Running

Chapter Eleven

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Errrt-uh-err-uh-err! I groan as I shove my pillow over my head. That dumb rooster crows every morning, a lesson I learned very early last week. I suppose it's a decent alarm, I mean, it gets everyone up and moving at the same time. But, 5:30 in the morning?

Suddenly, I sit up. I remember something. Today is a new day! Not that I don't realize that every morning, but today is special. Today is the dawn of a new beginning. Literally, the dawn. I smile, albeit groggily. I swing my legs over my bed in Char's trailer. Grabbing my pile of clothes sitting at the end of the bed, I shuffle to the small bathroom.

As I study myself in the mirror, I think about what the day holds. We move to a different city today. A different state, I think. We were supposed to leave last night, but it started pouring rain, and it would have been difficult, not to mention dangerous, to try to move all of the animals in the mud. Therefore, we leave this morning.

I'm excited. I have never been out of Iowa. The previous week of working with the circus has been hard work, but I am ready to get away from here. I asked Uriah about what we would do about my father, and he said he was working on getting an attorney. I try not to think about it all. It scares me, but I'm not sure why, or what specifically scares me. Am I afraid he won't go to jail? Am I afraid the judge will send me back to my parents? Am I afraid Father will find me before we take action? I'm not sure. I'm just afraid.

*****

I won't have much work to do today. So I make a special trip to the elephant pen. Last weekend I stopped by to see Sabeena and was surprised to find a second elephant. I hadn't seen it the whole time I had been there. Robert had snuck up behind me again. He was good at that.

"Kenna."

I spun around. "Bob! You have got to stop that!"

He grinned. "What do you think?" he nodded towards the other elephant.

This one was a bit smaller that Bean, with smaller ears and tusks as well. She looked younger, I thought. "She's cute. But where did she come from? I've been by almost every day and haven't seen her even once!"

"Uriah just bought her! I don't know how you missed her being delivered last night! Quite the commotion!"

I shrugged. "Why do we have a second one? What's her name? How old is she? Is she trained?"

He laughed. "Whoa, girl! Slow down! First question, why do we have one?" I nodded. "We? She is Uriah's. Get that in your little head." he winked. "We got her because she is going to be a brand new act!"

"Cool. Now, her name?" I asked.

"Her name is Queen Esther. We've haven't decided whether to called her Queen or Esther around the grounds. What do you think?"

"Esther." I answer.

"Esther it is then! She is 4 years old and she is trained."

"What is she trained to do? I would assume not the same as Bean."

"Right you are, Kenna, my girl! How about I show you instead of telling you?"

And with that he called her over by whistling. She walked over, slowly, her huge feet leaving marks in the soft ground, just barely damp from the light rain the night before. She stopped in front of Bob and help her trunk out, so the bottom half was parallel to the ground. Bob called me over. He held out his hand, I took it. He then told me to sit on her trunk.

"Really? It won't hurt her?"

He shook his head.

"And I won't fall off?"

Again, he shook his head. "No, dear. And even if you lost your balance, I'm right here."

I stepped back and sat on her trunk, gasping as she suddenly lifted me above her head.

Bob was grinning below. "Now, scoot yourself onto her head, then onto her neck, with your legs behind her ears."

I did as he said. I was terrified, but thrilled. I sat behind her ears. I pet her head and whispered, "Good girl." She flapped her ears in response, slapping them against my bare legs. I laughed.

"Ready?!" Bob called up to me.

I nodded and Esther stepped forward. Step by step, she walked next to Bob. Like a dog, faithfully, even though she had just met him. He led her through the grounds. My hips swayed with her graceful movements. It was the best thing ever.

*****

Bob had shown me how to ride her by myself if I ever wanted, as long as I was careful and stayed near to her pen. I ride her now, trodding around, enjoy the peaceful morning. She was becoming my best friend. I talked to her often, and she listened, as long as I brought her a peanut or two. Besides Uriah, I had never talked to anyone about my life, and much as I like talking to him, talking to an animal was just different.

"Darling!" Uriah's voice calls out. I look down and see him standing a few feet in front of Esther. "Kenna, darling, I'm sorry, but I need you to get off. I know you two are inseparable, but we've got to get moving!"