I knew that I was not going to enjoy the day. Everything started out normal, I woke to the sound of our hen in the barn and my mom lighting the fire in our stone oven.
Nothing was inherently wrong but I had this strange feeling of dread creeping through my feet and shaking my spine. I made my way through the halls of my family's house looking behind me ever so often feeling like something was floating there like a haze. I snuck down the stairs taking a seat at the table in the dining room, surrounded by my family.
I felt safe.
My two little brothers were arguing about who could finish their chores faster. Something my father had come up with to make them work harder. But it had only made them be more sloppy as they rushed to complete their job faster.
My older sister was sitting on my right, reading one of our books for the nineteenth time. We had only collected about four books through my dad's trade as a traveling merchant. And all of us had read them until we knew them by heart, though we read them anyways to pass the time.
My dad was whittling a flute that he had been working on for the last eight weeks, working his fingers till they bled.
As I sat down my sister looked up from her book, "took you long enough." she said turning the page. "We all thought you were going to sleep through winter."
One of my brothers looked up at me "what are you a bear?" his near copy laughed cupping his hands above his head like ears and growling.
I shrugged standing up to help mom in the kitchen. Ruffling the twins hair as I brushed past them.
"Morning mom," I said lifting an apron and dawning it.
"Oh there you are" she said, not turning to me. "You should get started on those dirty plates" she said gesturing with her spoon to the basket filled on the counter.
"Alright" I said, lifting them into my arms. I started heading for the door as my mom called "and since you're heading to the creek could you take the clothes?" I groaned lifting the second basket.
Heading through our fields of wheat I could only think about running through them as a child. Brushing my hand about the leaves feeling them slide across, tickling my skin. My father and my older brother had worked hard on getting them all planted before the season had changed.
As I walked out of the fields I wondered what was taking him so long, he had left for a hunting trip a week ago. I had always thought of my older brother as a sort of idol, the model man. I would have gone on the hunt but with the new wheat planted dad had said my time would be better spent helping care for the fields.
The creek was about a quarter mile away from our house with a waterfall and a small pond down it. We always washed our clothes, dishes, and ourselves in the creek. I put my pile a few feet from the edge as I kneeled down and started washing. The simple motion and repetitive action put me through a trance of sorts.
My mind traveled even though my body never moved except to wash another plate. I was nearly thirteen, almost old enough to start working in dad's shop.
My dad had always said that when you became thirteen you were allowed to go with him when he started off for the villages. Me and my siblings all thought of it as the ultimate acknowledgment of being a grown up.
When my older brother had finally gotten to go along I was only eight. He was so excited to go he had packed his pack nearly a month in advance. When he got back he would not stop smiling for the rest of the day.
Then my sister went on her trip dancing on her toes the entire time while packing. Next would be me. I had been waiting for this moment since I saw John come home with his smile and his clothes all worn in.
