The Old Oak
03/01/2012 19:27
Lucia's world had caved in that day. The 12 year old girl sat staring sullenly out the window at the grey Georgia skies, not quite able to wrap her mind around what had happened. Just two months ago, she and her family had been having a wonderful Easter. Then they figured out her father had cancer. It hadn't been so bad at first. Everyone at church had been very nice, and brought all sorts of nice dinners, but Lucia's father Allen wasn't looking so good. His condition quickly worsened, and just like that, he was gone.
It was May 4th. The day before mother's day.
'Some mother's day gift.' She thought to herself.
She didn't bother to turn around at the sound of Joseph's footsteps on the basement stairs. 10 year old Joseph came and stood beside his sister. They remained there in silence, the minutes dragging as slow as the heavy clouds. Finally, Lucia turned to look into her brother's dark brown eyes. She gave him a broken smile, and he returned it, tears tracing his cheek.
"I'll miss him." Joseph managed to whisper.
Lucia wrapped her arms around him and squeazed him tight.
"We'll get through it. Everything will turn out fine in the end, you'll see." She tried to assure him, tousling his black hair.
Joseph smoothed his hair back down as he was apt to do.
"I know it. I just can't stand the fact he's..." His sentence trailed off.
"Gone." Lucia finished for him.
There was more silence for a few moments.
"How about we go hiking? Maybe the fresh air will clear our heads." Lucia suggested.
"Sure! I'll go tell mom!" Joseph's face brightened up slightly as he pounded up the stairs.
Lucia followed, but at a slower pace. She grabbed a backpack before heading up the stairs and stuffing some Goldfish and two water bottles in it.
"She said yes!" Joseph's voice echoed from the study as he made his way back down, his favorite Met's basebll cap shoved backwards on his head. Lucia turned it back around, the bill now facing forward.
"Alright Joey, let's go." She poked him playfully on the arm.
He poked her on back, not seeming so down hearted now.
The pair set of down the steep, wooded slope that passed for the backyard. In reality, the only 'backyard' they had was a long, thin strip of land running from the top of the driveway, to the neighbors' house. That not being much fun to run around on, the chose the woods instead. They made quite a racket tromping down the hill, causing a couple of angry squirrels to dart up the trees, chattering angrily at them. When reaching the creek, the two turned right, following the stream to the old fallen tree that they used for a fort. Usually, they'd go out there with their friends Marie and Sam and have all kinds of fun. But they were out of town, so the siblings were content to be with one another. Joseph set to work patching up the wall, which had fallen in last night's stom, while Lucia cleared the area of broken branches.
"Can we explore farther down the creek? I've never been down that way, and this is getting boring." Joseph pouted.
Lucia rolled her eyes. "Fine. You're right. We just have to make sure we're back before dinner." She gave in.
"Yes!" Joseph pumped his fist and started briskly along the creek bank.
Lucia blew golden hair out of her face and followed, jogging to catch up.
After walking for a while, Joseph stopped dead in his tracks, Lucia nearly slamming into him.
"Hey! Careful!" She growled.
Joseph didn't say anything. He just pointed to something infront of him. Lucia's green eyes followed where he was pointing, and her jaw dropped.
"Oh my equine." She mumbled.
Just ten feet infront of them was the biggest oak tree Lucia had ever seen. It reahed far above the tall Georgai pines, dwarfing them in it's shadow. The trunk was so wide, it would take five men joining hands to encircle the whole thing. Gnarled roots stuck high above the ground, so if one was not careful, they would surely trip and get caught in the mess of roots.
The astounded pair walked around the tree in awe. Lucia touched the trunk, the rough bark scraping gently against her hand.
"Hey look at this!" Joseph shouted excitedly from the other side. Lucia sprinted around to see what Joseph found. Her brother gestured to a hole at the base of the trunk that was big enough for a labrador to fit through. Lucia stck her head inside, and felt the ground.
"It's, smooth." She said, running her hand over the sloping surface. She crawled forward, able to fit through the hole with the backpack on without a problem. Joseph quickly followed, his lightly freckled face alight with excitement. The sorrow the two had just experienced was pushed aside as the made their way donw into the dark depths.