The cycling club promised a shortcut home after a long ride. Their leader took them through a narrow lane, across a bridge and up a steep hill.
At the top, everyone stopped to catch their breath.
“That wasn’t shorter,” Mara said. “We’ve been climbing for twenty minutes.”
“It cuts three miles,” said the leader.
“From what?”
He pointed to the valley below. They could see the original road running straight beside the river.
“From the route I was going to take,” he said. “I had an even bigger hill planned.”
Mara looked at the group. “Next week I’m leading. My shortcut starts at home.”