Patil

Kesiah Patil Allen/Stine LA Stretch January 9 2014

The Mountains

If I were to describe the world in one word, I would use the word perspective. Your perspective creates your world. For me, life has always been between the sea, and the mountains in the distance. I can feel the sea. I can grab a handful of it, throw it in the air and feel it fall back down onto my face. I can taste the saltiness of its depths and submerge myself in its existence. Everyone Ive ever known survives off of it. The mountains however, have always been out of reach. Few times I have traveled far enough inland to see the peaks stand tall, daring me to find them and enter their gates to whatever it is waiting on the other side of them. Ive never tried once to reach them. But all of that is about to change. I live outside the ruins of the once great San Francisco. Almost one hundred years ago, an earthquake caused paradise to burn to the ground. The ground moved inward towards the mountains, forcing them higher, and we were isolated from the rest of the world. No one wanted to come back, because everything was damaged so badly. Now we have limited resources and a small population. There are not more than 1,000 people here, but it doesnt bother most people, because we have plenty of people to supply anyway. Our society basically lives off the ocean. The land is still struggling to flourish with all the old rubble still littering the ground. Even in the water I tend to find leftover chunks of concrete, cinder blocks, and trash. Most things are too heavy to move, so we just leave it there to rot. Sometimes I feel just like the rubble floating in the water, slowly rotting away with the rest of the long-gone city. We cant survive like this forever. In the last few years, things have only gotten worse. The conditions here cause you to age faster, a layer of dust sets over everything, and the chemicals in the air cause lung problems. The appearance of our society is depressing and sad, however theres a bit more to it. You might compare this to something of a

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small town. Everyone accepts life for what it is and embraces it, and repeats it generation after generation. However, I just cant do that. Despite the boredom and oppression, I have a reason beyond myself. My brother Aaron left a week ago, and I could never figure out why. Now Im packing my bags and slinking off in the middle of the night, trudging through the tall grass at the edge of the city the same way he did. I just cant live the rest of my life wondering What if? I have to find him if it kills me. Although Im convinced theres no other choice, I cant help but feel deep inside me, that Im not just going for him. Ive always felt a calling that I wanted to see what else was out there beyond the mountains. And for the first time in forever, Im going to find out. Trekking through the grass, reminded me of a conversation I had with him a few days before he left. "Why do we all just stay by the city? There's more over where the mountains are!" His voice echoed in my mind. I know that has to be where he went. We have been close since birth. Our parents disappeared when he was only five and I was six. Since we're so close in age were more like best friends than anything. People in the Societies Home for Kids often mistake us as twins. Now we've grown taller and older and he's gone looking out for something that neither of us has ever been able to explain. And now I've gone after him. But I feel completely free. I lie there in the tall grass looking over the mountain at the sunrise. It looks much better from the comfort of the grass and without the layer of dust. It's the best moment I've experienced in weeks, which is enough to boost my energy level enough to walk the rest of the entire day. As the sun begins to slip away, and the moon approaches, I find myself at the foot of a mountain staring up. It could take weeks to get over, even following the lower sections around. It will all be worth it in the end. This is finally the day I'm going to answer to the call of the mountains. I take off running up the stony base as fast as I can, with nothing but the creeping stars watching me. Not long after a minute a dark figure materializes out of nowhere and I'm knocked out cold. I awaken to a dimly lit room. Nothing in here is burned, broken, or dusty. Theres a few chairs in the corner, a door a desk, and some things on it that I can't see very well. A person walks in

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through the door. It's Aaron. Why is he here? Where are we? I'm too interested in seeing my brother again to care. I run up and hug him and ask him if he's ok. "I'm fine Calani! No one will tell me whats going on either. I know about as much as you," he said. Just then another person walked into the room. Actually, there were two. A man in nice clothes followed by a woman. She immediately hugged Aaron and I in the tightest hug I've ever felt. We locked eyes with each us and barely uttered the words, Dont you remember me? Im your mother. Aarons face went ashen. Now Im even more confused, and even angry. I almost pulled myself out of the hug. Shes not my mother! She was never there for me! She was never there for Aaron! Neither of us knows her, but she might know whats going on. Kesiah Patil Allen/Stine LA Stretch January 9 2014 If I were to describe the world in one word, I would use the word perspective. Because your world is created by your perspective. For me, life has always been been between the sea, and the mountains in the distance. I can feel the sea. I can grab a handful of it, throw it in the air and feel it fall back down onto my face. I can taste the saltiness of its depths and submerge myself in its existence. Everyone Ive ever known survives off of it. The mountains however, have always been out of reach. Few times I have traveled far enough inland to see the peaks stand tall, daring me to find them and enter their gates to whatever it is waiting on the other side of them. Ive never tried once to reach them. But all of that is about to change. I live outside the ruins of the once great San Francisco. Almost one hundred years ago, an earthquake caused paradise to burn to the ground. The ground moved inward towards the mountains, forcing them higher, and we were isolated from the rest of the world. No one wanted to come back, because everything was damaged so badly. Now we have limited resources and a small

Patil
population. Theres not more than 1,000 people here, but it doesnt bother most people, because we have plenty of people to supply anyway. Our society basically lives off the ocean. The land is still struggling to flourish with all the old rubble still littering the ground. Even in the water I tend to find leftover chunks of concrete, cinder blocks, and trash. Most things are too heavy to move, so we just leave it there to rot. Sometimes I feel just like the rubble floating in the water, slowly rotting away with the rest of the long-gone city. We cant survive like this forever. In the last few years, things have only gotten worse. The conditions here cause you to age faster, a layer of dust sets over everything, and the chemicals in the air cause lung problems. The appearance of our society is depressing and sad, however theres a bit more to it. You might compare this to something of a small town. Everyone accepts life for what it is and embraces it, and repeats it generation after generation. However, I just cant do that. Despite the boredom and oppresion, I have a reason beyond myself. My brother Aaron left a week ago, and I could never figure out why. Now Im packing my bags and slinking off in the middle of the night, trudging through the tall grass at the edge of the city the same way he did. I just cant live the rest of my life wondering What if? I have to find him if it kills me. Although Im convinced theres no other choice, I cant help but feel deep inside me, that Im not just going for him. Ive always felt a calling that I wanted to see what else was out there beyond the mountains. And for the first time in forever, Im going to find out. Trekking through the grass, reminded me of a conversation I had with him a few days before he left. "Why do we all just stay by the city? There's more over where the mountains are!" His voice echoed in my mind. I know that has to be where he went. We have been close since birth. Our parents disappeared when he was only seven and I was eight. Since we're so close in age were more like best friends than anything. People in the Societies Home for Kids often mistakes us as twins. Now we've grown taller and older and he's gone looking out for something that neither of us were ever able to explain. And now I've gone after him. But I feel completely free. I lie there in the tall grass looking over the mountain at the sunrise. It looks much better from the comfort of the grass

Patil
and without the layer of dust. It's the best moment I've experienced in weeks, which is enough to boost my energy level enough to walk the rest of the entire day. As the sun begins to slip away, and the moon approaches, I find myself at the foot of a mountain staring up. It could take weeks to get over, even following the lower sections around. It will all be worth it in the end. This is finally the day I'm going to answer to the call of the mountains. I take off running up the stony base as fast as I can, with nothing but the creeping stars watching me. Not long after a minute a dark figure materializes out of nowhere and I'm knocked out cold. I awaken to a dimly lit room. Nothing in here is burned, broken, or dusty. There's a few chairs in the corner, a door a desk, and some things on it that I can't see very well. A person walks in through the door, it's Aaron. Why is he here? Where are we? I'm too interested in seeing my brother again to care. I run up and hug him and ask him if he's ok. "I'm fine Calani! No one will tell me whats going on either. I know about as much as you," he said. Just then another person walked into the room. Actually, there were two. A man in nice clothes followed by a woman. She immediately hugged Aaron and I in the tightest hug I've ever felt. We locked eyes with each us and barely uttered the words, Dont you remember me? Im your mother. Aarons face went ashen. Now Im even more confused, and even angry. I almost pulled myself out of the hug. Shes not my mother! She was never there for me! She was never there for Aaron! Neither of us know her, but she might know whats going on.