The journey story part 4 by : Sayan Chakraborty
Story#4
Deeply read this story and live its ups and downs.
Writer: Val C Meehan
Frontline
She started her journey several hours before reaching her place of work.
She had watched her babies sleeping on the baby link camera before leaving the house, another day of not touching them, no hugs, no smelling their sweet baby skin smell.
She took a deep breath.
She's been doing that a lot lately.
On the way from her home to her place of work, she had to scramble up a hill made of small stones.
This hill appeared recently and although she dreaded having to ascend it, she faltered for just one moment and then got on with it.
At the top she discovered a Mountain!!
She hadn't seen it a few minutes ago!!
Thinking of her work colleagues she took a deep breath, stood tall, began to climb the rocky outcrops, often pausing, shaking with fear as she didn't have ropes or even proper climbing gear. A long while later she was on the other side of the mountain, feeling a degree calmer, less anxious, a little more in control.
She saw a familiar path and walked towards it.
She noticed a new turn. As she rounded the corner she saw that the recent bad weather had resulted in a fast flowing river she hadn't seen before. " Oh no, this is going to be tough.
I don't have any wet gear with me and I bloody well hate getting into water"
She slowed her breathing and waded through the terrifyingly fast flowing river, losing her balance and uprighting herself just in time.
Reaching the other side ought to have been a celebratory thing surely!!
No time for self indulgence here.
Forward she went, suddenly realising she wasn't feeling tired after the exertion of the last several hours.
Not tired, that doesn't cover it. Bone weary tired, devoid of energy.
Perhaps, but a few other words crept into the picture every now and then. Nasty, horrible thoughts.
"Wait, is that another mountain to climb? How has the landscape changed so much so quickly" she thought.
" Never mind, I have to get there no matter what path or road I take "
She raised her head to the skies, asking for help from, well, anyone.
Putting one foot in front of the other she arrived at her place of work and watched for a few seconds as her colleagues donned their work clothes,
some cheerful, smiling and chatty
while others were lost in thought, still climbing mountains in their minds.
Others, observing the climb, offered support, reaching out to pull them up with the gentle touch of a gloved hand,
a look that spoke volumes,
a cup of tea or
a posy of flowers that had been picked and wrapped in kitchen roll and left at the hospital entrance door in a basket full of posies for staff who were never meant to climb and struggle for hours before even starting their shift.
There was a piece of roughly torn cardboard taped to the basket of flowers.
The writing, scrawled crookedky in blue pen said " I See You"
The end
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