Mountaintop Meeting

Mea climbed the mountain. Her thighs burned as she stepped from one rock ledge to the next. She hiked this mountain once a week, and yet her body still shook from exhaustion. She had hiked yesterday on the forest trail, but today was just too nice of a day to pass up the opportunity to scale the mountain once again. She was glad she did. Just on the way to the base of the mountain trail, she saw several deer, owls, squirrels, chipmunks, and even a few foxes and coyotes skittering about in the morning light. Usually, they were all hidden deep from the trails. If Mea knew better, she would think something had them riled up.

Mea watched the bighorn sheep graze on the sparse grass near the middle of the mountain and the marmots diving for rocky cover as she stepped past.

Mea could smell how crisp the air was up there. The air's moisture tickled her nose as she took in deep breaths. This mountain was her only retreat from the smog of the city just twenty miles away. Up here, she could get away from everything. 

Just a few more steps, she told herself. Bracing her hands on her knees as she finally reached the top. 

A quiet, relatively flat top from an earthquake long ago that sent the old pointed top tumbling down the mountainside, where it now formed a mini version of its former self. 

Mea stood there, hands on her hips, as she sucked in the clean air. This was why she did it. This is why she always did it. Pushing her body to a near asthma attack, but in the end, it was always worth it. The clean, crisp air gave her lungs a healthy reset. She could smell the fresh pine air below wafting up the mountains, the moisture in the low-hanging clouds in the valley below, the sting of the brisk, cold morning air.

Mea smiled as she took in this little mountain, her mountain, unknown to most since the trial cut off three-quarters of the way, unused. It was easy and safe, but most did not venture this high after the trail ended. But Mea knew where to step. She had mapped her own trail to the top. 

Being alone at the top was peaceful, except this time, as Mea made her way to a small rock overhang where she usually sat and took in the forest below, she realized she was not alone. 

A few small peaks below was someone else… No, something else. They were making grunting noises as they appeared to struggle up the mountainside. They appeared human, except that if it wasn’t for the sound they were making, Mea wouldn’t have spotted them. Their green skin blending in with the forest below. Only a slight glow around them made them stand out from the pines. 

Mea stood still as she took in the creature, truly human-like as they struggled. Before she could process what her body was doing, Mea was climbing down the mountain to the creature. The creature with glowing green skin!

Am I out of my mind? She asked herself as she slowly neared the creature, but something in her heart kept her going. Something pushed her forward despite the ache throughout her body. 

It wasn’t long until Mea was at the cliff above the creature. She realized that it wasn’t grunting at all, but rather… Talking… This green glowing creature was talking. 

“Having to climb this mountain… fresh air… can’t even fly… this air is so gross… use these dumb legs… big mountain… humans…” The creature's voice often lowered to a mumble, which Mea could not hear despite being so close. 

“Um… Excuse me?” Mea asked the creature.

The creature shrieked as she finally spotted Mea above her. The green woman, now that Mea got a closer look, stumbled back as she lost her footing, slipping over the edge. But Mea had thrown her hand out in time to catch hers. 

The soft green skin rubbed against Mea’s pale skin as she held on tight for her life. 

“Please don’t let go of me…” The woman cried as she looked down at the rocky mountainside below. 

“I didn’t plan on it…” Mea groaned as she used all her strength to pull the green woman up from the ledge. 

Mea stumbled back as she hauled the woman’s body over the ledge. They were silent, catching their breath before making their way to the flat top. Mea finally collapsed on the soft ground, huffing and puffing the cool air.

    “T-Thank you…” The woman whispered as she sat nearby, taking in deep breaths of the cool air. “I didn’t expect anyone to be up here, let alone help me like that…”

    “Well, what was I supposed to do? Let you die?” Mea laughed lightly as she sat up and looked at the woman.

    “It’s what most of your kind would do… They don’t seem to care about me at all nowadays…”

    Mea processed the words before working up the courage to ask, “May I ask who or what you are?” 

    The green woman smiled as she tied back her long green hair with two vines that seemingly grew from her palms in an instant. 

    “I am Gaea, Mother–”

    “Mother Earth,” Mea finished, the breath nearly knocked out of her. 

    “You know me?” Gaea asked, a shimmer of hope in her eyes as she studied Mea. 

    “Of course! I minored in Greek mythology in college!” Mea couldn’t believe what was happening. If only her professors could see her now. They all thought she was insane for believing all the myths to still be true over the more normalized religions. “Gaea, the mother of all creations. Born at the dawn of creation and one of the first goddesses.”

    “I… I can’t believe people still know of me…” Gaea whispered softly.

    Mea sat silent, not wanting to admit to the goddess that society no longer worshiped her and her offsprings, let alone knew of their mythology. 

    “What’s your name?” Gaea asked, turning to face the young hiker.

    “Mea.”

    “Mea?” Gaea furrowed her thick pine brows, testing the name over and over. 

    “It’s short for Meadow.”

    Gaea turned to look at Mea in her deep green eyes. “Ah, that makes sense. Your parents picked a good name for you.”

    Mea smiled, looking out over the mountain. “My mother said she saw the meadow by her childhood home in my eyes…”

    Gaea nodded lightly as Mea turned to her, locking their deep green eyes, sending a spark across their bodies. 

    “You are different... so different from the others I have seen…” Gaea whispered as she stared into Mea’s eyes. Mea wanted to look away but found herself transfixed by the goddess's eyes, seemingly staring into her green soul. Deep feelings of sadness or perhaps weakness washed over her as she looked deeper into the goddess’ eyes. 

    Mea sucked in a sharp breath, “you… you are hurting,” she whispered. 

    Gaea finally turned away and found a flat boulder to sit on. “I came here to die in peace,” Gaea whispered so softly that Mea almost asked her to say it again; surely this goddess couldn’t be dying here on the mountaintop. 

    “Die?” 

    Gaea looked out over the land below. “Yes… Even gods can die, my dear Meadow.”

    “But… but how can you die? Why are you dying? How can I help you?” Mea knelt down in front of the green goddess, not caring about the dewy grass soaking her clothes. 

    “You would actually help me?” Gaea whispered as Meadow took the goddess's soft green hands in hers. 

    “Of course, how—how can I…” Mea couldn’t finish the sentence, unable to imagine how a small mortal human like herself could help this ancient goddess.

    “I’m afraid I might not be able to be saved. It might be too late…” Gaea took in a deep breath of the crisp fresh air, “I have seen many gods and goddesses before me die, but I never thought my time would ever come.”

    “We can go see a doctor,” Mea said, standing and trying to drag the goddess to her bare feet. 

    Gaea laughed lightly, “I appreciate the sentiment, but your modern medicine cannot heal this ancient body, Meadow. I have lost many followers over the years, and this seems to be the only end we gods ever meet.”

    “Followers?” 

    “Every god comes into being because enough humans believe in them. That is the only way we can die, if everyone stops believing in you.” Gaea closed her eyes for a second, taking in the sound of the wind weaving through the mountains. “I have very few followers left. My soul is withering, drying out. I cannot keep going.” 

    “H-How can a goddess get more followers?” Mea asked softly, squeezing Gaea’s hands to call her attention back to her. 

    “I-I don’t really know.” Gaea stared at their clasped hands. “Back in the beginning, we just used our powers to help humans thrive.” 

    “Let’s go, then! There’s a small farming town at the bottom of this mountain, and I’m sure we can easily gain followers that way!” Mea stood up, attempting to drag Gaea from the rock on which she sat, but she did not budge. 

    “My child, I am too weak to climb back down. I am afraid that my time has come.”

Mea knelt in front of Gaea, tears already forming in her eyes, “please Gaea, you can’t accept your fate, you have to fight it. Please, we can’t survive without you.”

Gaea sat silently for a moment, “perhaps there is one thing… But it is risky.” 

“Anything! I’ll try anything!” Mea looked up at the soft green face of Gaea, tears already streaming down both of their cheeks.

“It is dangerous… But we used to separate a portion of our power to true followers to help spread our message. That way not only could I help humans, but a fellow human follower could help as well. But it only works for true followers, it can be deadly to anyone but.” Gaea looked into Mea’s eyes sternly, finding nothing but the green sparkle of hope in them. 

They sat in silence, staring into each other's eyes for a time before finally, Mea whispered, “I’ll do it.”

“I cannot ask you to risk your life for me Meadow… Really I appreciate the sentiment but I have accepted my fate.” 

“But I haven’t, I cannot sit here and watch Mother Earth die! If you die, the whole world goes with you… I am willing to take this risk.”

Gaea stood up unevenly, catching her balance with Mea's help. “Stand still, child.” Gaea placed her hands on either side of Mea’s head as they closed their eyes. “Is this truly what you wish Meadow?” 

“Yes, Gaea,” was all Mea could say before an overwhelming force took over her body. The air felt heavy on her shoulders, and her nose burned as she breathed in. The powerful force dulled as Gaea released her hands from Mea’s temples. 

Mea opened her eyes and now saw the world anew. The vibrant green forest was replaced with the pulsing red scars across the trees. The animal traps hidden in the brush. The polluted creeks as they sludge through the forests. Worst of all, the heavy dirty air all around her. It was like seeing through black smoke, burning her throat as she gasped for air. 

“Gaea… This is horrible.” Mea whispered as she collapsed to her knees, tears spilled down her cheeks.

“It is how I see the world. Now go. I gave you all but a sliver of my power. I will be here, conserving my strength. There isn’t much time.” Gaea turned Mea around and shoved her lightly towards the rocky path down.

“I will be back Mother Gaea, I will save you,” Mea announced before starting her journey into the wounded world around her.