Unsettled Relationships

To escape the howlings of the night, she meandered her way across the grassy knolls to the barnyard, where she could find solace. She knew they wouldn't miss her much. She came here often. To her unfortunate surprise, when she met the entry the mouth of the barn she heard a familiar sound. Her fingers wound around the cold metal handle as she grunted to pull open the door. The night was frostbitten yet not snowed over. She slammed the door behind herself, warming her hands at the thought of setting a small bonfire on the second floor of the barn. Her nook.

Away from the early morning yelling and screaming of her two disgruntled and divorcing parents, she climbed her ladder to a place she could call her own. Atop the second floor, she hunches over to light the kindling and start her small fire. She steps away and hears that faint familiar noise again. Her young friend might be in here, tonight.

She settles her body into the chill wool quilt her grandmother made for her. The only heirloom she cherished. Her seat was cold, yet the quilt was comforting. And she knew it would warm up with the little bit of body heat she had.

k-r-r-r-r-ick! Scacey snatches her head to the left to meet eyes with the young friend who had just had hatchlings. Scacey had been watching the clutch for weeks now and as the nights got colder, she fostered her desire towards having a family such as this clutch. As her eyes coveted the dark eyes of her sponsor, another similarity crossed her mind. Her birthday was nearby, too. Would they remember this time? The young owl's pale face and dark eyes favored her soul, suspicious and unyielding. Sights set on the mission to be accomplished.

She nestled in, wishing a family like this could be her own. She gazed out the frosty window towards the main ranch and longed for the morning to halt. To encapsulate this moment without the hardships of the reality of the family life she endured.

Scacey laid back quietly and basked in the peace of her own mind. Knowing spring was around the corner, she knew her 18th birthday would be the last one like this.

Dozing off, she begins to feel a warm satisfaction. Ka-chick! Ka-chick! “Scacey! Over here! You do look dashing, darling!” Ka-chick! Blinding lights causing me to turn my head dramatically left and right and cock my chin up and over my shoulder to find the best angles and define my long slender neck. Jewels of curls cascading over my shoulders, my hair stylishly designed by the world renowned Ted Gibson. Getting glances from overseas and bookings near and far. My life was transformed with a simple snapshot in a photo booth with friends. My sponsor graciously agreed to follow my lead and instinct to send it into an agency for top models. My decisions lead to wondrous heights and look at me now. No one can touch me. I've set my sights on the highest bidder and have gained him, of course. My life has changed for the better and cannot get worse. I've left my kinship behind me and I'll never look back. I'll never miss them the same way they never missed me!! Maybe I’ll even finally get to change my name!”

k-r-r-r-r-ick! Scacey was ripped away from her tolerable dream. One of the few and far in between, of the many nights she is unbearably woken from the screaming and hollering of her two parents. Scacey rolled her eyes and screeched back at the two owls. "You weren't even supposed to be born yet," she sneered. Two more weeks.

She gazed out the window one more time and to her surprise the cock was growing and it was 6:00 a.m. the sun was just reaching over the trees and she knew she had a little time to hurry back to the main ranch and regain her consciousness for the run. She slowly stood up, folded her quilt, reached her fists to the ceiling in a satisfying stretch, and put out the remaining embers. Scacey. Did they even think? Stacy is regular! Normal! Me. Stace…

k-r-r-r-r-ick! "Goodbye my young frenemy. I love ya and I envy ya. Maybe one day I'll be more like you; but perhaps I won't. Time will tell and I will not be here for long. By this time next year my dreams will have come true. They just have to. Right....?" Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes met the lone main ranch again. She briskly climbed down the ladder and made her way to the entry of the barn, slammed the cold doors shut and began her sprint back over the grassy knolls. "It's been a long time coming," she thought, "A long time. Now and very soon, it's my time."