Mountains and Mushrooms

“Fine! I’m going, I’m going!” Alyssa stomped out of the house, taking the bag of trash with her. It wasn’t fair, she thought, that she had to do all the chores while her younger brother got to play video games. Snarling to herself, she continued to stew over the discrepancies. As the oldest, she didn’t have fun watching Brent get away with things, as if their parents thought he was a perfect angel. In her opinion, Brent was a stuck-up, selfish brat.

Alyssa opened the lid of the trash can and dumped the bag in. Imagining it was Brent’s face, she grinned and headed to the backyard before returning to complete the chores. She pulled the crumpled list out of her pocket and muttered to herself, “Scrub the kitchen, finish the laundry, vacuum the stairs.” Alyssa closed her eyes briefly, savoring the moment. Nobody would bother her out here behind their cabin near the base of Mount Jabus. Beyond their fence, miles and miles of trails traversed the mountain.

Hiking was one of Alyssa’s passions, while her brother hated outdoor activities. This gave her free reign of the trails, and what better time to go exploring? Hopping the fence, Alyssa set out on her trek, contemplating whether or not to return in time for dinner. Her parents might yell at her, but what did it matter? They wouldn’t ground her because they knew she would return with renewed patience for her tasks. As she wandered along, Alyssa began to search for mushrooms. She had studied and learned the characteristics of over ten varieties and could tell which were poisonous and which were not. Poking around, Alyssa found a few Yellow Chanterelles. Then she spied a Matsutake, her favorite, which was difficult to find and known for its spicy aroma. She decided to continue her hunt a little longer before heading home.