I hate this part. But I guess I have been ducking trade duty for too long, so here I am climbing La Loma Avenue towards the hills, the smell of old ashes stinging my nose. It’s not the hill so much… it’s steep, sure, but I got an early start so I can take my time. As long as I can get everything worked out with the Witches in time to head back.
It’s the memories. Why the hell does the quickest, safest way to Witch Hill Farm have to run through my neighborhood, dammit?
La Loma to Glendale, then over to Campus. That mass of scrub and poison oak over there used to be where Mom would drop me off with Mrs Herman for the day. If I dug into the brush I’ll bet I could even find where Jasen Herman’s and I had our “fort”. Not that it protected Jasen after the Day. When Ashley finally let me look for him, it was already 2 weeks after Bliss Day. We think he was trying to get into the house next door to look for food, fell from the deck railing, and …. Well, Ashley told me he probably died right away, but I don’t think a fall like that usually kills you. I think he probably couldn’t get up. It probably took a while.
It’s all ashes and overgrowth now, of course. We keep a path open along the old streets, but without that you’d just think those were funny-shaped bushes instead of what used to be houses. The fires come in the dry season, and every time we lose a little more of what used to be here. It belongs to nature, not us.
A few more turns and … damn. No choice. The other path is a choked mess now – nobody but me ever used it, because it’s three times as long as going up Avenida.
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Right past 78 Avenida Drive. Home.
I hate this part.
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