I closed my eyes once again and forced myself to forget all the pain that I've endured for the past two hundred years , though I know I never will. When I opened them again I smiled at all the beauty in this small field. I watched as the butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, as the rabbits napped in the tall grass, and as the cardinals soared across the sky. I pulled my legs closer to my chest and rested my heads on my knees. The scenery reminded me of much happier times of when I was younger. It was so much easier back then. I was able to smile instead of frowning at something so wonderful because I now know that the things that I love could disappear in an instance. My smile vanished. I sighed and stood up. I lingered for a moment before turning to walk away, taking in all the beauty before it leaves. I walked slowly away, tracing my hands over flower petals out of habit. It's a funny thing, I thought, people kill flowers because they find them beautiful. I bent down and rubbed the petals of a buttercup flower. Losing myself in my thoughts I didn't realize that I was about to meet my new 'family'.
"Alfred! Get back here!" A loud voice called. I snapped out of my thoughts. He had the same accent as me. I looked to the direction of the voice curiously. A boy about my age with short, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes came running towards me. Walking swiftly to catch up to him was a young man with blonde hair, green eyes, and incredibly bushy eyebrows. He looked so familiar. "Leave that person alone!"
I stood up, brushed off my dress, and turned my back to them. I took a deep breath and started to walk away. "Wait! Please don't go."
I turned around and glared at the boy. To my surprise he didn't have an English accent like the other man, who was now only a few feet away from us. I turned around again and before leaving I said, "And why would you want me to stay? I don't know you, nor do you know me. There is no need for me to stay. Now if you'd please leave me be I'd like to leave this place."
I didn't turn around to see his expression. I began to saunter forward when someone grabbed my arm. I grimaced at the hand and turned my head back around. It was the man with green eyes. "That wasn't very polite to say. He just wanted to know who you are. It is quite curious to see a girl your age alone."
"You know what else isn't very polite? Grabbing someone's arm without their consent." I retorted. A girl my age? Why would that be curious? "Or pretending like you know their story. You don't know who or I am, or what I've been through. The last thing I need is a random stranger pestering me when I'm just trying to leave. Now would you let go of my arm?"
"Not until you tell me who you are." He replied. I ripped his hand off my arm and turned the rest of my body around. He looked me up and down, and for a moment I saw his eyes light up. "What's your name?"
"Elizabeth. And don't ask me my last name, for I don't have one." I replied.
"Where are your parents?" He asked. I looked away for a moment to think.
"I don't have any." I decided. I wasn't lying either. I had no home, no family, no one to turn to. It was a sad thought. "Now would you please leave me be?"
"Why don't you come over for dinner?" He suggested.
"What?"
"Come, you must be hungry. Not having a family to cook for you and all." He said. "I'm Arthur, by the way."
"Well,Arthur, I do not want to go to your house and have dinner." I said. He looked at me, acted as if he were going to turn away, and then grabbed my arm and pulled me away.
"Let me go!" I bellowed. I kicked him and punched him with my free hand, but nothing seemed to work. I finally gave up. He dragged me through the wood, Alfred following close behind. Every now and then I would snag a leaf off a branch and twirl it out of habit. Alfred stared at me as I did. I just scowled at him.
When we reached Arthur's house he finally let go of my arm. He unlocked the door. "Ladies first."
I walked past him, my arm grazed his shoulder. I had to admit the inside of the house was quite adorable. I touched the coat rack and then slid my hand down the hall walls. Arthur and Alfred followed behind me. I turned a corner and walked into what looked like a living room. I ran my hands along the back on one of the chairs. It was soft.
"Why don't you go get washed up." Arthur suggested. I looked behind me and at him. He started to walk away and motioned for me to follow him. "I put a pair of Alfred's clothes on your bed."
I followed him into a small and bland room. A bed, large in comparison to the room, was pushed against the wall next to the window. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a bedside table. I looked at Arthur for a long time. He looked so familiar. I didn't say anything. Arthur turned and walked out of the room. I followed him.
Across from my room was the bathroom. "There's already a towel in there."
I didn't say anything. I pushed past him. The bathtub was already filled with some water. I undressed and tossed my dirty clothes aside. I dipped one toe into the water. It was freezing! I sat down quickly in the bathtub. I wrapped my arms around my chest and shivered. I the soap and scrubbed my arms and legs. I watched as the dirt swirled around in the water. I dunked my head underwater to get my hair wet. I ran my fingers through my hair to try and get the tangles out. I couldn't even get my hand through my hair. I moaned. Not only did it hurt trying to get my fingers through, but having this long hair was a pain. I stood up and drained the water. I stepped out and picked up a towel on a racked beside the tub. I wrapped it around my torso.
I walked over to the sink and stared into the mirror for a long time. My hair looked more like a mop on my head. I knew that it would be rude to do this but I searched through the cabinets in hope of finding a pair of scissors. I found a tiny pair in the bottom drawer. I began to cut out the knots in my hair, but then I decided that it would just be easier to just cut off all of my hair. I cut each pice carefully, trying to make my hair as even as possible. I set the scissors down and looked at myself for a long time. My hair that was once long with slight waved in the back was now as short as a boys. I ran my ringers through my hair. It felt nice. I wrapped the towel tighter around my torso and walked out of the athroom, leaving the pile of hair behind.
I quickly got dressed and walked out into the living room. Alfred's clothes were a little big on me, but were comfortable. I took a deep breath and scrunched up my nose. It smelled as if something was burning. I walked towards the smell. Arthur stood over the oven and waved his hand over some smoke. He glanced at me quickly. "Alfred, get three plates out."
"I..I'm not Alfred." I said, a bit angry at first. He looked at me again. He put whatever he was cooking onto the side and reached in one of the cabinets and pulled out three plates. He put a little portion of food onto each plate. He pulled out three forks and knives and balanced the plates on his arms. He walked out into the dining room and put each of the plates down. He pulled out a chair for me and called for Alfred.
"Sorry for calling you Alfred." He said to me. I just nodded my head and poked at the meal with my fork. I was hesitant to eat it. Alfred ran into the room and sat down next to me. He began to eat and he seemed to enjoy it. I just twirled my fork around. Arthur looked at me. "Why don't you try some of it?"
"I'm not hungry." My stomach disagreed. It made a low, rumbling sound. Arthur seemed to have heard it. I ate a tiny bit of the food (it wasn't half bad) and then mushed my plate away. "I'm going to bed."
The two of them didn't say anything.
I stared at the ceiling in my room for a long time. I didn't like how nice they were to me. I didn't like sitting down for meals with other people. I don't like quietness of this room. I miss staying outside and letting the crickets' hum lull me to sleep. I opened the window and rested my head on the sill. Something about Arthur felt familiar. I listened the crickets' song and fell alseep.