A Walk with Clara Phillips

Chapter 2

The morning light peered in like through the canopies, flickering on and off, but trying to remain constant through the windows in the house. Elizabeth walked toward Clara's and Grace's room briskly. Opening the door, she did two claps. She was ready for the day and she was going to seize every opportunity to get Clara over to their new neighbors home.

Clara opened her eyes, and saw Elizabeth walking toward her and knew she had a mission in her mind, and it was hard to go against her determination. "Mother what are you doing? What do you want?" Her eyes barely stayed open to look up at her mother, she stayed, laying on her side. Elizabeth crouched down to Clara's level. "We need a loaf of bread! I'm sending you to get it!" Laughing delightfully.

Clara sighed, and sat up slowly on her bed, paying attention to her mother. Her eyes were half open, and heavy. "Oh my, that doesn't suit your looks very well." Elizabeth said while rising. "Now, you must get your best dress on and head over to our neighbors!" Saying it with exuberance. "My best dress? Why would I need my best dress? I'm only going to ask for a loaf of bread! Are you crazy?" Starting to open her eyes more, and slightly alarmed by what her mom has just spoken. "Nonsense! If you are going to see those two young gentleman," she gestured, "well you need to look good." replying with conviction.

"Now, go on and get dressed." Elizabeth told her. Clara sat on her bed for a moment and looked to see if Grace heard their conversation, but she was still sound asleep. Clara was wondering about what they would be thinking when she knocked on their door. She got up from her bed, and slowly walked to her wardrobe, and opened it. She sifted through her dresses and found one, but not the best one. She got dressed and headed out of her room. Her mother walked up to her with a basket to carry the bread. She was too busy to look at her dress and sent her off.

The walk was about half a mile from their house. As she walked out, she went down the walkway to get to the roads. The path to get to the road had trees that rimmed the edges and fences beside them. On the right was a large pasture, consisting of five horses. On her left was a pasture with sheep in them, but they were just standing there, looking miserably uncomfortable in the sloppy, wet muck. Autumn, which was her horse, stood silently by the fence at right, her eyes half closed. It was a gloomy day, and nothing was motivating. As Clara approached closer and closer to Autumn, her eyes started to open, and she looked toward her. Her ears perked up, but her eyes looked heavy.

"Hi Autumn." She gave a smile to her, and one look at her horse usually helped to ease the pains of reality, and distract her from it, able to escape her world for a little while. She strayed off the path a little and walked to the fence, reaching over and petting her sweet face. She had just a small piece of white on her face, it was diamond shaped, and the rest of her face was chestnut, and the same with her body. For her legs though, she had three white socks, which came just below her knees. The only leg that was all brown, unless you accepted the fact there was just a small area of white above her hoof, was her front right leg.

Autumn was about twenty years old, and Clara's parents got her Autumn when she was eleven years old. Half of Clara's life has been with Autumn, and about half of Autumn's life has been with Clara. They've both had many wonderful memories together. There was always a peaceful stillness of life when they were with each other.

Autumn started to close her eyes again once Clara rubbed her face. "Being with you is so much better than romance, isn't it? If I did get distracted by romance, I wouldn't have as much time for you. That wouldn't be good." She leaned farther in and kissed her white diamond shape on her face. She rubbed it one last time before she was off again, saying, "Goodbye sweet Autumn love. I have to go now."

She made her way back to the trail and looked at all of the trees, and how sad they looked without their leaves, shared with the background of the grey, lonely sky. She continued to walk, imagining how this trip to her neighbors house would end up.