Post by Rivlet on Nov 25, 2008 20:21:59 GMT -6
A Page from the Past
Rivlet stood atop a hill, looking out across the grassy fields at Lake Isenstar. Not far away was Gil'ead, the city on its shores. Beside him on the dusty road was his newest donkey, Rosemary. She was pulling his small wagon that was covered with a burlap blanket.
"Come on girl. We better get moving." He patted the beast of burden on the haunch and the wagon lurched forward. He thought about stopping to rest in the city, then decided against it. He didn't like to stay at crowded locations unless it was unavoidable.
As Rivlet and his steed slowly wandered past a lone elm tree, they stopped. There was a little girl sitting at the roots of the tree, crying. She couldn't have been more than eight years old. She was skinny as a bone and had long brunette hair that was tangled and caked with dirt. "What is the matter, young child?"
The little girl sniffled and looked up, revealing her deep brown eyes. "Who are you?" was all she said.
"Just a friend to talk to. Do you have something you need to talk about?"
The kid broke out into a fit of sobs as she said, "My... mom... died. She was... sick. Now me and... brother... are alone..." Her sobbing became too terrible for her to continue.
Rivlet sat down on the mossy roots beside her. "There, there," he said in an effort to comfort her. They just sat for a few minutes as the girl cried out her sorrows. When her weeping finally subsided, Rivlet spoke again.
"So, what is your name? Wait! Don't tell me. I changed my mind." Then he got up and walked over to his wagon. "I have something you might like."
Rivlet scrounged around under the burlap blanket for a few moments, mumbling to himself. "This one... Or maybe... How about... Hmm."
"Ah ha! I think this is perfect for you." He pulled up a large orb the color of pale pink rose-petals that glittered like a jewel in the midday sun. He carried it over to where the girl was sitting and placed it in her arms.
"What is it?" the girl asked. Her eyes were filled with untold wonder.
"This, my dear, is a treasure more precious than any item you will ever find. You will find out soon enough why that is. Go now, and take this back to where you and your brother live, but promise me this. Promise me that you will never let this be seen by anyone but you or your brother."
The child agreed and ran off with her new prize, eager to let her brother know what she was given. "Well that was time well spent," Rivlet said to his donkey. "Let us go Rosemary. We have more places to be."
Rivlet stood atop a hill, looking out across the grassy fields at Lake Isenstar. Not far away was Gil'ead, the city on its shores. Beside him on the dusty road was his newest donkey, Rosemary. She was pulling his small wagon that was covered with a burlap blanket.
"Come on girl. We better get moving." He patted the beast of burden on the haunch and the wagon lurched forward. He thought about stopping to rest in the city, then decided against it. He didn't like to stay at crowded locations unless it was unavoidable.
As Rivlet and his steed slowly wandered past a lone elm tree, they stopped. There was a little girl sitting at the roots of the tree, crying. She couldn't have been more than eight years old. She was skinny as a bone and had long brunette hair that was tangled and caked with dirt. "What is the matter, young child?"
The little girl sniffled and looked up, revealing her deep brown eyes. "Who are you?" was all she said.
"Just a friend to talk to. Do you have something you need to talk about?"
The kid broke out into a fit of sobs as she said, "My... mom... died. She was... sick. Now me and... brother... are alone..." Her sobbing became too terrible for her to continue.
Rivlet sat down on the mossy roots beside her. "There, there," he said in an effort to comfort her. They just sat for a few minutes as the girl cried out her sorrows. When her weeping finally subsided, Rivlet spoke again.
"So, what is your name? Wait! Don't tell me. I changed my mind." Then he got up and walked over to his wagon. "I have something you might like."
Rivlet scrounged around under the burlap blanket for a few moments, mumbling to himself. "This one... Or maybe... How about... Hmm."
"Ah ha! I think this is perfect for you." He pulled up a large orb the color of pale pink rose-petals that glittered like a jewel in the midday sun. He carried it over to where the girl was sitting and placed it in her arms.
"What is it?" the girl asked. Her eyes were filled with untold wonder.
"This, my dear, is a treasure more precious than any item you will ever find. You will find out soon enough why that is. Go now, and take this back to where you and your brother live, but promise me this. Promise me that you will never let this be seen by anyone but you or your brother."
The child agreed and ran off with her new prize, eager to let her brother know what she was given. "Well that was time well spent," Rivlet said to his donkey. "Let us go Rosemary. We have more places to be."
