Beyond The Mountain
Mark Higgins once again transports you instantly into an action packed adventure. Jason Bourne meets Lord of the Rings. You will be left breathless and eager for more. It is pending release and will be available from all major online retail stores.
Fisher King Publishing Ltd.
Publishers & Agents
t: +44 (0) 1845 526194 m: 07738 413 262 www.fisherkingpublishing.co.uk
FIRST CHAPTER
Chapter One
Sounds of the city coming to life filter through the open window. On a side table, a sunlight alarm clock blinks on and intensifies with every passing minute. A woman’s hand jolts from under the covers and fumbles for the off switch. Rising, Professor Alex McDonald sits on the edge of the bed, she switches her mobile on, checks her messages, then walks towards the bathroom door.
The small room is clouded with steam. Alex wipes the mirror, her finger traces a crescent shaped scar above her left eye, she thinks back to the accident that caused it.
The massive white cornice of ice cascades down a vertical slab of rock; its surface glimmers with an iridescently blue in the cold winter sun. Two small brightly coloured dots move cautiously up the treacherous icy curtain nearing the summit. Alex removes her gloves, tucks them inside her bright blue padded jacket. She retrieves a small energy bar from a pocket and opens it. High above her, Gordon Smith looks down at Alex and laughs to himself.
“Hey McDonald, you stuffin your face, again?” Alex smiles.
“I missed breakfast.” She shrugs her shoulders.
“First rule of climbing Alex, eat your fucking porridge.” They laugh. Gordon kicked hard at the ice with his crampons, there’s a deafening noise above them, like a clap of thunder. He instinctively looks up and calls out in fear. “Avalanche!”
Alex grabs the handles of her axes and swings them hard, burying each jagged head deep into the ice wall above. She watches on in horror as Gordon is torn from the ice. His body disappears inside the boiling torrent of snow that continues its relentless descent towards her position.
The massive impact rips Alex from the mountainside; her body falls a hundred feet before smashing into the unforgiving rock face. The huge impact leaves a large, incised wound above Alex’s left eye. She hangs motionless beneath an overhang, blood pouring freely from the nasty gash and drips into the void below. Gordon’s broken body lies lifeless, partially buried in avalanche debris on the glen’s floor.
Chapter Two
Alex unconsciously rubs the scar above her eye before switching the shower off. She returns to the bedroom in a bathrobe sitting and drying her hair with a towel. Her phone rings, she picked it up, puts it on speaker. “George what can I do for you?” Alex continues to dry her hair.
“Hi Alex, sorry to bug you at the weekend. I know you’re going to the cottage today and wondered if you could do me a wee favour?” Alex rolled her eyes.
“Sure, what is it?” She put the towel on the end of the bed, brushing her hair back with her hands. “You still there George?”
“Yes, it’s a bad line I think. Anyway, there’s been some unusual seismic activity in the glen overnight and I wondered if you could have a quick look, see?” Alex picked up the phone walking to the kitchen and switching the kettle on.
“That fine, I’m going up there anyway but don’t hold your breath for anything special that volcano’s been dead for years.” She laughed to herself.
“Great, thanks Alex much appreciated, see you soon bye.” The line goes dead before she can reply.
“George?” Alex shakes her head and sits the phone down. She makes herself a coffee, walking to the window and looking at the dark waters of the Clyde. They always seemed to remind her of Willy Wonka’s chocolate river.
Finishing her coffee, Alex dressed quickly, lifting the pre-packed bergen sitting by the door. She has one last look around then leaves.