Away from Home

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

“Wake up! Wake up! Time for your first day of school!” Robin nearly yelled in my face. Ugh, I was much too tired to get up. The sun was up just enough to where it hurt my eyes. She gave me the school attire. It was a dark blue dress with a pair of long white socks. The attire back home was about the same, so it would be easy to get used to it. When Robin left my room, I yawned. If only she had known where I went last night, I thought, then she would have some consideration for me. After I had gotten dressed I went downstairs to get some breakfast. I took an apple and a small bag, which had my lunch for that day. We all headed out. It was about a quarter mile to the school. Robin wore the same uniform as Allie and I did as well. James and David wore overalls with a white shirt underneath. Robin held Allie’s hand most of the way and sometimes she would carry her. I really didn’t want there to be any bullies. At our old school there was only one mean kid. He called himself Ralf. The teacher’s ruler was always slapping him. I on the other hand, I never ever got a slap.

We were only a few steps away from the school. We passed over a bridge to the school ground. It was red with a bell by the front door, which the teacher was ringing. It was a lady dresses with an apron and had her blond hair put up into a bun. The bell rang and the kids around the school ran into the building, which we did as well.

It was small school with two rooms; one for the smaller kids and the other for the older ones. There was about fifteen kids came with us in our building. The teacher had a small table and chair at the front. There was also a large chalkboard. When everyone took a seat the teacher told us her name was Mrs. Brantly and made James and me stand. We told her our names and how old we were and sat down again. Mrs. Brantly told us all about the school and whatnot. The whole time I looked about the room at the kids. There were some as young as ten and some as old as eighteen. My eyes wandered to one boy about eighteen. He had an evil eye on us. What was his problem?

One afternoon I went out to see the chickens. There was about twelve of them. I kinda named some that came to me. Only three would let me even touch them, and those are the ones I named. There was Pip, Bell and Blossom. They were my favorites Sometimes I took my bread crust from supper and give it to them. They would take it and run away, and then another one would take it and run. It was a sure sight to see! After seeing the chickens one day, I thought I might go over to that mysterious field again. But I was sure not going alone, so I brought Robin along with me. She wasn’t too thrilled at first about going to a field of the one who said he wanted revenge on her father, but after a while she agreed. I looked for fresh tracks by the river, but I didn’t see too much. We went across the river and climbed up the hill. Up and up we went and there at the top we looked and saw the shack. Robin refused to step any further.

     “No Jessie! This is where I draw the line!” she whispered.

     “Come on we can’t give up now! We are so close. I’m going further, and if you wanna join you can.” Then I went from bush to bush, closer and closer to the shack. I looked back and Robin was juking back and forth trying to decide to go with me or home. She finally agreed to come with me. With snuck closer and closer until we could see the shack clearly. There was a white spotted horse tied to the side of it. It was beautifully colored. I even sighed a little in her sight. The horse flinched her ears and turned. Apparently she heard me. She turned around and saw us. Then out of nowhere she reared up and started to nah! We hid more so we wouldn’t be seen.

     “What’s all this a noise! Why you horse!” the man said coming out of the shack. Then I closed my eyes, but Robin said that he whipped and cussed at her. I cried once I heard that. He put a saddle on her, then headed our way! Robin was about to sprint outta there if you ask me! We waited for him to be far enough away then make a run for it. When the time was right we made a dash for it. He was grabbing the eggs! He had jumped down stealing all the income of the eggs. He picked up one; two, then he just about took all twenty of the eggs! In shock, I wanted to go over there and take them all back! Once he got back on, he rode toward the road. There was no time to waste, and no way we could go by foot so Robin ran to the barn. One horse in the barn had a saddle on so we got on together. The horse had a brown plain horse with a black mane. It was lighting fast and we could see him far down the curvy road. We went through the trees so he wouldn’t know we were following him. By that time David had saw us go off in a hurry and was on a horse. We told him that we saw this man steal form us and follow him. David got all excited and went along. We holding the reins of the horse and Robin were behind me. Finally we saw him go into down and thought we would be safe to go on the road. David said he ought to see what he was up to and that we should stay out here. I was mad that he told us what to do and that this was our chase. But I did agree that if was dangerous. David ran in while we stayed out with the horse. I looked at the horse the man had rode in on. When she saw us again she got all excited. We begin to do something else. Eventually the horse stopped and went back to waiting. I think he knew us and because of that she got all excited.

We waited a while until finally David came out. He looked frustrated and got on the horse without a word. We asked him how it went, but all he said was the man denied everything. Finally after mumbling something to himself, he told us he that he had asked the man, but he just he got the eggs from his chickens. We had to get to the bottom of this. Who was this man and why did he steal the eggs?

When we went back to the house I went upstairs to our room. I looked for James but it had seemed he was out of the house. I went to Aunt Rachel and asked her if she had seen James.

     “He has gone to the school house dear,” She said.

When I was close to the school I looked in the window. It was James and another girl (particularly the one that he had an eye for). I was shocked that he had even talked to her. It seemed like they were flirting and supposed they were eventually going to study since they were in a schoolhouse. I didn’t know whether I should go in and be surprised or that I should go home. I decided after a while that I would go home. I got up at the wrong time and James saw me through the window! I ran as fast as I could home going past the bridge, trees and bushes. I couldn’t tell if he was chasing me or not, but I kept on running. Finally I stopped and caught my breath. I walked the rest of the way wondering why he never old me. I was having mixed feelings. Why was I mad at him? Why was I upset?

I went out by the chickens. Only two eggs! My anger roared. I couldn’t stand this man much longer. I thought of a way to catch him. I found some rope and a bear trap out by the barn. I began to build a human size trap. I set it up all around the chicken coop so that there was only one small entrance the size of me. Don’t worry! The traps were far enough away and behind a fence so that none of the chickens could get hurt at all.

That night I watched from my window to see if any of the traps had gone off. By that time James came in. I was still mad at him for some reason, though I have yet to know exactly what the reason was. Maybe I was mad because he never told me, or possibly because he had snuck off. But anyways, I just ignored him for the time being. I went to bed not speaking to James.