappiness?”

“Unhappiness is also a form of pollution, a self-inflicted one.”

“You said you are a scientist, but you seem very philosophical. How does that combine?”

“Chasing desires and illusions is not life. Forgetting how to play is included. Keep going, Lawrence!”

“After you. The air is thin, and I can’t move fast.”

“Up here no one can, my dear friend.”

Meanwhile, Johnny is thinking, “How young! He’ll be the prince of physics. Uncle Albert will call him that. He’ll be an idol. The prince of physics … Nice expression. He’s only eighteen now. He’ll have a very remarkable legacy. He sees the First World War, but not the Second. That’s when something will begin that will determine the future of humanity for a long time to come.”

“Different worlds meeting on Earth. We could be brought together by a wormhole, for example. Would we fit in that hole?“ He says aloud.

“Everything is possible. Don’t slow down.”

“You’re younger, why don’t you go faster?”

“That’s not why I said that.”

“It’s just a few more steps to the top.”

“That was a challenging one. Humanity does not belong here, and yet here we are.”

“Johnny, I’d like us to summit together. Climbing is best when you’re not alone.”

“I understand, young friend.”

“I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid, to look around from the top of Monte Rosa. At that time, I thought witches lived at least this high up, and I didn’t know the highest peak of the Monte Rosa Massif was called Mount Dufour.”

“I hope you no longer believe in witches.” Comments Johnny.

Wind starts blowing, but the sun still shines, and there’s not a single cloud in the sky.

“Let’s go back down, I don’t like this wind.”

„ Me neither, it’s pretty strong.”

The wind is becoming a whirlwind, growing darker in the center. The mountain slowly disappears, and the two men enter the vortex. 

“What is happening? Everything’s a blur! What is it?” Shouts Lawrence through the noise.

“It’s all around us, be cool. We’ll be all right.”

“What is it? Have you ever seen anything like this?”

“Space has shifted; we’re standing on the fabric of the universe.”

“Where’s the mountain? Where are we?”

“In a wormhole, my dear friends.” A cheerful voice replies.

“Uncle Albert! “ Johnny is visibly relieved.

“Hello, Johnny.”

“Where’s your body?”

“It’s just the energy. I’ve been travelling like this lately.”

“This is incredible!”

“You need to be at the right wormhole in the right place and at the right time.”

“We’re going through space and time. Johnny, Uncle Albert, are you not afraid?”

“We don’t have much time, you wonderful minds.”

“Mankind is going to get itself into a lot of trouble. They don’t know it yet, my dear Lawrence. Uncle Albert and I already have an idea. Humans will go into space and do the same things they do on Earth. Littering around.”

“Will that be a big problem?”

“Do you mean the cosmic waste left behind by humanity?”

“Five thousand metric tons by the millennium, and multiplying. Ten thousand by 2020. Is that considered big enough?”

“Well, definitely not negligible.”

“How about an appropriate wormhole?”

“And where would the trash land through that? In another world? Gentlemen, let’s stop being so unpretentious.”

“Do we have to solve this problem?”

“Nope.”

“But we can.”

“Could we control a wormhole?”

“No, that’s why they are wormholes, my dear Lawrence. But where does this wormhole take us?”

“Do you want to travel?” Albert’s cheerful voice asks.

“Yes!”

“Then watch!”

Below the wormhole, events on Earth flash by in rapid succession. Lawrence, Johnny, and Uncle Albert watch them as if they were at a cinema. The march of soldiers during World War I, civilians fleeing in long lines during the Spanish Civil War, and Trinity’s mushroom cloud. The international reports of the first satellite launch in 1957, a spacecraft departing with Laika on board. Moments from the 1969 moon landing, when Armstrong takes his first step, followed by satellite deployments one after another in quick succession.

“What a wonderful development!” Says Lawrence in awe.

“You were the first step towards digital progress, my dear Lawrence.”

“The human mind is brilliant.”

“It is, but it’s prone to go astray. You’ve just seen the havoc man can wreak.”

“Is mankind bad?”

“Nope, but those who seek and get power do not want to see responsible people. They want people who are easy to lead.”

“Easy to mislead.” Interjects Johnny.

“I´m sure there will be a solution.”

“Oh dear Lawrence, the young are always hopeful. Some people remain so even in old age. Our journey has just ended, it was an honour to have your company!”

The wormhole is narrowing, the air is clearing, and the mountain is reappearing in bright sunshine. The scientists have vanished. Below the snow line, two people are hiking uphill. One of them, a woman, lags slightly behind, but she seems to be making a strong effort to catch up with the man in front of her.

“Hey! Hello!”

“Yes?”

“Do you know anything about those grand rocks at the bottom of the hill?”

“They say they are the tears of God, and if need be, he will pocket the rocks one day to help humanity.”

“Nice story!”

“I’d rather move on, if you don´t mind, dear ….”

“Isabella. What´s your name?”

“Rano.”

Isabella takes out her cellphone and checks the weather forecast for the day.

“Strong wind is expected, so I’d rather camp here. It’s late, and I don’t want to be forced to bivouac in a windy, cold place. I’ll put up my tent between the three teardrops.”

“You’re right. Do you mind if I spend the night here too?”

“Not at all. Tears of God belong to everyone.”

“Well said.”

“What brings you out here?”

“A childhood dream.”

“You don’t seem very experienced.”

“I’ve never climbed before, but I’ve a moderate case of vertigo. However, I’m trained.”

“Are you on your own?”

“Yep.”

“Let’s put up the tent. Only one tent fits between the rocks, yours or mine?”

“Yours.”

“I hope it’s not because you want to skip setting it up. Or worse, because you don’t have one.”

Isabella unpacks the tent and sets it up in less than three minutes.

“You’ll help me pack it when we leave.” She adds, peeking from inside, squinting at the stunned man.

It´s cozy inside, but the wind is getting stronger. She takes out a gas cooker and puts some water on.

“What would you like to drink? Tea, coffee, cocoa?”

“Tea, please. You’re well prepared.”

“You’re not. It’s pretty stupid to hit the trail on your own with no experience.”

“I figured I’d go up, since I’ve come this far. As a kid, I dreamed of going up there with the love of my life and kissing her at the top.”

“Very romantic. Still, it was irresponsible to come alone. It’s a nice thought, though.”

“But I’m going up, that’s something.”

“Today you’re not.”

“How about you? You don’t seem like the kind of gal hiking alone.”

“Don’t let your prejudices override your thinking. I’ve been here before, but I had to turn back. I hoped to do it this time. But today, circumstances are not suitable.”

“Hey, is it normal that it gets dark so fast out there? „ Rano waddles to the tent door, unzipping it.

The wind’s kicking in. They peek outside, then quickly retreat.

“Anything can happen on the mountain at any time. There’s only one thing to do: wait patiently until the weather turns good again.”

Isabella takes out her phone again to check the news.

“Usually, it´s not so bad.”

“What?”

“No signal, no 4G, no 5G, nothing. Before putting up the tent, 4G was available.”

“Must be the space junk.”

“The what?”

“Cosmic waste.”

“Oh, yeah, right.”

“Really.”

“Okay, then that.”

“I was never a climber, but as a kid, it was wonderful to fantasize about getting here one day. Life is a half-smile with few happy moments, so I treasure those.”

“Are you bitter, Rano?”

“I think I am.”

“You can be, we have time.”

“I’ll go up as soon as I can.”

Meanwhile, the water boils.

“Are you hungry?”

“I am.”

“I’ll make you dinner.”

“Are you a good cook?”

“I make exceptional space food. I can’t conjure up a Michelin-starred menu in these conditions, but I promise it will be edible. You can tell me more about the cosmic waste while we eat space food. You could laugh at my joke.

Rano starts laughing so hard that he can’t stop for minutes. When he manages to control himself, he rubs his eyes and asks very seriously:

“Could you conjure up a Michelin-star menu in normal conditions?”

“No, but it sounded good, don’t you think?”

“You’re funny.”

They sit in silence, warming their hands on their tea mugs and listening to the roaring wind. Isabella turns on the light.

“Man is like a miner in space. He eats bacon and bread but doesn’t use the trash can. We have to advance. There are many of us, but we leave lots of rubbish everywhere. I’m sure sometimes a piece or two falls back to Earth. Pieces of trash hit space stations and satellites. That may be why there’s no reception now. I don’t know what the cosmic world needs us humans for.”

“You’re welcome to think about it, Rano. There’s nothing I hate more than waiting for good weather, even if the wait is among the tears of God.”

“About a solution to all that rubbish?”

“Yeah, to all the trash.”

“There are ideas. There’s never gonna be a real drive until it hurts enough. It’s still something to think about.”

“I told you to take your time. I don´t think anything changes with thinking, though.”

“Don’t you want to change the world anymore?”

“I’ve passed that era long ago, Rano.”

“The world’s stupidity is boring. We use only a fraction of our brain capacity. What if we could substantially increase efficiency?”

“God knows it’s a complex subject.”

“Do you believe in God?”

“I’m not a believer. Or rather, I believe only in myself, so I spare disappointment. Sure, there was a guy named Jesus, but if he’s so powerful, why is he letting things go wrong?”

“I don’t know … Why doesn’t the church split half its wealth? Well-off church people preach while living in quiet luxury.”

“They’re not bothered by poverty.”

“They could live more modestly.”

“The average person could, too, by the way.”

“The wealthy churches can draw attention to the need for all to go in the same direction. The feeble attempts throughout history all failed.”

“Many geese conquer a swine. Or not.”

“We should learn more from history.”

“Or else?”

“It will be another Thermopylae battle for exclusive commercial rights.”

“We’ve had a few of these before. But what’s this got to do with space?”

“We want to dominate something we don’t even know.

“We don’t know it well enough. It’s happened before. So, how do you think the problem can be solved?

“Faith, cooperation, science, intelligence, and energy focus.”

“What are you using?”

“Maybe a proper wormhole would also help.”

“A wormhole?”

“They can connect worlds, and only energy can get through.”

“I know by and large what they are.”

“As soon as we understand time and gravity, it will be part of everyday life. It will also mean using our brains more efficiently.”

“These are complicated thoughts.”

“It’d still be nice to get some answers. Like the first moment of the heart.”

“Quick shift. What do you mean?”

“That’s another question that has no answer. We can’t define what triggers the first heartbeat. We only know that the heart develops first.”

“But we don’t know what starts the engine, is that what you mean?”

“Yes, that’s what I mean.”

The wind is getting stronger outside, and the noise is increasing proportionally inside.

“The wind is picking up.”

“Are you scared?”

“Why should I be? This tent is designed for such conditions. I’ve been in worse storms, and I’m still here.”

“The tears of God protect us.”

Now Isabella is starting to laugh a lot.

“What’s so funny?”

“Are you like this by nature, or are you playing a role, or are you on special drugs?”

“Are you impressed?”

Izabella is thinking, not knowing what to say. Rano sees her hesitation and prefers to detour the subject.

“Want some chocolate?”

“What do you have?”

“White.”

“I like white, thank you.“

“I want to stargaze here. Just like I imagined as a child.

“Not a bad idea. You might even see some if there are no clouds. Romantic.”

“I’m glad I’m not alone right now.”

“I have the feeling you’re struggling a bit.”

“Like a child struggling to make his wish come true. You’re right.”

“You know two things have a real impact on the mind – if a wish comes true … “

“And if it doesn’t.”

Meanwhile, the wind is dying down.

“Shall we go out then?”

“I think we should stay close to the tears of God to be protected.”

“Are you scared?”

“Just inexperienced and not willing to take unnecessary risks.”

“So, we’re stargazing. I’m glad the wind eased off. Rano?”

“Izabella?”

“Can we talk more about the first beat of the heart?”

“Why is that?”

“The thought keeps my mind busy.”

They both climb out of the tent. It’s freezing cold outside, and Isabella immediately returns to get her down jacket. Rano is only wearing a light shell.

“Please talk about the first moment of the heart, Rano.”

“Okay, but first let’s look up at the starry sky. Izabella, please. How much I’ve dreamed of looking at the sky above Monte Rosa!”

“How does it feel?”

“Good, and I’m glad that you’re here.”

“You should be. Otherwise, you’d have tried to go up, and I’d have organized a rescue when I found you half dead on the trail.”

“Look at that spark!”

“Shooting star.”

“Shiny space junk is falling on us.”

“We might even die being hit by cosmic waste.”

“Wind is picking up again.”

“Does this wind mean anything?”

“I don’t know, this is the second strange wind today.”

A man appears from nowhere. He is very elegant, wearing a custom-made jacket and a tie.

“Someone’s coming.”

“Good evening, I’m Spark.”

“Spark?”

“Yes. Rano and Isabella, you’re sitting on the biggest wormhole.”

“How do you know our names?”

“Think about it for a moment.”

“Did you say wormhole?”

“I did.”

“Can we travel?”

“Do you want to?”

“It’d be nice to see how much space junk is out there, and if it’s gonna cause any trouble down here.”

“Okay, come closer.”

Isabella and Rano are moving closer. Space opens up above them, as if they’re floating in it together with Spark.

“There’s a lot of junk!” They say in a choir.

“Every solution starts with a divine spark. Listen to each other. See if you can detect that divine spark.”

The wormhole transforms into a vortex, and everything goes dark for a moment. The sun rises at the foot of the Monte Rosa massif on Earth again. The tent still stands among the rocks. There’s movement inside, and Isabella sticks her head out. She looks up into the sunshine. There is not a cloud in the sky. She pulls out her phone, checks the forecast, and starts packing her bags excitedly.

“Rano, get up, we’re leaving! We’re going up today, move!”

“Leave me alone, I had such a nice dream.”

“Me too, but I’m still going up. There was this guy called Spark in my dream.”

“And a wormhole?”

“Yeah. And space junk.”

“Did we have the same dream?”

“Maybe we did. What if the wormhole’s on top of the mountain?”

“Then we’ll be traveling soon.”

Rano climbs out of the tent fully dressed. Isabella follows, and they pack up the tent in minutes. They eat two energy bars for breakfast and quickly set off.

Our duo represents a unique blend of healthcare and management expertise, united by a shared passion for storytelling. He is a dedicated nurse and physiotherapist whose deep commitment to healing is rooted in his Romani heritage.
Born and raised in Hungary and now residing in Germany, she balances a career in project management with a growing passion for writing. She focuses on drama and theater, exploring the intricate dynamics of human relationships through her works.