Under The Apple Tree

Chap. 1

Julie went out on her daily run to meet Esa before she left for her Bible lessons every Sunday morning. She passed by Charlie, a good friend of hers, on the way. "Good morning, Ms. Marks!" Charlie called out, "I hear harvest has been kind this year!"

    Julie gave a shy smile towards him, "It has been, I'm quite fortunate! Tell the family I said hello!"

    With that Julie waved to him, hoping to catch Esa in time. It was quite odd for one to have lessons during a school break, Julie couldn't quite imagine herself dressing up in Sunday's best and having to stay there for hours on end when she could be doing other, better things. She shook her head in dismay before running up and ringing the doorbell on the Miller's porch.

    Waiting for a response, Julie heard (what she thought to be) Esa talking by the door.

    "Mother!" said Esa, "Julie's outside, I be a few minutes!"

    Julie couldn't quite hear Mrs. Miller's response before Esa had opened the door just a crack, peering through the small area with her eyes the only thing shining through.

    "You will not believe the dress Mawmaw sewed for me," she gave a slight squeal and jumped through the door, "It has laces!"

    "Well, go ahead! Give it a good twirl!" Julie paused as she glanced up and down at the marvelous black and pink dress, "She made that? How long did it take?"

    "No idea," Esa swished it back and forth, "Was a late birthday present."

    I wish I had a dress like that, Julie thought.

    "It's gorgeous, don't you think?"

    "It's more than gorgeous, it's breathtaking!" Julie stated, "May I feel it?"

    Esa smiled. "Go ahead!"

    The fabric was silk, with black lace layering off her hips in a flower pattern. It came just under her knees, showcasing her silver ballet flats. The flats, Julie thought, looked as if Old Gus had made them just around the corner in his little shop.

    "Gus made these?"

    Esa nodded while admiring her shoes some more, "Made last week."

    Julie had asked for the soles of her work boots to be fixed a while ago, there was no one there to accompany her at the time. Really, she had wondered if she had ever gotten a pair of such dainty shoes from such a large man like that before. Esa looked around to see her family walking to the buggy, "Sorry, Julie. I best be off now."

    Once again, for the second time that day, she had waved her friend goodbye. Esa stuck herself through the window of the small red machine, reaching her hand out and hollering from the window, "Catch up with you later!" Julie recalled that the buggy was awfully small and could fit only four people; two smashed in the back, and two up front. She didn't mind having to wait, she didn't mind not joining them. 

    It was such a pretty little thing, the coat shining with no dust or smears along it's slight, but powerful body. Julie watched as it rode past her, glinting back at her from the sun, almost giving a quick smile towards her. She rarely got to ride in Pa's truck, for that was only for long distant driving. She rode on her bicycle, or walked, to get around most days. She remembered when she had gotten it, a gift from Pa on Christmas Day. It was tied with a bow perched next to the tree. Dan, her eight-year-old little brother, had tried to get on top of it in which only failed to leave a handle bar hole in the wall.

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    Julie waited for Esa by their meeting place of Broken Leg LakeIt was quite a direful title, really. Not one person in the entire town really knew how it had gotten its name. There were a few versions of stories rumoring about the town, (the kind of stories you might tell around a campfire), one of the stories had derived from the back of Green Wood Forest.

     It was told that soldiers from the 16th century had camped around the lake looking to find a spot with water access and tree overhang. A group of soldiers went out to scout the area before they settled, when, before long, they were stopped by one of their own. This soldier was mistakenly under the impression that this forest was haunted and did everything in his power to keep from being forced to go. Desperate, he took an ax and slammed it against his own leg. He was left un-treatable by the edge of this lake and died days later.

   No one's swum in the lake after hearing the rumor. Or, to be honest, ever gone near it. Julie never really believed this rumor, anyway. She much preferred the others. She preferred her grandfather's stories more plainly, especially the one where grandfather's childhood friend Frankie had jumped off the bridge to try to impress Julie's now grandmother, Faline.

    It was the two friends' meeting spot every Sunday, right under the oak tree. You can even see the layered down grass where they drove through with their bicycles and sat down. Chipmunks would be scurrying about, ants crawling near the trunk of the tree, and even frogs splashing in the water. 

   Esa came trudging through the grass in her boots (as Julie was wearing the same), she had her hair up in a ponytail, swishing it back and forth with each step she took. Her arms were out wide trying to balance herself over the thick brush.

    "Julie!" she called out, "I have got something to show you!"

    She ran up next to Julie with a paper in hand, "At church everyone was handing out flyers, I thought you might want to see."

   "Alright," she responded. She scanned over the bright orange lettering at the top labeled "HCF's Autumn Festival" below it, in slightly smaller lettering, said, "Looking for vendors" As soon as Julie laid eyes across the words she jumped up.

    "Esa!" she exclaimed, "They're looking for vendors!" She began scanning over the finer print: get your tickets today, pony rides, mazes, funnel cake, etc. But her mind raced over the thought of running her own stand, a stand for cider. What a thought!

    "I know!" Esa said excitedly, "We go ask your parents! Imagine how excited they be!"

    "I'm not sure if they're back from Shirlington, but I'll check. " Julie said, she got up and dusted the grass from her legs "Wanna ride with me?"

    "Sure," Esa responded, following Julie back to their bicycles "Maybe we could catch Charlie on the way."

   Julie gave her kickstand a kick with her foot, "I talked to him on the way to your house, you know."

   "Really? He never say anything to me," Esa pedaled towards Julie on the path, catching up, she responded, "He usually just smiles and waves."

   The two rode up over the bridge and slowed, both of them looking over the side. They both continued through the winding path of the woods, appearing out into town. They rode for a few minutes before they reached the long dirt covered driveway of the Marks' house before too long.

     Julie jumped off her bike, "You wait out here while I go check," she ran her bike up to the house and yelled back, "I'll just be a minute!"