Status: Being Written.
In A Field.
Lost.
A field, empty of dreams and memories; identifiable only by the small sign posted next to the rickety fence, caught a small girl’s eye as she drove slowly down the bumpy road. There was nothing here to uncover, nor had there ever been such, but nonetheless the small girl found herself pulling over and settling her small VW bug onto the gravel. She slipped out of her thin sandals and padded into the thick, plush grass of the spacey field.
A slight breeze whispered through the grass, which was in dire need of a good thorough mow. The thin blades tickled the girls exposed legs as she waded farther into the openness. There wasn’t much to see, a few trees here and there and millions of wildflowers spread throughout. As the girl walked further and further into the wide field her chest and sides began tightening, leaving her with little air and small whimpers of pain. She slumped down the nearest tree and closed her eyes.
The girl was headed home for summer break. She had been at University for a little less than a year now and this was the first time she had headed in the direction of her hometown. The girl had previously made a promise to herself; she had said she wouldn’t return to the small, tight knit town until she had found herself. She bought herself a small apartment in a big city hundreds of miles away in hopes of doing so. She had entered University with no major and no inklings of what it was she was made to do. Months passed and she fell into a simple routine with the same monotonous voices and thick pollutant smells. Nothing sparked her interest. Her parents invited her home for Thanksgiving. They bribed her with her favorite cinnamon dessert and the possibility of presents. She refused. A month passed and Christmas bit at her heals. Her classes were nearing an end and her first year of school was nearly half over. Still, her future stayed tucked deep into the back of her mind, nothing sprung out at her.
Her parents begged and pleaded for her to come home for the holidays. Christmas was her favorite time of year and spending it alone sounded absolutely dreadful. However, she bought herself a small tree and decorated her apartment in hopes of brightening her mood. At home, presents sat under the tree, unopened and unloved. Cookies baked in the oven in hopes that maybe, just maybe she’d surprise them, but the girl’s parents were forced to decorate them alone. Her presents soon found a home in the back of a closet.
The girl worked hard and took a variety of courses, filling her day from morning to night with anything imaginable. Still, nothing struck her curiosity.
The girl sat in the field, her head and arms resting on her knees. She took slow deep breaths and relaxed. Her thick, honey colored hair blew in the breeze, wrapping itself around her face and hands.
Finally, after months of repetitive work, spring came and went and summer made its way in. University closed for the summer and the girl was faced with a decision. She could keep her promise and find a summer job or two to keep her busy and to pay the bills or she could agree to go home again. The choice wasn’t too difficult and she soon found herself packing a suitcase and preparing herself for her first visit with her family and the many questions they would have. She packed her car and headed south, back towards everything she wished she wasn’t and everything she had wanted to leave behind.
The drive was long and somewhat desolate, there wasn’t much to look at, just a lot of fields of grass, exactly like the one she sat in now. Except this field wasn’t exactly like all the others she had passed before it, no, this field had something hidden deep within it. What was hidden within this spacious field she couldn’t say, but there was definitely something special about it.
As the girl continued sitting in the field she dug a little deeper into her memories. Her high school years were fairly normal. They were filled with boys and dances and many late nights. No big heartbreak or scary situation. Her life was simple, but not exactly easy. The girl had always struggled with making a name for herself, she never knew quite where she fit in the big picture and this scared her.
She had thought that once she put the past and her hometown behind her she might find the missing piece to her puzzle. She hoped she could find her place in the big scheme of things. She didn’t, and she wasn’t sure if she ever would.
The girl, Allison was her name, lifted her head and settled it against the rough bark of the large Oak tree. It was beginning to get late and she watched as the sun slowly slid out of sight. If she wasn’t careful she would be stuck in this field. She had wandered just far enough in that she could no longer see the road. As a matter of fact, she wasn’t even sure in what direction the road lay. The girl was suddenly alarmed and jerked upright. She studied every direction in hopes of finding something familiar. All she found was more grass. The girl slumped back against the tree, letting her head fall into her hands. She even let a few tears slip before she quickly brushed them away and got to business. She went through every possible option; she had left her cell phone in her car, so that left out calling someone for help. All she had in the pocket of her sundress were her car keys, so she couldn’t signal anyone from the road.
She had really gotten herself into trouble here.
As it got darker the temperature dropped, making Allison shiver. This hadn’t turned out right at all! All Allison had wanted was some peace and quiet; some time to think. She hadn’t wanted to be stranded or lost in this stupid field. What was so great about this field anyway? She couldn’t even remember. She should have known she would regret trudging out here through all of that grass. She was sure she would have bug bites all over by morning, if she even made it out of here by then.
All Allison wanted was a warm bath and some cozy pajamas. She wanted to be home in her old bed with the smell of cookies or pies, or whatever her mother chose to bake for her homecoming, wrapped around her.
“What am I going to do?” the small girl said into the now thick darkness that had engulfed the field.
It naturally stayed silent, bringing more tears to Allison’s eyes.
A slight breeze whispered through the grass, which was in dire need of a good thorough mow. The thin blades tickled the girls exposed legs as she waded farther into the openness. There wasn’t much to see, a few trees here and there and millions of wildflowers spread throughout. As the girl walked further and further into the wide field her chest and sides began tightening, leaving her with little air and small whimpers of pain. She slumped down the nearest tree and closed her eyes.
The girl was headed home for summer break. She had been at University for a little less than a year now and this was the first time she had headed in the direction of her hometown. The girl had previously made a promise to herself; she had said she wouldn’t return to the small, tight knit town until she had found herself. She bought herself a small apartment in a big city hundreds of miles away in hopes of doing so. She had entered University with no major and no inklings of what it was she was made to do. Months passed and she fell into a simple routine with the same monotonous voices and thick pollutant smells. Nothing sparked her interest. Her parents invited her home for Thanksgiving. They bribed her with her favorite cinnamon dessert and the possibility of presents. She refused. A month passed and Christmas bit at her heals. Her classes were nearing an end and her first year of school was nearly half over. Still, her future stayed tucked deep into the back of her mind, nothing sprung out at her.
Her parents begged and pleaded for her to come home for the holidays. Christmas was her favorite time of year and spending it alone sounded absolutely dreadful. However, she bought herself a small tree and decorated her apartment in hopes of brightening her mood. At home, presents sat under the tree, unopened and unloved. Cookies baked in the oven in hopes that maybe, just maybe she’d surprise them, but the girl’s parents were forced to decorate them alone. Her presents soon found a home in the back of a closet.
The girl worked hard and took a variety of courses, filling her day from morning to night with anything imaginable. Still, nothing struck her curiosity.
The girl sat in the field, her head and arms resting on her knees. She took slow deep breaths and relaxed. Her thick, honey colored hair blew in the breeze, wrapping itself around her face and hands.
Finally, after months of repetitive work, spring came and went and summer made its way in. University closed for the summer and the girl was faced with a decision. She could keep her promise and find a summer job or two to keep her busy and to pay the bills or she could agree to go home again. The choice wasn’t too difficult and she soon found herself packing a suitcase and preparing herself for her first visit with her family and the many questions they would have. She packed her car and headed south, back towards everything she wished she wasn’t and everything she had wanted to leave behind.
The drive was long and somewhat desolate, there wasn’t much to look at, just a lot of fields of grass, exactly like the one she sat in now. Except this field wasn’t exactly like all the others she had passed before it, no, this field had something hidden deep within it. What was hidden within this spacious field she couldn’t say, but there was definitely something special about it.
As the girl continued sitting in the field she dug a little deeper into her memories. Her high school years were fairly normal. They were filled with boys and dances and many late nights. No big heartbreak or scary situation. Her life was simple, but not exactly easy. The girl had always struggled with making a name for herself, she never knew quite where she fit in the big picture and this scared her.
She had thought that once she put the past and her hometown behind her she might find the missing piece to her puzzle. She hoped she could find her place in the big scheme of things. She didn’t, and she wasn’t sure if she ever would.
The girl, Allison was her name, lifted her head and settled it against the rough bark of the large Oak tree. It was beginning to get late and she watched as the sun slowly slid out of sight. If she wasn’t careful she would be stuck in this field. She had wandered just far enough in that she could no longer see the road. As a matter of fact, she wasn’t even sure in what direction the road lay. The girl was suddenly alarmed and jerked upright. She studied every direction in hopes of finding something familiar. All she found was more grass. The girl slumped back against the tree, letting her head fall into her hands. She even let a few tears slip before she quickly brushed them away and got to business. She went through every possible option; she had left her cell phone in her car, so that left out calling someone for help. All she had in the pocket of her sundress were her car keys, so she couldn’t signal anyone from the road.
She had really gotten herself into trouble here.
As it got darker the temperature dropped, making Allison shiver. This hadn’t turned out right at all! All Allison had wanted was some peace and quiet; some time to think. She hadn’t wanted to be stranded or lost in this stupid field. What was so great about this field anyway? She couldn’t even remember. She should have known she would regret trudging out here through all of that grass. She was sure she would have bug bites all over by morning, if she even made it out of here by then.
All Allison wanted was a warm bath and some cozy pajamas. She wanted to be home in her old bed with the smell of cookies or pies, or whatever her mother chose to bake for her homecoming, wrapped around her.
“What am I going to do?” the small girl said into the now thick darkness that had engulfed the field.
It naturally stayed silent, bringing more tears to Allison’s eyes.
♠ ♠ ♠
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