May Flowers

Chapter I

      James Barnes, known as Bucky to most, kept his hands in his pockets as he walked up to The Anchor. The Anchor was a young, local bar in a small town in Montana. It was his, in fact. Bucky's life was The Anchor; his pride and joy, if you will.

     It was cold outside and snow littered the ground. It was March; an awkward month, really. The weather can't seem to make up its mind in Montana. Most states were preparing for spring, but they seemed stuck in an endless winter. It wasn't really a pretty winter, either. Dark slush creeped along the road and everything seemed muddy. Bucky enjoyed it. He knew that this was a time for new beginnings. Summer is his favorite time of the year, but spring runs a close second. It gives him a chance to find the good in anything, and to take a deep breath before trekking on with life.

     Bucky removed his hands from the warm harbor of his pockets to unlock the bar's front doors. Shutting the door behind him, he lightly stomped on the floor to remove the snow stuck to his boots. He smiled as he looked up to quickly scan the place. It was early in the morning and the yellowish pink rays poured through the windows to fill the empty seats with sunlight.

     Bucky was genuinely positive, but today just seemed like the average Saturday. He couldn't have been more wrong. It was much more.