The Sky Never Ends

The Walk

"That's three heifers, one bull, a mule, a sheep, bout three hens, a rooster, and one sow... I, uh, have these two goats here with me... to apologize for being so behind. There all yours, Sir." the cattleman read out from his order booklet. His farm hands began to lead them into the fenced in areas Samuel directed them to. 

    Noah's cattle had finally arrived. It was three weeks late, but he was thankful for it. They had run out the food he purchased from the cattleman a week ago. There we're plenty varieties of deer meat Selah made that week. He could likely slaughter one of the smaller cows and still have enough to sell, and to plenty to eat. He would also need Selah to milk the cows and one of the goats after they are bred. 

   Sam would be the caretaker for the animals and Noah would work on the house most of the day. Time flew by quickly for everyone except Selah.

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   Selah had grown accustomed to her life quickly, but she was lonely and her jobs required little to no thought. She ached to read a book, or sit and paint a picture, or write a letter. 

   She'd love to be able to write letters to her sister and parents, telling them she was alive. She would ask them if they missed her too, if they were mad at her. Her little brother Henry would be eight years old by now and probably many inches taller. 

    A sobering thought occurred to Selah. What if Sadie was married by now? She'd surely moved on, it had been nearly a year. She was at prime marrying age. Sadie probably started a family.. The idea depressed Sadie even more. Thinking about not being able to see her sister off before she became a wife and mother.

   She let out a frustrated screech at the unfairness of it all. One little stupid mistake and her life was completely flipped upside down, possibly robbing her of a future and happiness. She dropped the crops she was collecting, sat hidden beneath the tall stalks, and let herself have a long cry. 

   Selah always attempted to shut out her thoughts, because when she allowed them to stray they would always lead her to become a blubbering pitiful mess.   

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  Today was one of Selah's days off. It was up to her what she wanted to do. She was hoping to be able take a bath, and was going to attempt walking around the property to get familiar with it if she was allowed. She was planning on asking Noah if she could write a letter, even if he wouldn't allow her to send it off. It would be therapeutic for her. 

   He had been much nicer to Selah over the last few weeks. Friendly even, well for Noah. Since working on the house was dwindling down, he and Sam started to eat dinner with her a couple nights out of the week. Sam would ask her a few light questions about her life and interests and she would answer, some times she would ask him similar questions back. She always enjoyed when he would gush about his wife and child.

    Noah wouldn't ask any questions, but he would sit through the entire meal with them, he interjected every now and then when Sam started exaggerating. He seemed content to be there without adding to much to the conversation. Selah appreciated it. She felt she could let her guard down minutely, allowing herself to enjoy their company. She nor Sam delved very deep. Just enough to make her feel a little more like she was a human and not beneath them. 

She hoped his good mood would last long enough for her to ask. 

   Selah found Noah leaning against the wall of his brother's almost finished home. He had a tobacco pipe resting in his left hand and his eyes were closed. Selah was about to turn around but Noah stopped her calling out her name in a low rasp.