Week Two - Task #05. - "The Stone Path"

[Prof. Sindor Aloyarc]

The sun is setting as you leave Old Croak’s cabin. Perhaps you should be staying the night, but something urges you forward and you're compelled to continue on.

Along the only paths you can find up the mountain, you’re discouraged at how steep the grounds are in addition to being covered in a sea of sharp, spiky rocks.

Heaving a deep sigh, you start trying to sneak one foot forward, then another, wedging each step into the smallest of free spaces and hoping with each new placement not to twist your ankles.

Daylight fades, and you wonder what possessed you to walk out onto the middle of these jagged stones without even the promise of sunshine to guide the way.

Fear percolates inside, mixed with a swelling of tears thinking how much you wish you were back home with your family. How cozy and warm you’d be with them, and how much they’ll all surely miss you by now.

Miles of struggling later, the moon is full above as tears begin to fall from your face, but when the droplets land beneath you, one of the stones melts away.

Gasping, you resolve that you must keep crying! If tears can make the rocks disappear, you’ll be able to cross the path faster.

You find this to be true as one after another, a new foot space appears with every falling drop.

Luckily, you note with a bittersweet smile, you don’t think you could stop yourself from crying now even if you wanted to. The floodgates open, you trudge onward as one rock after another is melted away from your tears.

Faster you walk and harder you cry until you can hardly see in front of you for all the tears.

Then something trips you up, sending you falling forward, screaming with your arms outstretched. You're terrified of landing on the pointed rocks, but surprised when the ground you hit is mossy and soft.

Glancing around, you let out an exhale of relief. By some miracle, the pathway is clear. There’s not a single one of those sharp stones in sight, and as if by magic you’re much higher up on the mountain now.

Task:
Propose an ARTICLE idea for Alte Sententiam toward the upcoming June Issue which will be approved for your purposes here in the activity as well as within the context of the Newspaper. As many as 60 beans are up for grabs if you write a piece containing 600 words or more for full credit and a minimum of 300 words to count toward task completion. The Ogg, Vog, & Zog award is also available for completing all three tasks in week two!

Vistors please reach out to the Alte editors via email using the contact information below. Eagles may Click on THIS LINK to be taken to the "Submit to ALTE!" thread. There it has been revealed:

This month's theme is: The Moon!

ONCE YOUR IDEA HAS BEEN APPROVED: Please send your work to the Newspaper e-mail address alte.sententiam[at]gmail.com by May 31st @ 11:59pm (HOL-time),** INCLUDING a CC: (CARBON COPY) to rave.farthestaway[at]gmail.com.

** If you've already had an idea approved, you do not by any means need to propose a second article unless you want to. **

[Hannah Lovegood]

I just submitted my story.

[Emily Spencer]

My idea has yet to be approved *sniffle*

[Prof. Sindor Aloyarc]

"You can't sit with us!"
-Mean Girls

*pats* <3