![\"The](\"https:\/\/i.pinimg.com\/originals\/d2\/c9\/52\/d2c9521562ca2eba4d2f0308db3e9651.jpg\")
I breathe a sigh of unease as the fog around me begins to clear. I cannot recall the last time I stepped beyond the walls of the Tower. There is tension in the air as we navigate the winding path through the thick fog. Pockets of it are less dense \u2013 vague recollections of places I knew long ago \u2013 but it is not the same. So much has changed, leaving me feeling unsettled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d I ask the Pilgrim.<\/p>\n
They shrug. \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you mean you don\u2019t know?\u201d I demand. \u201cAre you not supposed to be my guide in this?\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pilgrim shrugs again. \u201cThe journey is one of adventure and mystery, my friend. We are simply moving toward the next waypoint \u2013 wherever that may be.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019m flabbergasted. No idea where we\u2019re going?! <\/em>I cast a glance over my shoulder to see that my Tower is still in sight, still calling for me. The Pilgrim notices my continuous backward glances and pauses.<\/p>\n \u201cI will not force you to continue. The Pilgrimage is one of personal choice. You are welcome to return to your comfort and your old life, if you so choose. But I can see that there is a desire for more in your heart.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if I\u2019m making the wrong decision?\u201d I demand.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if I\u2019m moving too quickly? Surely I could have done more to prepare for this journey. Maybe I should return to the Tower. I don\u2019t know if I brought enough supplies with me for the journey.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are just so many unknowns and variables.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are.\u201d<\/p>\n Frustration is mounting inside of me. \u201cDon\u2019t you have anything else to say?\u201d<\/p>\n The Pilgrim shakes their head and continues along the path. \u201cFear is a natural response, my friend. But do not let it paralyze you. There is more growth in the journey than there is in your Tower.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow can you be sure?\u201d I demand.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d the Pilgrim laughs.<\/p>\n I stand in place as the Pilgrim continues to move forward, whistling a traveler\u2019s ditty as they walk. I try to will myself to move, but the call of the Tower is strong. I cast a glance over my shoulder and can feel myself itching to return. I turn around and stop myself. No. This is the journey you\u2019ve chosen.<\/em> I turn back just as the fog swallows the Pilgrim, who is now much further ahead of me. Within moments, I\u2019m completely alone. My heart begins to pound and with a loud groan, I chase after them. The fog swirls around me, its cool touch brushing my skin. I shiver with the cold.<\/p>\n \u201cPilgrim!\u201d I call out.<\/p>\n There is no response.<\/p>\n \u201cPilgrim!\u201d<\/p>\n Nothing.<\/p>\n Fear begins to take root as the fog closes in around me. It becomes so thick that I can no longer see the path beneath me. Disoriented, I turn around, looking for my Tower. It is a faint outline in the fog, getting fainter with each passing moment. The monstrous shapes with their glowing eyes reappear, mocking me in my current state. I\u2019m alone. I don\u2019t know where I am. This was a mistake.<\/em> My chest tightens and my pulse races, a cold sweat breaks out over my body, my head spins.<\/p>\n \u201cHelp me!\u201d I cry out.<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n Anger wells in me. \u201cYou told me to trust you!\u201d I shout in fury. \u201cHave you already abandoned me?\u201d<\/p>\n Hot tears roll down my cheeks.<\/p>\n Breathe.<\/em><\/p>\n I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to calm myself.<\/p>\n Listen.<\/em><\/p>\n The distant sound of rushing water fills my ears.<\/p>\n Look<\/em>.<\/p>\n In the distance, a dim light breaks through the fog. Hurriedly, I hitch up my pack and race toward the light. The fog parts for me and the sound water grows louder and louder as the light gets brighter and brighter. Within moments, I find myself staring at the weathered sign of an old inn.<\/p>\n The signs swings in the breeze reading in faded letters, \u201cKnowing\u2019s Edge.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>Not wanting to stay outside any longer than I have to, I hastily push open the door and enter the common room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image taken from: https:\/\/www.pinterest.co.kr\/pin\/456271005974019920\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I breathe a sigh of unease as the fog around me begins to clear. I cannot recall the last time I stepped beyond the walls of the Tower. There is tension in the air as we navigate the winding path through the thick fog. Pockets of it are less dense \u2013 vague recollections of places […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[563],"tags":[1900,1901,1889],"class_list":["post-26866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure-mystery-sci-fi","tag-fog","tag-tower","tag-unknown","cohort-lgp10"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/129"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26866"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26868,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26866\/revisions\/26868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}