The ink-black sky grew to a soft, milky gray. It would be a few hours before the residents stirred themselves to wake. But Delly woke earlier than usual, determination painted on her tired, pale face.
Extending her arms to the ceiling, stretching her back, and releasing a deep, soundless yawn, she slipped quietly out of bed, onto the dusty wood boards. She shivered as her foot made contact with the cold floor, but made her way towards the door. Every few seconds she threw a glance by her shoulder, hoping her two other siblings would lie resting.
Escaping without disturbing, Delly walked through the small hallway, delicately placing her feet one at a time. Her hands glided on the blue spackled walls, tracing every crevice and dip she came by.
The decline of the stairs came to view, draped over with a long, intricate rug. This was a tripping hazard, Mr. Kett had warned, but his wife scoffed, waved her hands, and said how the rug added a lighter touch to the dismal stairs.
Today, the long, scratchy rug aided in Delly’s escape from the house. She delicately pressed her soles to the carpet, the material rubbing the skin until they were a light pink.
Reaching the end of her descend, Delly prayed that the floorboards decided to lay dormant and refuse to make noise.
Creeeak! Went the not-quiet floorboards. Perhaps they would bend to her wishes another day. On tiptoe, Delly stepped nimbly around furniture and gratefully on any rugs she had to pass through.
Suddenly, interrupting the sleepy quiet:
Coo coo! Coo coo!
Bark! Bark! Bark!
The old, dusty coo-coo clock resting on a small table near the entrance to the kitchen went off. Despite it’s frail appearance, when the clock struck the hour, it would screech louder than a murder of crows being chased away by the family dog Roof.
And speaking of Roof, the bloodhound was barking up a storm, scratching at the front door from the outside. Roof took his self-appointed position as guard dog very seriously. If there were an intruder inside or out, he would hunt them down, even if it were a clock.
The clock had stopped crowing, but Roof continued his flurry of barks and growls. Delly, who had fallen over when the commotion started, clutched her chest, her heart beating erratically against her fingers.
The loud thud and creak of feet hitting stairs sounded faintly over the barking, but it hit Delly’s ears. Thinking quickly, she rolled over until she was under the dining table, hoping that the shadows would throw themselves over and shield her.
“Roofus! Quiet down!” At the commanding voice of Mr. Kett, the dog shut his muzzle with a whine and backed away from the door.
“Nuisance, that dog is. Always barkin’ in the middle of the night…” Mr. Kett grumbled, ascending the stairs. Delly lay under the table for a long moment, waiting for her heart to steady. When her heart rate slowed to normal pace, she rolled out, and continued her way.
In a few carefully quick bounds, she made it to the kitchen. Delly scanned the food room until her eyes fell upon a neatly woven basket, sitting on the counter, a red and white checkered blanket peeking out from the sides.
Nodding in quiet approval, she walked over to the basket and lifted the blanket, searching for its contents. Only a few crumbs remained from the last meal.
Delly dragged the blanket out from the, hoping that its absence wouldn’t be too conspicuous. Pushing the basket aside and laying the blanket flat on the counter, Delly glanced to the side, a shiny, ripe, red apple staring back at her. She grabbed the fruit and placed it on the blanket.
“What else, what else,” she whispered to herself, tapping her chin. A loaf of bread near a stack of drying dishes caught her attention. She grabbed four slices and placed them all flat on the counter.
Skipping to the refrigerator, she opened it and pulled out a tomato, a slab of turkey from last night’s dinner, and butter. Grabbing a knife, she cut the turkey and tomato and laid it evenly between two slices of bread: the turkey on the bottom and the tomato on top.
After running the knife under the faucet, Delly spackled butter onto the two other plain slices of bread. She joined the two butter-bread and turkey-tomato bread together to make two sandwiches. She placed them both onto the blanket, along with the apple.
“We need a drink,” she commented to herself, but where to contain it? Delly’s eyes strayed to the cabinet, where they kept empty jam jars. Smiling with an idea, she walked over, opened the cabinet’s door, and pulled out a jar.
Delly filled the jar with water, and screwed the cap on tightly. The jar went along with the apple and sandwiches on the blanket. Satisfied with the meal, Delly folded and tied the blanket, trapping the food inside.
“Oh, I hope I didn’t disturb anyone.” She glanced over her shoulder, straining her ears for noises of activity.
Sighing in relief, she slugged her blanket over her shoulder, and made her way to the backdoor. The door opened with a quiet creak! Wincing, she stepped out and closed the door behind her.
In taking the musky dawn air in lung fulls, Delly broke out into a run, her bare feet skimming the wet grass and dirt.
She made her way to the barn, a dark, looming figure in the awakening day. Reaching the door, Delly doubled over, panting and catching her breath. Clearing her throat, she shoved the door open, and stepped in, closing it behind her.
Save for a few streams of faint light filtering in through the cracks, the barn was an eerie dark.
“Hello?” Delly called out, nerves creeping into her voice. Besides a faint rustling, there was no reply.
Staring forward, Delly made her way to the ladder, hay and wood under her feet. She knew exactly where it was even without the use of sight.
Reaching a hand out, wood brushed Delly’s fingers and she knew that she had found her target. Clutching the bag in her teeth, Delly wrapped her fingers around the rungs and climbed.
Reaching the top loft, Delly grabbed the bag back into her fingers, whistled lowly, and flung it away from her. A soft crunch echoed throughout the quiet barn.
Delly reached forward, readying herself to get off the ladder and onto the loft.
“Hey!”
Gasping, Delly felt herself lurch backwards and she shut her eyes tight, readying herself for the descent and impact.
Hands grabbed the front of Delly’s shirt and pulled her forward. Her hands latched onto the ladder, eyes wide and heart thundering.
“Woah, are you okay?” A dirty face came into view; cloudy blue eyes shaded by a dry, straw-colored curtain of hair.
“I nearly fell to my doom – what do you think?” Delly hissed in annoyance, masking her still-lingering fear.
The boy across from her simply smiled and pulled her to the loft.
Safe on the hay, Delly flopped backwards, staring at the ceiling. Her heartbeat decreased, her chest rose and fell slowly. At this moment of peace, she felt sleep creeping up on her. Lids grew heavy and Delly decided to close her eyes for a few.
“Hey. What’s in the blanket?” The boy pointed to the red-checkered blanket that Delly had brought, laden with food.
“Open and see,” Delly responded, eyes still closed.
The hay rustled as the boy crawled toward the blanket. There was the sound of cloth against hay, a light sound of surprise. And in the next moment, a large weight pressed itself against Delly’s midsection.
She gasped in surprise. “What are you doing, Daniel?” She hissed the wind knocked out of her.
“Thanking you for the food! I haven’t eaten in forever,” he responded affectionately, rubbing his cheek on her forearm.
“Get off! There are better ways to thank me without suffocating me.”
Daniel shuffled off, allowing air to return to Delly’s lungs. She breathed.
“Geez, you’re last bite was yesterday. Calm down.”
Daniel chuckled and opened the jar of water, taking a large swig of it.
The rooster crowed as the sun’s rays peeked out from the horizon. The door to the house slammed open and Roof started barking again.
“I better go,” Delly said apologetically to Daniel.
He wiped his mouth, a sad look on his face. “Can’t you stay a little while?” He asked, acting much like a sad puppy whose owner was leaving for work.
Delly shook her head, heading towards the ladder. “No, but I’ll think of how we can bring the authorities into this.”
Daniel shot Delly a look of horror.
“I promise they won’t do you any harm. Just stay hidden and try to make this last.” She pointed her chin toward the blanket near Daniel’s feet. “I’ll see if I can be back tonight. If not, tomorrow.”
Delly swung her legs carefully on the rungs and started to climb down.
“Okay, ‘bye…” The dejected voice of Daniel’s farewell followed Delly down the ladder.
“’Bye,” she called back quietly. Daniel wouldn’t be able to hear.
Delly reached the bottom and made her way to the door, pushing it open a crack and peeking out.
The coast clear, she raced out, hoping her father wouldn’t see her racing on the empty stretch of land. Reaching the back door, Delly placed a hand on the handle-
“Delilah!”
She flinched.
“What’re you doing out in your night clothes?”
“I—uh, I went to…”
“I don’t want to hear it.” Mr. Kett held up a hand. “Just wake up your sisters and get started on breakfast.
Delly nodded and obediently followed her father’s orders, breathing a sigh of relief when she stepped inside.