She sat on her chair by the window, and looked outside. From here, she could see the entire backyard. Her mother was there at the moment, standing in the middle of the yard, raking the leaves. She also had a fire going, and thin white smoke was filling the air, going up and up to join the clouds.
That's what I'll do. I'll go outside and help mom.
Not that she was that anxious to rake, but it was an occupation, and one that would be of help to another. She put on a wool sweater, and joined her mother outside.
"Hi sweetheart!" said her mother. "Did you just get home?"
"Yeah, five minutes ago. Need any help?" she replied.
"Sure," said her mother with a smile. "Here, burn this pile here, I have to go inside for a minute."
Her mother handed her the rake, and went in the house. Jennifer did as she was told, and brought big handfuls of dead leaves to the fire. At once she breathed in the peculiar smell of burning vegetation, that Autumn smell. The sun was radiant, giving a glorious yellow shine to the already colorful foliage.
The light is strange today. Artificial. It's like a light we would see on a theatre stage, or on a movie-set. It gives a joyous feeling to the entire scene.
A little while later, her mother came back.
"Hey, I'm not paying you to stand around and mope," she joked. Jennifer went back to work with a smile.
For twenty minutes all she did was rake and rake, the scattered mounds getting bigger and bigger. She was intent on her work, in fact not thinking of it at all. She was listening to the leaves she was raking, and to her it was like the sound of waves on a beach. She thought of the Ouija board, and of how strange it is that young people should be interested by such things. Then…
"That's enough, you can burn some of it now," said her mother, gently.
So she did. The leaves covered the red-hot coals, and a thick pillar of smoke arose. She suddenly thought of an episode in a Stephen King novel, It, when the young heroes dig themselves a pit in which to make a fire, the smoke of which was supposed to give them visions. Smiling, she got closer to the fire, and breathed in a lungful of smoke. She almost choked on it, then let it go. It occurred to her that it was a strange thing to do.
Imagine explaining that to mom.
She laughed, feeling light-headed and slow.
They both worked for another half an hour, then went inside for dinner.
That's what I'll do. I'll go outside and help mom.
Not that she was that anxious to rake, but it was an occupation, and one that would be of help to another. She put on a wool sweater, and joined her mother outside.
"Hi sweetheart!" said her mother. "Did you just get home?"
"Yeah, five minutes ago. Need any help?" she replied.
"Sure," said her mother with a smile. "Here, burn this pile here, I have to go inside for a minute."
Her mother handed her the rake, and went in the house. Jennifer did as she was told, and brought big handfuls of dead leaves to the fire. At once she breathed in the peculiar smell of burning vegetation, that Autumn smell. The sun was radiant, giving a glorious yellow shine to the already colorful foliage.
The light is strange today. Artificial. It's like a light we would see on a theatre stage, or on a movie-set. It gives a joyous feeling to the entire scene.
A little while later, her mother came back.
"Hey, I'm not paying you to stand around and mope," she joked. Jennifer went back to work with a smile.
For twenty minutes all she did was rake and rake, the scattered mounds getting bigger and bigger. She was intent on her work, in fact not thinking of it at all. She was listening to the leaves she was raking, and to her it was like the sound of waves on a beach. She thought of the Ouija board, and of how strange it is that young people should be interested by such things. Then…
"That's enough, you can burn some of it now," said her mother, gently.
So she did. The leaves covered the red-hot coals, and a thick pillar of smoke arose. She suddenly thought of an episode in a Stephen King novel, It, when the young heroes dig themselves a pit in which to make a fire, the smoke of which was supposed to give them visions. Smiling, she got closer to the fire, and breathed in a lungful of smoke. She almost choked on it, then let it go. It occurred to her that it was a strange thing to do.
Imagine explaining that to mom.
She laughed, feeling light-headed and slow.
They both worked for another half an hour, then went inside for dinner.
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