The Cure

“It must be out here somewhere,” Tarina exhaled, clenching the tattered paper in her hands. Marked upon it was one single X in the upper right corner. The rest of the map had faded long ago. She glanced up into the overcast in dubious thought. No matter how long it took or how much she had to do to get to it, she was determined to find the treasure at all costs.

As she carried on through the forest, she happened upon a clearing on a cliff that overlooked a vast crevasse full of water. Taking another look at the map, lines began to form where drawings once were. As visions of rafts danced before her, Tarina quickly got to work gathering mystic materials to construct a boat to carry her across the way.

She climbed from the raft onto the rocky mount and took another deep breath. Listening only for the wind, a whisper called out to her from above the cavern wall desperate to be freed. Tarina tried to climb the slab, but it was too flat with no footholds. She took a step back to size up the block. She stared and stared as if somehow it would miraculously move itself.

After some time, she concluded that nothing was going to happen without her effort. She quickly removed the worn sack from her back and emptied it out onto the rock revealing a pickaxe, a chisel, and a hammer. Tarina instantly began chipping away at the block, engraving intricate patterns, carving designs, and etching words. The picture didn't make much sense, but, once completed, the stone was no longer flat. It was detailed with handles and ledges to take hold of.

Tarina sat for a while admiring her work before she realized its true purpose. The block appeared to be an obstacle, but, in truth, it was but a stepping stone. She started the steep journey upwards, and in a moment, she was at the zenith. Sitting right before her was the treasure she'd always dreamt of.

The story of her very own journey.

The cure for writer's block.