Chapter 11, Sara

Later that day Keira stepped onto the path that led toward the orphanage.

The sun was warm on her skin with a mild breeze wandering through the tops of the trees. Dozens of birds chirped and sang from the branches. The natural carpet on the ground had dried to a soft thickness that snapped like tiny signals of private conversation as Keira's feet made contact.

Questions about the wisdom of having come here echoed through her head. She hadn't worked on her poetry since she'd made the stack that still lay heavy and orderly on the desk. She wondered if she should have just stayed home where all she'd really had to do was stay in her office where everyone would assume she was very busy. But, then there had been the pacing, the empty driving and the showers and Mike and Louise worrying. So, for now she was here; there seemed little choice but to meet the child Sara.

The tree line opened onto the field abruptly when Keira least expected it. The sun hit Keira squarely in the face setting tiny dots of color dancing before her eyes.

Alana touched the top of Keira's shoulder from behind.

"Here, Keira."

"Alana, there you are."

"Follow me."

Alana hurried through the trees with Keira following behind for about four hundred yards. Keira could see the orphanage to her left through the tree line. The angle was different from here but the gray blue mist of last week continued to hang close to the ground forming a dome over the building and inner circle. Keira could see the big cat lying on the ground, her nose rested up against the ring of crushed stone.

"Her name is Sheba. She guards the grounds."

"From what?"

"From anything that wants to hurt us. Hester says its necessary."

"I see, and Sheba, she lets you in and out?"

"Oh, yes. She won't hurt any of us. Neither will the others."

"Others?"

"The other cats. There are six of them, two are cubs born last year."

Keira stood staring at the orphanage. A figure stood up high in one of the stacks. The shadow darted to the side suddenly and disappeared.

"Over here Keira. Sara's over here."

Keira turned to look in the direction Alana faced. There in a tiny break in the trees knelt a small figure. She held a stick in her hand. It stretched out in front of her poking at the dirt. She wore a limp cotton dress that hung on the ground covering all except one heel of one bare foot. A tiny pair of pink slippers laid on the ground beside her. Keira turned to look at Alana but Alana was gone.

Keira stepped in closer to the girl. Sara rose up and turned to face Keira. She held the stick tightly in her hand, her dress now hung to mid-calf exposing both of her tiny naked feet. Sara's eyes were a soft blue green. They stared out from under thin wisps of light brown hair. Her cheeks were hollowed and her lips sculptured into the tiny form of a beginning rose, the pink compression of the bud before it slowly opens.

Sara's head tilted in acknowledgment of the sound. Her lips curved up at each end transforming themselves into a beginning smile.

Keira extended her right hand out toward Sara. The child looked from Keira's hand to Keira's face. She shifted her weight from one bare foot to the other. She glanced over her left shoulder to the place where Sheba was still visible through the trees. She took a long minute to look back to Keira then - slowly - cautiously - and with tiny steady steps moved toward Keira. Sara's gaze never left Keira's face while she moved.

When Sara was close enough she stood before Keira. She used one index finger to brush along Keira's extended palm. Keira smiled. Sara laid her tiny hand flat into Keira's.

"I'm Keira."

"I know."

" I would like to be your friend too. Would you like that?"

"What were you playing over there in the dirt?"

"I wasn't playing. I'm looking for my shoes."

"Your shoes, what happened to them?"

"Momma said they got burned up and sucked into the dirt."

"How did your shoes get burned?"

Sara shrugged.

Keira leaned sideways and sat on the ground. Sara followed Keira's cue and sat beside her. Sara laid the stick across her lap resting both hands along the top.

"That must have been an awful fire."

"Can you help me find my shoes?"

"Well, I don't know. Can you tell me what they look like?"

Sara looked at Keira's feet then over at the pink slippers lying on the ground.

"Are they like mine?"

Sara shook her head, no.

"Do you know what color they are?"

Sara shrugged her shoulders.

"How will I know that they are yours if I do find them?"

"Because they will be mine."

"Yes, I know you'll know that they are yours, but how will I know?"

"I'll tell you."

"Well, I'll certainly keep my eyes open for them."

"That won't work. They are in the ground, under the dirt. You can't just see them. You have to push the dirt off them first."

"Well, then, perhaps I should get a stick so I can help you."

"There are lots of sticks over there."

Keira rose and walked with Sara to the edge of the wood where Sara chose the best stick from under an old maple and handed it up to her. They went to the small patch of ground where Sara had been digging, knelt down and continued to push at the dark rich soil.

Alana appeared from behind. She stood for a few minutes watching Keira and Sara before speaking.

"Sara, I have to take you back now."

Sara looked to Keira who turned to look at Alana.

"Alana, there you are. Sara and I have been having a nice visit."

"I have to take her back now, Keira."

"Alana, I've been thinking...I'm not sure that the orphanage..."

"Keira, she has to go back. I don't want us to be late."

Keira looked back to Sara who squatted wide eyed over the circle of scratched earth.

"Sara, do you want to go with Alana?"

"I'll, go Keira."

Sara stepped in beside Alana dragging her stick along her side. It scratched a narrow path behind the girls who walked directly to the circle of stone where they crossed over to meet the now standing Sheba.

Keira looked back to the earth where only the richness of soil and dark veins of disrupted roots lay like an interruption amidst the even covering of sprouting vegetation. She leaned forward, dropped the stick to the ground and covered her face with her hands. Her body rocked front then back while choking on deep sobs that sent a flock of small birds crashing through the trees and into the sky overhead.

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