Read Online The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall - Free Book Online
Authors: Cindy Woodsmall
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puppies. Besides, they had to sleep somewhere tonight. Glancing around the place, she noticed rusted pitchforks, ten-gallon tubs, and moldy bales of hay A decaying wagon sat in a corner with painters tarps, ropes, and a watering can. The tin roof had sections missing.
The barn side of a silo caught her attention. She went over to it and tugged on the door, almost falling when it finally opened. Clearly the door had been closed for a long time. If the man came back, she and Lori could hide inside. He’d never think to look in there. When they were on the road, they’d crossed a small bridge not far from here, so the creek had to run nearby. That meant water to drink, wash up in, and brush their teeth with. If she could get the two days’ worth of traveling grime washed off of her and Lori, she might be able to sleep—even if she was in a dirty barn.
A piece of tin standing against the wall rattled and shifted. An older dog walked out from behind it. After one glimpse at Cara, the mama dog lowered her head and tucked her tail between her legs.
Cara knelt, motioning for her. “I know just how you feel. But you can’t go around acting like it.” The old dog came to her and stood still while Cara rubbed her short black hair. “If you act all sad and dumped on, people get meaner. Don’t you know that by now?”
The dog wagged her tail. As if sensing their mom’s presence, the puppies woke and started whining and going to her. She licked Cara’s hand and then moved to a corner and lay down, letting the pups nurse.
“What’re they doing, Mom?”
Cara pulled the sack of bagels out of Lori’s backpack. “They’re nursing. That means they’re getting milk from their mother.”
“Did I nurse?”
Cara passed her a bagel. “It was free food. What do you think?”
Lori wiped her hands on her dress. “If I only eat half of my bagel, can I share it with the mama dog?”
“Your part is half of a bagel, so, no, you can’t share any of it. She’ll be fine. We should be so lucky as to scavenge like a dog and not get sick.”
“You know what?”
Cara shrugged. “I don’t want to play guessing games, okay?”
“If I ever had more food than I needed, I’d give it to other hungry boys and girls.”
Cara rolled her eyes. “As if.” The sarcasm in her tone ran deep within her; Cara knew that all too well.
Remembering how she used to dream of jumping on a horse and riding into a world that had people who loved her and flowed with tables of food, Cara stared at her half of the bagel. “Never be afraid to hope, Lorabean. Never.”
Deborah continued to shake as Ephraim pulled into the driveway. Daed sat beside her, with Mahlon on the other side of him, as they rode on the back of the wagon with their legs dangling. She and Mahlon held on to her Daed so he wouldn’t fall out as the wagon bumped along. His ashen face tortured her.
Dear God, don’t take him! Please . The phrase screamed inside her. The loss of her mother had nearly destroyed her whole family. She couldn’t stand losing someone else. Not after Daed and Becca had spent years building a new family while giving strength to the one they each already had.
Mahlon jumped off the back of the wagon before it came to a complete stop. His eyes locked on hers, saying he cared and he understood. She knew he did. He always had, and she relied on his quiet strength.
Becca ran out the door. “Abner?”
“He’s had a spell.” Deborah choked on tears she refused to shed.
“Call the doctor, and call for a driver.” Becca spoke in a whisper that didn’t hide her panic.
Ephraim was already halfway to the shop.
“I’m fine now.” Daed waved his arm for everyone to let go of him. “Stop fussing over me.”
They released him.
“But you will be seen by the doctor, Abner. You must,” Becca pleaded.
“I said I’m fine.”
Deborah stood in front of him. “You were talking nonsense, Daed. And you had sharp chest pains.” She wiped her fingers
The barn side of a silo caught her attention. She went over to it and tugged on the door, almost falling when it finally opened. Clearly the door had been closed for a long time. If the man came back, she and Lori could hide inside. He’d never think to look in there. When they were on the road, they’d crossed a small bridge not far from here, so the creek had to run nearby. That meant water to drink, wash up in, and brush their teeth with. If she could get the two days’ worth of traveling grime washed off of her and Lori, she might be able to sleep—even if she was in a dirty barn.
A piece of tin standing against the wall rattled and shifted. An older dog walked out from behind it. After one glimpse at Cara, the mama dog lowered her head and tucked her tail between her legs.
Cara knelt, motioning for her. “I know just how you feel. But you can’t go around acting like it.” The old dog came to her and stood still while Cara rubbed her short black hair. “If you act all sad and dumped on, people get meaner. Don’t you know that by now?”
The dog wagged her tail. As if sensing their mom’s presence, the puppies woke and started whining and going to her. She licked Cara’s hand and then moved to a corner and lay down, letting the pups nurse.
“What’re they doing, Mom?”
Cara pulled the sack of bagels out of Lori’s backpack. “They’re nursing. That means they’re getting milk from their mother.”
“Did I nurse?”
Cara passed her a bagel. “It was free food. What do you think?”
Lori wiped her hands on her dress. “If I only eat half of my bagel, can I share it with the mama dog?”
“Your part is half of a bagel, so, no, you can’t share any of it. She’ll be fine. We should be so lucky as to scavenge like a dog and not get sick.”
“You know what?”
Cara shrugged. “I don’t want to play guessing games, okay?”
“If I ever had more food than I needed, I’d give it to other hungry boys and girls.”
Cara rolled her eyes. “As if.” The sarcasm in her tone ran deep within her; Cara knew that all too well.
Remembering how she used to dream of jumping on a horse and riding into a world that had people who loved her and flowed with tables of food, Cara stared at her half of the bagel. “Never be afraid to hope, Lorabean. Never.”
Deborah continued to shake as Ephraim pulled into the driveway. Daed sat beside her, with Mahlon on the other side of him, as they rode on the back of the wagon with their legs dangling. She and Mahlon held on to her Daed so he wouldn’t fall out as the wagon bumped along. His ashen face tortured her.
Dear God, don’t take him! Please . The phrase screamed inside her. The loss of her mother had nearly destroyed her whole family. She couldn’t stand losing someone else. Not after Daed and Becca had spent years building a new family while giving strength to the one they each already had.
Mahlon jumped off the back of the wagon before it came to a complete stop. His eyes locked on hers, saying he cared and he understood. She knew he did. He always had, and she relied on his quiet strength.
Becca ran out the door. “Abner?”
“He’s had a spell.” Deborah choked on tears she refused to shed.
“Call the doctor, and call for a driver.” Becca spoke in a whisper that didn’t hide her panic.
Ephraim was already halfway to the shop.
“I’m fine now.” Daed waved his arm for everyone to let go of him. “Stop fussing over me.”
They released him.
“But you will be seen by the doctor, Abner. You must,” Becca pleaded.
“I said I’m fine.”
Deborah stood in front of him. “You were talking nonsense, Daed. And you had sharp chest pains.” She wiped her fingers
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