Time Traveler's Mistake [on hold]

Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

The little boy's POV

Johnny's mother had told him to bring wood back to her for the stove, so he ventured out into the open, crossing over a hill to collect some, unaware of how far he had wandered from his mother and from Rock Creek.

Johnny let his small feet guide him up a big hill and to wherever he saw scattered twigs and sticks, dutifully picking them up and adding them to the growing pile in his arms.

He was going to make his Mama real proud of him once he shows her all the wood he collected.

She would be so proud that she would make his favourite carrot stew tonight. Just thinking about the stew made Johnny's mouth water. He loved his Mama's carrot stew, but she would only cook it on special occasions.

Johnny was reaching out to pick up another log when suddenly, a snapping sound echoed somewhere around him.

Johnny tensed, causing a few sticks to drop from his arms and scatter onto the ground. Who was that? Were there bad people around? Where was he? His bottom lip trembled a bit and he whimpered softly, realizing that he was lost.

Slowly, Johnny began to make his way back up the hill he had crossed earlier. He tracked his original footsteps, looking around nervously. Step by step, step by step. Once he caught sight of Rock Creek, he smiled with relief. But where was Mama?

Johnny looked around, and spotted a shape over by the side of the stream some few steps away.

Mama! Running as fast as his little legs could carry him, he ran towards the shape. It turned around, and Johnny halted abruptly. This wasn't Mama. It was a boy, someone Johnny had never seen before.

He had hair like the color of carrots and Johnny wondered if his hair really was made out of carrots. His eyes were like the color of the water in Rock Creek when the clear blue sky reflected off of it. He remembered his mama's warning about mean soldier boys wearing gray, but this boy wasn't wearing gray, and he didn't seem very mean.

Instead, boy seemed confused, so Johnny spoke up.

"Do you know where my Mama is?" Johnny asked.

The boy hesitated, but then pointed.

"Thank you," Johnny said and ran away in the direction that the boy pointed to.

What an odd child, Johnny thought to himself.

I must tell mama of my encounters. He slowed to a walk and squinted his eyes, looking ahead of him. Johnny spied his mother some distance away, her hands cupped to her mouth, looking around.

He ran towards her, waving his little arms. "Mama! Mama!" The woman turned towards him, a smile of relief crossing her soft features.

The little boy jumped into his mothers outstretched arms. "Oh Johnny, where in gods name did you go my child?" Johnny shook his head, snuggling closer to his mother. "I don't know, Mama"

The woman sighed softly. "Alright then," she said, setting Johnny on the ground. "Let's go home now" Johnny gratefully took his mothers hand and let her lead the way back home. While his mother was picking up the bucket to get ready to leave, Johnny noticed something gray in the prickly like bushes behind her. Something was stuck in it. Johnny's brow furrowed and he broke his hand away from his mothers, walking toward the odd object.

"Johnny dear, where are you going?" his mother called after him. Johnny squatted down next to the bush and took a closer look at it. The mysterious object was a piece of clothing, snagged on the branch of the prickly bush. Johnny reached his hand in to touch the fabric, amazed at how soft it felt.

"Mama!" Johnny called. "Come look at this!" His mother appeared beside him and crouched down. "What is it?"

Johnny gave the branch a small tug, and the fabric came loose. He handed it to his mother.

"My, my, my!" his mother breathed, running her fingers along the perfect stitching's on the fabric. "This is one expertly crafted garment"

Johnny brightened. "Can I have it, Mama?" he asked hopefully. His mother shook her head. "Oh no, Johnny. Taking this would be stealing. Haven't I taught you any better?"

Johnny sighed, but then brightened up again. "We can give it to cousin Jane!" he said excitedly. "Her birthdate is coming soon. We can give it to her as a gift, Mama. It won't be stealing"

His mother heaved sighed and thought for a moment. "Jane's birthdate is coming up soon, isn't it? And we still have not gotten her a gift yet, haven't we?"

Johnny shook his head vigorously. "You said we are too poor to buy her anything, Mama"

His mothers fist tightened on the garment. "Alright, lets take this home and make cousin Jane a dress out of it, shall we?"

Johnny bobbed his head excitedly. "Yes! Yes we shall!"

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When he and his mother arrived home, Johnny watched as his mother carefully cut up the precious fabric and started to sew them into a dress.

"My, this fabric is quite soft, isn't it Johnny?"

"Yes, Mama"

"Cousin Jane will adore it, won't she?"

"Yes, Mama"

"But the color is quite bland though, don't you think Johnny?"

"Very, Mama"

A silence passed between mother and son before--

"Oh! Oh g-goodness.." Johnny looked up. His mother had pricked her finger on the needle, and a small drop of crimson blood had already started to seep out. He immediately ran to her side.

Johnny's mother sighed and put her needle down onto her lap. "Oh Johnny, now that Papa's gone fighting, we're getting poorer and poorer by the passing minute"

Johnny gently wiped his mothers finger, but kept his eyes glued to the floor. His Mama often talked about how Papa went off to fight bad people, and usually she would end up crying, saying that is was all Papa's fault that they were running out of money.

Johnny would then go to comfort her and tell her that Papa will come back safe one day. Then they can go visit cousin Jane for the first time in three years, together.

Johnny's mother took a shaky breath and picked up her needle. "No use on dwelling on the past," she forced a smile and began working again, her fingers shaking slightly.

An hour or two passed before Johnny's mother was finished with the dress. The original garment they had found in the woods was gone. In it's place was a simple gray dress, with a small pocket decorated with floral patterns and yellow buttons sewn into it.

Johnny's mothers eyes shone as she looked at her masterpeice with pride.

Johnny smiled. "I like it, Mama"

She smiled back. "So do I"

She set the piece of clothing on the dinner table, glancing outside to look at the sunset.

"Lets hope cousin Jane likes it too"

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Helloooooo hope you all enjoyed that short chap! (its more important than you think) ;P

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--heyhey800