Through an Author's Eyes - Part 14

 Good morning and happy Friday,

Friday has come once again. And once again we have sleet and snow on the ground. Our weather just can't make up its mind. It was in the 60ºs Wednesday night and Thursday morning it was sleeting. We had sleet and snow yesterday. Today is sunny and it's supposed to reach into the 40s. Then 50s on Saturday, 60s Sunday and Monday, and by next Wednesday it's supposed to snow again. Crazy! I think it would be easier on our health if it just picked on temperature, say the 50s, and stayed there for a week. This up and down is so confusing.

I came down with a cold Monday evening. It's much better now, but not completely gone. Hopefully the warmer weather will help. And my sis is fighting a cold too.

Writing this week has been pretty slow. I've still managed to get something written each day, but not 1k every day. You see, Lawrence & Lenexa is kind of stalled and I haven't figured out why yet. I have worked a little on a couple other stories, but I really want to finished L&L before I really get working on some other book/story. If you read my post on Tuesday you will have seen my long list of story ideas or started stories. Last year was not a good year for publishing stories for me, or getting a lot of writing in. I'm trying to make this year better.

Well, I hope you enjoy this next part of this story.

 

Through an Author's Eyes

Part 14

    When the van pulled to a stop, everyone piled out and backpacks were unloaded from the back. “Who’s is this?” Reuben asked, hefting a full pack.
    “Mine.” Annette stepped forward and took the back, sliding her arms through and hoisting it to her back.
    “Good grief,” Reuben chuckled, “we’re only going to be gone for hours not days.”
    “What did you pack in that, Annette?” Savanna questioned, eyeing her cousin’s pack.
    “Just the things Dad always told me to take. Except I don’t have my tent, sleeping bag or as much food as usual since we won’t be gone the full day.”
    “It’s going to get mighty heavy,” Judah warned slowly.
    “Think you can make it the whole way without making one of us carry it?” Reuben teased.
    “If I can’t, I’d be ashamed to admit it to my dad!” As she talked, Annette had pulled on her ear warmers for the morning was chilly. Next her head light was adjusted and turned on, it’s soft red light casting a quiet instead of harsh light on those around.
    “Why the red light?” Levi asked.
    “It’s easier for your eyes to adjust from the red light to the dark and back again. And it can’t be seen as far away. Dad and I always have red lights when we hike in the dark. I think many headlights have the option for red.”
    Levi nodded and reached up to adjust his own light. Switching something, he turned it to red. “I have red, I just never thought to use it and always wondered why it was there. Anyone else have a red light?” Three others did and the light around the group, grew to a soft glow. Judah signed the group on to the ledger and then Levi gathered everyone for a word of prayer before they set off.
    Elijah, who had been the most recent one up that trail, volunteered to lead. The others fell into line as they wanted and the caravan of hikers started off through the trees.
    All was hushed and still. Annette tucked her hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt and followed Vic. She was going up the mountains. She was finally going to be able to watch the sunrise from the Rockies. She knew Bethany had her camera and she had NEO. Between the two of them she was sure they’d be able to at least partly capture this experience.
    Only the sound of footsteps on the dirt trail, an occasional broken stick or a soft whisper broke the silence of the early morning. The gentle murmur of a stream caught Annette’s quick ear and soon they were stepping on half submerged rocks to cross the trickling mountain stream.
    On and on they hiked. Sometimes the trail wound around through the woods, other times it seemed to climb almost straight up. Once the path was blocked by a fallen tree and the guys had to assist the girls over and through it’s branches. Pausing to let everyone catch their breath, Elijah pulled a water bottle from his pack and took a drink. “You all had better drink if you haven’t been,” he said, his voice, though it was scarcely above a whisper sounding strangely loud in the darkness.
    The break was short and everyone set off again single file as before.
    “Eli!” Judah called softly from behind Annette. “Isn’t the lookout just ahead?”
    “Yep. Should be.”
    Hugging herself, Annette would have climbed faster, but didn’t want to run into Vic. They were almost there. Almost to the place where they could watch the sun come up. Already she had been hearing the soft, faintest twitter of a few birds. They knew the sun was coming. Were they as eager to see it as she was?
    Breaking out of the trees, Annette glanced up. The sky was clear. Thousands of sparkling, twinkling diamonds shone in the dark sky. Soon they would return to their beds for slumber while the sun reigned for the day.
    With great sighs of relief, the party reached the large outcropping of rocks just above the tree line. They were high enough that no trees would block their view, and the lookout was in such a place that below them was the valley stretching out in a great vast sweep of rolling hills. Settling down, Annette slid her pack off and reached into it. She knew just where everything was located for she had packed it often. Finding what she was after, she pulled her writing device out and unzipped it from it’s protective case. It was a bit chilly sitting there on the rocks with no trees to block the cool mountain breeze as it swept down and around them. Pulling out her gloves, Annette started to pull them on, but stopped and tucked them back in. Those gloves wouldn’t work. She couldn’t type with full gloves. Back went her hand to her pack and seconds later she had pulled out another pair. This one, plain cotton, had the tips of the fingers cut off and and she quickly slipped them on before turning out her head light.
    “Annette, what are you doing?” Savanna whispered beside her.
    “Getting ready.”
    “For what?” Gabe asked.
    “To attempt the impossible.”
    “Sounds cryptic. You’re not going to try to climb straight down are you? Or try to fly?” Reuben teased.
    “Nope.”
    “Shh,” Bethany urged, jabbing her brother with her elbow. “She’s going to paint the sunrise with words.”
    “Huh?”
    Annette didn’t reply though she couldn’t keep back a smile at Reuben’s puzzled voice. He was a rancher, not an author. How was he supposed to understand things like painting with words.

Do you like painting with words?

Have you had up and down weather this week?

Would you like to watch the sunrise in the mountains?