OPERATION YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME
by Cheyenne Lynnae
CHAPTER ONE
Death
“What a tragedy,” People said as they walked past me to their cars. I listened to their solemn but careless whispers and just waved. Apathy had begun to set into my bones. Nothing held joy anymore, and even the pain was starting to turn numb. My grandparents were gone, and soon my home would be as well. Those were the facts, and I was beginning to feel used to them.
“We are so sorry for your loss” person after person said to me. Their faces blurred together, and I felt almost as if I were watching the goings on from outside of myself. Though I knew it was wrong of me, I couldn’t help but think that they weren’t truly sorry. How could they be? They didn’t grow with them, live with them. These mourners had their own families waiting for them in their warm homes. The sorrow of today would be forgotten tomorrow. I could see the town gossip chatting with a crowd of people. They whispered and giggled seemingly oblivious to the reason for their coming. I sighed as I waited for the last few people to leave. A couple lingered by the grave. I had never seen them before, which was strange for I knew all of my grandparents relations. I had lived with them, in this tiny town, my entire life. The couple had stayed on the outskirts, tears streamed down the man’s face, and the woman tried to console him through tears of her own. They seemed to be around their mid to late thirties. They were the only people who had attended the ceremony that I thought felt even a fraction of my pain. The accident that had taken my grandparents had taken them from this couple too, and they felt it. My aunt Lilian came to my side, her long dark hair tied up beneath a black hat.
“Renady? Are you ready to go?” she asked. Her brown eyes searched mine. I nodded, and followed her to the car meant to take me home where I would grab a few last minute items and say goodbye to the farm housing my beloved animals, before leaving for California. I slid into the back seat. As we drove off birds chirped and the sun shone down. It’s bright rays caressed everything it touched. It pained me to see how the earth could go on as it always had. I couldn’t understand how the sun could shine so happily, and the birds sing so prettily when it had just lost two good and kind individuals. My heart cried out in protest. We soon reached our old farm house. I got out, and trudged up the porch steps. I sat on one of the white rocking chairs for a moment, and look out over our fields. I stood, and reached for the porch door, caressing the handle before entering. I walked up the steps to my room, and changed in a ratty pair of jeans, boots, and an old t-shirt. I grabbed my suitcase, and my cat Olive. I placed my suitcase on the porch, and stuck olive in the car. I walked over to the barn where I found my horse, Mandi. I approached her stall, and she poked her head out in anticipation of my coming.
“Hey there, girl,” I whispered. I stroked her neck and kissed her nose. “I’m sure going to miss you,” Aunt Lillian came up behind me, and put her hand on my shoulder. I turned into her, and she wrapped her arms around me.
“I’m so sorry, darling,” she said. She placed a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll let you finish saying goodbye, the truck’s here and we should leave soon.” I nodded my understanding, as she left. I scooped a handful of oats into my hand, and let Mandi eat them up.
“What do you say about going on one last ride, baby girl?” I said. She nickered. I went and grabbed a bridle. I opened the stall and led her out of the barn into the sunlight. I didn’t bother to saddle her, and mounted bareback. Together we rode over to the chickens, and past our cow. We passed the gardens, and at last we reached the fields. We rode on until we reached our favorite hill overlooking our land. We stopped at the top, and let our skin soak in the sun. A tear streaked down my cheek.
“I’m going to miss this place, Mandi girl,” I said. I rubbed her neck. “I’m going to have to leave you here in a few moments, but don’t ever think I’ll forget you, alright?” I said. She snorted. When I knew I couldn’t delay any longer, and I heard my aunt calling me, I turned Mandi around. Soon, I was taking off her bridle, and locking her in her stall. I pressed my forehead to hers.
“I’ll be back someday. You’ve been mine and I’ve been yours for sixteen years now. I won’t be gone for good.” I said. Mandi had been born, the same day I came to live with my grandparents as a six month old after my parents had died. I said a quick goodbye, with a handful of oats, to each of the other two horses, and left.
The driver of the U-haul honked the horn, he wanted to get going. I was awed at the driver for doing such a thing. You just don’t do that to the person who is paying you. That’s how it is here anyways; I guess people in California are different.
The car began to move turning around. I looked behind me as we pulled away from the familiar yellow house with it’s classic wraparound porch. I could see the tree house and tire swing in the back that had been built just for me. I watched taking in all these things as they shrank behind me and eventually disappeared.
“You okay honey?” Aunt Lillian or Aunt Lil was my dad’s twin. She’s only twenty eight but very wealthy, and she had a daughter, Claire, who was only a few months older than me. At least I had them left, and I would see Claire soon. She was my best friend. We three, were all we had left. The lone girls of the family.
“Yeah.” I said. “I’m fine.”
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