apple thief

days in the cave

That night eating the fish I felt full and happy I prayed that not eating as I should hadn't hurt my child. I continued to pray as I drifted off to sleep. I awoke with the sun the next morning I stomped the fire out, burning the soles of my shoes and the bottom of what was left of my clothes. I had to make sure it looked like I was never here I threw the bones from my fish out and stomped on them as well so it looked like an animal had eaten it. I creeped to the mouth of the cave and looked out the coast was clear there was no one around. I stepped out and began walking in the way I had hopped the men had come from. When the sun was right overhead I stopped and took a break ... I did the same thing over and over for weeks hiding at night either in a hollowed tree or under the edge of a overhang by the river.

Travis never did come looking for me I'm sure he thought me dead. I awoke to the sound of horse hooves right beside the tree I was in " the boss is going to kill us the apples are all falling and we just can't keep up and if we keep having to go out and look for what ever it is stealing the apples we had picked it's gonna put us even further behind." With a smile I nibbled on the Apple I'd stolen last night out of the barn. There had been a party so no one was watching the crop... I waited for the men to pass and ride a good distance and then I wiggled my way out and on to the ground and took off as fast as my body would allow, I made it to the clearing and realised all the men hadn't left to go looking I cursed but I had to get more apples I was getting a decent belly now and couldn't hunt quite so easy so the apples were my only reliable food source. I sat quietly beside the trees just inside the woods calculating where I needed to go to get away before I was caught. Then I ran as hard as I was able I reached the tree closest to me and went to grab a basket but it was empty I turned to go back to the trees but a large hand around my arm stopped me. " I don't think so you, your a women " I pulled away and tried to run again but the man had grabbed me and pulled me against his chest and bear hugged me to hold me. He spoke softly " dear Lord you are with child, stop fighting I don't want to hurt you mam please " and with that all the fight left me until I heard a big booming voice coming from the woods " tie her up and go get the boss he will want to see what you caught " the man holding me spoke up " he'll kill her we can't turn her over she's with child " the man on horse back came into view " she's no more than whore that played the game of chance one to many times , now I said tie her up , you will either do it or I will. " the man holding me loosened his grip on me and turned to walk to the barn " mam I am so sorry please forgive me the boss will show mercy I'm sure." And with that I was tied up to the post in the barn to just wait as the man on horse back went to get the boss.