My Little Caged Bird

The Beginning

I rolled over as the sun shined, warming my back. "Sam, would you get down and help me!" I rolled my eyes. "Coming Mom!" I slid from the roof down onto my balcony, and slipped into my room. Jumping down the stairs two at a time, I quickly reached the front door. My dogs barked at me. The bigger one was Jake, and he was black. The smaller one was an off white mix with orangey spots all over named Abbey. I opened the door and they both ran out into the yard.

"Sam," my mom called. "I said I was coming woman!"

I ran around the side of the house and into the field behind the house. Following the slightly shifted corn rows, I deciphered where my mom was located. 'About time."

"I got here as fast as I could", I cried. I surveyed the scene around me. Medium sized rocks were scattered around the corn field bottom. "Help me move these."

"Fine. Where are we going to put them?"

"Put them over by where your younger brother and sister are playing." I glanced out of the field by the side of the house. Phil was taunting Danielle with her doll. "Phil, give it back!" I yelled. He sent a guilty look my way and handed it back to Danielle. Phil was taller than Danielle, and had an emo-style haircut that was black. He was 13. Two years younger than Phil was Danielle. Danielle had short, shoulder length brown hair, which was also cut kind of in an emo-style with layers and fantastic bangs. Her big brown eyes thanked me from a distance.

I spent the rest of the afternoon with my mom moving rocks out of the corn field. Danielle and Phil played in the yard, tagging and yelling and hiding. Finally, we were finishing up as the sun started to set. "Sam, I think its time for us to go inside and clean up for dinner."

"Okay." I went to go inside and groaned. "Mom, wait. I almost forgot. I accidentally let the dogs out earlier." She laughed. "You take the kids inside, and I will go call for the dogs." She turned and began to walk up the long drive.

I called for my siblings. "Danielle, Phil, its time to go inside!" They both ran up the driveway when I heard a yell. "Sam! Danielle! Phil!" My mom ran back up the driveway. "Get inside now!" I ran up to her while the other two ran inside the house. "Mom, whats going on!?"

Her eyes flashed with concern. "The army. They're here." I felt my heart drop. Oh god. The army. She came out of the shed with a shotgun- where she had gotten it from in there, I had no idea. She grabbed my shoulder with her one free hand and looked me in the eyes.

"Get inside. Lock yourself and Danielle and Phil in your room. Don't come out unless I say the safe word. Keep them safe. I am going to try to keep them away and get them to leave." I felt my eyes brim with tears, threatening to fall loose. "If something happens to me, and I mean anything, I want you to run. Watch out for the little ones. Run to the neighbors, and they will take care of you."