Survival

Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN (edited)

                     Katherine prayed. She prayed as she picked Katy up and started to head for cover. She wasn’t heavy since she was very thin. It had started to rain. Thunder sounded in the distance. It became harder for Katherine to see where she was going but she had to move on. Katy's foot became red from the wet blood. It was a relief she was unconscious so she wouldn't feel the awful pain. But Katherine prayed. She prayed for God to lead her to some place where she could help Katy, at least out of this rain. Rain. It’s so similar to prayer. Katherine knew Jesus since she was a child. She understood that prayer was a strong, strong thing. It was a conversation between her and God. Prayer was something refreshing for the soul. Something that made your heart grow fruits of love, peace, patience, anger management….The rain was powerful in its own way - refreshing the earth, soaking it and giving new life to nature. Rain helps plants and the earth, prayer helps people in need. Thanking God is important too.

            Suddenly, Katherine had seen a dark shadow. It couldn’t be! Or could it? Into view came a cottage. It was practically built into the tree behind it and its roof was smashed under the aggressive branches. At least we would be out of the rain, thought Katherine. She quickly opened the wooden door and walked in, closing it behind her. She took a look around. The cottage was bigger than the other ones she had seen. This one had two metal beds with very thin mattresses, a small table and two chairs that looked like they would collapse any minute. Also, there was a sink and a dresser. The weird thing was that the drawers in the dresser had locks on them.

            Katherine gently lowered Katy on one of the beds and, found a bowl she found and filled it up with water to clean out Katy’s foot. She ripped part of her cheap pants and wrapped it around Katy’s skinny foot. She wondered if the drawers contained any medicine. Katherine walked across the room and tried opening the drawers. Unfortunately, they were all locked. She decided to search for a key. She searched everywhere, even under the mattresses but didn't find anything. Just then she noticed a small carpet in front of the door. When she was a teenager her parents would leave the house key under the carpet on the left corner, so she could get in after her swimming lessons. She walked up to it and picked the carpet up from the rusted floor. Something shone and clinked against the wood. The key. It was yellow rusted with brown, giving it an aged look. The first drawer wouldn't budge when she tried using the key. The second one opened but all she found where some clothes and a pair of old sandals. I could use a cloth as a blanket for Katy, she thought. The last drawer opened a crack but wouldn't open all the way. Katherine pulled and shoved but it wouldn't budge. She tried harder and it suddenly fell out of the dresser completely. Cards scattered on the floor. IDs? Katherine was astonished. She picked up a card and her gaze was on a picture of a little girl about three years old, with a smile. Fake. Third children will never smile until they are free. The name on the ID said Tracy Simpson.

            She picked up another ID and her eyes widened in disbelief. The ID contained a picture of a girl twelve years old and she looked almost exactly like Katy. Except Katherine never seen Katy grinning and she had a wider forehead and a smaller nose but other than that it looked exactly like her. Katy was a third child. Her aunt and uncle sent her away from home to survive on her own. She lived at their house after her mother died. She had an ID but she eventually lost it. This would be a perfect ID card for her and her fake name was somewhat familiar. The name on the ID was Jessie Hubkins.