Across the Railroad Tracks

Chapter 9

Ok…after this I might be taking a hiatus for a while till I get caught up in school. I’m not quitting but I just need some time away.

*****

I woke up and stared at the ceiling of my room. The sun was rising through the window but I didn’t move. Jane, Riley and his brothers went home late last night. I din’t feel like getting out of bed because is was money, which even I hate, and I was feeling a little sick. I got up anyway and got my uniform along with things for a shower. After my shower and after I had put my hair up I quickly ran to the toilet and threw up.

“I knew it…” I mumbled as I stood up slowly and shakily. I wiped my mouth and rinsed out whatever was left. I went into my grandma’s room and I saw her wake up. I told her I was sick and she said that she would call me in. I went back to bed and got dressed back into my pajama’s.

“Well…at least I got sick on a day I have two tests. There’s that.” I said as I picked up a book and started reading. As I was reading I zoned out but a quote that was in the book caught my eye. I then started to read it out loud.

“You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting – over and over announcing your place in the family of things.” When I finished reading that quote I looked for who said it in the writing below. I found that the quote was by Mary Oliver.

I wondered what she meant when she said this. I closed the book and put it aside. I started thinking about the quote. I then heard my grandma yell that she was leaving. I heard the front door open and close afterwards and I got up. I walked out into the front room, went to the kitchen and got a water from the fridge. When I got back to the front room I heard a knock at the door. I groaned slightly and opened the door, I saw a man in a suit.

“Hello Ms I’m here to let you know that if you hear any noises in the next month don’t be concerned. We are simply cutting down some of the forest to make a shortcut for the trains so it cuts down on the time it takes for the ones that go that route. The construction is taking place near your house so my employer wanted me to let you know. Thank you for your time.” I stood frozen as he walked away and got in a black SUV. I closed my mouth and closed the door after a minute.

“Please let this be a dream.” I said to myself. Even though I wasn’t well I needed to go see. I put on my Jacket and my shoes then went out the back door. I ran towards the tree house with my stomach in pain. When I got to the tree house I saw Frank looking down at me.

“Frank…did anyone in a suit come by here!?” I yelled up and he nodded.

“I did. A ma in a suit and a guy that looked like a construction worker was with him. They were talking about cutting the trees down.” I froze.

“Am I going to lose my place that I live in while you’re not here?” Frank asked. “He did say that he wanted this tree taken down also.” Frank continued. I shook my head.

“I’ll make sure that it stays.” I said and I saw him smile a almost toothless smile. He creeped me out sometimes but he takes good care of the place along with the animals. I smiled slightly and walked back holding my stomach. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to run here. I feel like I’m going to throw up. I slowly climbed the fence and I accidentally fell over the top and landed on the ground of the backyard face first.

“Owwwww…whyyyyyyyy!?” I groaned and flipped onto my back.

“Either I stay on the hard ground and not move…or move, go inside, change and get in bed…I’ll go with option two…” I thought out loud and got up slowly. I got in bed after changing and washing my face. I fell asleep after a few minutes.

*****

My eyes snapped open when I heard my door open and close. I checked my clock. it was too early for my grandma to be back yet. I quietly went into the room that my grandma uses for storage and pulled out an item from the nearest box.

“A frying pan…ok then…” I said quietly and hide behind the door. When I heard a pair of footsteps coming closer to the door I gripped the frying pan tighter. When I saw a foot appear I then jumped out from behind the door, hit the person with the frying pan and closed my eyes then began hitting the person over and over. I felt a hand grab my arm and I opened my eyes. I saw Riley and I saw him twitch. I looked behind me and saw Jane. I looked up at the frying pan then down at Riley over and over.

“Uhh…whoops heh heh…” I said and hid the frying pan behind my back as Riley got up and groaned.

“Sorry I thought that my house was getting robbed so I went in here, grabbed the closest thing and…yeah…” I said and held up the frying pan. Jane then took it from me.

“How about we take the frying pan away from you so we don’t hurt anyone else and get some ice for Riley’s head.” Jane said as she put it back in a box. Jane and I helped Riley into the front room. I sat down next to him on the couch and rubbed his head as Jane got the ice.

“Next time…try not to hit so hard.” Riley said as Jane came back with the ice.