Maudie's Story

Chapter One

   As I was walking past Fern Hill Cemetery in Aberdeen, Washington, I saw a little girl. She was crouching beside a grave. I gently tapped on her shoulder, and the little girl looked up at me. I asked, “where's your mother and father?”

She looked at me and mumbled, “Daddy killed mommy, my brothers and my sisters. They took daddy away.”

I looked at her with pity and guilt. I looked at the grave, it said, “Susie Hassell December 24, 1885 – December 8, 1926. I asked “what's your name?”

She said, “Maudie Hassell” She stood up, only coming to my stomach, and curtseyed like a little ballerina. I felt so bad for her.

    I thought about it for a little bit and decided to ask, “Maudie, would you like to live with me?” Her eyes grew wide with surprise.

“I'd hate to burden you, but I have no where else to go.” I smiled and held out my hand to her, she hesitated but grabbed it.

After we got down the hill, to the cemetery exit, I said, “I'm saving up for a car but until then we have to walk.”

    She started to talk but yawned instead, I watched her and realized she is asleep on her feet. I gently scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way home. When I got on the porch I held her in one arm and unlocked the door. I carried her up to the spare bedroom and laid her under the covers. I went to my own room and grabbed my pink silky pants and my pink zebra print tank top. I snuck downstairs so as to not wake Maudie and went to take a shower, I wanted to wash the bad feelings away. After my shower, I got dressed and wrapped my hair in a towel. My hair is Auburn, it reaches the middle of my back. My mom used to tell me it made my eyes stick out, they are jade green. I'm fairly average, I guess.

    When I opened the bathroom door, Maudie was standing there rubbing her eyes. I asked, “what's wrong?”

She mumbled, “I have to pee.”

I moved out of her way and asked, “Are you hungry?”

She nodded and said, “I haven't eaten in forever.” I went in the kitchen and looked through the fridge, it was empty. I sighed.

Maudie came in and I asked, “Do you like pizza?”

She looked at me curiously and said, “I never had it before.”

I told her, “You will love it, I promise.” I called Domino's and ordered two medium cheese, pepperoni, and bacon pizzas. As we waited for the pizza I turned the TV on and put a movie in the DVD player.

    After about 40 minutes the delivery guy knocked on the door and we both jumped and we laughed. I went to the door with my wallet, and the delivery guy said, “2 medium pepperoni, cheese, and bacon pizzas?”

I nodded and he said, “It's $11.43” I handed him $12 and took the pizzas. I watched him go and shut the door. I locked the door and went to the kitchen to grab two plates.

Maudie was standing on the sink, holding the plates.

I said, “Maudie, I don't want you getting hurt, so put the plates on the pizza boxes and I'll give you a piggyback ride.” She laid the plates on the pizzas and climbed on my back.

While I carried her I would randomly jump and make her laugh. I crouched down in front of the couch so she could sit down, and I sat next to her. I put two pieces of pizza on her plate and also on mine. As she took a bite she smiled, it looked so genuine. I pushed play on the remote and Maudie asked, “What are we watching?”

I looked at the movie case and said, “The Last Unicorn.” She asked “What's it about?”

I looked at her and said, “A mean man traps all the unicorns in the ocean using the red bull. One unicorn escaped and a wizard and a woman find it and help save all the other unicorns. It's for younger people but I love this movie.”