When morning came Elaine realized she was lying with her parents on the yellow grass. The world seemed black and cold. Elaine was alone except for two cows wrapped around her. It was Speckles and her mother, Misty. Elaine remembered what had happened last night and began to cry again. The fire in the barn had devoured the barn and the cows in flame. In that spot lay nothing but black grass and ash.
As Elaine rose to her feet she looked at the horrible scene around her and wished that it had been a dream. Snow started to fall and melted on Elaine’s face like a tear. Elaine stood there for about an hour, stunned into darkness. As she sat back down near speckles there was a thick white blanket of snow surrounding them. Even though the world was white it seemed so black.
Speckles stood up and shook the snow off of his spotty back, and then his mother did the same. Speckles nudged Elaine as if to explain she needed to do something about this. Elaine stood up and went inside. She picked up the old red wall phone and dialed nine one one.
“Nine one one what’s your emergency?” A kind voice called from the other end.
“Last night my mommy and daddy were shot. I need your help. Please come right now. I’m all alone except for my two cows and I’m afraid.”
“Oh! Sweetheart we’ll come as soon as possible. Now, do you know your address?”
Elaine told them her address and hung up the phone. “They said they would be here shortly speckles.” Elaine said as she stepped out the door.
Speckles mooed and went back to eating the yellow grass.
An ambulance and a couple police cars arrived just a few minutes after Elaine had made the call.
“Hello young lady. So tell me exactly what happened last night. Don’t be afraid to cry but don’t forget to tell me anything.” A kind man said as he stepped out of a police car and took Elaine’s shoulders into his hands. He had a blonde mustache with a hint of gray and had the same color hair with a huge bald spot in the middle.
“Well, I heard my cow mooing and ran outside. I went into the barn and grabbed him and his mom. The . . .
“Wait. You went into the fire?”The police man interrupted.
“Yes! I had to get my cow! Anyway I pulled and pulled but Speckles wouldn’t come out. His mom was already at the other side of me. Then that’s when it happened.” Elaine’s voice cracked. “I heard a gunshot go off and my daddy fell to the ground. Then I finally got Speckles to come and I heard four more gun shots. Then my mom tumbled down the steps. I lay there with them until morning.
“Alright sweetie, I think I have everything I need. Now your mommy and daddy are going to be buried in a few days. Would you like to come with me to the viewing and the funeral?”
“Yes I would be delighted to go with you.”
“You sound awfully cheerful for a girl that went through all that.”
“Mommy taught me good manners. Even when you feel down you should have a positive attitude and be kind. What should I call you?”
“You can call me Sergeant Berpeck.”
“How about Sergeant B. For short?”
“Sounds wonderful! Now Susan is going to help you load up lots of your stuff. Just the stuff you want or need and then you can come stay with me and my family for a while. Does that sound good?”
“Yes. If I forget something will I be able to come get it?”
“Of course! Go help Susan now.”
“Okay. Wait! Just one more thing, I’m not leaving here without my cows.”
“I thought you might say that. That’s perfectly under control. I have a barn we can just keep the cows in there. While you and Susan get your stuff I’m going to go get my horse trailer and my truck and then we can be off.
“Okay I’ll be out in a little while.”
“ Alright see you later.”
Elaine and Susan packed all her belongings and needs while other people gathered Elaine’s Christmas presents. They didn’t let her open any today because there was a surprise waiting for her tomorrow morning.
While Sergeant Berpeck or rather Bill was out he picked up a few presents for Elaine. Since he missed Christmas with his family they were already planning to have a Christmas tomorrow. He went home and explained the whole situation to his wife, and then she explained it to their two little girls. Bill had a daughter named Sara who was nine and another daughter, Jasmine who was seven the same age as Elaine. Barbara wrapped the present while bill hooked up the horse trailer. Then he was off to go pick up the new addition to the family.
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