“Sister, where are you?” cried by a little girl as she ran along a dirt path. Holding unto a basket weaved with dried hay she hurriedly search for her older sister. She was not lost at the first place, her sister Nyla who had been following her since this little girl left their humble household made out of stacked rocks and dried hay from last years harvest.
Earlier Nyla was asked by their Mother, Jennah, to rash towards the orchard and gather some potatoes to be added to their supper. It was a pork stew and her mother was still cutting out the chunks of dried meat. Nyla went out the house as she was ordered to but she waited for awhile behind an oak tree just beside the house. She definitely knew her younger sister would ran out the house to accompany her, like she always do.
Winter was approaching and withered leaves had already been scattered around the dirt path. Nyla waited for a minute until the door opened with a cricking sound of old wood and rusted metal joints.
“Sister wait up.” The little girl yelled while grabbing a hay basket hanging at the side of the house. She wore a light blue dress, her hair was long not like her sister who had only a shoulder’s length. Her chicks were somewhat pinkish that Nyla would tease her often as an apple girl. With her small legs she ran along the dusty path in search for her sister.
She ran side to side dodging stray hens and goats that grazed along the grasslands as they wonder of the dirty path. Skipping and leaping with a smile on her face while humming her favorite melody, Natallie was a care free young girl who loved her simple life. Nyla who was on her back slowly moved from tree to tree so that Natallie wouldn't notice. Nyla was curious this time how Natallie would react if she couldn't find her.
An errand that had been done in several minutes had taken a bit longer; it was the fist time Nyla did this to her only sister. Natallie reached the wooden road sign with a carving of a tree and fruits. The old sign was brittle but was still useful. Natallie followed the narrow path between tall grass in which the wooded sign was pointing to.
The sun was getting ready to set and the clouds were painted with a bright orange glow. The light of the sun covered her path between towering trees with rays of light. She was so happy walking along as the wind accompanied her with hovering buds of dandelions. Natallie turned around as she gazed at the beauty of this place.
Nyla who was a few meters away felt warmth in her heart watching her beloved sister as she danced along with the hymn of the breeze.
Natallie reached the wooden fence of the orchard composed of several fruit bearing trees, a vine yard and a largely enough plotted field enough to support a dozen household in the area. It was a community effort to take care of this orchard which had supported their lives since they left the crumbling city of the Romans.
Nyla’s family along with some of their close acquaintances grouped together and left the corrupted kind of living. For about 3 years now they had only worked for themselves and lived peacefully in this out skirts of land far away from any civilization.
“Nana, hey its me Anika.” The smiling little girl turned her head towards the voice calling for her. Beside one of the trees was a girl with pig tailed hair as she was waving at her at a distance. Natallie ran towards her as she dropped the hay basket on the ground. There was a fence between them but it didn't stop her. Just on the side was a rock half the size of the wooded fence and Natallie ran towards it. She leaped on to the rock and took another leap and stepped on the top of the fence and then she jumped into the soil covered land.
Nyla covered her mouth in shock seeing her 9 year old sister this way. She was always a timid girl when ever she was with her. Nyla was just worried she would yell her sister’s name after seeing her jumped on the fence. But after a while she just smiled watching her sister greeted her friend under the tree. She went out of hiding and walked towards the basket on the ground.
