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Shook Chapter 11 part 1: Choice
A huge, rocky hill sits before the Blue family, and Mr. Blue is busy sorting out the climbers from the scardy-cats. Dyan must a make decision, and Maya finds heself in deep trouble...
Despite what her head was thinking, Dyan said, “I’m going.”
“What!? I thought you were scared!” said Royal.
“I was, and still kinda am, but I figured this is a once in a lifetime thing to do, so I’m not missing out.”
“Awesome!” yelled Navy, and Dyan got a bunch of pats on the back and a thumbs up from the Blue children.
“Have a good time!” Yelled Mrs. Blue as her family went off to the hill. As they walked, Mr. Blue put a finger up. “Now remember, stick together and go slow.”
“Dyan! Look at me!”
Dyan looked way far ahead, to see Maya right next to the hill, going around to the back of the hill.
“Maya Blue!” Mr. Blue yelled. “I just finished explaining how we should stick together, and you go off climbing the rocks without us!?”
“No, I only went a little ways ahead. Jeez.” Maya, with lowered eyelids, slumped over to Dyan’s side.
They walked to the back of the hill. Dyan was surprised to see that there was a sort of path back there. There were brick-shaped rocks in a line and retreating up the hill, making a staircase, with half-dead plants lining the sides.
“Common guys! Keep up!” yelled Maya, Who made an act of climbing up the stairs at a quick pace.
While Mr. Blue reminded Maya of staying close to the family, the other Blue children made their way up slowly.
As they climbed the stairs, the children entered a cool shade, as this side of the hill wasn’t facing the sun.
Navy began to talk about the different types of rocks and how they were formed, while the boy twins tried to shut him up by singing and talking over him. Royal trailed behind them, her head looking at each of the plants they passed.
Dyan walked at the very back of the children. As she made her climb, she was careful to have a steady stand hold with each step as she made her way up.
“You seem uneasy.”
Dyan startled. She turned to Mr. Blue, who chuckled from behind her.
“Well, I am, I don’t want to fall, or pass out or something.” Just saying that made Dyan’s heart drum.
Mr. Blue raised an eyebrow. “How would you fall?”
“By slipping off the path!” Dyan started, then she thought about it. “Well, come to think of it, this path isn’t slippery, but-”
“So by slipping. As long as you're steady, you won’t slip. But even if you did manage to slip, what would you do next?” Mr. Blue asked.
Dyan thought for a moment. “I guess I’d scream, and call for help.”
“Right, and if you didn’t do that, what would you do?” Mr. Blue continued.
“I’d…” Dyan stared off at the many rocks in and around the path. “I guess I’d grab on to a rock or plant nearby.”
“Right, and if not that, what else?” Mr. Blue began to smile.
“Uh, I don’t know!” She said honestly.
“You could simply get up again, or slide down the hill to safe ground.” Mr. Blue suggested. “This hill isn’t too big, so you most likely won’t fall, but if you do, now you know what you would do in case you fell. You could grab onto a nearby plant and hold on, slide back down the hill if you feel too unsafe, or call for help, which of course we'd all be here to help you. Doesn’t it feel better to have a plan?”
Dyan thought about it. “Yeah,” she smiled “It does!” Now, when Dyan imagined slipping down the hill, she thought of multiple scenarios of things she could do when that happened instead, and it made the worry fizzle away.
“So, you said you're also worried about passing out. Well, what would you do if you felt like that?
Dyan’s chest flashed cold. Thinking about fainting made her feel even more uneasy than falling. “Um… I guess I’d uh…”
“I go back down the hill and ask Mom for some water.” said Royal, her eyes still sliding past the plants.
“I’d stop and sit somewhere.” This time it was Azure who spoke.
“I’d take deep breaths to relax because I’ve heard overreacting and getting nervous can make you feel like you're passing out more.” Navy added.
“Hmm. I didn’t know that,” Dyan mumbled. With all these answers, she started to feel less shaky and afraid.
Dyan walked up the rocky steps faster to catch up with Maya, who was ahead of everyone beyond the path, near the big hole.
“Finally you made it!” Maya began to dance, her feat sliding and fists swaying above her body. “Let’s go sit in the hole!”
Dyan walked up to the hole with Maya, and realized that the hole had space inside! The hole went straight through the hill to the other side. The inside was on a slightly lower level than the rest of the rock, it was almost like a mini cave, a dark and rocky space.
Dyan climbed in and began to walk towards the sunlight at the other side of the hole.
“Be careful!” Dad yelled.
Dyan looked out and noticed she could see everything from the top. Cars looked like toys you could drive around with your finger, and the little bench area where Mrs. Blue sat with Teal and True looked very tiny, their faces tiny blank dots.
Dyan could see how spotted with palm trees and dried plants the desert was, and in the very back, she could see the mountains in a foggy blue haze.
“Wow,” She whispered. She kept staring so this site would stick in her memories for a long time and be hard to scratch off, like a sticker on a notebook.
“Guys, look at me! I’m dancing in the rock hole!” Maya yelled. Her siblings barely paid her any mind. Maya then frowned and sighed. She mumbled something like “no one ever pays attention to me,” as she walked past Dyan.
Navy took a few steps up, looked at the site, and his jaw dropped. “Dad, I need your phone.”
“One second, I’m busy taking pictures myself,” Mr. Blue answered, the phone held sideways as he took pictures from the mouth of the cave.
Dyan turned and quickly moved to the side of the cave.
“Dyan, you’re leaving the frame! Come back closer!” Mr. Blue motioned for her to slide back in.
“Oh, I didn’t know you wanted me in the photos,” Dyan smiled. “Maya! Let’s pose together!” she shouted.
“Sure!” Maya ran over and the two girls stood side by side, putting up peace signs. For another picture they put their hands together, framing the view between them with their hands.
Everyone laughed, and Maya began to dance some more.
Wild Yonder was shocked silent, and Azure was yelling like crazy once they saw the view. Royal smiled and took a photo of her pretending to meditate in front of the hole. She begged Navy to take more photos of her, and reluctantly, he did.
Dyan stared at all of them in pure happiness. She began to let herself imagine that this was her family, and that they always went on adventures like this.
“Dad, I don’t…feel… so good…” Maya slipped near the edge of the rocks. Everyone quickly went to her. Most of her siblings began to shout.
“Oh no!”
“Ahh!”
“What’s wrong with Maya?”
“Quiet!” Mr. Blue grabbed Maya’s shoulders. “What’s the problem!?”
“My vision is… spotty, and my head feels… cold!” Maya yelled, her eyes widening.
“She’s going to pass out!” yelled Navy.
Find out what happens next in the next part!
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