The first time I ever went hiking,
I had a panic attack.
There was no rotting carcass among the trees
or a near-deadly fall,
just my group of tweens
led by a youth pastor 
who didn’t believe in deodorant,
climbing higher and higher
over fallen branches and
puddles that reflected my sweat-streaked face
back at me,
until we reached the clearing
at the peak.
Rolling hills and forest,
miles of green
spilling over the curve of the world
and onto the other side.
“Look at all of God’s beauty”
overwhelmed
by the feeling of insignificance.

---

Ashley Haberberger is a writer from St. Louis, Missouri. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or crying over cat videos she saw on the internet. You can find more of her work at Gaslamp Pulp and Cacti Fur.