Finding Myself

Chapter 2

Anna woke up with a clear memory of the previous day and still had a mind to shoot her little guest. She'd said all sorts of obscene words to her continually in her head. She sat up and looked into a cracked mirror that hung idly on the wall; her hair was ruffled from tossing in her sleep and her face held little marks from staying in a position too long.
She tied her hair into a rough knot and stepped out of her room with the intention of preparing break fast.
Her green eyes looked around the house and she'd realised the damage she had done to the roof and she frowned, "I'll guess the little thing is still asleep, how lazy she is" she thought.

She walked some steps further into the kitchen and held a broom made of straw and wood and she began to sweep.
She cleaned the house and headed to the barn for some milk and eggs, Phil sat on a stool as he milked the oldest cow- Barney.

She walked forward, grabbing a jug from an old rusted tray and scooped a sensible quantity of milk from a clean wooden barrel, "Mornin' Phil " she said slyly
"Mornin' Ann, your early," he said sarcastically, she rolled her eyes, placing the full jug on the tray,
"I got stressed out bcaus' of that little piece of garbage you brought back home," she replied, he stopped milking Barney.

"Hmm....Ann you know as well as I do that God wouldn't have been pleased knowing I could help her and just wouldn't. Besides, you'd have done the same thing." Anna was quiet.

She took the jug back to the house and set the things for breakfast. When she was done, she sat on an old rocking chair with a news paper in her hand- if one saw her, they'd have thought her to be reading but all she could do was think about what Phil had said and she couldn't argue with it.

Phil came in a few minutes after her and had brought with him wood for a fire, Anna started the fire and they sat for breakfast, "Ann, don't you think our guest should have some food?" He asked considerably, she frowned, "please?" She sighed, "you owe me," she said getting up,
"Of course," Phil replied with a grin that revealed two dimples. Anna walked into phil's room grumpily. Esme laid on Phil's bed and looked so peaceful, almost dead. She was pale and her hair had lost none of it's curls. Her breathing was slow and steady, that was the only way one could tell that she was alive.
Anna walked forward and shook her, she shrieked and her eyes flew open, Anna was startled, "what was that?" She asked
"Oh! I'm sorry, forgive my manners, it was merely a dream." Esme replied, she was now careful around Anna for the fear that she might shoot her, "I-I....what do you need?" Esme asked as politely as she knew how.
"Phil asked that I'd wake you for breakfast" she answered grimly; Esme, shocked, stood up and went with Anna to the dinning room.
"Good mornin' miss Esme." Phil said with a warm smile and Esme nodded. She sat and brought a dish for herself, they dished her food and were about to eat when, "dear, we'd really appreciate it if you'd say Grace with us before we start," she was about to disagree but she looked at Anna and back at Phil with fear then nodded and held Phil's and Anna's hand, they bowed thier heads and Esme mimicked "Lord, we thank you for giving us another day as pleasant as this; we give thanks for our guest and we thank you for the food and the hands that prepared it, may it be nourishing to us in Jesus name we pray," Anna and Phil answered Amen.
Esme started to eat but remained quiet. "Esme," Phil called, her eyes shot up at him "I'd like you to stick with Anna today" they both looked at him with different expressions, one, of horror, the other, of disbelief, he looked at them both and laughed; "you two look like I've asked you to commit suicide. Don't be babies. Anna''ll show you around and don't worry, if she shoots you, I'll shoot her," he said getting up from the table with an empty plate. "It's good that it's all settled, Anna, please, do show her where to shower, I'd really appreciate that." He said as he kissed her on the cheek, "goodbye ladies" he said as he left.
Esme looked at Anna and Anna smirked. "C'mon." Anna said, she walked to the parlour and picked up the gun. Esme took a bath and followed Anna out of the house to the fields.
They went into the stable and they owned about a dozen horses. They were beautiful but Esme had seen better; from what she saw, they were to be very rich with such horses, " if you have this much, why do you still live in that forsaken place?" Esme asked, Anna looked at her and shook her head in....remorse?
"It's our house from childhood, we don't wanna give it away." She answered
"And the clothes?"
"Choice." She shrugged "now we're gonna take care of the horses. We'll give them thier hay, oats, beans etc. Then we'll wash them and clear out the junk they've made in their stables, possibly use it for manure" Esme's nose wrinkled.
" I cannot, I simply can't,"
"Well you've gotta or I'll shoot," Esme head wrinkled in worry and Anna sighed.
" just do what I do and you'll be done in no time, then you'll meet Phil at the barn, ok?"
"Ok." She felt helpless but that was the greatest kindness Anna had shown her- though she couldn't blame her for otherwise- it left a warm spot in her heart.
Esme worked with Anna and did as she did. The hardest was carrying the bags of oats and beans and the worst on Esme's side was shovelling out the dung.
It was around noon and they were now brushing the horses, this was the easiest and Esme liked it. "We're just about done, tommorow, I'll teach you to ride." Esme smiled, she'd come to like Anna a little.