Okay, I'm a massive fan of 'Meagan Meades guide to the McGowan boys' so think of this as a bit of a fan-fiction.
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Erin.
A boring name, in my perspective anyway. Maybe if my parents something exciting I might of been someone eccentric, or have a special talent.
But no, my parents called me Erin. And I am as boring as next-doors wooden letter box. I'm a thinker, not a looker. With a thick auburn mane, and brown, almond shaped eyes. Freckles that carpet my nose and a square shaped face, I'm ordinary, boring and a wallflower.
Don't get me wrong though, I'm not depressed, I do like my thick eyelashes and full lips, but I accept the reality that I'm not drop-dead gorgeous.
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"Erin" Grammy called from outside my mahogany door.
"Yes" I replyed, setting my book on my chipped bedside table.
"Come help me with the chickens" She orders, her voice layered with tiredness.
"Sure Grammy" I say, getting of my soft, lime doona.
I slip on my brown gumboots, pulling my socks over my leggings so my skin is covered.
I open the door to reveal a tired and impatient Grammy.
"Come on Erin, I want to clean the coop before sun down" She informs me, hurrying down the dodgy staircase.
"I'm coming Grammy" I tell her, taking my time behind her.
Cleaning the coops is my least favorite thing about living on a farm.
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"Ew" I say as I shovel out the coop, Grammy forgot to buy nose plugs so the smell of the chickens droppings poison my nose.
"Toughen up princess" Grammy says, I laugh at this, it's one of her favorite lines.
"I've had twelve years to toughen up, it's not going to happen anytime soon" I tell her and she snorts in agreement.
"You have a point there Erin" She says with a little laugh.
"It's getting quite dark" She observes, droning her shovel into the metal bucket we'd been spooning faeces into.
"Let's go back inside" she says, brushing her hands on the backside of her denim overalls.
"Sure" I agree, placing the shovel in the bucket and grabbing the wooden handle.
"Just leave it in here" Grammy says, gesturing to the bucket with her right hand.
"Okay" I say, dropping the handle and letting it clink onto the outside metal.
"Let's go prepare dinner for your grandpa" She says, leading the way out of the claustrophobic coop.
I follow her out into the open, enjoying the lightly orange tinged sky of dusk.
I stop for a minute taking in my surroundings, the familar two story cottage lays ahead, just a hundred metres from the coop. The veggie patch lays next to the creek left of the house and the barn with Daisy out cow and Missy her calf inside.
I hear a husky grunt from in front of. "Erin" I hear Granny call before she collapses onto the grass in a fit of coughing.
"Grammy?" I ask, glued in my spot in confusion and fear.
"Erin" she repeats and I rush forward.
Kneeling next to her I pull out her mobile from her front pocket.
"Grammy i'm going to ring the ambulance, and stay with you until they come" I tell her, my voice infuriatingly shaky.
"G-g-get Grandpa" She tells me and I shake my head.
"I'm not leaving your side" I tell her, pressing the phone to my ear and telling the ambulance our adress.
Only ten minutes later the ambulance van comes speeding down our gravel driveway.
My Grammys hand is clasped tightly in mine and her violent coughing hasn't stopped. Tears threaten to fall and confusion controls my mind.
Three men in navy jumpsuits race towards me, strechers in hand.
They yell things at me that go through one ear and out the other I just stare dumbly at them as they rip my hand from my grandmothers.
My grandpa comes out, in a nightgown and Grammys bunny slippers, cursing loudly. Asking what's wrong and demanding to go with Grammy. They comply and rush to the van, leaving me on my knees, amid the grassy field, all alone, in a state of disbelief and shock. My body shakes uncontrollably and I raise my hand to my eyes, which are flooding with unshed tears.
Poking the bottom eyelid the tears roll out, saturating my face.
I sit like that for an hour sobbing quietly.
Unsure of what to do.
