Capture Me

Galveston, Texas 1903...

The apricot fills my lips with its insufferable juice. Oh how I love apricots. My father likes to help me pick them off of the trees outside the barn.

"Jump to the top of the treetop and one day you'll fly" he says.

Of course I was never tall enough so he'd lift me onto his bulky shoulders and I'd grip my hands across the nearest apricot on the treetop and pull it down. My father would then lift his fingers lightly dusted with the soil from the carrots which he planted that day, and would take it from my hand and wipe it off on his white button down, so it'd be clean enough for me to eat.

"Always wipe it clean" he says, "These buggers land on everything".

I now sit against that same tree wiping the apricot clean against my milky white blouse and taking a bite. I look back up at the treetop which I now can reach if I jump, but my father told stories, because the day has not come where I'll fly, and I may never fly.

How I miss his voice... when he calls my name, "Junie!!! Junie!!!" he would say in a husky tone.

Every now and then I turn my head to see if I've missed his call. But alas his not there, and he won't be there at all.

My father wasn't an old man, but the work got to him. One day his heart just gave out as he slept. My mother said she dreamt of it days before, and she prayed he wouldn't go, but the cold sleep took him anyway.

I remember the night it happened. The summer heat doesn't simmer even when the sun's down. Sweat rolled down my forehead into my eyes. I refused to open them as I have not gotten one restful sleep in this heat. Then suddenly a wailing, my mother screaming at the top of her lungs.

"WHY!!!"

It hurt hearing her scream, because we knew he was dead. I could've ran to her, and laid with her that night like my sisters but instead I ran out into the field. I dropped to my knees and felt a sudden breeze brush against my face causing my eyes to close and the sweat to roll off my face into the soil. I tasted the salty air against the tip of my tongue. Minutes ago I had a sudden urge to bury myself into the sea, but the wind brought me peace.

I looked out at the black sky and felt a whoosh of air tickle the back of my neck. A ghostly white face with black eyes. Feathers along its sun set painted wings with claws. The barn owl flew over me away from the house that stood against my back. I watched it take off far away from here. I wished it would take me too.

I woke up the next morning with the sleeves from my white nightgown buried in the dirt, and my brunette hair intertwined with it. I rose up from the ground and patted it away.

The heat had fled and a breeze swept through the fields. My only source of warmth was the light from the sun which shines across my feet.

"My mother…" I whispered to myself.

I walked back to our home, with its dusty mahogany wood and a porch desperate to be sanded as walking barefoot could give you a splinter. I walked across it and saw him sitting there in the seat my father would sit in.

Ronald Montero, the man who asked for my hand in marriage. He was tall with jet black hair, and a mustache to match. He was a handsome man and everyone thought I was lucky. It was more than luck they'd say. A pretty girl like me deserved Ronald. He was in the oil business and was on his way to becoming a very wealthy man. We might even move to New York. But I was in love with the bakery boy Johnathon, he was 18, only 2 years older than me. Not as handsome as Ronald, but he was sweet and my name wouldn't become Junie Montero, it would be Junie Gumbo. It sounded silly and I like silly things. Because how could I marry a man who doesn't make me laugh.

Ronald stood up from the rocking chair that my father would sing me lullabies on and he walked towards me in his cotton threaded jacket over top of his white button down complimented by a top hat. He even dressed like a businessman. I met him halfway and he leaned in to kiss me on my forehead.

"I'll take care of you" he moved his eyes down at my nightgown and quickly turned his face, "get dressed, your father would agree".

I do as I'm told. He's right my father would agree but he also knew I wasn't like my sisters. Getting all dolled up wasn't fun for me. My sisters were blondes like my mother, I took after my father. Milly was 12 and Rebecca was 15, they would dress themselves up for fun and even play around with moms lipstick. I don't mind getting dirt in my hair or learning how to shoot like my father taught me. To be honest my favorite thing to do was to tend to the horses. We only have three at the moment, my fathers favorite "Mary" passed away a month ago when the sickness took him. I think it broke my father's heart so much it made him too weak to go on.

Mary was the oldest, the mommy horse of my "Starlight". She's a real beauty who can't be tamed. Sometimes I wish I was a horse. If I was, I would run.

My fathers passing has caused much distraught amongst my two younger sisters. With no son, there's no one to work, no one to provide food and shelter, and as being the oldest I must marry. I must marry a man I don't love, cause the one I do love is married to someone else.

Oh how I love the bakery boy. He would never know I did. The only times we spoke was when I would buy bread at his family's shop. My father wouldn't let me see him outside of the shop, he would always cut our conversations short. He didn't want me living in squabble, we struggled enough as it was. Ronald would give me everything I never had, but how much could I want something if I've never had it before.

I can't help but not enjoy the last bite of this apricot. When I finish I must return to the house. Ronald will be here soon to take me to New York. Will be getting married in two months and even the wedding will be in New York. I don't even know if I'll like it there.

I stormed off into the barn by the house. I walked over to Starlight standing by the wooden gate. Grabbed the wooden brush with wire bristles and swept it across her sunny brown hair. As I brushed her hair. I couldn't help but build up my speed as I stroked my hand, faster and faster until I broke into tears.

"WHY DID HE DIE?!!" I screamed.

I heard a car approach in the distance. Walking over towards the glass windows against the barn doors I stood on my tip-pie toes in my leather boots and held my breath. Ronald stepped out of the car dressed well and holding a bouquet of daisies. I felt this overwhelming fear, and for once I didn't hold my breath and do as I'm told. I did nothing, but act. Plus I fucking hate daisies.

I ran over to the wooden gate Starlight stood behind and released the metal latch. She began jumping frivolously and immediately I smiled at her. I threw the saddle onto her back and struggled to snap it closed. I peaked once more at the window and could see Ronald making his way to the barn.

"Starlight please!!!!"

I placed my hands onto her face and she calmed herself. I then continued to clip on the saddle and hop onto her back.

I glanced once more at the window and smiled, "this isn't goodbye".

I kicked the side of Starlight's belly and she was off. Right through the barn door, and past Ronald causing him to fall backwards onto his buttocks. We ran and as we ran I felt once again the whoosh of air tickle the back of my neck. A ghostly white face with black eyes. Feathers along its sun set painted wings with claws. The barn owl flew over my head. The creature that lives in the night joined me in the day, flying with me, and then I knew my father was right. We would one day fly, as he was flying over me, with me, finally free.