My Mountain

[Bob Clay]

There was somebody on my mountain. Not that the mountain is actually  mine you understand, it's been here a couple of billion years give or take, but while I'm living on it .. it belongs to me.  That may seem selfish, but I'm a member of that illustrious company the human race, selfish is what we're good at.

I took another look at the northern horizon, quiet now, but it used to glow with the fading light of burning cities, that was years ago, right now whoever was on my mountain had come out of the north. Too bad for them whoever they were because I don't want people of any kind on my mountain, they can have the world if they want it, what's left of it,  but not my mountain.

Perhaps they're just passing through, perhaps they're heading south in a vain search for something better, I don't care, all I know is they're on my mountain, I slid a round into the rifle and started walking north.

[Teresa]

Selfish is one of those good and bad words.  It's hard to find the middle.  But this guy was way off.  Good one.

[Kristine_ES]

can't say it better than what's been (well) said down below.

selfish will never change, neither will trespass, it seems. but as sandra said, it's how we survive. unless something radically changes in us (we evolve out of this behavior) your story is true.

[Edward Dean]

Fun thought provoking piece, B.C.

Reminds me of an old song lyric;......"Oh no.......they can't take that away from me"......:)

[Javed Baloch]

Oh lol. We keep what we kill for. Or is it the other way around. Either way, dont think we would be hearing from them trespassing northerners any time soon. Or ever. A fun read!

[Sandra Davies]

Selfish is how we survive - I like this a lot,  Brad's 'primal' is the perfect one word description of its mood.

[Paul de Denus]

I like this too- McCarthy-ish in a superb way- holding on to what is left- I suppose that's not too selfish

[Brad Rose]

That last line is threatening and primal.  I wonder who these trespassers are, the ones who come from the North?  A feeling of place is can be very deep.  Place and ownership of the place.  It's often part of our deepest identities--at least since the demise of hunter gather societies--who had a feeling of place but not of ownership. 

[Angela]

"selfish is what we're good at" - interesting the way your narrator hangs on this the old idea in spite of everything being lost.  Wonder if we would hang on to our old ideas that firmly.  Good six for provoking thought.