The Storm

Chapter 1: Life on the farm

My eyes slowly open, as the sunlight from the window leaks into my eyelids. I began to move and flop on my squeaky bed, wanting to fall back asleep, but couldn't. Slightly opening my eyes, I begin to here ma and pa in the other room, arguing, as usual.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about Mary!", Pa yelled. I wondered in confusion what was happening, and remained still to listen on the conversation.

"Yes I do dammit! God bless, I paid for this farm a million times, and by god I can do it again!" I hear a loud slam to the table that's in the kitchen, and more yelling. By now, I've heard enough and annoyingly yelled,

"Will you to shut up already?!"

Complete silence filled the entire room, and I hear foot steps, slowly stepping to the side of my door down the hallway, ending with a loud door slamming. Starting to put my house shoes on, ma barges in the old wooden door.

"Hurry up Derrick, you got a lot of work to do." She said quietly.

I say nothing, looking down at the old wooden planked floor. I hear her shows tapping farther away, as she leaves the room, and I begin to walk out, rubbing my eyes to wake up. I open the screen covered door, looking out onto the field, and slowly walk down the steps onto the dirt path. Looking to my left, I see the barn, with paint rubbed off, and start walking in that direction. As I walk away, I can hear the ma listening to that old silly tv she recently got. Black and white screen isn't really my thing anyways.

My hand reaches out, and grasps the huge door on the old wooden barn.

"This'll be a long day." I said very annoyed.

Forgetting what I was here for, I got off guard, and looked back at the field. Pa has never let me in the field, as he says I'll screw everything up. Off in the distance, I notice big clouds blocking the sun. Little holes in the clouds leak sunlight through, and shine in my eyes. I blink, and feel nearly blinded.

"Agh, dammit!"

I quickly slam my hands over my mouth, in shock. I've never said a curse word in my life, and wondering what I had just said. In shock, Pa began to come out on the porch, looking me down like I was in trouble. He had his hips around his waste, almost like he was ready to rip that belt right off his pants and bust my rear end.

"Derrick, aren't you suppose to be working son?!" Pa shouted angrily.

I sat there for a moment, thinking what to say, and blurted,

"Hm.. Yes'm, I was just thinking what all to do first Pa." I lied.

He stopped walking toward me, and removed his hands from his waste. He turned around without saying a word, and fled off back into the house. I knew he might be back, so quickly without any thinking, I jogged to the barn, creaking the door back open, as it closed when I had walked away. I crept inside the dark barn, and the only light was coming from the crack in the door. I walked back outside, and opened the doors as wide as they go, and smiled.

"That's better." I said.

I could just hear the wind gushing through the old barn, through every little crack in the wooden foundation. Looking to my side, I grabbed a bucket from the hanger, and went to the cow stable. Slowly walking toward the stable, I begin to open the gate with my left hand, and see Rosy, our female cow. Her calf lie in the corner, and I grab the stool in the corner of the stable and put it beside her. I slide the bucket under Rosy, then rubbing her on the side of her fat side. Placing my hands firm on the utter, I began to squeeze, back and forth, pushing the milk into the bucket.

Pa had taught me how to milk a cow when I was 7 years old. It seems hard at first, but I got used to it quickly.

"Good girl. That's it ole Rosy." I said.