Revenance

Chapter 4

Mira climbed in through her bedroom window, carefully removing her shoes so she wouldn't get dirt on the floor. She didn't hear her family in the house, so she assumed that they were out, either in the farm or in town at the markets. With a sigh of relief, she set her shoes down on the floor and walked out of her room to the kitchen, where she tore herself a piece of bread and a slice of cheese.

"Mira?"

She spun around to see her mother standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "Oh, hello Mother."

"Where have you been? You've been gone for half the day!" Her mother rushed over to her and pulled Mira into a tight embrace. "Oh, goodness, your cloak is a mess!"

"Not to worry, Mother. I was just spending time with my friend."

She let go of Mira and looked down at her. "What? Who's your friend?"

"His name is Tajo. Oh, Mother, you should see how wonderful he is. He helped me find the chokeberries for you back in winter. Remember when I brought those?"

She stared at her wordlessly.

Mira tilted her head. "Mother?"

"Nevermind that, we should get you cleaned up. Whatever happened to your cloak?"

"That was from a while ago. I ...." she stopped, thinking about Hayden and Oskar. "I fell in the rain. I got mud all over it."

"Alright." Mira's mother took her cloak and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm just glad you're safe. Don't go running off without telling me, okay?"

"Okay."

Her mother headed out of the room while Mira ate her small snack of bread and cheese. While she did, she thought about the tree that Tajo had told her to stay away from. It was white, and twisted, and it looked sick but evil. When she sat down next to it, she suddenly felt very tired. She wondered why that was.

Mira finished eating and returned to her room, where she got out her book and flipped through the drawings of Tajo to a blank page. She sat down on her bed and began drawing, this time of the white tree. Her mind drifted, dancing between thoughts of her father and brothers, and thoughts of her mother, before all coming back to Tajo. And she finished off her drawing with Tajo standing next to the tree.

Mira's mother entered her room. She looked up from her drawing, and her mother sat down on the bed next to her. "Your father and brothers went into town to sell the chicken eggs."

"Oh? Well okay."

She sighed and turned to Mira. "And the sisters from the church stopped by for a visit. They wanted to talk to you, but you weren't here."

"Why did they want to talk to me?"

"They wanted to ask you about going to the school in Edinburgh. They've already talked to me, but they wanted to learn more about you." She sighed again. "They're going to come back tomorrow. And I want you to be on your best behaviour for them, okay?"

Mira curled up defensively. "What? Am I being sent away?"

Her mother shook her head. "No, no, of course not. I wouldn't let that happen. But they are going to offer you the opportunity to do so. And I just want you to show them you're happy here."

She let out a small breath of relief and relaxed. "Oh, that's okay. I don't want to leave here. I love the school I have already, and Father's farm..."

"I know, dear. I wouldn't make you leave." She stood up. "Now, I don't want you to mention your... your friend to the sisters. Who knows what they might think."

Mira nodded. "Okay, I won't."

She smiled softly and nodded in return. "Great. Your cloak is drying on the clothesline. I'll get to cooking supper." She left Mira's room, closing the door behind her.

Mira closed her book and laid on her side, thinking about what her mother had told her. She was sure the sisters from the church were the kinds of people Tajo feared. And she didn't want to see them, not one bit. But ultimately, Mira knew she would have to, no matter how much she avoided their visits, they would still be at her school when she returned for the next term. With a sigh, she buried her face into her pillow and wished that she didn't have to worry about any of that. That she could just run away into the woods and stay with Tajo for as long as she could.