Contest Entries by Mouse

Clyde of the Wild

Clyde of the Wild

The story of a man who leaves the conventional world behind and goes into the mountain wilderness. Once there, he strips himself of the last of his material possessions.

Come with Clyde on his epic adventure as he learns to build himself a den and make basic tools and weapons. Face his difficulties as he battles the creatures of the wilderness to earn his spot in their world. Ultimately he faces the challenges of the mountain itself and the elements of the changing seasons.

Chapter One

"I can't believe you are really going to do this, Clyde."

"It's been great working for you ,Joe, but I just can't take this any more."

"I know Judy just left you and you don't have kids. Still this seems extreme."

"The world is becoming one big modern mess. I need to go back to the beginning, to the roots of it all. My mind is made up."

Joe shakes Clyde's hand. "If you need anything all you have to do is call."

"I won't be able to call, Joe." Clyde lets go of Joe's hand and leaves without even taking the contents of his desk.

Quitting his job was the final piece of business he had to handle. He thought it was going to be hard to say goodbye, but he just had to remember how much the modern world had hurt him. Judy had left him after twelve years of marriage for someone she met on the internet. All the tests they had gone through said that Clyde was the problem that they could not have children. That was from the radiation he had endured working at the plant before his talents finally paid off and he moved into the corporate world.

Clyde flagged down a taxicab outside of the office building. He went to the Skyview Lodge and rented skis, taking the lift to the top of the highest peak. Instead of skiing down the North face
though, Clyde left the skis there at the top and climbed down the Southeast face.

Climbing down the mountain was rough going,. When his coat caught on a tree branch and ripped, Clyde decided that then was as good a time as any to start stripping off the last remnants of the world he was leaving behind. The South side of the mountain, where Clyde knew he wanted to be, was warmer and sported fields of wildflowers as he made his way down. It was easier then to give up his clothes, the final reminder of the human world.

Clyde started running. Having stripped off the trappings of the modern world. He felt freer than he had in years. He ran to a stream and splashed water over his head and body, cleansing himself of everything he had ever known.

What made Clyde choose the mountain for his retreat from society was the stories he had heard of his grandfather. Cletus was a mountain man, living off the land and only having contact with people when he went into town to trade. Clyde had studied his grandfather and how to survive in the wilderness. The first thing Clyde did was grabbed a good sturdy stick and sharpened one end on a rock. Clyde used his first tool of his making to spear three fish from the stream. He found how to supply himself with food.


565 words




Merry Meet and Blessed Be
then Merry Meet again!