The Salute By Alicia Rost One cold autumn morning I was awakened from my sleep, in which I was having a series of many peaceful dreams, because I had heard a little noise. My mama walked over to my sleeping area, since we all shared one room, and nudged my shoulders. She whispered, “Today is the day,” into my ear. My family, which was very large, had been preparing for this morning for the past few days. I was only a young boy then, and I did not understand why we had to leave. I had only been in this area a short amount of time, and I enjoyed running out of my school building and going straight to the prairies. When I ran fast enough I would feel the cool breeze running through my shaggy hair and shirt. This would make me feel as if I could lift up into the air and go anywhere I could imagine. After mama's whisper I grabbed my two shirts and a pair of pants off the cold, dirt floor and shoved them into my pillowcase. My family silently left the house, and we headed out on our long journey up north. “How much longer, Mom?” I groaned. “Honey, this is only the beginning,” she replied. My family had been walking for what seemed like forever. By now the sun was high in the sky, and many animals were out in the woods surrounding us. The birds chirping loudly, flying and scattering all about, made me wish I were back home in our little shack. I was so tired of walking. My legs hurt, and my throat was so dry it felt as if it was on fire. My little shoes that I had gotten two years ago were already ruined. My toes were poking out the top with frayed white edges around the rim. The bottom of my shoes were so thin now that I was sure that in any second I would be walking on the earth’s floor. The cool mulch would be on my feet and the sticks would be in between my toes. We all sat down on a fallen log and I felt the cool moss, still damp from last night’s rain, sink through my thin cotton pants. My mama took a basket that she was carrying and pulled out a loaf of bread, and we all ripped off a piece. We all were very thankful that we were stopping, because our legs were tired of walking and our hands so tired of carrying baskets. There was only one thing that I was looking forward to, and that was seeing my papa. Papa had left many years ago, along with all my uncles, when I was only a young boy. He said he would return soon, but he never did. Last year he sent a letter saying that he bought a new home and had more money now, so our family would be able to start a new life. In my old life I was always teased by the kids at school. My family had a very small well, and we were not able to shower often. My hair was always messy, my clothes ratty, and I always had a little bit of last night's dinner around the corners of my mouth. Here my papa promised that we would be able to have more comforts, a more spacious home and we would be happy together. I was determined to make it there as soon as possible. It must be around three in the morning, but I am still awake. I look around and see my family all clumped together under a tree. They are all sleeping peacefully. I wonder how can they sleep at a time like this? Tomorrow mama says we will reach the new land. I am so excited, much too excited to sleep. Mama says that once we get there we will be able to see an ocean. The ocean is like a huge bathing area. It is filled with a large amount of cool, salty water that seems as if it could go on forever. There are many different things that will be in this new world of mine. I will be able to make new friends and have more clothes, so I won't be teased. No one will know who I was in the past, but I will remember. I will push myself to try harder in everything that I do. The moon is slowly getter lighter and lighter as my eyelids start to feel heavier, and I drift off into dreamland. I am awakened by my sister Bethany yelling. There seems to be a bug on her shoulder. The animals and climate are very different here than they are back home. The land started out to be very lush and soft, with many trees that are mostly deciduous. Now that we are up north the air seems cleaner and more crisp. The ground is rockier and the trees are mostly evergreen. It seems like we are walking faster than we have been for the last few weeks, but I think that is because we are all so excited. The path seems to be winding down, and up ahead I see a clearing. The light is so bright, shining through a hole in the cloud. It is like a message from God telling me here I will find new hope. I start to run and then I am taken aback by what I see. The most beautiful thing in the world, I am sure of that. This must be the ocean that mama told me about. It was much more beautiful than a bathing area, and the crashing waves making white foam on the tips are amazing. I just had to touch this beautiful sight so I walked on the soft soil towards the water, leaving my footprints and the past. I just knew that here things would be different, and for once I would fit in. The water splashed up on my bare feet and sent energy all the way up to my head, making my back tingle with the coolness of the water. The grains of sand were in between my toes that were curled under my feet to keep warm in the freezing water. The rest of my family made it out of the path and joined me at the waters’ edge. Together we watched the most amazing sunset. The sky was a deep pink with purple and blue swirls all around. Around the horizon was a beautiful display of burnt orange with just a hint of yellow. We were all so thankful that we had made the trip safely and my mama told us that we would be working here at the beach each morning. We were to bring down an empty woven basket and walk along the shoreline collecting oysters. We would then bring them to town and sell them in the local market. This would be how we would be making our money. I was looking forward to working right here on the beach so I would have plenty of time to explore. I told mama I was going to take a short walk down the beach, and she told me not to be long because we did not know the area and it was getting late. I started to walk and then I saw a tall black shadow off in the distance. The person waved, and I recognized that wave, four fingers up in the air, with the pinky finger slightly bent, moving in the motion that it was almost a salute. The only person who had ever waved like that was my father. Then I felt my feet start to move from under me, faster, and faster. It seemed as if I was running a marathon, and this was the last stretch to win the whole race. I was close enough now that I could see him: his slightly unshaven beard, short brown hair, a crooked smile and the brightest blue eyes that sparkled when I looked at them. I leaped up into his arms, and I just let him hold me there.