Mesa Trail ch. 21
Draft 2

"Keeper reached for the charm around her neck. She'd make another wish. That's what she'd do. And maybe she would send a small, invisible prayer to the moon too. But before she could think of what to say, a large wave picked up the boat and shook it." – from Keeper










When Hannah had her vision of opening Element 79 some day, some day down in the valley, along some side street that was cozy and cobblestoned, where she would bake her famous velvet cakes and serve chocolate coffee, she did not ever think it would happen this way.  It wasn't until mid morning, and the entire crew had arrived – Inuna at the bottom of the sluice box, Josh at the head, Mr. Kliefen hauling away gravel, Mrs. Diaz sifting – when she found herself standing underneath the roof of the roughly constructed wood shack preparing lunches from a hauled cooler, that she realized that, of course, this was it.  She reached behind her and tore off a piece of cardboard from a box and wrote the letters Element 79 onto it, stuck it with a stick, and planted into the hard ground out front.  She saw that there were rocks naturally in place to either side, they would be the seats.  Inuna called up from the banks of the creek asking if Hannah needed help in the kitchen.  Mr. Bunkledon was arriving supposedly in just an hour and the sight had to be what was promised: a fully working operation, that could be countred on, and that was not some crazy kids' dream.  She put Inuna to work to work on cold wraps and quinoa bowls.  She called in Kitie for freshly squeezed lemonade.  Josh to clean the screens and set the rocks along in mindful piles.  Before she knew it, Mr. Kliefen and Mrs. Diaz were talking to others who had gathered where the Mesa Trail crosses Bear Canyon Creek and Hannah could see them poining upwards to the shack, otherwise now known as Element 79 she told herself, and a contingency plan kicked in as it always did: 1) this is the grand opening for the Mesa Trail Oasis; 2) we will invite all hikers in for fresh food and water; 3) if they would like to help haul, filter screen, weigh, they are invited.  Whatever they find directly in gold, they can dedicate to their own favorite cause down below.  The small trail shack eatery that was a gold mine that was a non profit operation set in place to seek out needs for the city below.  Hannah felt the old charm around her neck and wondered if this was what her great grandfather had in mind when he said, all those years ago, "some day you will find yourself at a cross roads. You may see two ways to go. Take the one that follows the bright sky. Always follow where the water flows." It sounded like some ancient talk at the time, something biblical, she supposed, but now she could see all the years out before her, running along in some order, some purpose, as the great Flatiron Mountains stood there behind her like strong gaurds with wide backs to protect from the wind and rain and afternoon sun.