She sat out on the porch swing, looking towards the vespertine sky, which was more pink than she had ever seen it before. A little girl skipped happily around the front deck that was still wet from yesterday's rainstorm, singing the same ten seconds of a song she heard on the radio because she couldn't remember the rest of the words. She stopped and looked towards the swing.
"Hi, Esme. Enjoying the view?" she asked with a slight chuckle as she waved rapidly with one hand and gripped her bright, green skirt with the other. Esme didn't hear what she said but was surprised the girl hadn't slipped yet, considering how clumsy she is. Especially since she couldn't keep balance most of the time and could barely see with her long, blonde hair constantly blinding her line of sight. Esme felt a sudden chill from her back up to her neck and then...nothing. She didn't quite understand what she was feeling, but her only reaction was to reach behind her.
"Hello?"
After Esme had finally noticed that the girl was trying to get her attention, she slowly waved back with a nervous grin.
"Oh. Sorry, Maria. I got kinda distracted."
"No problem. It looks so pretty up here. It was...nice of your mom to take us all up here."
She slowly stepped up the creaky, wooden stairs and held her hand out in front of her, urging Esme to take it.
"Come on! We didn't come here for nothing! Let's have fun!"
Esme reached out and held Maria's hand in her grasp before being pulled away from where she sat on the swing. She gazed towards the setting sun as she felt Maria tugging her towards the nearby forest. Despite being dragged across the front yard with the rushing summer wind hitting her face, something about it was more peaceful than sitting around, watching the sunset alone. Upon entering the forest, the light slowly faded away the further they went. She felt pine needles scrape the side of her face as Maria's grip loosened.
"Hey, Esme! Let's take a picture!"
YOU ARE READING
THE RUBY LOCKBOX
Fantasy[ON HOLD] 19-year old Esme Miller is on a vacation to Birlington, Virginia, to see her family after years of being apart, but after a long day on the road, she decides to stop at a hotel in North Carolina for the night and continue her trip the foll...
