Lilly awoke to a knocking at her door. She stirred, and softly called, "Who is it?" "Who do you think?" came the gruff voice from behind the door. Lilly suddenly snapped awake and jumped out of bed. The person tried to open the door, but found it was locked. He growled a low oath as he tried to force the door open.
Lilly ran to her closet and practically tore the dress off the hanger. She quickly changed, keeping an alerted eye on the door at all times. This was her usual "wake up call", which is why she had taken to locking her door during the night. Still, it never hurt to be watchful.
She had never heard him so upset before! He was practically banging the door down with just his fists! Lilly shook her head decidedly. Enough was enough. She would not huddle in a corner and wait for him to leave any longer. It was time to take actions into her own hands. She might be a woman, but she still had some rights. And it was time to take those rights back from the man that stole them from her. Leaving a quick note for her mother on her bedroom pillow, she lifted the window, glanced back one final time, and slid out onto the ground. "Goodbye, Mother," she whispered before she took off at a dead run.
She ran and ran, not knowing where she was going yet, but running towards the forest. Running for freedom, running for her life. Her eyes were partially blinded by unshed tears, and she tripped on a large tree root, that had made its way to the surface. She lay there and sobbed, her body heaving with the fountain of tears that she had kept inside for so long finally springing forth. She cried so long and so hard, at last she finally fell asleep, right there on the forest floor.
The sleep was deep and peaceful. For the first time since she could remember, Lilly did not have tortured dreams of dark shadows, crumbled buildings, and her father coming after her. For once she could finally rest, to slip away into the world of darkness and peace.
She awoke to a gentle shaking of her shoulder. "Lilly, Miss Lilly, come on now, wake up," called a voice from far away. She was tempted to ignore the voice completely, as well as her own body telling her to awaken, but for some reason in her heart she knew she must answer the call. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked up into the face of her new friend, her only human friend. "Mr. Smee?" she asked quietly, still trying to fully awake. "What are you doing here?" "I was going to ask the same of you, Miss Lilly," the old man replied. "It's not even noon yet, and here I find you sleeping on the ground! It's a wonder you didn't catch your death of cold."
Lilly smiled slightly as he fussed over her like a mother hen. It seemed like he actually cared about what happened to her, and she hadn't had anyone care about what she did for a long time. Her mother came and let her in the house, of course, but she never did anything else that might cross her husband. "I'm alright," she said, trying to stop him from pulling the leaves and twigs out of her hair. Smee's face was filled with concern. "You didn't sleep out here all night, did you?" he asked worriedly. Lilly shook her head and looked back in the direction of the house. Smee saw the pain that crossed over her eyes, just for a moment. He knew that look well. He had felt pain before many times himself. But her pain was not physical, it cried deeper than that. Into her very being. "Do you want to talk about it?" Smee asked quietly. Lilly turned back to face him, and saw his face full of understanding. She looked around, as if watching for someone, then slowly and quietly began to tell her tale, keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her. It had all started a year ago. Such a long year it had been.
When she finished and glanced at his face, she saw he was crying. "I'm. . . . so sorry. . . " he said, taking her hand in his wrinkled one. Lilly squeezed it a little to show her thanks. In the course of two days, Mr. Smee had become more of a father to her than anyone ever had.
"Where will you go?" Smee asked. Lilly shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted, "all I could think about was getting away from there." Smee nodded understandingly. He patted her hand and stood. "I'll be back tonight, and maybe I can get you something to eat?" Lilly smiled, and thanked him. She would stay in the forest today, just as she had before. He scurried back through the bushes in the same direction he had gone the day before. Where does he go of to? she wondered. There's no houses around here. This is all my Grandfather's land. But she decided not to think about it.
She spent the day with her friends, checking on everyone as was routine. The animals noticed there was a slight sadness in her eyes, but she hid her feelings well. She always had to. She couldn't afford to completely bear her heart, even to her animal friends. She decided to go check on Jewel, who was most likely in her favorite meadow.
Lilly waved to the deer as she trotted as fast as was possible in her direction. She laughed softly; "Hello, Jewel," she said softly. She felt the deer's neck and stomach. "You're still doing just fine, just be sure to take it easy," Lilly advised. Jewel turned at the call of Nomad. She gracefully walked towards him, and he lead her away. Lilly shook her head, smiling. That one was a mystery, that was for sure!
As the day went on, Lilly was able to pretend this was just another day, another playtime with her friends. But when she came back to the tree in the evening, she couldn't help but feel a little sad that she would not be going back to her own house. But she pushed those feelings away quickly when she remembered what had happened this morning.
The bushed shuddered again, and out came Mr. Smee, with a picnic basket in his arms. "Ah, there ye are, Miss Lilly," he greeted her. She returned the greeting with a smile. As the little man unpacked the basket, Lilly's eyes grew wide at the sight of all the food! There was turkey, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, sausage, green beans, cornbread, rolls, and apple and pumpkin pie! "You did all this for me?" Lilly asked of her friend, surprised and touched at his obvious generosity. Smee shrugged and smiled, "I didn't know whatcha like, so I brought a bite of everything," he said simply. Lilly shook her head in wonder. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen so much food in one place! She turned to Mr. Smee again. "The only favor I ask of you now is that you will share this with me," she implored. Smee looked surprsied. He could plainly see how hungry she was, and yet she was thinking of someone else? This girl never ceased to amaze him.
So they shared the meal, and Smee offered to help her find a place to rest for the night, but Lilly politely declined and said she would sleep over in the bear's cave. A look of worry crossed over Mr. Smee's face, and Lilly hastened to explain that if she stayed in the corner of the cave, the bears did not bother her while she was sleeping. She had done it before; she could do it again. With a pat on the shoulder and a promise to return in the morrow, Smee set off through the bushes once more. Lilly made her way to the bear's cave, greeting the massive animal with submissive gestures to show she was not a threat. She was not at all afraid of the brown mother bear, but she did know enough to show respect. As she lay in the cave watching the sun go down, the events of the day finally hit her mind with such reality she began to weep silently. She would never again feel the warmth of a blanket being placed over her, never again feel a cool hand press against her forehead when she was sick. She would never see her mother again.
She was a runaway. . . .