Mountain Life

CHAPTER 5A - Home

The return trip was in silence at first. No one wanted to speak.

Joseph broke the solitude, “OK, get it all out.”

“Get what all out?” Brigit said.

Marissa said, “The last week! Once we get home, we cannot discuss this openly, and you, for one, need to talk it all out so you will not need to talk about the trip at home.”

They talked in the six hours it took to get to the cabin. Brigit spoke in detail about her trip to the station, floating, eating food in a cage, and all the wonderous things she has been able to see and do. She also discovered Marco Hill was highly wealthy, leaving it all to Jon and Gayle. He had but one stipulation. They had to use the money for the betterment of others.

“Jon and I talked in the barn the second or third morning,” Joseph said, “He said he was planning to talk to Rufus about donating to the town greenhouse. Now I understand.”

They arrived at the cabin, made dinner, restocked what needed to be restocked, and readied for sleep. Modesty in the community was more mutual than taboo. Changing clothes in the cabin was done together, facing the corners. They all slept in their undergarments; it was just easier.

Crime in the settlement, the community of family, was nonexistent. From time to time, someone would borrow without permission. Their penance, when caught, was supplied by the person who could be determined as the victim and the council. But, never in the history of the community has there been an occurrence of impropriety between a male and a female.

Brigit thought about her conversation with Gayle a few nights ago when the news program discussed an event where a young lady was attacked. This came to mind as she was changing for bed, and as they all lay down, they discussed how someone could be like that or do this violent act.

They all fell asleep, and in the morning, breakfast, then the trip home.

~~~~~~~~~~

David stopped the horses and the cart. The others were all in their own thoughts, another way of saying they were nearly asleep. The cart, being stopped, brought everyone back to reality.

“Why did we stop?” Joseph asked.

“Look,” David replied.

The group all looked and saw home. Familiar buildings, surroundings, and people.

Brigit said, “A very welcome sight.”

The rest all nodded, and David clicked, and the horses continued.

As they rolled into the town center, others heard them and came to help put away what they brought.

Brigit headed to her home, as did the others. They needed a shower and something to eat, but as she entered her house, she sat on her favorite chair. Looking at the side table, she noticed a small notebook and began journaling.

She wrote, “Friends, I want to update you on something I recently experienced. I am Brigit Markz, a member of Hill Life. A community dedicated to friendship, fellowship, community, and survival. I am journaling this information so you will know about me, my existence, and my demise.”

Each day, she added more to the journal. Her experiences and emotions were added to the pages. Brad showed her the perfect place to conceal the journal without realizing he was doing it. There was a loose stone on the fireplace, and the journal fit behind that stone like it was made for it.

~~~~~~~~~~

The months passed, and Brigit knew she needed to head back to the farm to learn about setting up a greenhouse. She was sitting in the center of town, on her favorite bench. She called it that because it fit her body perfectly and was very comfortable for a wooden bench.

She was making notes in her journal about her trip, but because no one in the community could know it was real, she made it sound like a story she had fabricated. It was an excellent fictional account of the collection. At least, that is how she thought of it. Needless to say, in reality, it was one hundred percent true in all respects.

She looked up from her writing and noticed Joseph was sitting there.

“Hi!” She said, a bit startled.

“Hi yourself. I read a few of the lines. You wrote about our trip. Did you at least change the names?”

“I did. I just needed to write this on paper before I forgot the emotions. I wanted someone reading it to experience it.”

“Are you planning to let others read the journal?” He looked at her, “Is that a good idea?”

“No, it is not. But I must write it down, or I will go crazy.”

Joseph smiled at her, “We need to get ready to leave. If we are going to attend the classes, and you are going to be adventurous, we need to be in another place.”

“I know,” Brigit asked, “I take it this time we need to walk there since the horses and cart are not available for that long.”

“Correct. But I worked it out with Jon to pick us up near the cabin. We can sleep the night on the walk. The weather should be pretty good. I know of a cave we can rest the night in, regardless. Small fire to warm our bones as the weather is cooling off. The cave is maybe nine hours from here, so we can leave after breakfast and get there in daylight.”

“Wonderful. I’m heading home to pack.” She said, “I have a supply of char cloth and a flint we can use to make the fire. Should I bring food?”

“Bring any snacks you may want. I’ll do the same, and we can share in the cave. See you in the morning.”

“Goodbye, Joseph. Till morning then.”

Brigit folded her book closed and slid it into a pocket on the front of her dress. She headed home to pack.”