My Knight in Shinning Armour: Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Being myself

When I wake up I hear birds chirping. My stomach growls.
“I won’t die Eddie.” I say. “I’ll live. For you.” I stand up. My body is weak. I am determined to find a town. I need food and water. I walk through the woods. I’m not sure how far the nearest town is, but I know I have to find it. I start humming as I walk. I remember the song my mother used to sing me. I start to sing it. The tune filling the woods. Then I hear a soft voice behind me.
“Music is illegal in these parts.” A woman's voice. I turn around to see an older woman wearing a black cloak.  She has grey hair and she is short. She is average for her body shape.
“Do you know where the nearest town is?” I ask her excitedly.
“About ten miles from here.” She smiles.
“Then why are you here?”I ask curiously.
“I have a cabin out here.” The woman comes closer to me. “Is there something you need?”
“I haven't eaten or had anything to drink in three days.” I say my voice cracking.
“Oh my!” The woman exclaims. “Let me bring you to my house and get some food in you!” The woman seems excited. She probably doesn’t have many visitors. We walk for a little while. Then I see it. A beautiful log cabin. It’s two stories high. From the outside this house looks old, but wonderful. It has been built with spruce wood and has walnut wood decorations. Small, rectangular windows add to the overall look of the house and have been added to the house in a fairly asymmetrical pattern.
“Your house is beautiful!” I exclaim.
“Thank you!” The woman walks up to the door. “My husband spent years building it.”
“Well I will have to tell him how much I like it!” I say.
“I never did ask your name.” The woman looks at me.
“Beatrice.” I say. The woman smiles and opens the door.
“My name is Flo.” She tells me. She hugs me. “It’s only me and my husband in this big house. It’s nice to finally have a visitor!” The woman seems genuine and I grow to trust her. I stay in her house for about four weeks with her husband Samson, and their golden retriever Rex.
“I should probably get packed.” I tell Flo. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“Oh, We don’t want you to go dear. You have been a blessing! It’s like having a daughter.” Flo hugs me tight.
“I agree. We never had kids, now I wish we had.” Samson chuckles.
“Not all kids are as good as her!”Flo argues. We all laugh.
“So I can stay?” I ask.
“Of course!” Flo and Samson say in unison. Flo tells me she is going to start dinner so I go up to my room. I look around. They have given me so much. New clothes, new notebooks to write in. Now that I think about it, they are as much parents to me, as i am a daughter to them. All my life I have been afraid to be myself. I have been told not to be myself. But here, I am free.
“Dinner is ready!” Flo calls up to me. I run down the stairs tripping on the last one.
“Careful there!” Samson laughs. Rex comes over to me and licks my hand. I smile. Ithink of Tessie. She would have had a lot of fun with Rex. I think of how playful Tessie was. I sit down at the table and gobble up the food.
“Thank you guys for having me.” I say.
“Oh, you know we love having you!” Flo says. I stand up from my seat and give Flo a big hug. Flo seems surprised but squeezes me back. After we finish supper, We clean up and then I head to my room. I open my notebook and start writing. I write all that has happened since I escaped. I write about the guilt I feel with what happened with Eddie. I begin to cry thinking about the horrible things I said. Flo walks past my room, oh her way to her room but comes back when she sees me crying.
“What’s the matter darling?” She comes over to me.
“I miss him!” I cry.
“Who honney?” she asks. I tell her the whole story. She kneels beside my and comforts me.
“Well then go find him!” She says cheerfully. “We will make some food and pack it for you. You can take out best horse, Midnight.” She stands up and turns to leave.
“Thank you.” I say. Then the next morning I pack up my stuff and put in on the horse. Samson doesn’t look too happy that I’m leaving. I say goodbye and hop onto the horse. With a kick to the horse’s sides, I’m off.