Up the Mountain
Billy cried softly, his back against the scratchy bark of an older white pine, wishing he had followed his mother’s orders earlier in the day. Her angry voice kept repeating in his mind, causing goose bumps to cover his arms.
When his mom was in the cabin, he thought he’d seen a small puppy run through the woods. It looked just like one of those gray Pom Pom dogs his neighbor had. He could never say the name right, so he called it a Pom Pom. But the more he chased it and tried calling it, the further into the woods it ran. By time he gave up looking for the puppy, he had no idea where he was. Remembering what his mom had said earlier about the trail markers, he walked around looking for the yellow plastic spots on the trees. When he’d come upon the big pine tree, his legs ached. He gave up and sat down, exposing his tender skin when his T-shirt slid up, scratching his back.
Tired of swatting at mosquitos, he drew his knees up to his chest, folding himself so his chin was nearly touching his wrapped arms. Little dark flies kept landing on him, but he was able to blow them off with his breath. When he missed one, his skin itched after it bit him. Then there were some dark brown ones with black dots on them that crawled up his shins. Those had legs which seemed to suction to his skin and he couldn’t blow them off. Slapping at them, he shuddered reflexively.
“Mo—om.” His voice hitched when he tried calling out for her. She always told him he was getting to be a big boy. But he didn’t feel so big now. He felt scared. And cold. This time he couldn’t hold back the tears and they rapidly spiraled into loud, gasping sobs until his throat was so sore that it hurt.
Billy looked up, following the line of the massive tree to the now pinking sky. He might have been a little kid who had trouble writing his name neatly, but he was big enough to know that the sky always turned pretty colors just before it got dark. As he started to cry again, he thought he heard voices calling his name.
He jumped from his seat and started running toward them. “I’m here. I’m here.” He tried shouting, but his raw voice didn’t make it very far. Trying to run faster to find the people calling him, he stumbled over the root of another bodacious pine and went flying. Landing on his belly at the edge of a hill, Billy felt the air whoosh out of him just before he started sliding headfirst into a pile of rocks. He felt his body flip as pain and bright stars exploded everywhere. “HELP! I’m here. Please help me.” He thought he was yelling to the rescue crew, but it was barely a whisper as he gave into the exhausting black clouds filling his eyes.
When his mom was in the cabin, he thought he’d seen a small puppy run through the woods. It looked just like one of those gray Pom Pom dogs his neighbor had. He could never say the name right, so he called it a Pom Pom. But the more he chased it and tried calling it, the further into the woods it ran. By time he gave up looking for the puppy, he had no idea where he was. Remembering what his mom had said earlier about the trail markers, he walked around looking for the yellow plastic spots on the trees. When he’d come upon the big pine tree, his legs ached. He gave up and sat down, exposing his tender skin when his T-shirt slid up, scratching his back.
Tired of swatting at mosquitos, he drew his knees up to his chest, folding himself so his chin was nearly touching his wrapped arms. Little dark flies kept landing on him, but he was able to blow them off with his breath. When he missed one, his skin itched after it bit him. Then there were some dark brown ones with black dots on them that crawled up his shins. Those had legs which seemed to suction to his skin and he couldn’t blow them off. Slapping at them, he shuddered reflexively.
“Mo—om.” His voice hitched when he tried calling out for her. She always told him he was getting to be a big boy. But he didn’t feel so big now. He felt scared. And cold. This time he couldn’t hold back the tears and they rapidly spiraled into loud, gasping sobs until his throat was so sore that it hurt.
Billy looked up, following the line of the massive tree to the now pinking sky. He might have been a little kid who had trouble writing his name neatly, but he was big enough to know that the sky always turned pretty colors just before it got dark. As he started to cry again, he thought he heard voices calling his name.
He jumped from his seat and started running toward them. “I’m here. I’m here.” He tried shouting, but his raw voice didn’t make it very far. Trying to run faster to find the people calling him, he stumbled over the root of another bodacious pine and went flying. Landing on his belly at the edge of a hill, Billy felt the air whoosh out of him just before he started sliding headfirst into a pile of rocks. He felt his body flip as pain and bright stars exploded everywhere. “HELP! I’m here. Please help me.” He thought he was yelling to the rescue crew, but it was barely a whisper as he gave into the exhausting black clouds filling his eyes.
