Violet's Bucket List by Tuesday Embers

Author:Tuesday Embers [Embers, Tuesday]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary E. Twomey LLC

19

Number 23 – Climbing a Mountain

“This was a bad idea,” Caty groaned, stopping to stretch her calf muscle. Her hair whipped around her face as the chilled autumn wind picked up to bite at her pale cheeks.

“Climbing a mountain is Number 23 on the list,” Brady reminded her for the third time that morning. Caty was hardly carrying anything in her pack, but she complained most frequently. Brady handed her his water. “This is the only mountain that doesn’t require oxygen tanks and has a trail that goes to the top. We do this, and we’re king of the hill.”

Caty wiped the sweat from her brow. “I feel like we should’ve trained better for this. I mean, Vi used to go up that stupid hill every night after work when her car was busted, so she’s not dying over here. You’ve got to give me more time to prepare for this stuff, guys.”

Eli didn’t say anything to Caty’s whining, which I appreciated. “The trail looks like it splits off up there. Any ideas which way we’re supposed to go?”

Brady pulled out his map, but just as he opened it, the breeze picked up and whipped it out of his hands. We all watched with similar expressions of worry striking our faces as the map flew, and then floated, descending without conscience that we still very much needed its guidance. Brady covered his mouth in chagrin. “Oh! I feel like that was ominous. Um, what do you guys think? Should we turn back? Did anyone think to grab a spare map?”

I tried not to lose my cool, but my jaw clenched without my consent. “We’re not turning back. We’re halfway up this stinking mountain. If you think I’m climbing this high again, you’re off your rocker. It’s now or never for me.”

Eli nodded, and Caty seemed to agree. “I vote the path to the right,” Caty offered, choosing the one with more greenery and less rocks. Everything around us had been a mix of green, brown and gray when we’d started out, but it had devolved into straight gray for miles, making us all wish for a little variety.

“Aye. I’m sure they all lead to the top. One way or the other, we’ll get there.”

We were all sweating bullets. Even with the wind trying its best to cool us, there was no escaping the heat from a rough workout that never seemed to end. We’d been hiking this rocky, steep trail for four hours, and were only a little more than halfway to the top.

I longed for my bed, though it was barely ten o’clock in the morning. Actually, to call it my bed was probably incorrect at this point. Eli had slept wrapped around me every night this week since that first time. I wasn’t actually sleeping much, but these were the best sleepless nights of my life, so I didn’t complain.

Caty had given Dennis this speech about wanting to keep things fresh with the illusion of mystery before the wedding night, which got her out of hump day.

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