The Whistle

Chapter 6

Hope's Story pt. 2

November 8th, 1970: Saturday 6am

I wake up to my body feeling heavy. I am facing down watching the brown leaves below me shuffle over the grass. The leaves escape the unsteady footsteps of the stranger as he carries me. My eyes are heavy as I look around to try and find out where I am. However, all I see are large canopying oak trees around us and the grass below his feet. He slows his pace as I hear the sound of running water from the creek in front of us. Placing me gently on the ground, he kneels in front of me. As I face him and study his features, I notice his more prominent features were in his face. He has soft, blushed chunky cheeks hiding his cheek bones. He has large bushy eyebrows and soft brown eyes with wrinkles that resemble crow feet. He is wearing gold HOYA half-rim glasses and has a large scruffy brown beard with gray hairs sticking out of it. His hair is long and bushy and curls at the end of the strands near his shoulders. He is an older man; his eyes seem wise. I watch as his hair sways in the wind as the sunlight reflects off of it. He is wearing a red plaid jacket and blue jeans with large brown boots. He is tall, has a husky build, and speaks in a soft gentle manner. Placing his hands over my arms, he begins sliding his hands up and down. I freeze in fear.

"Listen to me kid, I know you're scared and I am sorry that I took you from your home. But you could not stay there!" He says with kind eyes continuing to rub my arms.

"I want to go home," I fight tears as my voice quivers.

"I know" he began, "I know that you do, but kid..." he pauses, looking down biting his lower lip, "your family, they..." he hesitates. I stare at him with my large protruding hazel eyes. Shaking his head, he seems to try and redirect the conversation in a different manner.

"I will protect you," determined to win my trust he continues, "there are bad people out there, and I promise—I will keep you safe from them, but you have to come with me and listen to everything that I say. Do you understand?"

"No! I don't understand... I want to go home! Please take me home." I begin to cry and pout stomping my feet on the ground below. He starts to hush me, placing his teeth together blowing air out, creating a familiar Shhh sound.

"Okay, I will take you home," he says in a lowering tone with a slight curve of his lip.

"Okay" I sniffle, crossing my arms uncomfortably trying to prevent him from touching me again. With his left hand, he leans over toward his left and grabs his large burlap sack full of strange objects. I notice one large sharp object and feel my heart drop to my stomach. He begins to dig in the large burlap sack and grabs a bag of Cattaneo Bros jerky.

"Eat this...you'll need your strength to make the journey back home," he says holding the bag open toward me.

"You first" I demand.

"That's fair," he reaches into the bag with his large hairy hand and grabs a chunk of the jerky. He throws it into his mouth chewing and then swallowing it.

"See... Not dangerous, just delicious," he giggles. I smile hearing my new favorite word, he notices my smile upon mentioning the word and begins to repeat it.

"Delicious" he says again giggling.

"Delicious!" I laugh. I reach into the bag and grab a piece of jerky and eat it. I begin to study his figure once more and decide that maybe he is trying to protect me after all. Maybe I can trust him...just maybe.

The light from the sun peers through the leaves of the large oak tree over us. I watch him dig through his burlap sack as he sits on a large root of the oak. Rummaging through the bag, he grabs a bunch of metal poles and a giant yellow tarp from inside. I watch him unravel the tarp, forcing together poles and placing them underneath, making sure it is sturdy. I look at him curiously.