Author Archives: era0eco
Making the Team | Part 3
Previous Trials are just three weeks later. In Rhetia, this is a one-day competition. The winner, along with the National Champion, automatically makes the World Team, but the other four gymnasts will be chosen by the coaches. I was seventh at Nationals among the gymnasts who were at least sixteen, but if I’d made fewer […]
Making the Team | Part 2
Previous We enter the stadium through a separate entrance from the horde of spectators waiting in line. We have a small team; aside from Sunlissia and I, thirteen-year-old Greesatina Swirl is Niche’s only other elite-level gymnast. Greesatina is Coach Trili’s niece. We start on the Bars with Andon Gymnastics. There are just two of them. […]
Making the Team | Part 1
“We’ll be staying at Narana’s,” Mom says. “Ooh! I can’t wait to see their house.” Sunlissia is my parents’ adopted daughter. She is four years older than me, twenty-one, and very interested in all things art. “Ktine?” “Yeah, I heard you the first time, Mom. Are the boys coming?” I have two brothers, Lenor and Torin. […]
Scaling the Top | Part 3
Previous Once Igor came back, he and Gertrunania slowly brought Ivan down the mountain. “We’ll make it to Narit Cave tonight. I believe there are medical supplies in that cave. There is a lot of food that is easy to get near there. Igor can take care of you until you heal.” “The plane back […]
Scaling the Top | Part 2
Previous Mount Leli was different. Climbing up the crater to the side of the pass that led to the highest crater wasn’t too difficult, with ropes. Slow, sure. Ivan focused on climbing up. They reached the crater top, and realized a dilemma. The crater was incredibly steep, and the edges eroded when they touched them. […]
Scaling the Top | Part 1
Ivan turned to his climbing partner, Igor. “Ready to climb this Mount ‘Leli’?” “Certainly. We’ve climbed far more difficult mountains, including that Cirsao one on the other island, which is higher. The locals just don’t climb mountains.” “They don’t seem to be interested in adventure,” Ivan agreed. “It’s less than two miles above sea level. […]
Running Away: Tika Aza | Part 3
Previous Le Esel 1007 Where do people go when harvests are poor? To the cities, apparently. I was not the only one who had the idea to go to Yahvsii Isvar. The easterly road seemed as crowded as it was for the Harvest Week festivities, even though they were now over. My village hadn’t gone. […]
Running Away: Tika Aza | Part 2
Previous Early Narsel 1007 Tlinie burst in from the fields. “The root vegetables are all moldy.” “How will we ever have enough food for the winter? What is the cause of this bad luck?” The older women asked. “My mother said there was a poor year when she was young,” one of my aunts offered […]
Running Away: Tika Aza | Part 1
Aarae 1006 I ran down the dusty, narrow path through the forest to Es Seli, my heavy cloth backpack full of shovels and other metal trinkets bouncing with every step. The Tvarnaer’ village head had asked me to trade for crushed seeds to make the Summer Solstice pastries. Es Seli had a mill. Tvarnaer’ didn’t. […]
Areana and the Dragon
Found in a little notebook I have from childhood. Not dated. Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a village tucked into some high mountains that were impossible to cross. The villagers struggled to grow their crops and feed their families, since very little rain fell on the dry soil. Even worse, […]
Richenda 
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