Travellers' Hut

It snowed that day, as it often did in the northern mountains. Usually, on days like these, I would be playing board games with the other orphans, reading a good book, or begrudgingly doing school work.

Today I sat in the travelers' hut, knitting of all things. Leana sat across from me, grouching underneath the large thick lens of her spectacles. Her hair was white as the snow outside and her face wrinkled like a raisin. She wore a dark parka she made herself.

The thick walls surrounded us and a single fireplace offered warmth. Above the fireplace were sheets of embroidered cloth. Horses and unicorns, snowflakes and mountains, cars and trains.

I held a large green blanket and sewed onto it a sheep. Why did I embroider a sheep? I don't know. I like sheep. But it was a tradition for people leaving the village to leave a memento in the travelers' hut. Usually, something handcrafted. You didn't have to do it, but it allowed you to leave a memory of yourself, and that appealed to people. It definitely appealed to me.

I held up the blanket. My sheep was almost done. One of the legs was a bit shorter than the others. Drat. I got back to sewing. Leane looked up from her musings and watched me work. Maybe I was trying to find excuses to stay longer. I sewed and stitched till the legs were even. I showed it to Leane.

"Sheep need eyes to see. Take this" she suggested and handed me a white spool.

"Um, ok"

I unraveled the spool and sucked at the end of it to thread my needle. It was a frustrating process like always. I slipped it through and pulled on it till it was of a good length. I snapped and tied up the end, and gave my sheep eyes with a few expert knots. Looks good.

"How about now?" I asked.

"Better" she grumbled.

She grabbed the blanket from me, walked over to the fireplace, and put it on a wooden beam already decorated with other works. Beautiful and ugly stitches by visitors and the people who left Shizu.

On the old wooden shelves behind it, there were carvings of elephants, hippos, puppies, and strange creatures abandoned in frustration by their craftsmen. Intricate clay ornaments by masters and squished globs by infants. This room represented history. Now I was a part of it.

We stood there being warmed by the fire for a few moments. I wanted to comfort Leana. I never knew my parents. She was like a grandmother to me. And the other orphans were my family. I knew she would miss me though she will never show it. She was a bit silly that way. What's wrong with showing some emotion?

A loud thumping came from the door.

I hurried over and heaved it open. The door was slightly pushed by a biting wind that rushed in followed by a tall thin man in a hooded jacket. He pulled it off revealing a blue cotton shirt and rubbed his shoes against the carpet littering the ground with snow. He shivered and scrubbed off some stray snow from his short patchy beard.

"Ugh, I forgot how cold it is up here. Alrighty, I've finished loading the bags with the boys. Ella, you ready to go?" asked Jimmy.

"Yes," I replied. I hurriedly took my jacket from the coat rack by the door and put it on. What can I say? I was excited. I felt guilty for not feeling sad.

"Hold on a second, you must be tired after all moving, how about staying for a bit before you set off?" Leana asked.

"That's awfully nice of you," said Jimmy.

"Then why are you frowning?"

"Cause it's weird for you to be this nice"

She smacked Jimmy in the elbow while he chuckled at his own jibe. She is sad to see me go, isn't she? A strange affection filled within me. I am going to miss her. I walked up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. She waved me away scowling. I smiled.

"Are you sure you packed everything?"

"Yes"

"Your ID?"

"Right here in my pocket"

"Your letter of invitation?"

"It's with the other luggage"

"Toothbrush?"

"Don't worry Leana, I'm ready, I've already triple-checked everything" I said.

Leana stood there watching me for a few moments. I felt a little worried. What if she told me not to go? I searched her eyes. I was almost relieved to see tears.

"Off you go then, don't get into trouble. I'd rather your teachers not call me about misbehavior"