Week 2: Furry, Lovable Old Grover's Exercise

 

The Only Way to Go is Up

By Ruth Robinson

            As tradition always dictated, once every year Kalyna would journey up the steep peaks of the Windercast Mountains to reunite with her family. Leaving those joyful reunions left Kalyna devoid of warmth and always left a bittersweet taste in her mouth as she trekked back down the mountain and back into the regular routine of her life. Once a year her yearning for home would begin and Kalyna knew the only way to quench her thirst for familial relations was to travel up those wretched mountains.

            This year’s journey seemed to hold more prominence than ever before as change had been brewing up in the mountains, and Kalyna’s dear grandfather “had but one moon left to live” according to her mother. Suddenly Kalyna found herself rushing towards the bus station, holding her beat up faded leather suitcase in one hand, and her bus ticket in the other. A fog had settled on the peaks of the mountains that were clearly visible from the bus station. When Kalyna entered the bus station from the old gravel road that laid before her, she was not surprised to see the large crowd of travelers that were making similar trips as well. The usual suspects were there: an old man with a gray straggly beard that seemed to reach the tip of his toes leaned against the sign that signaled for the busses to stop, a woman who’s face remained young but hands looked like they were worn beyond her years clutched her small infant tightly up to her chest.

A calm cool breeze wafted through the air as the travelers huddled together, everyone waiting in a calm silence for the bus that would take them halfway up the mountain. Kalyna closed her eyes, taking in deep breaths trying to remember what her grandpa had tried to tell her in his letter. She unwrapped her tattered royal blue shawl from around her shoulders and proceeded to wrap the shawl around her head, fastening the ends into a tight knot so that the shawl would retain what little warmth was left in the air. The sounds of aching, rusty old bones started to emerge from the distance. Wheels that sounded like they were just ready to pop pushed against the gravel as the rickety old bus slowly made its way towards the station. Suddenly the passengers began to move, grabbing their belongings and children, packing tightly into a small group, ready to endure the first part of their long arduous journeys.

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