The Walk

She quickly checked her list of what seemed like a millionth time. Is she her first solo hiking trip. She has a few weeks off work. This is the perfect time. She recently broke up with a toxic boyfriend. Her job is in between projects. She found a friend to housesit her small apartment.

She could not face her judgmental family for Christmas. She decided to be selfish for the first time in her life. Over the last couple of years, she returned home every time. She just received lectures about everything in her life she is doing wrong. To the point she dreaded coming home.

Why do not have any children. Why has she not married her boyfriend. She should have a better degree than her fine arts degree. They always complained about how small her apartment was. Why believe her job at a small gallery was a waste of her potential. They were pointing out her flaws.

The final straw comes when she is given the opportunity by a local art gallery to be the main installment in their new wing. While working on her installment. She accepted their job offer from the assistant collection manager. When she called her mum to tell her news. She replied, “When are you going to get a proper job”.

Then it was the day of the launch of the new wing. She invited her family and her boyfriend. It set the three hours of launch watching the door. No one from family came, not even her boyfriend of eight years, not even bothered to show up. She was forced to hide tears behind her bright smile.

She went right home to her perfect apartment and just cried. Something inside her just snapped. She is sick of being an outcast in her family. She was sick of being in a one-sided relationship. She does everything for him but cannot go to his poker to support her.

She decided to text her boyfriend via text. She stopped coming to the weekly family dinners. She felt calmer and more stable than she had in years. She poured herself even more to work. She started exploring different hobbies. But I quickly developed a passion for bushwalking. Regularly doing weekend walks.

She becomes stronger and more confident. She made new friends through bushwalking group. These people supported her. Some regulars visited the art gallery she worked at. They never made negatives about her apartment or her career choices. She started to post pictures from her walks on social media. Receiving all the encouragement from stranger than her own family.

Having lunch after long morning walking. She starting to talk a woman. She just talked about her solo walking routine around Tasmania. She showed photos and told stories of her month trip. She was jealous. She started asking her questions about the trip. She never seemed annoyed about her questions.

At home she opened her laptop. She spent hours researching different solo trips. She lots of women around the world doing solo trip. Reading their social media posts and watching their YouTube videos. Then the idea comes to the mind. To celebrate her new sense of confidence she will spend a week solo walk.

Instead of spending Christmas with her family. She will do some that will make her happy. She put her leave request to work. She got excited. She started packing straight away. She listened to every piece of advice she received. She hours packing and repacking. She ensures that all plenty water, food and even multiple pairs of socks.

Then the day finally arrived. She had everything packed waiting at the door. She sprung up when she heard the alarm. It was barely daylight, but she wanted to walk a few kms before the midday sun would not force her rest. She drove to the start of the trail. She stepped out of the car with excitement.

She had been walking for hours. Just look around her. She planned her walks for weeks. She thought she meant to pass the rock. Looking through the bag. She started to panic. She forgot the most important thing about her map. But it does not matter she still has her phone.

She did not plan to walk too far from civilization. She reaches the backpack of the backpack. A sign of relief when she felt her phone. She turns it on and waits for the signal to start. But nothing happened but her phone just flashed with no signal. She sat on the ground and started to cry.