Leaving

• Samara Ranie, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2013

Leaving
She sat on her bed of hay and mesh quietly sobbing, wishing her world away. Her mother was just outside but she had never felt so far from her. No one could possibly feel or understand the pain and loneliness she felt as all she knew, slipped from her grasp.
The girls’ mother walked into the room, not lifting her gaze. When she looked up you could see her face was full off despair. Her deep blue eyes that were once full of hope and joy were now sad and bleak. Her hair was an average sort of brown but it reached all the way to the tall women’s slender waist. “Aubrey” She said in a melancholy voice no higher then a whisper, “we are struggling and we never wanted anything like this to happen. But you will be going to a good home. I have no way to make money and we can barely get enough food for the two of us. Sir Gaderon is waiting outside. He will give you the life you deserve”. Her mother burst into tears and the girl jumped from her spot to comfort her mother. They stayed there for what felt like an eternity, not letting go, not wanting to let go.
Aubrey was scared to leave; she did not want to leave her mother in fear that she would once again stop eating and fall deeply into that black hole that was despair, this time her mother might not crawl back out.
Slowly Aubrey walked outside trying to focus on the ground under her feet, She walked up to a man sitting on a tall black horse, Tied to his saddle was a similar horse but with a white patch on the horse’s chest. The man was short but clearly well fed he had grey hair and a short grey beard. He wore a brown tunic covered in patches each patch a different colour. But his eyes wear strange below that light brown hue was an age you could only imagine.
“What is your name” Boomed Gaderon not giving the girl even a brief glance
“My name is Aubrey sir” Aubrey mumbled
“This is poppy she is your horse”
He gave Aubrey a judgemental stare then turned to Aubrey’s mother
“I will keep her safe” He promised
Aubrey’s mother nodded her thanks in return
With that Aubrey saddled her horse and the started to ride away. Aubrey, no matter how much she wonted to, did not turn around to look at her mother because she feared that if she did she would burst into tears and run off into the woods. Instead Aubrey galloped away as fast as she could but it did not stop the tears from streaming down her face as she rode away from all she knew and loved. The home she grew up in, the friends she had made and her mother, the mother who promised that even when they were apart she would always be with her.

By Samara Ranie