Sister's Blackbird

5 Years Later 1824

“Ahhh! No! Hahaha!” I screamed as Anne splashed a bucket filled of cold water on me. It was a beautiful summer afternoon, the birds were chirping and the lovely cool breeze made it even more perfect.

    “I’m going to get you! Be ready!” she giggled. I quickly grabbed another bucket and splashed it at her. We were both soaked! My scarlet red hair was now turned to a dark brown with water dripping down onto my pretty blue dress.

    “Ha! I bet our mommys will have a fit!” I smirked.

    “Mhm! My mother just made this dress for me today,” Anne said. She grabbed the beautiful pink hem and curtseyed. I was green with jealousy. “And look, I even have puff sleeves.” She flipped her dirty blonde hair back and grinned.

    “Oh how I wish my mommy made puff sleeves for me, she thinks they're a waste of fabric!” I sighed. Anne's father became mayor a few months ago although, they always had been a wealthy family.

    “Well, we are not all perfect.” She smiled. Anne does a terrible job and making me feel better. Even though all girls should be spoiled, I am afraid she is too spoiled for her own good. Her rude remarks always give me the most dreadful thoughts, her words even haunt my dreams.

    “Yes… I guess so.” I sighed. The fun was over for me, I wanted to go back home. “The mosquitoes are horrible, don’t you think? How about we go inside!” Quickly changing the subject.

    “Alright! I need to get home soon anyway.” Anne replied. We bid our goodbyes and went our ways.

    “Alice! I told you to start the kettle!” I heard my mother scream. I quickly put a few branches of wood in the fireplace and filled the kettle up with water. Last year, our neighbor Mr. Miller, installed a sink that was connected to the well so, now we don’t have to go outside and fill up buckets of water from the well. Once I put the kettle on the fireplace hook I heard my mother’s booming loud footsteps coming down the old stairs. She was a very large lady, she has been ever since she birthed May.

    “You pathetic child, you are so slow!” Mother growled. “Oh lord, where did I go wrong to raise such an unhelpful girl?” She said those hurtful words almost everyday of my life. I continued my work with the words still processing in my heart.

    “What would you like for lunch Mother?” I asked grimly

“I can’t hear you Alice, speak up for once.” Mother scowled.

“What would you like for lunch Mother!?” I spoke slightly louder this time, and I was getting annoyed.

“Go into town and buy some groats, I want some gruel,” she responded in a sour tone. “Don’t keep me waiting!” I nodded, grabbed my pouch made of thick twine and ran out the doorway. I went to the small paddock where we keep our donkey, I call him Gloomy because he is always looks so upset. I grabbed his bridle that was made out of a tacky rope and jumped onto his back. We started to ride up the trail into the forest.  The sun was starting to be covered by the dark rain clouds and the humidity was making my damp hair frizzy. There we heard very little songbirds in the area, only just the spooky cries of crows. Those cries, they always reminded me of my sister when she died… and when the eerie voice called for my sisters name. My memory was very foggy, I can barely remember walking to the well. All I remembered was the woman's crackling voice and being beaten with a belt.

“Hello dear.” I heard a man say. I quickly came back to reality to see a handsome young man in front of me. His eyes were a piercing blue color, almost like the sky at dusk.

“Hello sir, may I help you?” I asked wearily.

“Yes actually, how much money do you have?” He snickered. He quickly ran to me and pulled me off Gloomy. I kept screaming and kicking but I couldn’t get out of his cold grip. His hands were as cold as frost, never have I ever been so scared in my life.