My first story
The Town's Gossip
One warm summer morning at precisely dawn, a long-legged blonde haired girl in her teens came out of a dull red cabin. Beside was her dog, a blue heeler from Australia with dark spots all over and piercing blue eyes that always shine. The girl quietly shut the screen door behind her and walked silently, motioning to her dog to walk beside her to the porch step. They leapt over the broken step down to the solid ground, where the girl ran over to a swing. This swing was attached to an old ash tree and she firmly gripped the cord before pushing off the ground and swung over the cliff and back.
Today was the day that she was going to spend at the creek. Today was the first day of summer vacation. Today was the end of the school semester. Girls in her town didn't go to school because it wasn't "proper", but she did because her father was the minister and he wanted his daughter to be able to have the same education as if she was a boy.
The town had always talked about her. She didn't have a mother anymore, and her father sent her to school, not to mention that she usually ran off into her woods almost every day by herself, only with her dog in tow. Even when her mother was here, it had caused gossip because she and her mother would try and scare off the unsuspecting townsfolk.
Her mother always liked doing fun things like that; she also loved ships, which caused the people to talk. She even had changed the beds inside the cabin into hammocks like the ones used on ships for the sailors. She had a lovely shade of red hair, so people thought she was a witch, even though those times had passed long ago. Her mother, Sonia, had insisted that they should get rid of their car. They didn’t, and she was right to want to get rid of it. It had been how she left; by a car accident.
The girl spoke to her dog like it was a human; and her hands were always as cold as if she had put them in a snowdrift, even in the summer.
Swinging out on the cord that dipped down over the rushing stream felt very relaxing. She was thinking about her father and what she would say in the note she was leaving for him. Finally, she thought of something suitable to tell him, besides where they would be and when they would come back. On the way back to the cliff the girl let go of the swing's cord when she was about three feet from the ground. Landing with a thump she began running back up the hill. When she reached the top she continued to trot to the porch and finding a piece of paper and pen, wrote a note to her father.
Dad,
I'm going to the creek and Poppy is going with me. I'll be at the creek day, if that's ok. If you want me to come back, then just come and see me at the bay by the cliffs. It’s the one on the other side of the creek, so you would have to either yell loud or come across. We will be taking lunch with us, so I won't need the bow. Expect us to be back by 6:00. I'll make dinner tonight if you would like me to.
Love,
Lauren
Lauren found a rock and walked carefully up to the porch. She placed the note inside of her father's bedroom door under the rock when she went in for her and Poppy's lunch. She found an apple, two slices of bread, a jar of water, two large pieces of ham, and some dog food. It didn't take very long. After packing it all in her knapsack along with a towel, Lauren put on her knapsack and went out the back door snatching her pocket knife along the way. Quietly she said "Come on Poppy, let's go".
They ran down the path that leads across the bridge. After they cut across the bridge and the backyard, they began to slow down because they had to go up a very large hill. Poppy had no problem with hills but Lauren always had to stop and rest. Not today though. Lauren and Poppy kept running along. Lauren wanted to see the sunrise at the very top of the cliff-like drop off. Now there was no time to lose.
They arrived at the spot that was the best for watching the sunrise and sunset at the very tip of the elevated hill they had been climbing for the past ten minutes. They found that they hadn't missed the entire sunrise. Lauren and Poppy watched until the sun had raised just enough to tell them that it was about eight. After learning what time it was, they hurried down the path to the creek.
They were almost out of the pines that sheltered them from the sun when they crossed the old boards that had been placed to cross the marshy spots. When they got to the bank, Lauren and Poppy went left and continued walking until they got to the gas line. Lauren strode to the edge of the turbulent water and pulled off her shoes and socks. She put them in her knapsack, closed it up, and replaced it on her back. Lauren and Poppy stepped into the creek and waded across. Lauren had to hold up her skirt so that it wouldn't get wet.
On the opposite bank, Poppy shook the water out of her coat and then jumped over a large rock that was being warmed by the sun and fell asleep. Lauren dried her feet off and began to search the bank for a flat stone to unpack and lay out lunch for later. When she finally found a suitable spot and found her self humming a lullaby that her mother sang when Lauren had been a baby. But that was before the car accident, long ago. After their lunch was eaten, Lauren decided to take a nap with Poppy on the large rock.
When Poppy and Lauren awoke they found that it was around two o'clock. Lauren fed Poppy her dog food and drank some of the water. Since they still had about three hours until they had to be back, Lauren began to draw one of her friends; her best friend; her only friend. Her best friend's name was Olivia. Olivia was not only a good friend but she was easy to make into a cartoon character when Lauren drew her. Another thing was that Olivia knew when Lauren was sad about something and if she wanted to talk about it or not. She also would tell Lauren if they needed to get revenge, then they would. Olivia also was exceptionally good at scaring townsfolk away from Lauren's property. They used to do the scares in the summer, but then Olivia moved across town and was forbidden to visit Lauren.
After she finished her drawing, she looked at the sky. It was nearly five o'clock; Lauren hastily backed everything back in her knapsack. When she was finally satisfied with how everything was organized and her shoes and socks were inside as well, she and Poppy began to wade across the fast moving water.
On the opposite side of the bank, the companions began to run back to the creek path. They scrambled up the hills and ran at full speed to get to the cabin on time. Her father was always a stickler for being on time. They burst through the door and checked the time.
It was exactly six o'clock. Lauren suddenly realized that her dad was not to be found. She called out "Dad where are you"?
There was no answer.
Today was the day that she was going to spend at the creek. Today was the first day of summer vacation. Today was the end of the school semester. Girls in her town didn't go to school because it wasn't "proper", but she did because her father was the minister and he wanted his daughter to be able to have the same education as if she was a boy.
The town had always talked about her. She didn't have a mother anymore, and her father sent her to school, not to mention that she usually ran off into her woods almost every day by herself, only with her dog in tow. Even when her mother was here, it had caused gossip because she and her mother would try and scare off the unsuspecting townsfolk.
Her mother always liked doing fun things like that; she also loved ships, which caused the people to talk. She even had changed the beds inside the cabin into hammocks like the ones used on ships for the sailors. She had a lovely shade of red hair, so people thought she was a witch, even though those times had passed long ago. Her mother, Sonia, had insisted that they should get rid of their car. They didn’t, and she was right to want to get rid of it. It had been how she left; by a car accident.
The girl spoke to her dog like it was a human; and her hands were always as cold as if she had put them in a snowdrift, even in the summer.
Swinging out on the cord that dipped down over the rushing stream felt very relaxing. She was thinking about her father and what she would say in the note she was leaving for him. Finally, she thought of something suitable to tell him, besides where they would be and when they would come back. On the way back to the cliff the girl let go of the swing's cord when she was about three feet from the ground. Landing with a thump she began running back up the hill. When she reached the top she continued to trot to the porch and finding a piece of paper and pen, wrote a note to her father.
Dad,
I'm going to the creek and Poppy is going with me. I'll be at the creek day, if that's ok. If you want me to come back, then just come and see me at the bay by the cliffs. It’s the one on the other side of the creek, so you would have to either yell loud or come across. We will be taking lunch with us, so I won't need the bow. Expect us to be back by 6:00. I'll make dinner tonight if you would like me to.
Love,
Lauren
Lauren found a rock and walked carefully up to the porch. She placed the note inside of her father's bedroom door under the rock when she went in for her and Poppy's lunch. She found an apple, two slices of bread, a jar of water, two large pieces of ham, and some dog food. It didn't take very long. After packing it all in her knapsack along with a towel, Lauren put on her knapsack and went out the back door snatching her pocket knife along the way. Quietly she said "Come on Poppy, let's go".
They ran down the path that leads across the bridge. After they cut across the bridge and the backyard, they began to slow down because they had to go up a very large hill. Poppy had no problem with hills but Lauren always had to stop and rest. Not today though. Lauren and Poppy kept running along. Lauren wanted to see the sunrise at the very top of the cliff-like drop off. Now there was no time to lose.
They arrived at the spot that was the best for watching the sunrise and sunset at the very tip of the elevated hill they had been climbing for the past ten minutes. They found that they hadn't missed the entire sunrise. Lauren and Poppy watched until the sun had raised just enough to tell them that it was about eight. After learning what time it was, they hurried down the path to the creek.
They were almost out of the pines that sheltered them from the sun when they crossed the old boards that had been placed to cross the marshy spots. When they got to the bank, Lauren and Poppy went left and continued walking until they got to the gas line. Lauren strode to the edge of the turbulent water and pulled off her shoes and socks. She put them in her knapsack, closed it up, and replaced it on her back. Lauren and Poppy stepped into the creek and waded across. Lauren had to hold up her skirt so that it wouldn't get wet.
On the opposite bank, Poppy shook the water out of her coat and then jumped over a large rock that was being warmed by the sun and fell asleep. Lauren dried her feet off and began to search the bank for a flat stone to unpack and lay out lunch for later. When she finally found a suitable spot and found her self humming a lullaby that her mother sang when Lauren had been a baby. But that was before the car accident, long ago. After their lunch was eaten, Lauren decided to take a nap with Poppy on the large rock.
When Poppy and Lauren awoke they found that it was around two o'clock. Lauren fed Poppy her dog food and drank some of the water. Since they still had about three hours until they had to be back, Lauren began to draw one of her friends; her best friend; her only friend. Her best friend's name was Olivia. Olivia was not only a good friend but she was easy to make into a cartoon character when Lauren drew her. Another thing was that Olivia knew when Lauren was sad about something and if she wanted to talk about it or not. She also would tell Lauren if they needed to get revenge, then they would. Olivia also was exceptionally good at scaring townsfolk away from Lauren's property. They used to do the scares in the summer, but then Olivia moved across town and was forbidden to visit Lauren.
After she finished her drawing, she looked at the sky. It was nearly five o'clock; Lauren hastily backed everything back in her knapsack. When she was finally satisfied with how everything was organized and her shoes and socks were inside as well, she and Poppy began to wade across the fast moving water.
On the opposite side of the bank, the companions began to run back to the creek path. They scrambled up the hills and ran at full speed to get to the cabin on time. Her father was always a stickler for being on time. They burst through the door and checked the time.
It was exactly six o'clock. Lauren suddenly realized that her dad was not to be found. She called out "Dad where are you"?
There was no answer.