Sunflowers

Chapter 2

The stars were dustin' the cold, night, sky. I'd put Cole in his crib, 'bout half an hour after Ma left.

I'm sittin' on my bed sayin' a prayer, to God, that Caroline will come back with them. I finish up my prayer, and I grab my night gown outta the dresser. I don't guess Ma, Pa, and Caroline are comin' home tonight.

I'm 'bout to change when I hear the door slowly open and someone steps inside. I peak over the loft's railin' and see a tired and weary lookin' Pa sit at the table. Ma then walks in, her eyes red and puffy. She tightly clenches her handkerchief in her hand.

I dart down the stairs to them. Ma looks from me to Pa and then back to me. Pa nods at her, but she doesn't have to say anythin'.

"Charlotte..." Ma whispers, sadness lacin' her voice.

I fall to my knees cryin' with hysteria. I can feel Ma lean down beside me, and she rubs my back tryin' to comfort me. But, it don't work. I don't think I can ever stop cryin'.

Caroline wasn't comin' home. She was never comin' home again.

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I wake up in my bed, and I just lay there. I didn't sleep well at all last night. I don't even remember goin' to bed.

Suddenly, the memories of yesterday evenin' and last night come floodin' back. The memory of findin' Caroline, of runnin' to Pa, of not knowin' if whether or not Caroline was comin' home, and of findin' out she wasn't.

I suppose I must've fallen asleep cryin' last night and Pa carried me up here.

"Charlie? Are you awake, honey?" I can hear Ma ask softly, from the top of the ladder.

I roll over burryin' my face in my pillow before mumblin', "No. I don't wanna be, Ma."

"You need to get up, honey. You have school today. Okay?" Ma tries coaxin' me up and outta my bed.

"Can't ya tell them I'm ill? Please, Ma?!" I beg her.

"No, sweetie. I'm sorry. Get Carrie dress, too, please!" Then she heads back into the kitchen.

I sit up straight as a fence post. Carrie? But Carrie was.... Carrie wasn't here no more. What did Ma mean? Did she- Did she forget?

I quickly dress my self in my blue school dress, and I grab my shoes and bonnet. The I scurry down the ladder, which squeaked in protest.

"Well, that was fast! I thought you didn't want to go to school? Where's Carrie?" Ma questions.

"Ma," I start, timidly, "don't ya remember? She didn't make it home last night..."

My voice breaks at the end, and a brief look of pain glazes over Ma's face.

"Oh..." She whispers, then in a louder voice states, "Well hurry and eat your breakfast. Your lunch pail is over there."

Cole starts cryin', and Ma walks briskly outta the kitchen to go and tend to him.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and sit down to eat. But, I ain't really all that hungry. I hope Ma's okay. I don't understand how she could've forgotten like that...

When I finish eatin' I grab my lunch from the edge of the table, where Ma'd pointed. I slip my shoes on and get my school book of the book shelf, before heading out the door.

Normally Carrie and I would cut through the woods as a sort of short cut. But I decide to take the long way today. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk that way again.

As i walk a couple of my friends come up to me from behind and say, hello.

"Hey, Charlotte!" Abigail exclaims, with her joyful personality, before asking, "Where's Carrie? Don't y'all normally cut through the wooded area behind y'all's house?"

"Carrie's ain't gonna be walking with me no more." I state tryin' not to get mad at her, "Y'all go up ahead of me, 'right?"

I don't know why I'm so agrivated at her. She don't know what happened, and she didn't do it, either. But right now I'm just mad.

"Are you okay, Charlotte?" Kimberly ask, with her super power of always knowin' when somethin' was wrong.

"I'm fine." I attempt my best at a reassurin' smile, but it probably looks all lopsided and half hearted.

They both do shoot me an unsure glance before skipping ahead towards the school yard.

I watch them as they greet some of our other friends and laugh havin' a good time. I avert my gaze downwards towards the dirt road, pretendin' to be interested in that instead.

When I reach the school yard all the other children done gone inside already. I walk up the steps, that been worn right out from many feet walking on them, and take a deep breath before openin' the door, which paint is peelin'.

As I step in everyone's sittin' at their normal seat and quietly chattin'. Instead of going to my normal seat beside Kim, which is Kimberly's nickname, I take a spare seat near the back of the school house.

Mrs. Piers clears her throat, which hushed the class up before her friendly voice breaks the silence.

"Alright, kids. We'll start with role call, as usual." She tells us.

"Yes, Mrs Piers." The entire class says together, well, except me.

I don't feel much like talking. Or anythin' really. I just want to go home and sleep. Sleep 'till it don't hurt no more. 'Till I'm happy 'gain and Ma and Pa are happy, too.

"Sterling?" Mrs. Piers begins her list.

"Here."

"Patti?"

"Here."

Henry?"

"Here."

Mrs. Piers continues callin' our names but I'm not really payin' all that much attention. I just twiddle my thumbs together and taps my foot rapidly 'gaint the floor.

All of a sudden a feel a tap on my shoulder. I jolt in surprise and turn to see who did tap me. My eyes are met with, a brown haired boy.

Carson was looking at me. He was know by all these here students for how far he could spit. Why, he's the second best! Well, the first best now...

"Mrs. Piers called ya, Charlotte." Carson says.

"Oh... Thanks." I tell him before I call out, "Here, Mrs. Piers."

"Oh, and Charlotte, where is Caroline today?" Mrs. Piers asks me.

"She won't be comin' back here Mrs. Piers...." I state before elaboratin', "She- She was in an accident yesterday evenin'..."