A Helping Hand

 by Sarah G. age 11

Twelve year old Alyssa Taylor sat up in bed. Ah, Saturday, she sighed happily to herself. On Saturdays, she could do whatever she wanted.

 Alyssa leaped out of bed and pulled on the skirt and boots Mother insisted on her to wear. She stumbled to her vanity and hurriedly washed her face and  brushed her hair.

I think I'll go to the creek today and see if Andi’s there, she thought. Andi Carter was a good friend of Alyssa's. They always had great fun together, especially at the creek. She wondered what Andi would show her this time. Last time she saw Andi, she brought a huge tarantula with her. It was fascinating to watch it skitter across rocks.

 Even though Andi was two years older than her, Alyssa still thought she was a great playmate. She wasn’t boring like most young ladies who liked to sew and cook like Andi's older sister, Melinda.

Alyssa skipped down the stairs into the kitchen. She plopped down into her chair. Pancakes sat in her spot. Alyssa gobbled them down. She picked up her plate and took it into the kitchen where she found Mother getting started on the dishes. Alyssa added her plate to the stack. “Mother, may I please ride Angel to the creek? I did most of my morning chores. Please?”

Mother smiled. “Yes, you may, but be back by supper, we’re having company.”

Alyssa hugged her. “Thanks Mother! I will, bye!” And she ran out the door.

As soon as Angel saw Alyssa, she nickered. Angel was a beautiful all white mare with a flowing cream colored mane. Alyssa had gotten several offers for Angel, but she would never give up her beloved horse. As she saddled Angel, she day dreamed.

 A loud Thud!  jerked her from her thoughts.

 Alyssa looked  around. A small girl stood in front of the barn door with a saddle sprawled in front of her.  She had never seen her around the ranch before. “Wh-who are you?” Alyssa asked the timid looking girl.

She gave her a wistful look,  and ran off, leaving the saddle abandoned on the floor.

“Wait!”  Alyssa yelled, puzzled at the hurried departure. She ran out of the barn and just as she rounded the corner, Alyssa caught a glimpse of the girl, riding on a beautiful but scruffy, large, rare Gypsy Cob. She gasped.

She looked around the yard. No one had seen what had happened, so she decided to go to the creek like nothing happened.

 That girl looked so tired and skinny, she thought as she mounted Angel. Alyssa trotted Angel out of the yard. The wind blew against her cheeks, cooling her face.

 When Alyssa got to the creek, she tied Angel to a tree. Andi’s palomino mare, Taffy, was grazing ten yards away. She looked up and nickered as she saw Angel. Alyssa ran over to Andi.

“Howdy, Andi!” She said, sprinting toward the rock Andi was sitting on.

“Hi!” she said, running over to Alyssa.

“Andi, I have something to tell  you.”

Alyssa was just about to tell her about the little girl when she heard the bushes and trees behind her rustle.  They slowly turned around and gasped at the same time. The girl Alyssa had seen before stood before them. The Gypsy Cob stood in back of the girl, looking protective. They stared at each other for a few moments, then Alyssa finally spoke.

“Hi, I saw you earlier, in the barn. My name is Alyssa… and this is Andi. Who are you?” She asked.

“Hi,” she said.

Alyssa studied her beautiful blue eyes, and a small nose. She would be quite pretty if there wasn’t dirt all over her face. Her dress was dirty and torn in a number of places.

The girl spoke. “I’m Elsie. Elsie Frauger. Me and my sister have been alone about a month.” An even smaller girl stepped out from behind the horse.

Alyssa  gasped in disbelief.

“How old are you? ” Andi asked.  

 Elsie answered, “I’m ten, and my sister’s seven. Her name is Cora.”

 “I don’t mean to be nosy, but can you tell us where your parents are, and why are out here all alone?”

Elsie answered, “There was a wildfire, coming right toward our house. It was the night after Ma and Pa gave us Anne.” She patted the mare on the rump. “If we hadn’t snuck out to ride her, we wouldn’t have gotten out of our house. We rode our horse straight and far, thinking Ma and Pa were behind us. When I looked back, they weren’t there. We rode all night, and we’ve been trying to get back home ever since. But it seems we’re only getting further.” Elsie was almost in tears.

Andi and Alyssa gasped.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Andi said softly. Alyssa nodded.

“You two can have my lunch, I had a big breakfast this morning, so I’m not hungry. I have two turkey sandwiches and a grapefruit.” Said Alyssa.

Elsie and Cora looked like Alyssa had just handed them a thousand dollars. “Thank you!” Elsie yelled. Alyssa retrieved her lunch and gave it to them. They devoured it hungrily. After they were done, the girls played in the creek all afternoon and Alyssa invited Elsie and Cora to her house for supper.

 “Your horse is rare, did you know that? What’s her name?” Andi asked while trotting into the yard.

“Yes, we know. Her name is Anne.” Cora said.

“Well, I’d better go. Alyssa, let me know if I can help with Elsie and Cora, okay?” Andi said ten minutes later.

Alyssa replied, “I will, thanks. Bye!”

“Bye Andi, thanks for playing with me.” Said Cora

 Cora looked nothing like Elsie. She had a turned up nose, brown hair, and freckles. So far, Alyssa had become fond of Cora.  

 After putting Anne in the stable, they lead Elsie and Cora into the house. “Alyssa, we can’t barge into you’re house. why are you being so kind to us?” Asked Elsie.  

Alyssa smiled. “Because the Bible says to be kind to everyone, especially when someone needs help.”  Was Alyssa’s  answer. That made Elsie and Cora smile. “Come on, let’s go up to the washroom and clean you up.” Said Alyssa.  The girl’s eyes grew wide.

“Thank you!” they said.

After they got cleaned up, Alyssa let Cora and Elsie borrow dresses for supper. Then Alyssa took them downstairs to meet the rest of the family. “Mother!” She yelled, bursting into the dining room, looking around the table. Oops, she had forgotten they were having company.

Mother and Father looked upset. Everyone stared at  the girls.

“I-I’m sorry mother, I forgot we had a guest coming.” Alyssa said, feeling embarrassed.

A man Alyssa recognized as one of Father’s employees looked at her. Alyssa gulped. Elsie and Cora backed out of the room. Mother straightened. “ Alyssa, who are your friends there?” Mother said, trying to hide her embarrassment.

 Alyssa didn’t want to tell her family the girls situation in front of a guest. “They, uh, were at the creek today Mother. We became friends at school.” Alyssa said in a rush.

Mother smiled. “Well, would you care to invite them to join us? Let them in, I’ll set two more spots for your friends.” Alyssa nodded, then peeked her head around the door.

“Mother says to have supper with us, she wants to meet you. We also have company, so be well behaved. Oh, and I said you two were friends from school, so be careful of what you say.” Elsie and Cora exchanged glances. “Okay, we’ll try,” Cora answered.

Putting on their best smiles, the three girls walked into the dining room. Mother sat down. “Hello, girls. How are you? ” Mother asked. Elsie and Cora smiled

“Fine, thank you.” Said Elsie. Alyssa smiled. So far, they were doing great!

The whole meal was pleasant, and after the guest went, Alyssa was ready to tell her family the girl’s  situation. When everyone was in the parlor, settling down for the night, Alyssa thought this was the perfect time to tell them.

“I have something to tell you.” Alyssa said. Mother turned to face her.

“Yes, dear? Everyone, Alyssa is speaking.” Said Mother. The whole parlor went silent. Alyssa looked at Elsie and Cora, who nodded. She took a deep breath.

 “Elsie and Cora aren’t friends from school… I met them today. They’re lost. There was a wildfire, and they got separated from their family. Please let them stay, at least for a little?” Alyssa said hopefully. She glanced around the room of her shocked family. Mother and Father looked at each other.

Before Father could say anything, Mother cut in.

“I think they can stay until we locate their family. Right, Frank?” She asked Father. He shrugged.

“It’s okay with me, I will start a search for your parents tomorrow morning, does that sound alright?” Father asked Elsie and Cora, who smiled gratefully.

After the girls went to sleep, Alyssa lay wide awake. She couldn’t sleep. She got out of bed and peeked into Mother and Father’s bedroom. They were asleep. As she was about to go back to bed, Alyssa noticed something peeking out of Mother’s old trunk. Curious, she tiptoed in and pulled the rest of a leather book out of the trunk. She opened it and decided it was one of Mother’s old journals. Suddenly, the pages flipped, and landed on a torn, crumpled page. Glancing at her parents, Alyssa began to read.

May 21, 1863

Today, I lost my precious twin girls at birth. It feels as though my heart has a hole right through it, and it shall never be repaired. Oh, how I wished for two little girls to hold and teach! Why God, why did you take them from me? Why?

Alyssa gasped quietly to herself, shocked at what she had read. Looking over at Mother, she slid the journal back in the trunk and walked out. Alyssa lay in bed that night, pondering the words she had read. Why has Mother never told me this?  She asked herself. Before Alyssa knew it, she was in a deep sleep.

Alyssa woke that morning with two balls curled under the blankets. Shaking off the haziness of sleep, she remembered Elsie and Cora were there. Alyssa quietly got dressed and flew down the stairs to the dining room, where Mother and Father were talking. Peeking around the door, she listened in.

“Frank, I really love those girls, I don’t know why, but I do. They make me wonder what life would be like with my twins.” Mother had this faraway look in her eyes. Father hugged her.

“I know, I know,” was all he said. Mother smiled.

“Well, you’d better start looking for them,” Mother said. He nodded, then went out the back door that led outside.

Later that afternoon, when Cora and Alyssa were playing checkers, there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Mother said cheerfully, getting up from her chair. But her eyes looked sad and tired. Everyone followed her. Father, and Alyssa’s three brothers, stood in the doorway, and the look on their faces told it all. Elsie and Cora’s parents were dead.

Father sighed. “I’m sorry girls, I asked around, and a fisherman said they were washed ashore, three weeks ago.” Father said as softly and gently as he could.

 Elsie screamed “NO! “And Cora flung herself in Elsie’s arms and wailed together with broken hearts the rest of the day.

“ I’m so sorry. I wish I could help you right now. I love you girls” Mother tried comforting them, but it didn’t work.

“Nothing will ever  help!” Cora cried. Every sob made Alyssa cringe for them. They sobbed themselves to sleep, wrapped in each others arms. Alyssa’s heart ached for them.

When Alyssa woke up, the girls were nowhere to be found in the house. The whole family scoured the whole house and yard. Alyssa had an idea.

“Please, can I go and look for them? I’ll be careful.” She pleaded, sure she could find them. Mother agreed.

They were nowhere near the creek, where she was sure they’d be. She searched for hours, going higher into the Sierras. Maybe I should give up, it’s been hours. Alyssa thought. At that moment, she heard a nicker. She saw a shack with Anne tied to a tree a few yards away. Alyssa gasped, then galloped towards the shack. She ran into the shack, finding Elsie and Cora in a corner, sleeping. They immediately woke up, eyes red and puffy.

“Elsie! Cora! I found you!” Alyssa cried, sitting next to them. Forgetting their sorrow for a moment, they exclaimed “Alyssa!”

Alyssa sat beside them, then spoke.

“I know you’ve been through a lot, but God still has you in His hands. And you have me. And my Mother. She loves you both very much. I’m sorry.” Said Alyssa, looking into their eyes. Both were in tears again. They nodded.

“We know, and we love you too.” Elsie said, wiping away her tears. Cora nodded. Alyssa pulled them into a hug.

“Good girls. I know you’re grieving and hurt but, will you come home with me?” Alyssa said. They nodded weakly and sorrowfully. Alyssa smiled.

Mother was so happy and relived when Alyssa, Cora, and Elsie walked through the door. The girls were all too tired to celebrate. Cora and Elsie slept the rest of the night and till noon the next day. Mother and Father had called a family meeting in the parlor. “Everyone,” Mother started. “Your Father and I have decided to consider adopting Elsie and Cora. We found out this morning they have no relatives who are interested in them. What do you think?” Mother asked, eyes shining. Think? Alyssa thought it was a great idea! She leaped from her chair.

“Yes!” She shouted, dancing with glee. Mother looked like she wanted to dance too. Alyssa’s three older brothers agreed too.

“Okay, I guess that settles it then. We’ll adopt Cora and Elsie!” Father exclaimed just as Elsie and Cora entered the room.

“What’s going on?” Cora said, rubbing her eyes. Alyssa couldn’t answer fast enough.

“Oh! We’re going to adopt you! Isn’t this great? “She said, spinning Cora round and round the room. Elsie, who was standing in the doorway, screamed with glee and delight. She thrust herself into Mother’s arms.

“Thank you! Thank you! I couldn’t think of Anything  better.” Cora hugged everyone, smiling the biggest she ever had.

Two weeks later, Alyssa, Cora, and Elsie rode to the creek together. Everything had been amazing the past two weeks. Mother had been the happiest she’d ever been, and Alyssa finally had sisters! Last week, after the adoption was complete, Elsie whispered in her ear “Alyssa, thanks for giving us a helping hand.” Alyssa smiled. They all loved being sisters.