A Fragment of Peace- Chapter 5

I ventured back to the orchard the following day. I couldn’t stop myself, I HAD to go, I’m not sure why, but something wasn’t right, something was nagging at me. So I sat quietly next to the pond. I remember the day Marie fell into the pond. Oh it still makes me giggle. She was probably about 12 when it happened. She had come round with her family to see her Granddad on Father’s day, but she had got tiresome of her parents light talk, so she strolled out into the garden and kneeled over the pond, in hope to see some of her fish.  Well, her brothers had followed her out, and her older brother aimed a tennis ball at her back, and sure enough, it hit her and she tumbled into the pond. But the strange thing was, there wasn’t a splash or a tidal wave of water, no instead she just seemed to slip into the water. The funny thing was, she had been wearing her favourite hat, and somehow had kept it completely dry. I remember the massive grin on her face when she slowly turned her head to the left of her to see a frog a few inches away starring at her. Most girls would probably have screamed, but she calmly floated next to the frog until her dad pulled her out. Her dungarees were soaked, she loved dungarees, her favourite clothing I’m sure. Ever since she was little she always had dungarees, normally with some kind of wildlife in them. She could beat any boy at catching frogs or grasshoppers, she could even catch fish from the stream in her hands.  But the whole event sort of wrapped the visit up, she was smothered in towels, completely unshaken by the whole thing. 1

I sat there remembering that day and smiling to myself, when I heard her footsteps. You can tell what mood she is just by the sound of her footsteps normally. Most of the time they sound quite cautious, yet gentle. Other times they sound carefree, she can’t walk in a straight line, and this is easily spotted when she is happy. But in the last few years her footsteps seemed to take up a new melancholy sound, slow, lost, shuffling steps…2

She looked around before coming up the small path, she couldn’t see me from where she was, I was behind the big old “butterfly bush”. I’m sure she could have walked up that path blindfolded and not stumble. She always trod carefully and precisely on the little winding path. 3

She stopped and looked at the indent in the long grass under her favourite tree. Then she carefully placed herself exactly where she had been sitting yesterday, before I had intruded into her thoughts. She pulled out her whistle from her dungarees, yes she still had at least 2 pairs, to my knowledge. But she looked unsure whether to play, glancing around nervously. I wouldn’t interrupt her yet, I wanted to hear her play. Finally she put the instrument to her lips and started up a wistful tune, almost a longing sound, to remember what happiness was… She fell back into silenced and watched two sparrows talk and tease each other, this brought a smile to her face, no matter how low she felt, she always seemed to find some happiness in the beauty of nature. Suddenly she picked up her whistle and began a merry little ditty, known as star-rise, never taking her eyes from the sparrows. 4

I got up from where I had been observing and walked across to her, though she sharply took the whistle from her lips. 5

“please continue?” I asked, as I sat down. She frowned, but began to play again, this time her eyes were fixed on me. Her stare softened after the first few notes though, she seemed to relax. When she finished, she put down her whistle and got out her tobacco pouch.6

“Hey again, urm do you want one?” She offered her tobacco to me, I didn’t accept, tobacco has a peculiar effect on me, I didn’t think I would risk it. To appear quite loopy to Marie probably wasn’t a great thing to do.7

“ Did you know I would come here today?” She asked slowly, as she searched around in her pockets for her lighter. I lit the end of her cigarette, it’s a trick I was taught, a good little talent for winter, when there is little light or warmth. Marie looked at me, an expression of surprise over her face. She had been taught about this little trick, but could only ever do it twice. 8

“ I had an inkling that you might visit the orchard again, yes.” 9

“Yeah… I like it here, it’s the only place that calms my thoughts…”10

Her facial expression then became sad once more.  She concentrated on her cigarette whiles I couldn’t help but watch her. 11

“They are selling the house” she finally came out with, she looked so troubled, I know that this place had been her refuge since she could remember. 12

“I … won’t be allowed to come here, I …it sucks!” 13

I could understand her pain, I could always come here, unless the buyers were strict religious folk, but.. then it struck me, I wouldn’t see her any more! 14

“ It will be okay, you will find somewhere in time that you can retreat to.” 15

“ I hate it when people say that, I really do, they tell me everything will be fine, everything’s ok, life’s peachy. But I feel like I’m loosing my best friend, this orchard has always been here for me, it was the only thing I had left, and now that’s going too.” She abruptly stopped, I don’t think she meant to tell me that, she was letting me into her life, into her, and she couldn’t stop it. I didn’t mean it to happen, she just… it must be the faery charm. I make her feel at ease when she feels she should be on full look-out. 16

“ Sorry, I’m sure you don’t want some kid moaning at you…” Tears were rapidly filling her eyes. I slowly put my arms around her and moved closer. She didn’t pull away, she leaned into me, again. Her head tilted so she could see me, “I’m sorry I really shouldn’t be…” 17

“It’s fine, really, you can cry all you want” I said to her whiles my hand travelled up to her hair. I stroked her hair, it was so soft, she sat quietly, unresisting to my hand. 18