Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Chapter 1: Red
Every year on her birthday, the little girl would run across the pavement of the driveway, her blonde hair bouncing along, barefoot, not caring if she burned her feet. Every year, she would open the mailbox and pullout the single envelope addressed to her;
Beth Corcoran
Lima, Ohio
Every year, that was all it would say. No address was written, which meant it had to have been hand delivered. No return address wither, and no knowing who it came from.
She remembered back to her 10th birthday.
Flashback:
"Bethie! Mail!" came Shelby's cries from down the hall. Beth ran to her mother. Maybe it was a gift from Grandma or Grandpa…like a new doll, or money! But instead, her mother laid a red envelope in her hands. Beth stared, puzzled. "Who's it from?" she asked, seeing no address.
Shelby shrugged. "Why don't you go open it in your room? It's probably a thank you note from Liza's party last weekend. Remember?"
Beth nodded.
"I'll call you when dinner's ready." Shelby smiled, and then walked back towards the kitchen.
Beth made her way up to her room. Sitting on her bed, she tore open the taped envelope. Reaching inside, she pulled out a homemade birthday card. The card said only a few short sentences.
Happy birthday, Beth. Enjoy it and have fun. Use your gift wisely.
P.S. You don't know who I am, but I ask you to please not tell Shelby about this. You'll know who I am in six years.
Love, someone who cares about you
Then, five 20 dollar bills fell out of the envelope. Beth counted it up. One hundred dollars from an unsigned card. Who was someone who cared about her, other than Shelby? She had no other living relatives. Shelby's husband had passed away years ago. Who could it be? She laid back on her bed, and closed her blue eyes, just thinking this mysterious someone.