Beyond Those Hills

TRAILS SHE BLAZED

The Path of Identity

Beyond Those Hills

Book One

D. V. Failla

© 2026 D. V. Failla

TRAILS SHE BLAZED

Beyond Those Hills

Book one

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the author, except for brief quotations used in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

First published, March 2026

Published independently by the author.

Cover design by D. V. Failla

Life is not about reaching something, but about understanding what the path asks of you.

Every story leads us down a trail—but were we ever taught how to blaze our own?

This story, like life itself, is a threshold. Too often, shaped by the insecurities of others, we become mirrors and forget the mosaic we are made of.

Here you will not witness the birth of a legend, but the price of becoming one.

As you turn these pages, you may find yourself alone in your room, or somewhere far from those who cannot understand you. And a voice, thin as a whisper, may ask you to slow down and listen.

That is your inner wind asking to be heard.

If you choose to cross this threshold, remember: the journey is not the solution—it is the natural consequence of being a Seeker.

Now step across. Follow this trail—until one day you blaze your own.

May the Wind be with you.

Prologue

Come on. One last push. You’re almost there.

Exhausted, she drove her ice axe into the black ice.

The slope was steep enough to turn every movement into a negotiation between her and the mountain.

Milky light blurred her vision in shifting veils. The cutting wind pressed against her, forcing her back down.

Her muscles trembled with fatigue, and the cold sliced the air from her lungs.

The mountainside vanished into white. Visibility dropped to nothing.

There was only one final push left to make.

Damn it… Is this what I wanted? she thought, breathless.

I can do this. Just one more—

The mountain had been calling her for longer than she could remember. Yet now silence wrapped around every breath.

The weight of her pack dragged at her shoulders. The last surge upward demanded everything she had left.

With a final burst, she pulled herself onto a rocky outcrop—wide, solid, unforgiving. Her hands were numb. She had never attempted anything of this scale. She had sacrificed her former self long ago, just to find clarity.

She caught her breath.

The wind gave none in return.

It howled across the plateau as the storm refused to break. With the last of her strength, she forced herself forward, searching for shelter.

Her teeth clenched. Only her hazel eyes remained exposed to the frost.

She wrapped herself tighter, adjusting the shearling jacket around her shoulders. The weight of it felt wrong for this environment—out of place—yet it was there. A fragment of something that went beyond her.

She had little. But the fire inside her kept her moving.

She had acted on instinct, without calculating consequences—so far that she barely recognized the person walking without fear.

It was her.

And the choices she had paid for.

Step by step, she pushed into the blizzard, wool cap pulled low over her ears.

Through the frozen haze, she spotted a narrow recess carved into the ancient rock of the range.

She ran toward it without hesitation, fighting the wind. The air froze in her lungs.

Ahead, the stone opened.

It could be an animal’s den. I’ll have to risk it. I don’t have a choice.

She paused.

The dark mouth of the cave looked both inviting and threatening.

Exhaustion made the decision for her.

Inside, she stopped cold.

The ceiling shimmered in sapphire reflections, crystalline ice stretching as far as she could see.

Her vision swam. One step at a time, she crouched near the back of the cave, watching the sliver of light from outside.

It was still afternoon. A few hours before darkness.

Only then did she register how drastically the weather had changed since morning. The storm had rewritten the landscape entirely.

She needed warmth.

She dropped her pack and dug through her gear, fingers stiff.

The small gas stove sputtered to life.

As her legs threatened to give out, she gathered fallen shards of ice and melted them down. From her pack she pulled a sealed pouch, filling it with the water she’d made to create a makeshift heat pack.

She wrapped herself in an emergency blanket.

Gradually, her body temperature steadied.

She forced herself to drink. To eat.

Curled inside the metallic folds of the blanket, she held a diary against her chest.

Fear lingered—but something else moved through her. Something unnamed.

In the haze of exhaustion, her mind drifted back to the moment when all of this had begun.

A long road had led her to this mountain.

“Damn it,” she muttered.

She exhaled. Still drained, she closed her eyes for a moment.

I can do this. I can do this.

She tightened her grip on the diary.

“I just need to remember what the elder said.”

Her fingers brushed the necklace at her throat.

Chapter 1: Listen to the Silence

A September evening. One year earlier.

The rustle of wind moved through the trees, marking the slow burn of early autumn. The breeze tangled with music drifting from the terrace. A pop track by Avril Lavigne broke the quiet of the large house.

In front of the mirror, one foot tapped to the beat—letting go after an endless week.

She brushed mascara across her lashes. A quick wink deepened the frame around hazel irises. Freckles dotted her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, catching the faint glint of a septum ring.

Finally home… I’m so tired of listening to the old men at that hole-in-the-wall pub. Honelea Hills never changes. Whatever. Tonight I just want to enjoy myself.

She added a thin layer of gloss.

Her copper-brown hair fell straight down her back, warm against her pale, rosy skin. She adjusted a few strands with practiced ease.

Her phone vibrated on the edge of the sink.

Lost in the music, she caught it from the corner of her eye.

A message flashed on the screen.

[Josh]

I’m outside.

“Okay. Time to move.”

She gave herself one last look in the mirror.

Her outfit hadn’t changed much over the years—crop top, low-slung shorts, combat boots. She stuck her tongue out at her reflection, then hurried toward her room.

The doorbell rang. And rang. And rang again—shattering the rhythm in her ears.

“I’m coming!” she called, exhaling sharply.

God, Josh. You never know when to back off.

She disconnected the Bluetooth speakers. Silence returned to the hallway—and to the hollow space in her chest.

She headed downstairs, crossed the wide entryway, and grabbed a padded jacket from the couch.

Her phone buzzed again.

[Josh]

Waiting in the car. Don’t be late like usual. They’re already at the party. Move.

She clenched her jaw.

[Sara]

Coming ;)

She opened the heavy front door. Cold air brushed her cheeks. The moon hung high above.

She walked down the stone path cutting through the garden, lit by small ground lights.

Beyond the entrance arch, the car waited.

A vintage Mustang idled at the curb. Rap music pulsed from inside.

Always the same damn music.

She paused at the door, took one last breath of night air, and slid in.

“You made me wait again,” the boy with messy black hair and bright blue eyes said with a half smile, lowering the volume.

She settled into the seat. A faint smile touched her lips. Her eyes avoided his.

“No kiss tonight?” Josh leaned closer.

Her stomach twisted. She bit the inside of her lip.

“I’m just tired, Josh. It wasn’t a great day at the bar,” she murmured, giving him a quick, light kiss.

“Baby, if those people keep talking behind your back, just quit. Seriously.”

“I can’t. I’ve got bills to pay.”

“I’ll take care of it. It’s nothing.”

She lifted her hand between them, stopping him.

“I can take care of myself. I don’t need favors from your family.”

Josh exhaled through his nose. “Alright, baby. Suit yourself.”

She shrugged and glanced at her reflection in the side mirror. Her expression hardened.

“Anyway… you look good tonight,” he added, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

“Didn’t you say we should hurry? Riley’s waiting. It’s her birthday. I’m not showing up late.”

She brushed a strand of hair away, staring out the window as if she were already somewhere else.

Josh watched her, elbow resting on the door, something smug in his expression.

“Your best friend can wait for once. What do you say we have a little fun first? You planning to give me that pout all night?”

She watched a few leaves drift in the air.

He’s a spoiled asshole… but at least it stops me from thinking.

She turned back to him, lips lifting into a faint, forced smile.

“Okay. If Riley waits a few minutes, it’s not the end of the world.”

The words echoed inside the car—more for herself than for him.

Without hesitation, Josh grabbed her arm, ignoring the doubt she couldn’t quite conceal.

Above the car, an owl settled onto a branch. Its call cut through the night.

A few moments later, she pulled away and took a sip of water from the bottle in the console.

When she looked up, the owl was watching her.

Then it lifted silently into the dark.

Her brow furrowed. A hollow feeling spread in her stomach.

She checked the time. Her eyes widened.

“Josh. Now. Let’s go.”

She nudged his shoulder while he was busy typing on his phone.

“Relax, baby. Buckle up.”

He shifted into gear and pressed the accelerator.

The engine roared.

They sped along the road lined with firs and copper-colored maples, leaves scattered across the asphalt.

The long avenue cut through town. She rested her head against the window, watching the empty streets.

The buildings stood low and wooden, frozen in another era.

As they neared downtown, familiar signs passed by—the café she often visited, the old bookstore still carrying the scent of the gold rush, the newly restored town church.

Everything looked the same. Unmoving. As if nothing here had ever needed to grow.

Josh didn’t speak.

She kept her eyes on the road.

Then her gaze caught on the supermarket sign.

A memory pulled her backward.

She had woken earlier than usual that morning and stopped by the supermarket to pick up a few things.

Moving through the aisles, she ran into an elderly woman she knew well.

“Sara… well, look at you. Up early today.”

She lifted her head. “Miss Hartwell. Hi. Yeah—yesterday the pub closed earlier than expected. Off-season’s coming,” she said with a polite smile.

“You look well. By the way, I noticed the flower beds in your yard the other day. You might want to check on them.”

She paused, biting her lip. “I just… haven’t had much time for the garden lately.”

“I told you before—I can take care of it for you. I wouldn’t mind. I am your neighbor, after all.”

“I’ll think about it. I should get going, Miss Hartwell.”

“Sara, I was wondering…” the older woman pressed.

“What?” she replied, turning slowly, eyes lifting in restrained impatience.

“Still nothing about college?”

“Miss… how—I’m fine. Really. It’s not what I’m looking for.” Her lips tightened. “Excuse me.”

She walked away.

A moment later, she stopped in front of the cereal shelf.

Where are they? Did they move them? … Oh. There.

She reached for the box when voices drifted from behind her.

“That’s Jones’ girl, isn’t it? Haven’t seen her in a while. My husband says she works at that pub out on the edge of town.”

She didn’t move.

“Yeah… not quite like the rest of her family. Not in the good way.”

“And I heard she’s with that Bailey boy. Whole thing feels like a show. She just wants attention.”

Her breath hitched. Her jaw tightened. Her hand trembled slightly as she grabbed the cereal box.

“As if that’s not enough. Anyway, Miss Hartwell, I’ll see you later. Card game tonight?”

“Of course, dear. I’ll be waiting.”

She stared at the floor.

A hand suddenly landed on her shoulders.

“Sara! Hey—what are you doing?” a bright female voice laughed.

She spun around.

Riley stood there, long blonde curls bouncing as she grinned.

“Riley. Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she muttered, a dimple appearing in her cheek.

“You okay?” Riley tapped her forehead lightly.

“Yeah. I’m fine. What are you doing here this early? I thought you were busy with your guy last night,” she nudged her with her elbow.

“Me? Nah. I’d much rather hang out with you.”

Sara flushed. “What?”

Riley snorted and winked. “Relax. I’m grabbing a few things for my mom. Though honestly? I wish I had someone like your Josh. At least he’s got options.”

Sara didn’t respond.

“So—you coming later? The guys are meeting at the usual spot. We’ll grab something to eat.”

She hesitated.

“Sara. Earth to Sara.”

“Yeah. I’ll swing by. Not for long, though. I’ve got an early shift. Maybe I’ll see you tonight when I’m done?”

“Deal. See you!”

Riley started to walk off, then stopped.

“Hey. Sara.”

“What?”

“If something’s on your mind, we can talk tonight. I’m your best friend, remember?”

“I know. You know how I am. Random stuff.”

She stuck her tongue out playfully.

Riley tilted her head, smirking. “I know how this town works. And you know how to play it. Don’t forget that—you’re the best.”

She ran off.

Sara exhaled.

The memory snapped.

She blinked, back in the car.

“Josh—what?” she said, disoriented.

“We’re here, baby. Where’d you go?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she muttered, stepping out quickly.

Cold air tangled in her hair.

She stopped.

Ahead of her, a sign glowed in green neon:

EDEN PALACE

Music spilled from inside.

“Baby—I’m parking. Waiting on Jake. See you in a bit,” Josh called through the open window.

She raised a hand without turning and headed inside.

The moment she crossed the threshold, electronic music slammed into her chest.

The party was already in full swing—strobe lights slicing through the dark, bodies moving in restless waves, bass vibrating through the floor.

She scanned the room.

In the back, the DJ worked the booth without pause.

The volume hit harder. Her vision blurred for a second.

Great. There goes the entrance. Where is she?

She pushed through the crowd toward the bar.

“Sara Jones. Finally. Where’ve you been?” a voice called behind her.

She turned. The bartender grinned.

“Chris. Hey. You seen Riley?”

“What? Riley—she was here a minute ago. Want something while you’re waiting?”

“Maybe later,” she said distractedly.

Chris nodded toward the dance floor. “There. God help us. She’s already gone.”

“Amazing,” Sara muttered, lifting her hand before stepping into the crowd.

Riley was in the center of it all, drink in one hand, the other raised high. Her outfit left little to the imagination.

Sara moved closer, ready to wish her happy birthday—then stopped.

What the hell is she doing here?

A dark-haired girl was dancing beside Riley.

She blinked.

“Hey, bestie! Where’ve you been?” Riley shouted, stumbling toward her with arms wide.

“Already drunk, I see,” Sara replied, half-smiling over the music.

Riley laughed, swaying.

“Not now. Let’s just have fun!” She grabbed her shoulder.

Sara’s eyes locked on the dark-haired girl.

“Why the hell is Florence here?”

“Don’t start. She’s the mayor’s daughter. I couldn’t not invite her.”

“You know we don’t exactly get along.”

“Just ignore it. For me.” Riley brushed her cheek lightly.

Sara bit her lip.

“Fine. But this isn’t over.”

“Good. Now come here. Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Outside. Waiting for Jake.”

The dark-haired girl approached with deliberate steps, weaving through the crowd.

“Well, well. If it isn’t little Sara. Still exploring places you shouldn’t? Must run in the family.”

A chill ran down her spine.

She clenched her fists.

“Coming from someone whose father explores anything that isn’t his wife? I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Florence’s smile tightened.

For a moment, neither looked away.

Riley stepped between them.

“Okay. Time out. This is my party. Both of you—cool it.”

She raised her glass. “Drinks are on me tonight.”

Florence exhaled. “Whatever you say.” She turned toward the bar.

Sara watched her go, jaw still tight.

“You. Dance floor. Now. Don’t make me drag you,” Riley ordered, pulling her forward.

Before she could think, Sara was swallowed by the center of the crowd.

Music thundered.

Riley pressed something into her palm.

A pill.

Sara stared at it.

Please. Like it’s the first time.

That night, more than any other, she didn’t want to face anything.

When the pill finally hit, her jaw loosened. Her body softened.

The music crashed over her like a wave. Every movement turned fluid. Lights fractured into streaks of color as she drifted into the center of the dance floor.

For a while, she reached the peak of it—euphoria without edges. Nothing to fear. The world could spin itself empty and she wouldn’t notice.

Beside her, Riley laughed, glazed and radiant, completely surrendered to the rush.

From across the room, Florence watched them with narrowed eyes.

Sara didn’t notice. She was already somewhere else.

Later—dizzy, disoriented—she realized Riley was no longer beside her.

The lights spun. The bass pounded against her ribs. Too many shots. That pill. Everything felt hollowed out.

Slowly, thoughts began returning.

She pushed through the crowd and leaned against the bar. She checked her phone.

Hours had passed.

When she lowered it, Florence was standing in front of her.

“Move,” Sara muttered, voice thick with alcohol.

Florence looked her up and down with a thin smile.

“Drink too much, little Sara?”

Irritated, Sara shoved her shoulder.

Florence didn’t step back. Instead, she leaned in close, voice low and razor-calm.

“You should choose your friends more carefully.”

The words barely registered. The noise in Sara’s skull drowned everything else.

Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe.

Without another word, she turned and stumbled toward the exit, shoving past startled faces.

Florence watched from the bar, satisfied.

Outside, Sara pushed through the club doors into the night air.

She ran toward the trees lining the lot and doubled over, vomiting hard into the brush.

What the hell… What am I doing? Damn it.

She collapsed to her knees.

Cool mountain air brushed her face. The music thudded faintly behind her, swallowed by the dark.

She inhaled deeply, staring at the moon suspended above.

An owl called somewhere in the trees.

More lucid now, Florence’s words resurfaced.

Choose your friends more carefully.

“What did she mean…? Where’s Riley?” she muttered, swaying toward the pool area beside the club.

She sank down, pressing her face into her hands.

I need to find her.

She tried calling Riley.

The call dropped almost immediately.

“Where is she? God—she’s probably completely wasted. Focus. Josh. Where’s Josh?”

Her fingers trembled as she dialed.

It rang.

No answer.

That’s it. I’ll find him myself.

Her pulse climbed into her throat.

Still unsteady, she headed toward the rear parking lot.

A few flickering streetlamps cast broken light across the pavement. In the distance, she spotted Josh’s Mustang.

Her stomach twisted.

Shadows shifted inside the car.

What—

She moved closer.

The shapes became clearer through her wavering vision.

Her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms.

Without thinking, she yanked the door open.

And froze.

“Josh… what…” Her voice barely formed.

Josh wasn’t alone.

Another boy was straddling him.

For a split second, none of them moved.

“Sara! What—what are you doing here?” Josh stammered.

“How—I can’t believe this. Josh. And you—Jake? What is this?”

“Okay. Okay, just—calm down. I was going to tell you. I just—” He scrambled to pull his clothes back on.

“Tell me what?” she shot back, disbelief turning sharp. “Were you planning to invite me into one of your fantasies?”

Josh stood there, breath caught in his throat.

Jake stepped forward, defensive but shaken.

“Sara—look. This is on me. I pushed it. I’ll—I’ll go, okay? Don’t—just don’t come at me.”

He slipped out of the car and disappeared into the dark.

Silence fell heavy.

Sara remained still.

Then her head dropped forward.

Her lips curved.

A laugh burst out—raw, hysterical, uncontrollable.

Josh stared at her.

“I didn’t think it was that funny. Are you okay?”

She kept laughing until the words cut through.

She drew in a slow breath. Composed herself. Looked up at him with a fractured smile.

“You know what’s funny, Josh?”

He swallowed.

“I thought you and Riley were hooking up, you know? Turns out you were hooking up with a guy behind my back instead.” A bitter edge crept into her voice. “No offense—but you could’ve just told me I wasn’t enough.”

“Jesus—this night couldn’t get any worse,” she muttered.

Josh stepped out of the car, desperate.

“I wanted to tell you—”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Her voice went cold. “We’ve been together two years. You really think I can just accept this?”

She turned away.

“I need to find Riley.”

Then something caught her eye—a faint glow from inside the back seat.

She stopped.

“Sara… wait,” he tried, but the words fell apart in his mouth.

She leaned in closer.

Movement.

Behind the seat.

She turned on her phone’s flashlight.

The beam cut through the dark.

Her heart stopped.

Blonde hair.

Curled into itself.

“Riley… what the hell…” Her voice cracked. “I have to be dreaming.”

Riley slowly lifted her head, face pale in the trembling light.

Florence’s words echoed again.

Choose your friends more carefully.

No one spoke.

Only the wind moving through the trees.

“Sara, I—” Riley began.

Sara lifted a hand.

“No.”

She didn’t even look at her.

She turned and walked away.

“Sara! Wait—please!”

But Sara disappeared into the dark beyond the lot.

Riley stood there, guilt consuming her, the night closing in around her.

She reached the club entrance—and broke.

Her heart battered against her ribs. She couldn’t breathe.

She dragged herself across the pavement and collapsed onto the curb across from the club. For a moment, she could barely stay upright.

When her pulse finally steadied, she pulled herself together enough to reach into her jacket and take out a cigarette.

She lit it.

The neon of Eden Palace glowed in her glassy eyes.

A few minutes ago, it had felt like a promise.

Now it was just an empty sign.

Tears spilled down her face. She clenched her jaw.

She felt shattered. Betrayed.

Even by herself.

How did I get here?

Smoke slipped from her lips.

She brushed a hand across her face, dazed.

“How many things have I let this place take from me… No. It’s not just the place. I chose this,” she whispered, voice scraping her throat.

Music carried on inside the club as if nothing had happened.

Through blurred vision, she saw people laughing near the entrance.

Her stomach tightened.

“I need to go. This whole thing’s a damn performance.”

A moment later, Riley approached.

She found her sitting there, cigarette dangling from her lips, staring into nothing.

Sara ignored her.

Riley stepped closer, trembling.

“Don’t take another step. Just go,” Sara said without turning.

“I know what you saw—there’s no excuse for it. But please. Just give me a chance.”

Sara said nothing.

She took another drag, exhaled slowly.

“I went looking for Josh. I swear. I’d taken too many pills—I wasn’t thinking straight. I wasn’t myself. I swear.”

Sara stood.

“And what exactly do you want me to say? That I forgive you?”

Riley’s hands fidgeted.

“Even if I did—what would change? Nothing.” Sara looked toward the road. “While I’ve been killing myself trying to survive in this damn town… you disappeared. And the worst part? I ignored it. I told myself—again—I could handle it.”

Riley stayed still, lips pressed tight.

“You never actually cared. You just wanted to be seen. And even if tonight hadn’t happened—you left a long time ago. And now you surround yourself with people like Florence. Knowing what she did. To me. To my mom’s reputation. How could you—”

Her voice broke.

She shook her head.

“How could you?” she whispered.

“I don’t want anything to do with you. Or Josh. Or this fake excuse of a town. I’m done pretending. To hell with all of you.”

She turned, tears streaking her face, not caring who saw.

Riley couldn’t meet her eyes.

Sara took one last drag from the cigarette, threw it down, crushed it beneath her heel.

“These people think they can say whatever they want about me. And you—the one person who actually knew what I was feeling—you stab me like this?”

She spat onto the pavement.

“Sara… I—”

Sara closed her eyes and inhaled slowly.

“I’m done carrying your problems.”

A cold gust of wind cut through her, lifting her hair.

She walked away.

“You never even cared about Josh!” Riley shouted, voice cracking. “You’re so full of yourself! You’re not the only one who’s hurting!”

Sara didn’t answer.

She kept walking, disappearing beneath the flickering streetlights.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Riley yelled after her. “You don’t even have a car!”

Sara didn’t stop.

Riley’s words echoed behind her—but she let them fade.

For once, listen to the silence.