Here’s a short piece I wrote for the All About Writing monthly challenge – I was a runner up…

“We are either here,” Pauline is still panting from the strenuous hike we’ve made along a stony game path up the mountain. She prods at our sodden Ordinance Survey map, “or here.” She points to a different spot. “If we are here, we still stand a chance to make the time cut off.” She looks at her watch.

I try to peer at the map and an icy waterfall runs from my hood onto the map. I swipe it away and the map tears down the soaking fold.

“If we are here,” I prize the left half of the map from Pauline’s grip and point back to the first place, “there is a mountain rescue cabin about five miles away.” I too look at my watch. “We could make it by sun down. We can wait out the rain until Mr Lofthouse realises we are not at the end point and comes to look for us.”

“If you’re wrong, we will have walked five miles further in the wrong direction. We also wont qualify for our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.” She hitches her rucksack higher up her back. “I’ve worked too bloody hard to qualify to lose it because you,” her index finger hovers by my nose, “took a stupid short cut.”

I watch her high visibility jacket march off east.

“I brought hot chocolate,” I call. “and Romany Creams.” Pauline’s pace slows.

“Normal or white chocolate?”

“White chocolate Romany Creams are an insult to mankind.” I say. I walk west.