Julie had been hiking through the constantly deepening snow for three hours. Her leg muscles protested with every labored step. There was only so much abuse they could take, and fighting in and our of foot-deep snow was taking a toll. Reluctantly, Julie fought her way off the road and under the shelter of a tree. There she rested on a fallen tree that remained mostly uncovered.
She took stock of her surroundings and assets again. She remained mostly dry. That was essential. Her equipment was doing its job well. Her hat kept getting snow piling up on it, but she was working hard, so the heat from her head was melting and evaporating the snow that stuck.
Her energy levels were dropping rapidly, but she was also well-stocked with supplies. She always took abundant food supplies when she hiked. That was partly because she liked to be prepared, and also because she was normally prepared to eat. One of the curses of a too-fast metabolism. Regardless, she was prepared and enjoyed some of her snacks.
While her legs enjoyed the respite from their toil, Julie gave her mind a chance to rest as well. Rather than thinking about the miles of snow-covered road that lay ahead of her, she thought of cheerier things. She remembered going downtown with her parents the previous Christmas.
It had been snowing then as well, but rather than being stuck on a road in the middle of nowhere, they had eaten dinner at a fancy restaurant. They had been seated near a large stone fireplace that had a roaring fire going. The heat could be felt even to the furthest reaches of the dining room. They ate roast duck and cranberry sauce. She could practically taste it...
She shook herself back to reality and checked her watch. She hadn't fallen asleep, but she had daydreamed longer than intended. Her muscles were cooling down rapidly and starting to cramp. She had to get moving again. Her energy was renewed from the rest/food, and her mind/hope reinvigorated by the thought of getting to eat by a warm fire. Reluctantly, but determined, Julie re-tightened the straps of her bag and set out once again into the cold, snowy emptiness.
Image Source: Pexels
