A Midnight Stroll

My feet were sore from the countless walking. I needed to get home before mother noticed. I looked up to see the full moon in the sky, hidden by the clouds with the trees over looming above me. It was the middle of the night and I, a fourteen year old, was walking about trying to find her way home. Good thing father owns all this land. I'd hate to trespass on someone’s property and get in more trouble I’m already in. 1

I looked about my surroundings. Even on this terrifying night where the wolves howl and the trees move when there is no wind, it was still a marvelous beauty. The flowers were blooming out of the tree limbs and the precious moonlight would shine through the trees giving an emerald glow to the ground and little puddles I passed. 2

“Well,” I whispered under my breath, “at least it’s a beautiful sight.” AAHOOOOOOO! I heard a wolf cry in the distance. I screeched with fear. What is a poor country girl to do? We lived out in the southern part of the country where forest Indians roamed and if you didn’t watch yourself, you’d be eaten by a pack of wolves in a heartbeat! Pretty or not, the woods were still frightening! 3

All I wanted to do was get home as fast as I could, but I highly doubted my poor feet could handle the stress. If only I didn’t fall under all that peer pressure about jump roping by those ritzy boys. Then I wouldn’t have tripped on it and hurt my ankle and then my foot wouldn’t hurt so much! How could I do that to myself?! I’m so stupid! 4

I threw my head down in shame of my own stupidity! AAHOOOOOO! The cry echoed through the forest again. That gave me enough reason to dart forward. Even though my feet were sore and my ankle shot pain all the way up my leg, I didn’t care! I just wanted to get home! 5

I ran as fast as my feet would bare to last me. Screaming as I ran, I finally tripped over a log that I didn’t see and landed onto a pathway. Then I heard it, horse feet clanking, a man yelling to the steeds to move along. What if it were robbers? I’m only a country girl but would they care about that? Would they still try to rob me? My parents own land, would they use me for a ransom? Oh no! What is going to happen to me?! 6

I curled up into fetal position. Maybe the robbers wouldn’t see me? I sat and sat there, hearing the hooves of the horses come closer. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Suddenly, they stopped. “Hey, Susan. What are you doing out here so late?” a familiar voice called. I looked up to see my father and his wagon. I forgot he went out today to get food from the town! 7

“Oh my! Father, you’re here! I thought I was a goner, Daddy! Oh please can I ride home with you?” I shouted, relief washing over me. My father looked at me like I was a crazy man. “Did something happen to you, honey?” he asked. “No,” I answered, “I just wanna go home!”8

The End