The mid afternoon sky was unlike any I have ever had the opportunity to truly appreciate. It was the type of sky you can only glimpse in the few hours before a storm of such ferocity that it may only occur once in a lifetime. There were streaks of deep red offset by the dark gray clouds darkened against the backdrop of the amethyst sky of northern El Paso. There were a number of deformed, grotesque carrion birds converging in a single mass in preparation for the disaster that only a true animal of nature could sense. The whole sky was darkened by that cruel blanket of clouds. The sun was just barely visible, shooting tearfully aimed beams of light through the wall separating me from the sky. Those few beams we're the only sign that there was light in the world.

I turned to face Franklin Mountain, that cruel fist thrust high into the heavens, taunting my five-year-old self. Calling to me in an audible voice, challenging me to conquer him time and time again. It was what had kept me entertained through the scorching summer days, with the sun stealing every last drop of sweat from my slim, overheated body. Dirty blonde hair as rough as a cactus hung down below milk chocolate eyes widened in wonder of the storm to come. Slender, sun bronzed skin hung tightly onto my thin, slight arms as I stood there eyes wide, staring up into the dark, empty clouds as the first bolt of lightning left the only home it has ever known to make a one way trip straight into Franklin. A mischievous grin spread over my face as I realized the sky was joining me in conquering the mountain that had mocked me for so long. I yelled in encouragement until my voice refused to utter another syllable. I stood clenching the rust covered railing on a balcony far above the rest of the world. I felt like no less than a king on a mighty throne, watching as two familiar adversaries faced off in a fight to end all fights.  I stood in unconcealable ecstasy as time after time my newfound ally pummeled into the fist obtruding far from the arid land that had once been fertile. The grin that had spread across my face-- so infectiously, only moments before was now slowly starting to fade.

Franklin was calling to me in his muted speech. I could hear him laughing at the feeble attempt that had put me in such a state of elation. He laughed mockingly at me, knowing that his laugh would cut deeper into my heart than any physical wound ever could. He had clearly survived much worse than a desert storm, but to have that come to my attention now was a blow that I was only prepared to face. I stared up in amazement at him. I quickly averted my eyes, unable to allow Franklin to see the tears of defeat glistening in the corner of my eyes. I gave a single nod of newfound respect to my childhood adversary as I heard my mom calling me in for dinner.