Aspen Hick Goes Away
Plot #1: Quest
Aspen lived for the desert. Her favorite spot was on a hilltop beside a towering cactus. Because she could contort her body to fit within his shadow as a shield from the heat. In the mornings, she sang to the sunrise and hid from its rays. Then one day, a storm came, and Aspen went away.
She was afraid of everything then. But Aspen was strong, and she had a life to live. She spent twelve years traveling the world. She road on the backs of elephants in Bali, attended balls in Buckingham Palace, and hiked to great places like Machu Pichu. She laughed and she cried. She failed and she triumphed. She learned everything and knew nothing.
Aspen met pleasant people and horrible people. She started a family who loved her, and she loved them. She became excited to make mistakes even though from time to time she lost herself in regret. In twelve years, Aspen Hick had done everything, but she missed her home.
So Aspen went back to her desert and slid into in the shadow of her favorite cactus. She sang to the sunrise and hid from its rays. But the cactus was smaller now, and Aspen was older. It was time to leave. At the end of the day, Aspen thanked the cactus an kept it with her in her heart. Then she went away to live again.
