Short Story 1

Simply dipping her toes into the brook sent shivers into every nerve in her body. The sun created blurred shadows of the old oak trees that lined the water. It was times like this that caused her to pause and remember the early days of her life. She was barely 19 when she had came to Littleton, and since then she had rarely had the oppurtunity to look back to her dreams of the past. The business of everyday small-town life had swallowed her memories. However, now for this moment she was transported back, back to Salina.
Living in middle class Kansas was nothing to brag about, that was plain to see. every night the evening news brought images of life in more dramatic parts of the world. Every night just moments after the news began her father would arrive home from the office, often smelling of beer. Her mother had harped onher so much to not annoy him, that Adrianne had begun to fear him. He seemed easy-going til the booze began, then it was as if his every breathe was used to belittle her and her mother. That night was no different.
" Jan, is supper ready or do you expect me to cook too.."Came his cruel voice down the entryway. He had always complained that Adrianne's mother had taken the easy way out to stay home with her, but truth be known her health was too poor to venture out for long let alone work a job. "Andrew, its waiting for you on the table like always", came the response from the family room. As was often the case Adrianne's mother was lying on the couch resting as she became wore out easily.
Adrianne feared she may never survive her lonely days in that town, but salvation had come to her in more ways than one. In her senior year at the catholic school she had been offered a scholarship to attend ministry courses to become a nun from Colorado, and planned to leave immediately upon graduating high school. Life happens, however, her mother passed away unexpectantly and her father, in his booze and anger, began to lash out at her more than ever. She stayed long enough to settle her mothers arrangements and immediately left swearing to never return. Now years gone by, she wandered through her lists of what-ifs.
Soon however, the moment past and she was back in the cool mountain air and scenic surroundings of the convent in Littleton. She allowed the tear to finish its path to her chin, collected herself, and began making her way back to her room.