Greatest Change

Chapter One

          He had a point, but it was in a world where Clara could imagine it her way, and see things the way she wants it to be seen. How can she explain that to someone who hates books? It seems like anyone who could possibly despise literature literally despises imagination, and anyone who despises that is a dull old man. Brad could be like that sometimes, but he was also full of surprises as well. Clara looked around finally at the short, yellow grass as it flowed with the slight wind and the small hills in the distance. To her, it seemed like a painting, one of those dull and unoriginal ones found in a painter's basement. The scenery around her was something that she just didn't appreciate, it was something could imagine in a second.

          "Ya know, you've seemed to act differently since we have left," he observed, "Ain't this what you wanted? Ya know, an adventure where anything could happen?"

          "Where's the danger Brad? I look around and see an empty land full of emptiness. Where's the dragons, the enchanting creatures that roam the earth looking for delicious humans to eat? Yes, I asked for an adventure, but not one like this, not one where it the only interesting thing happening was Old Bill ate some bad berries on the side of the road and got sick. There must be more than the dull life I am in."

          "Clara, this is the wild. You should be careful for what ya wish for... we could be raided by 'dem redskins or even attacked by a herd of buffalo. An adventure is a matter of perspective, ya just need to open your eyes a dainty bit wider."

          “Oh yes, a wild herd of buffalo is the exact adventure I had in mind. Indians, eh, what can they do anyways?” She asked.

          “They could always eat you, damn savages can eat anything,” he said, “but we shan't talk about it. Don’t wanna make ya lose your appetite.”

          She would never lose her appetite over a Native.

          He sat there for a while, the rough bark of the pine tree rubbing against the thin fabric of his pants and the skin on his back. Angrily, he continued to carve into his bow, the thin and smooth piece of wood needed some extra decoration. All his life, Chayton was looking for some form of excitement and it seemed as his father has sent him on useless patrol assignments, his big brother was sent on dangerous missions with hunting and killing. So he just sat there, sticking a blade in the fine wood, hoping a beautiful masterpiece could come out of it.

          Chayton was anything but artistic, maybe in his more musical sense for drumming, but when it came to making things, he was stuck. He was not interested in a lot of things, but he enjoyed one thing: he enjoyed watching white people. No matter what it seemed they were doing, it had intrigued the Sioux warrior. He had grown up learning the English language after reading a book translated into the traditional Sioux language. Around ten years ago, Chayton remembers it like yesterday, a small group of explorers were looking for some water, but they were looking for big water. Anyways, he woke up one day to find them around his tent. They wore the most unusual clothing, one that covered most, if not all of their skin besides their head. They had guns too, big guns; he was always told to stay away from anyone who could bear such arms.

          These men captivated him. The way they spoke, the way they dressed, and the way they had treated people. As the son of the chief, they were very intrigued with Chayton as well. They tried their best to communicate with them, and over their visit of one week, Chayton knew over two hundred words in the English language, and was continuing to know more. Unfortunately, some did not like those Englishmen, especially an unknown tribe of Native Americans who were following them for days. They raided at night, finding the whiteman's tents first, and slaughtered them. They prepared for war easily, but the cowards took their scalp prize and ran off. However, one of them managed to survive, only to find his brothers decapitated and motionless.