[1-Minute Story] My Mountain Climbing Debut

The night I watched a documentary about climbing Mount Everest, I stood up, overwhelmed with emotion, and slammed my hand onto the living room table.

This is it!! I'm going to climb it too!!
Watching the Everest climbers desperately pushing through snow and ice, taking every life-or-death step amidst howling winds. Seeing their expressions filled with a sense of accomplishment as they reached the summit after gasping for air. As I watched that moment where smiles and tears mingled, I felt as if I were right there with them, and a desire to achieve something great welled up inside me.
That was when I set my sights on the local hill behind my house, which stands at an elevation of 50 meters. As long as my passion is burning, no one can stop me.

First things first, this is the first step to Everest!
Full of high spirits, I packed water, snacks, and a rope into my backpack and set off. I already felt like the leader of an Everest expedition team.

Standing at the foot of the hill, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I had heard that staying calm and composed is the key to mountain climbing.
I readjusted my backpack and took a deep breath, inhaling through my nose.
Alright, let's go!
This step is the start of my journey to glory.

However, an anomaly occurred just three minutes into the climb.

This is ridiculous... huff... huff... what is this mysterious fatigue...
I was out of breath, my heart was pounding. My legs felt heavy, the backpack straps were digging into my shoulders, and there wasn't even a breeze. On top of that, tree roots were getting in the way, making it hard to walk.


I didn't sign up for this!!


The climbers I saw in the documentary must have climbed much more smoothly. My pace slowed down more and more, like a snail crawling up a cliff, until I finally tripped over a tree root and fell to my knees.


My breath... I'm out of oxygen...

I had heard that oxygen tanks were essential for Everest, but I never thought I'd need one at an elevation of 50 meters.

Am I going to die here...


Just then, I heard a voice from behind. What's wrong, young man?
When I turned around, there stood Mr. Sasaki. He is a bit of a local celebrity in town, a veteran who has conquered this hill many times. Although he is in his 60s, he is said to be like a mountain goat for the way he nimbly runs around the mountain.

I'm... running out of oxygen...
When I said that, Mr. Sasaki laughed heartily and encouraged me, saying, I see. That's tough. In that case, why don't you aim for the summit with me?


With Mr. Sasaki pulling me along, I managed to keep climbing. Every time I stopped and asked for a break, Mr. Sasaki would encourage me, saying, It's okay, it's okay, just a little further.

And when I finally reached the summit, I couldn't help but shed tears. The sight of looking down from above at the convenience store at the foot of the mountain, which I visit every day, was fresh and special. Further away, I could see the supermarket and its large parking lot, and even further beyond that, a glimpse of the roof of my house. This view is something you can never experience in everyday life; it must truly be the moment of bliss for a mountaineer.


How about it, not bad, right?
Mr. Sasaki patted my shoulder with satisfaction and smiled gently. I wiped my tears and nodded. It's the best, Mr. Sasaki... I'm sure reaching the summit of Everest feels just like this..., I said, conveying my deepest emotion.
Everest? Well, maybe so. Even if the height is different, the feeling must be the same.

As I nodded at Mr. Sasaki's words, I felt like I had become a slightly bigger person than I was before I climbed the mountain.