Glowing Eyes// Adopted by The Joseph's [√]

[ 11 ]

It was a seasonally cool afternoon in Columbus Ohio. The geese where flying south for the winter and the butterflies covered over stalking oak trees in southern Mexico. To some, it was just another season so live through, to others- it was another season to try and live through. Elizabeth was one of them.

She sat on the tip of the second-to-last step on the back porch. The house sitting calmly behind her though her mind was as loud as a startled swarm of bee's. A small, but sizable pond rested calmly on the shore line where the two bio's met. Water coloring softly to the movement the hydro created within.

She liked to do this. Sit out and just close her eyes. Just listen, enjoy the sounds that came from the world as they flooded her ears. She clutched the notepad in her hands at remembering the light weight resting on her thighs. She was once again, blank. She didn't know what, or who to create. She was desperate. Her hands at this point where doing nothing but adding more shame to her name.

You see, hands to her, are her life. You create, feel, touch, compose. So much more. But all her hands where able to do was clutch the narrow graphite pencil she held within her right hand.

She sighed and placed her left elbow on the corner of the paper, placing the palm of her hand against her forehead as she pondered of something terrifying.

That's when she heard a ripple of water and a startling slash. Some getting on her chestnut brown boots Jenna got for her from her job at the boutique.

She furrowed her eyes as they lifted to see nothing but the eyes of some small creature. Brown and worrisome. She gently placed the utensil upon the notepad next to her before hoisting herself up off the ground with the palms of her hands.

They never broke eye contact as she stepped closer, at a slower pace, and crouched down.

She familiarized herself to know the label of the creature as an otter. A small, infant one at that. It had wet, knotted mixed fur and short arms and stubby hands to match along with its developing tail.

She adorned it with glistening eyes. Stretching her hand slightly, the creature flinched, but willingly gave in as her hand gently grazed over its freshly wet coated fur.

It crawled up to her, giving her the opportunity to change her position to sit Indian style with the small animal in her lap. She cuddled it as her heart swelled in aspiration to care for this infant animal.

She looked up and around to search for its family, but found nothing but silhouettes of Koi fish swimming gracefully around the pond.

"You have no family huh?" She looked down a the animal. Not expecting a response, though she answered anyway "maybe you had a mom? A dad even... I bet they where nice... You probably had good shrimp to eat..." The otter gave a tilted head at her words "OK, maybe sardines or seaweed, I don't know." She shrugged. The animal found a interest in the wool of her sweater, it was knitted by none other, but Jenna. It was truly a lovely gift from a lovely person. Though, she feels as if she doesn't deserve it. Any of it.

"Do you like my sweater? Mom made it. I like what she makes for me. It makes me feel happy." She didn't think about her words. They passed out of her mouth so fluently. But it was of good use. Jenna was a great mother. An even better one than what she was given before.

"Elizabeth?" Her sweet voice rasped slightly. Signaling she must have just woken up. Jenna closed the glass door back, clicking automatically as she did so. Wrapping her blanket around her tighter at the sudden breeze of wind. She studied the figure, shifting enough to catch a glimpse of a small creature.

She then found the notepad and pen, incoherent, black printed words covered the page and Jenna furrowed her eyebrows. She knew for Elizabeth for quite some time now, a month, merging onto two now, and she was frustrated. Confused even. And she printed it all on the paper. Being careful not to make too much noise, she picked it up and looked back towards her.

She calmly took her steps forward, not wanting to break the peaceful silence as she joined her legalized daughter out on the freshly cut grass thanks to Tyler. Stretching her right arm out, the blanket clutched within her hand, she wrapped the autumn schemed throw blanket over the slightly shivering body.

It was then Jenna caught sight of her holding onto the animal. She didn't mind. Just thought of what the odds of one appearing.

"Its getting cold honey, why are you outside?" She started. Ignoring the otter as it was not stretched across both of their laps in a high pitched yawn.

"I... I find it peaceful. I tried to find a reference. But I couldn't. I couldn't find anything." She sighed. Her words growing harsh.

"Lizzy... Look at me," she placed her hand on the outline of her chin and tilted it towards her "you can't stress yourself out on something your so gifted in. If you just put your mind to it, you can do anything." A smile graced both their lips as Jenna pulled out the notepad. She flipped the tan paper over to a new page and grabbed the graphite pencil. "Looks like Ollie is asleep. Wildlife if a beautiful thing you know."

"Ollie?" She questions

"Yeah, you can't help but love an otter. We can take care of him if you want."

Elizabeth smiled even more and a hint of green mixed in with the yellow that tinted her eyes.

Jenna furrowed her eyebrows and stuck out her tongue out the corner of her mouth in a sign of concentration as she sketched a figure. Trees in the distance and a detailed pond to top it off, Elizabeth smiled at the finished creation her mother created.

"Let's go get it to the vet shall we?"

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