25 miles to Stamherst. I kicked a pebble at the sign and watched as it bounced off the pole with a clang, than settled myself onto the stump that had been my observing post for the last half-hour. Doc had left at seven this morning, quite mysteriously, and I had decided to make it my mission to find out what he was up to. Since I didn’t have anything else to do that day I came out here and set up guard on the one lone road between Stamherst and Moss Creek.

I lay backwards, my head hanging off the stump, allowing my long, blonde hair to swing off my neck in hopes that a small breeze would cool it down. I had to close my eyes to keep them from getting tickled and scratched by the prairie grass. There were simply miles and miles of it, around Moss Creek, up Stamherst way and beyond. It never ended, as far as I could tell. I had never seen the end anyways.

I sat up and then rolled on my stomach, kicking my feet into the air as I studied an ant hill intently, poking at it every now and then. Ant hills could be absolutely fascinating if you were really bored. It always amused me to see the ants scurrying to fix the holes I had made, and I imagined them trying to figure out what monster had done it- done it before they could even blink an eye. I imagined them down in their little holes, whispering anxiously to each other as the queen ant roared with fright. Yes, ants could be interesting. Even as I thought this, I could feel my eyelids trembling with fatigue, and before I could even jump up and start doing handstands to keep myself awake, I was out.

Suddenly I awoke to a loud humming sound. Apparently I had rolled off the stump at some point, and I was now lying with my face pressed in the grass, and my legs on the dusty road. I lifted my cheek up, feeling bits of dirt and grass clinging to it, and I rubbed it off, frowning at the impressions the grass had made in my now-red cheek. I wiped my eyes, than suddenly I realized what had woken me. I jumped up, already groaning and mentally cursing at myself for missing the truck. Than I spied it- a red blob down the road, growing larger and larger. Well, technically a faded pinkish color, but it used to be red.

My initial plan had been to basically stand out in the middle of the road and declare myself, to make sure I found out what happened. But suddenly embarrassment and shyness overcame me (a rare occurrence, I assure you), and I jumped behind the stump again, carefully crouching so that just my eyes and the tip of my hair were over the level of the stump. Hopefully my hair blended in anyways- it was about the same color, and after my nap probably about the same texture too. And this way, I should still be able to see whatever Doc had with him.

The truck came at a slow chug, and I waited impatiently, straining to make out what there was to see. I didn’t know, but I was hoping it’d be big and obvious. I made out Doc’s form at the wheel…and then…my heart skipped a beat. There was someone in the passenger seat beside him. Whoever it was, they were smaller than Doc, but that wasn’t hard, considering he was over six feet tall. I watched, feeling like a wide-eyed kindergartener waiting for a surprise from their favorite teacher. And then the truck went whooshing past- but I had enough time to glimpse her. Her…a girl had come to Moss Creek, and not only was she a girl, but a new one. There hadn’t been in a new girl, in, oh…well, since I could remember. I savored for a moment the glimpse of her calm eyes, and her dark hair, as she sat quietly next to Doc. Hmm; I hoped she was more chatty with kids her own age than with him. But then I gave myself up to my excitement, and began running down the road, occasionally leaping and yelling for sheer pleasure all the way back to Mammy’s.

“Mammy, mammy!” I yelled as I leaped over the small picket fence- I only used the gate on Sunday’s, when Mom expected me to be dressed up proper and acting like a lady.

Mammy’s house was one of the tidiest on the block, and we were all proud of it. In the front yard was a large maple, shading clipped green grass, and the house was bordered by daffodils. There was a stone path leading up to the front parch, which had a hanging swing-chair, and white whicker furniture. The house was a white frame house, with blue trim, and it was my favorite place in the whole world.

I jumped up over all three steps and threw open the door, ran pell-mell into the kitchen, than collapsed into a chair at the counter.

“You wont believe it” I said, dragging my words out for effect. “You just won’t, Mammy.”

“Is that so?” Mammy asks. She turned around, holding a glass of cool water, which she placed in front of me. I promptly gulped it down, coming up gasping for breath, but I was too excited to stop. I waved my hand in front of my face- Mammy didn’t have air condition, and it sure was hot in here. “Yeah…I know what Doc went to get this morning” I said, sitting up, bright-eyed and alert. I was rather proud that I knew before anyone else. Of course, I usually do.

Mammy’s eyes crinkled as she smiled, and she sat down across from me and folded her hands on the counter, “Well, Angie, don’t keep me in suspense. You know I gotta know before Tabitha knows.”

“Aww, Mammy, I‘d never let ol’ Cranky beat ya.” Mammy and Ms. Cranker have a sort of competition to be the town-know-it all’s. I loved helping Mammy, and she’s personally employed me- I get a dime for every tip I bring her, and it’s lots of fun to see Ms. Cranker get madder and madder every time.

“Angie!” Mammy admonished, “No matter what, elders are to be treated with respect. You know that.”

I groaned and slouched in the seat- Mammy and I had had this argument several times. I figured that if I didn’t think someone deserved respect, I shouldn’t have to treat them with it, but Mammy said otherwise.

“Well, Mammy, I’m gonna head over to Doc’s to see the girl” I said, jumping up again and shoving the stool under the counter. “See ya Mammy!” I called, waving as I headed for the door. If nothing else, this would prevent a lecture on respect- I didn’t think I could take sitting still for another moment, with such a mysterious person waiting for me to find out who they were.

I sped past the supermarket and Mr. Broker’s, the barber. Ms. Carroll and Ms. Hardy, cousins, lived right next to each other on this street too. There was the bank, and a few more houses- Ms. Lowell had the best peaches when they were ripe, and as if to signify that, her house was painted a peachy-cream color. I passed my house; it’s a light-blue house with a pale yellow trim. We have a big oak in the front that I like to climb a lot, and it has a rope for swinging hanging down off one of its branches. We have a vegetable patch in the back yard, and mom has some daffodils planted along the stone path that leads up to our big porch- I guess she and Mammy both love ‘em. There’s a chair swing on the porch, and a bunch of white wicker furniture, for when mom and her friends gather in the evenings to sit and chat. I usually lay on the swing and listen, absorbing up the gossip like a sponge. I really am just like Mammy.

Finally, two houses down, I come to Doc’s place. It looks large from the outside, but the old blue-gray house is really cut in half on the inside- one space for living and once space for doctoring. The gate opens onto a path which splits in two, and I took the left branch up to the house.

“Doc” I yelled as I opened the screen door so I could knock properly. You were wasting your strength if you knocked on screen- the only thing that might happen is you punching a hole through it than having to pay for repairs.

I heard a laugh as the door opened, and Doc’s cheerful face peered out at me. He had a red face and small gray eyes magnified by thick glasses. His hair was a wispy gray-white, and sort of seemed to wave with a life of its own around his head. He looks nice enough alright, especially to grown-ups, but I never liked him much. Maybe there’s just something about doctors that sets me on edge, but I just plain old didn’t like him.

“Why hello there Miss Angie” he said, frowning down at me, “Do you need something?”

“Why yes Doc, I’m needing some female companionship of my own age.”

Doc laughed at this- he thinks children are very amusing. I was just trying to use the same language grown-ups do, but it never seems to work out right.

“Is that so?” Do all grown-ups talk the same?

“Yessir. I saw you got a girl today.” His eyes twinkled, he likes smart kids, and I can tell he thinks I’m smart already. I’m not really, Carolyn is the smartest in the class, followed by Josh and Ana, but I’m the most curious. And everyone in town except Doc I guess knows that.

“Well, I suppose she could use some female companionship too. But stay in the yard, mind you.”

“Yessir.” I shifted impatiently from foot to foot; I didn’t come here to yabber with the doctor. I came to see the girl.

“Ireeeeeneeee.” He called, turning from the door to look up the stairs behind him, “There’s someone to see you Irene.”

Irene. Kind of a funny name, but pretty. I decided I liked it. “Is she coming?” I asked, standing on tiptoes. I couldn’t hear anything, but than again, she did look like a quiet sort of girl.

“She’ll come” Doc said, looking at me. “I got stuff to do, so just come and stand in the hall while you wait for her, so you don’t let all the cold out.” I came in and stood there, shivering, as Doc walked back farther into his house, humming to himself and muttering. Doc was the only one with cold air in the summer time, for his clinic, but sometimes I wonder if it’s just something the mad need to keep themselves sane. He sure looked crazy at the moment. Then I heard soft steps, and Irene peered around the corner, her dark eyes large and curious. She was pretty enough for a girl; her brown hair done up in a fancy braid, with a fine-looking face, as if she came from some breeding. She was wearing a dress too- a light blue thing that looked pretty good on her. She didn’t seem to know what to do, so I made up her mind for her.

“Come on” I said, grabbing her hand, “Let’s get out of her ‘fore we freeze ourselves to death in this icebox.” Then we were out back into the warm summer before she could say “boo”. I looked at her out of the corner of my eyes as she stood their on the porch, rubbing her eyes and blinking into the bright sun.

“Goose. You’re not supposed to look straight at it. It’ll burn your eyes out.”

She jumped and stared at me, as frightened as a little kitten, “Really?’ he voice was soft and whispery and I had to strain to catch it.

“Well, duh” I answered, clomping down the front steps. “Well, come on” I said, turning to look at her. She was still standing on the porch, her eyes covered with her hand, as if merely being outside would be sure to kill her.

I sighed and went back up the steps, grabbed her hand, and lead her down, “Where you been all your life? Caveland?” I grumbled as I lead her around back.

“Um, no. I, uh, came from, uh, New York”. I stared at her; I hoped she’d get some sense soon. Maybe it was just train travel- I heard that it was pretty awful stuff.

“Either you come from New York or you don’t” I said, setting my hands on my hips. Mammy said you had to be firm with kids from the start, if you wanted something. I wanted her to act normal, so I guess I had to make her.

“Well?” I said, tapping my foot impatiently just like mom did.

“I’m from New York” she said definitely.

“Well, good, that’s better. That gives us loads to talk about” I answered, settling down on the grass. I patted a spot next to me; something told me she’d be needing a little guidance to start off with. New Yorkers had to be awful boring, I decided, seeing as they didn’t know how to do anything regular. Or maybe the stories weren’t exaggerated- maybe they knew how to do all the extraordinary stuff so well that when it came to basics they were lost. You just never could tell with out-of-towners.

“You got any good play clothes?” I asked her. There was no way Doc or anyone in their right mind would let her play in that stuff.

“Well, most of my clothes look like this” she said, looking down at her neat dress, carefully spread out on the grass around her.

I snorted, “Well, I’ll bring you some stuff tomorrow so you can come out. You don’t need to tear up that stuff.”

“Tear up?” she looked kind of afraid. Oh boy, I hoped to high heaven she wasn’t too much of a sissy, and it was just living in the city awhile that made her like that.

“Well, you know, sometimes clothes just get torn running around and stuff” I said casually. I figured long as I went slowly, and lead her in gently, like a little calf being tamed- than she would grow into it naturally, if she was any sort of kid at all. ‘Course it couldn’t be too slow. Than I’d go crazy.

“Oh” she eyed me, as if debating on something, than finally said, “Alright. Bring something tomorrow.”

“Good!” I jumped up and gave her a good, hard handshake before helping her up off the grass, “I’ll be here tomorrow morning, see ya then!” And then I took off back for home before mom could yell at me for being late for dinner.

“Mom, guess what? Guess mom.”

“Ellie, eat your green beans now. Yes Angie?”

“I said guess mom!”

“Ellie, with a fork, you know better. Angie, please. With you I never know.”

“Moooom. Can you guess Dad?”

“I don’t know Angie, why don’t you tell us?”

I groaned in annoyance and glared at my own beans, shifting them around on the plate. Grown-ups never understood the importance of secrets- they just wanted you to tell them everything right away instead of working for it like they should.

“You guys are no fun.”

My dad sighed and chopped up a piece of meat, waiting patiently. Darn, I hated when he started the waiting game. I always, always lost.

“Alright, I’ll tell, since you guys wanna know so bad.” I could pretend they did, at least. It was a little better that way.

“Doc got a new girl” I quickly shoveled a spoon full of beans in my mouth, since I knew they’d be asking questions. Just a little torture in return for their earlier lack of interest. Mom’s fork clattered on to her plate and Dad looked up sharply.

“He got a girlfriend?”

My beans went flying as I spewed them out of my mouth, laughing so hard my belly hurt.

“I meant a little girl!” I choked out. As my parents exchanged horrified glances, I fell out of my chair, laughing and holding my stomach.

“Like…a…..daughter” I managed to gasp out, wiping tears from my eyes. I loved wonderful reactions.

My parents visibly relaxed.

“Though I wouldn’t be surprised if he had one.”

Woops, wrong thing to say. “You shouldn’t joke about things such as that, Angie. You’re twelve years old now, you should be past that.” My mother stared sternly at me.

“Yes ma’am,” I responded automatically, climbing back up into my chair. Ellie, my little five year old sister, had taken advantage of my parent’s shift in attention to quietly feed our old dog her green beans. Max was the only dog I knew that would actually eat them.

“Ellie!” My mom had apparently caught her also.

“Sorry momma.” My mom sighed in exasperation and put some more beans on Ellie’s plate to make up for the ones she had fed to the dog. Finishing up my own food, I got up and cleared my spot at the table, leaving them to deal with stubborn Ellie.

I sat up with a yawn and stared out the window at the bright moonlight. Feelign impatient, I threw back the covers and padded softly over, opening it to let a cool breeze through. I didn’t like being inside much, especially in the summer, ‘cause it always got so hot- and I normally opened the windows for bedtime. I guess I just had so much on my mind earlier that I had just clean forgotten. I climbed up on the sill and looked down the street- Doc’s house was on the other side of the street further down, so I could just make it out from here. I wondered what Irene was doing. Then I had an idea. That would be a perfect way to start off our friendship. A midnight adventure. Smiling excitedly I turned around and grabbed my flashlight from under the pillow, and pulled on some shorts under my nightgown for climbing down.

Grabbing some pillows I kept in the closet for such purposes, I stuffed a few under the blankets to create a vaguely human form. I had begun to take pride in the various artistic forms I had made. It never really matter; mom never came to check up on me during the night any more, but it made it more fun to pretend like it was hard to escape. Swinging one leg over the window, I settled my feet on the porch roof below, than carefully lowered the window with one hand until there was just a crack to use later for letting myself in. Then I scooted to the edge and used a porch column to let myself down to the railing, and than I was home free. Daring a small whoop, I took off running down the lane.

I was at Doc’s house in no time at all, but that was no where near the hard part. The hard part was going to be figuring out which room Irene was in. At least I knew which half of the house it was- and I was pretty sure on the room since I’d listened to her footsteps coming down earlier, but instead of throwing rocks or something at her window this time, I’d actually have to check and make sure.

“Darn,” I muttered, setting down the flashlight carefully, and hitching up my nightgown. His was a little harder- for getting up my porch there was a lattice of flowers, but he didn’t have any. I’d have to hope my arm muscles were strong enough. I jumped from the railing and grabbed the edge of the roof, feeling my feet kicking out wildly from underneath me. Next time I was gonna contrive a knotted rope to attach to the metal thing on the corner I decided. But with a grunt and an extra heave, I managed to get one leg onto the porch roof, and than another. Finally. I lay on my stomach, panting. I hoped that either her room was on this side, or else the roof went all the way around. I couldn’t remember at the moment, and if it didn’t, it was going to be an exhausting night.