Sunflowers

Prologue

Pa is out plowing the field. Ever since we moved here out west that's all Pa ever does. He works and works until the sun goes down.

Ma is always inside. Whether she is taking care of my little baby brother, Cole, or cooking supper, she's always really busy.

Charlotte, my elder sister, is always off with her friends. I always beg her to come with her, but she says I'm to little to be with them.

And me? Well I mostly keep to myself. I spend most of my time exploring the farm and the large wooded area behind our home. Ma says that no place for a little girl like me and that I should be washing clothes and doing the household chores. But, well, I think that's rather boring.

So here I am, wondering through the woods, again. I see a big tree and start making my way towards it. I'mma go climb it. I get to it and as I'm climbing up this here tree, I'm pretty grateful that Ma let me wear pants instead of a dress. I don't think I could climb very well in a dress. Or even climb at all!

I reach a spot around the middle of the tree and sit on a strong, study, branch. As I take in the picture around me I see something. There's a clearing over yonder in the woods. And in that clearing, is a ginormous field of sunflowers!

I can't believe my eyes! They are oh, so, pretty. I'm gonna pick a dozen, for Ma and Charlotte. Their going be so surprised!

I start scurrying down from my perch when I feel a raindrop plop down on my nose. Then another and another... Suddenly the sky breaks out into a rain storm! I'm about halfway down from where I was on the tree when I'm blinded by a flash of white light. Then a extremely loud boom that follows.

I jump in surprise, forgetting a moment to late that I'm in a tree. I lose my footing and slip. I shreak as I begin tumbling down to the earth below me. My back hits a branch and then I can't get any more air back into my lungs.

After what seems like forever, I slam to the muddy ground and I scream again as I feel my head hit a gigantic rock. I lay still for a few minutes sobbing uncontrollably before slowly stretching my arm to the back of my freshly injured head. As my numb fingers reach a spot on the back of my head, I feel something sticky. I yank my hand in front of my tired eyes and see red. I must be bleeding.

I try to stand up when a terrible pain engulfs my entire body and I collapse to the soggy earth again. I'm about to get ready to try again but suddenly everything fades and turns into a cold darkness around me.

Then there's a light. I don't know where I am, but I don't like it. The soft light is warm and inviting, unlike the vast dark void around me. I start walking towards it and I notice that nothing hurts any more. As I get nearer to the light I see something. At first it looks like yellow dots. But, then everything come into focus. It's a field of sunflowers!

And in that field is a man with a warm smile on his calming face, kind eyes shining at me. He held out his hand to me, and I gently took it. As we walked together into the field of sunflowers, I knew that everything would be alright.

I don't know why, but I feel like nothing bad will ever happen to me again.