Author's Note:
This one is a little different. Thank you again for getting this far in the story. If you are enjoying it, I would appreciate a like, comment or follow! I post weekly and I hope you keep reading!
~~~
The sun beat down on the field relentlessly. Not a single cloud decided to visit Willy. Even at such a young age, he toiled in the field to prepare for the next harvest. He let himself take a break, leaning against his father's wooden hoe. Papa just repaired his gloves last month but he could see a blister forming under a new hole. It stung when he wiped his brow, soaking sweat into the old leather and a cut he earned earlier that morning.
He looked to his right to see his older brother, Walt, carrying some filled milk buckets into the house.
It was far. The field had to be moved further away again after last season. Papa said the soil was tired. Not yielding like it used to.
Willy caught himself gazing off again. Papa always told him he looked around too much when he got lazy. There was still much more field to till but anything would be more interesting than that. He looked over to the open plains beyond the fence. As he did, he saw a distant lone cloud, making its way toward him, creeping its shadow across the land, sharing its cool, cool shade with the earth. As luck would have it, he may have a moment to look forward to after all.
He almost began tilling again, thinking he could earn himself a break in the shade when it comes. But just before his tool left the soil, something bright fell from the sky. It cut straight through his cloud, leaving nothing but a disappearing ring that puffed out, into the atmosphere.
The flash was brighter than lightning and seemed to illuminate the land in a pinkish hue. A pink streak scarred the sky before darkening into a blood red fireball as it landed beyond the fence, only a few hundred yards from Willy and seemingly without making a sound.
He watched the land-site from his field until he could convince himself to peel his eyes away. He looked back at the house and it seemed like his father and brother didn't notice the crash. There was no commotion or even a stir for a long moment. Finally, he turned back to where a small trail of smoke and dust rose above the horizon. His heart was racing.
His hoe laid flat in the dirt as he sprinted to the crash site.
He had never seen a falling star in the daylight before but more importantly, he had never seen one touch ground. Sure, this was another one of his excuses to get out of his chores but this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience he wouldn't dare pass up. He could answer to Papa later.
He wondered what awaited him as he ran. He imagined a pile of gold or an airship. He wondered if a star would be hot to touch, but resolved to find out when he got there. Besides, he should feel the heat like a fire long before he gets too close. He didn't count on the fact couldn't feel his fingertips at all by the time he arrived, numb from anticipation. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest as he crested the edge of the crater.
Lo, to his surprise, instead of gold or star dust, there was something much more familiar in the crater.
He looked down at a small boy that sizzled in the center of the impact. Willy covered his nose as his weary breath caught a mouthful of smoke and dust. He caught his breath on what smelled like burnt tar and the aroma that reminded him of when Papa made him brand Beth, their cow.
Willy leaned in closer to inspect the boy through the smoke. He found the boy wasn't moving, he couldn't even tell if he was breathing.
Leaving caution behind him, he crawled into the hole to investigate closer. He stumbled over dust and rock into the shallow dent in the earth.
The boy was stark naked; his clothes seemed to be burned away. Out of respect, Willy doffed his hat to place over the sprawled out kid. As he did, he bent over close to the boy to check for signs of life. He watched for chest falls and nostril flares. When he found none, he let out a sigh of both relief and remorse.
He looked down and considered him. He couldn't be any older than he was, maybe ten at most. He shook his head and turned to climb out of the crater. He figured it was high time he got Papa or Walt to help. Hopefully they will believe him.
GASP.
Willy jumped at the sound of a sharp inhale coming from behind him. He scurried out of the crater faster than a cockroach in the lamplight, kicking dirt and pebbles down behind him. On the other side of the earthen lip, he stayed prone, barely peaking over it's edge to peering back downward.
Inside, the boy was clutching the leather cowboy hat over his unmentionables, frantically looking around. He appeared to be confused and lost. He looked scared and Willy almost felt brave enough to go down there until the boy looked right at him. Willy ducked behind a pile of dirt, though he knew they made eye contact.
"Hello? Ith there sthomeone there?"
Willy scrunched his face, swallowed the clump courage that refused to go down before and rose to his feet with mock-pride.
"Hold it right there, Star boy!"
The boy frowned. "Thstar boy?"
Willy wavered. This kid was clearly confused and he was talking to him like any old trespasser. He softened his tone, but only a little. He would want to give the impression of weakness.
"Do... do you know where your parents are?"
Tears welled in the boy's eyes and he fell to his knees.
He wailed.
He called for his mommy and daddy. He called for Uncle Zeph. Over and over.
The boy was unnconsolably weeping until he choked on spit and soot that started to coat his tongue and lips, then wept some more
Willy knew cries like that. He watched the boy sob by himself in the dirt. Willy figured he didn't look too different when his own mother was taken by Typhoid last year. But back then, he had Walt. Who does this boy have?
He recognized the boy, even though this was their first meeting.
When momma died, he wept for days. His brother brought him out of it. There were crops to tend to. Life moved on. They had to. He steeled himself and remembered what his big brother told him.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXImbdkIws2
"Hey, it's time to get up."
Dylan coughed on a sob and panted as he looked up at the boy.
"Serious. Get up. It's time to get up. Let's go."
Dylan sat up and huffed back some tears, clearly taken back by how this stranger was talking to him within moments of their meeting.
Willy watched the boy sniffle in confusion. He looked like he's seen worse than what Willy had but that couldn't be possible. Star fall or not.
"There will be time for cryin' later. For now, we oughta get you some clothes. Can't have little boy runnin' 'round with no clothes on." He planted a foot in front of him and leaned into the slight pit with a helping hand extended. "Name's William Henry. Call me Willy."
With both hands, Willy heaved on the boy's arm to pull him from the pit, who wasn't much help, holding Willy with just one hand and struggling to cover himself with the other using Willy's poor hat.
"D-dylan."
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dLibFsWlV
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRbjLBA2bu
and then Add to home screen.