Trisscar
New member
This a book that I just started writing, and I wanted to see what ya'll thought. I haven't done that much with it yet, but here is the little that I have done:
Chapter One
"Sapphia, help!" Sapphia tossed in her bed, trying desperately to rid her mind of the dream that still haunted her after seven years. She knew what would come next, for it had played over in her mind a million times. Her brothers call would be drowned out by the laugh of the soldiers, taunting her, almost daring her to try. Then, when she wished the dream would stop, she would run.
Run past the fields of corn on her right, past the burning house on her left. She would run away from her crying brother, and she would try to run away from the pleas that reached her ears. Timothy was nine, almost a man, and her only seven, what could she do against the three rough soldiers? That was the excuse that rang in her ears as she ran. But her now fourteen, that excuse seemed small in comparison too her mothers deep wrinkles, her papa's frown. Even her younger sister, who had been only four at the time, seemed to grow quiet when Sapphia was around.
Sapphia’s eyes flickered open, and she tried to shut out the memory, but as always when she dreamed this dream, the guilt throbbed in her stomach. knowing she would not get back to sleep, and that the sun would be rising in the hour, she slid out of bed and pulled off her flannel nightgown and slipped on a work frock. Padding softly out side into the fading darkness, her legs took her to the barn, where the horses where just waking up. Leaning over the stall door of her favorite mare, Shiloh, she sighed.
Where is Timothy now? she wondered. Of course, she would never say that out loud, for her papa thought that he was surely dead. Mother had always stayed optimistic, but Sapphia thought that even she had given up hope on the inside. Anna, her sister didn't ever talk about him, and Sapphia was sure she thought him for dead too.
"Don't worry Saph, I’ll come back!" that was the last thing she had heard him say, and she knew timothy, he would keep his word.
She went into Shiloh's stall, and brushed her. After bridling her, she hopped on. No need to get a saddle for such a short ride, she thought. She walked down the path into the woods. As they neared the edge of the woods, Shiloh shook her head in frustration, she wanted to run. So Sapphia let her have her head and canter up the hill to a stop on top. This was Sapphias favorite place on the farm. It was the highest part of the farm, and you could see for miles. If Timothy was coming home, Sapphia would surely see him from here. She loved to spend her free time up here, reading a book her grandmother had given her, or doing her studies here. When she was younger, her and Timothy would come up and timothy would teach her how to swim, or they would fish. (Timothy baiting the hooks of course, Sapphia hated slimy things). How she longed for those days. The ring of the breakfast bell informed Sapphia that she had stayed out longer then she had intended to.
When Sapphia turned to head back to the farm, Shiloh snorted in surprise that they were going back already. But Sapphias stomach growled and she realized how hungry she really was. She turned and looked at the rode one more time, sighed, and then headed back to the farm. "Mornin Phia" her papa greeted her from the barn. "your out early"
"I needed to clear my head."
"hmm, a little early to clear your head, isn't it?"
"The horses were up hours ago. I’m sure they have already cleared there heads twice over" Sapphia said as she brushed Shiloh down. Papa laughed, and ruffled her hair, just as when she was younger.
"You get on over to the house, I’ll put Shiloh up for ya".
"Thanks, Papa!" she called over her shoulder as she ran for the house.
Her dream from last night forgotten for the moment, she went inside, and ate her breakfast rather hurriedly.
"what’s the rush?" Her mother asked.
"Mails in." came the reply through a bite of eggs. Anna rolled her eyes.
Every Friday, the mail came. and every Friday, Sapphia went to the general store to see if there was anything from Timothy. Mother had used to accompany her. But as the days went on, Sapphia was left to go by herself.
"Morning, Phia, what can I get for you today?" Mr. Weal’s said as she entered the store.
"Mama wants a pound of brown sugar."
"Anything else?" Mr. Weal’s waited for the question that came every Friday.
"Anything?"
"Sorry Phia, but no news so far."
"oh, ok."
"But check next week, I'm sure he'll send something." He said, But Sappphia could tell that he didn't really mean it.
She paid and wordlessly then walked out of the store. She walked toward the school yard. “They're right. They're all right. Timothy’s not coming back. Those soldiers were to big, he would never have escaped. He probably died in the war. Those soldiers will have put him on the front lines, Like the cowards they are”.
She hurried as the school bell rang, and she was forced to pay her attention to her studies.*
Feel free to leave criticism, I don't mind...=)
~Christine
Chapter One
"Sapphia, help!" Sapphia tossed in her bed, trying desperately to rid her mind of the dream that still haunted her after seven years. She knew what would come next, for it had played over in her mind a million times. Her brothers call would be drowned out by the laugh of the soldiers, taunting her, almost daring her to try. Then, when she wished the dream would stop, she would run.
Run past the fields of corn on her right, past the burning house on her left. She would run away from her crying brother, and she would try to run away from the pleas that reached her ears. Timothy was nine, almost a man, and her only seven, what could she do against the three rough soldiers? That was the excuse that rang in her ears as she ran. But her now fourteen, that excuse seemed small in comparison too her mothers deep wrinkles, her papa's frown. Even her younger sister, who had been only four at the time, seemed to grow quiet when Sapphia was around.
Sapphia’s eyes flickered open, and she tried to shut out the memory, but as always when she dreamed this dream, the guilt throbbed in her stomach. knowing she would not get back to sleep, and that the sun would be rising in the hour, she slid out of bed and pulled off her flannel nightgown and slipped on a work frock. Padding softly out side into the fading darkness, her legs took her to the barn, where the horses where just waking up. Leaning over the stall door of her favorite mare, Shiloh, she sighed.
Where is Timothy now? she wondered. Of course, she would never say that out loud, for her papa thought that he was surely dead. Mother had always stayed optimistic, but Sapphia thought that even she had given up hope on the inside. Anna, her sister didn't ever talk about him, and Sapphia was sure she thought him for dead too.
"Don't worry Saph, I’ll come back!" that was the last thing she had heard him say, and she knew timothy, he would keep his word.
She went into Shiloh's stall, and brushed her. After bridling her, she hopped on. No need to get a saddle for such a short ride, she thought. She walked down the path into the woods. As they neared the edge of the woods, Shiloh shook her head in frustration, she wanted to run. So Sapphia let her have her head and canter up the hill to a stop on top. This was Sapphias favorite place on the farm. It was the highest part of the farm, and you could see for miles. If Timothy was coming home, Sapphia would surely see him from here. She loved to spend her free time up here, reading a book her grandmother had given her, or doing her studies here. When she was younger, her and Timothy would come up and timothy would teach her how to swim, or they would fish. (Timothy baiting the hooks of course, Sapphia hated slimy things). How she longed for those days. The ring of the breakfast bell informed Sapphia that she had stayed out longer then she had intended to.
When Sapphia turned to head back to the farm, Shiloh snorted in surprise that they were going back already. But Sapphias stomach growled and she realized how hungry she really was. She turned and looked at the rode one more time, sighed, and then headed back to the farm. "Mornin Phia" her papa greeted her from the barn. "your out early"
"I needed to clear my head."
"hmm, a little early to clear your head, isn't it?"
"The horses were up hours ago. I’m sure they have already cleared there heads twice over" Sapphia said as she brushed Shiloh down. Papa laughed, and ruffled her hair, just as when she was younger.
"You get on over to the house, I’ll put Shiloh up for ya".
"Thanks, Papa!" she called over her shoulder as she ran for the house.
Her dream from last night forgotten for the moment, she went inside, and ate her breakfast rather hurriedly.
"what’s the rush?" Her mother asked.
"Mails in." came the reply through a bite of eggs. Anna rolled her eyes.
Every Friday, the mail came. and every Friday, Sapphia went to the general store to see if there was anything from Timothy. Mother had used to accompany her. But as the days went on, Sapphia was left to go by herself.
"Morning, Phia, what can I get for you today?" Mr. Weal’s said as she entered the store.
"Mama wants a pound of brown sugar."
"Anything else?" Mr. Weal’s waited for the question that came every Friday.
"Anything?"
"Sorry Phia, but no news so far."
"oh, ok."
"But check next week, I'm sure he'll send something." He said, But Sappphia could tell that he didn't really mean it.
She paid and wordlessly then walked out of the store. She walked toward the school yard. “They're right. They're all right. Timothy’s not coming back. Those soldiers were to big, he would never have escaped. He probably died in the war. Those soldiers will have put him on the front lines, Like the cowards they are”.
She hurried as the school bell rang, and she was forced to pay her attention to her studies.*
Feel free to leave criticism, I don't mind...=)
~Christine
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