A Light in the Dark: The moon

Chapter 1: For real this time

-"Kick, kick, kick!" yelled Kerri to Etta."You're not even trying!"

Anger filled Etta, and she yelled:

-"Yes I am!!!"

She couldn't understand why Kerri wouldn't just give her a crop to use. Ricky clearly wasn't having it that day.

She stopped Ricky, the beginner horse, and dismounted. She gave one last glare at her instructor, whose face displayed her surprise.
Margretta ran out of the arena through the side door as Kerri's now distant voice yelled,

-"What do you think you're doing!?"

Now outside and out of sight, Etta began to cry. The cold autumn air didn't bother her as she ran to the forest, and crossed the river with one leap to her favorite tree, a big white pine. She climbed to the top, something few of her classmates could do, and sat on her favorite branch, watching the Great Rockies. They were to her, the guardians of her heart, soul and home. It was early in the morning, and the sun was still rising over the mountains. She stayed there awhile, the tears beginning to stop flowing.

Soon the sound of footsteps could be heard, and, looking down, Etta could see Hansengrove coming towards the tree. She swiftly climbed it and seated herself on the branch next to her.

-"I take it your lesson didn't go too well," she said.

-"The usual," Etta responded.

Hansengrove knew what that meant. At the age of 10, and riding all her life, Etta simply wasn't able to ask a horse to trot. Any horse, for that matter, and most people thought she was doing it on purpose. She wasn't, and few people knew this. Those who knew were only her father, who was mostly somewhere around the world, digging for dinosaurs, her classmates, and Hansengrove, who was like a big sisterto Etta, since she'd never had any siblings. When Etta was born, there had been complications. The doctors were able to save the child, but her mother hadn't been so lucky.

-"We have History first period," said Hansengrove, knowing that was Etta's favorite subject, hoping this would cheer her up.

Etta smiled.

-"Let's go, we don't want to be late," the girl said.

Etta took a seat next to Madison, her best friend. They talked for a while about drawing techniques, and then the bell rang. Hansengrove stood up. Hansengrove was a 30 year old woman, with curly auburn hair and hazel-green eyes. While she often wore makeup and tied her hair in a fountain ponytail with a clip, this morning she wore no makeup and had her hair down. Her cheeks were a warm, natural pink. Etta always thought she was prettier without any makeup, and with her hair down. Her eyes were a deep green that morning, showing she was happy and relaxed, as opposed to the amber yellow they shown with when she was upset or stressed. The whole class went quiet. Though she had once been a peer, and perhaps due in part to that, the students always had much respect for her. Perhaps they had missed her when she had gone on to university to study teaching, as she had only come back during the summer and Christmas, to celebrate with Etta, and by then everyone had gone home. This was her second year back. This semester was all about life in the Middle Ages, with castles, kings and queens, and was particularly interesting.

-"Good morning class, I hope you have had a good night's rest. Today, I would like to start you all on a project. In teams of two, you are going to build a castle."

The class looked at her, wide eyed.

She laughed and said,

-"Not full sized! You are only making models, unless you want to build me a full sized one!"

She took a regal pose, imitating a queen.

The class laughed as she gave out the rubrics for the projects. Instantly, the class joined up into pairs. Etta went with Maddy.

-"I have an announcement to make," she declared, near the end of class, "Our class is going on a field trip to a horse auction event, to help out with the horses. You will not be buying any horses," she said, stopping Dakota in the middle of a word, knowing he would be asking that question, "So I suggest for you not to get attached,"she finished.

She then handed out the permission forms.

-"I will sign yours in a moment," she said to Etta.

Her father being away, the school took care of Etta's forms for her father.

After school, Etta, Maddy and the other girls went to the girls dorm rooms together. The oldest, in order, were Anne, Madison, Margretta and Rebecca. The rest of the kids were in grade 2 or less. There was Mable, Talia, Sara and little Louise, or Lou. The girls were causing a ruckus, and ever since Hansengrove had moved out when she became a teacher at the academy, it had been harder to get them to quiet down. After hushing the little ones down, and having them brush their teeth, the older girls tucked them in, and went to bed. Etta cuddled up into her blanket, listening to the sound of soft breathing. One by one, the breaths slowed to the steady, smooth breath of sleep. Soon, sleep took her into it's gentle, warm arms. Etta dreamt of the summers from when she was a child.

-"I am Robinson-ette Crusoe, and I declare that this island is now ours until we are rescued!" Said a little 4 year old Etta.

She poked a long stick into the soft sand, then turned to her companion. A 24 year old Hansengrove.

-"Not if I can help it! I am the queen of this island!" Declared Hansengrove's ever so familiar voice.

She took a seat in the warm sand, facing the forest, as Etta tried to camouflage in the forest, in her bright pink dress, and the two played Camouflage, a kind of hide-and-seek where the seeker spotted the hiders from a precise place they couldn't leave.

Etta never ceased to be amazed at Hansengrove's seeing skills.

-"I see you! Right by the fallen log." She exclaimed, smiling. The game continued, Hansengrove spotting Etta as she set up the picnic. When Etta was tired of camouflage, she went to her, and the two had lunch. Sometimes, they would play I-spy while eating.

-"I spy with my little eye, something that is green!"

-"Is it..... That pine tree on the other side of the river?" Said Hansengrove.

The child giggled.

-"No," she laughed.

Hansengrove guessed a few more times, just to let the child win, then, knowing it all along,

-"Ah, is it that Apple tree, over there?"

-"How did you guess??" Exclaimed Etta, a wide smile on her face.

-"Hmmmm... I don't know," she said, an innocent look on her face.

Hansengrove soaked her feet in the cool water, the wind blowing in her hair. It made her purple dress wave in the wind, with it's matching purple sun hat, as she watched little Etta splash in the water. She wore her usual sun glasses, that showed your reflection in them instead of her eyes, unless you looked real close. This was and had always been the way they spent their summers, together, at the academy. She often didn't miss her father, who only came back on Christmases, as Hansengrove had always done her best to keep the girl occupied and off of those thoughts. It was simple, peaceful. Nothing had to change...