This way and that way, her strong legs carry her. She takes a last peek at the barren woods and scurries along the path. Soon, the soles of her feet pound against the cold grey stone. The wind smacks her across the face and the smell of pine trees overwhelms her. The others are surrounding her, and she can’t lose them. She darts, she pushes, she shoves. Faster and faster she goes as the others fall behind.

The trees have disappeared, and now a river is coming into view. It taunts her with its crude current. She doesn’t want to dive in, but she knows she has to in order to survive. Sensing the others quickly approaching, she allows the rush of the river to take her away. Upstream it goes, and she can’t swim any faster. Land is her savior. Crawling out, she starts to run.

A vast scene of green she has come to, and the sun is dancing over her. So many questions race through her mind. Should I turn back? Should I keep going? Which way should I go? She needs to get there. Now. Without thinking, she runs until she reaches silence.

Two paths: one is dark and dirty while the other is perfectly paved rock. She hears panting, and senses that the others are gaining ground once again. She wrestles her desire and takes the dirty path.

As she goes further and further, light gradually vanishes. She starts to question why she took this path in the first place. Something is coming; she feels it. Soon, a smell wafts through the air and food is nearby. The prize. She is the winner.

Another voice is echoing in her ears. A familiar voice. It is the voice of her father saying, “You always take the easy way. Challenge yourself.”