A Tale from the Hills by Terry Hayden Read Free Book Online Page A

trying not to disturb her brothers. She had woken up especially early and from a wonderful dream. In her dream she was surrounded by beautiful angels and they were singing to her. Even though she did not remember her mother, she imagined that the angel standing closest to her and singing so softly was her own sainted mother. As she made her way outside to the dilapidated old toilet, she knew that today would be wonderful.
    When Alice returned to the house, she washed her face and hands, and combed her fine dark hair. She decided that she would help her daddy with the morning rituals. It would soon be time to wake her brothers. Tom caught rain water on Friday night, and he and Alice had washed the family’s meager laundry Saturday evening. While Alice was putting on her fresh smelling dress, she decided that she would wear her new shoes today. She was so proud of them because she had never had new shoes before.
    Two weeks earlier a large wooden crate had arrived from Richmond, addressed to Mountain school. April Coalson mentioned in a letter to her parents that with cold Winter weather coming, many of the smaller students would suffer from a lack of warm clothing and shoes. Mr. Coalson took it upon himself to help the children. He and one of the secretaries purchased a variety of new Winter coats and shoes to send to his daughter’s school. April was more thrilled with the contents of the crate than any present that she had ever received.
    Alice and William each had a new coat and a new pair of shoes. Both pairs of shoes were slightly larger than they needed, but the appreciative kids did not mind. Alice wished that it was a little bit colder outside, so that she could wear the new coat too.
    The brothers finally got up and dressed for school. It seemed to Alice that they were eating breakfast much slower than usual, but she did not show her impatience with them. She was first to kiss her daddy goodbye and go out the door. She was very careful walking down the rickety steps, because her new shoes required special attention. After she walked in them for a few minutes, she became confident of her steps. Just before she reached the footbridge, she looked behind her to make sure that her brothers were coming. This was the first morning that William was walking with his brothers, and since her brothers appeared to be closer, she increased her speed. By the time she reached the footbridge she was practically running in her brand new shoes.
    When her feet touched the slippery wooden planks of the footbridge, her feet flew out from under her, almost like she was skating on ice. Even before her brothers realized what had happened, Alice’s angelic mother from her dream earlier that morning, was welcoming her into Heaven with arms wide open.
    When Alice slipped off of the footbridge, she fell into the rushing torrents below her. The swift, churning water sucked her down to the bottom and pushed her so hard against the rocks that her tiny neck snapped, and she died instantly.
    William saw his sister tumble from the footbridge and he gasped as if he was trying to catch his breath. At the same instant he pointed in the direction of the footbridge. His older brothers ran to the bridge but stopped short because they saw a mass of broken eggs that were everywhere. If Alice had not been so excited and if she had not looked around to see her brothers, she would have seen the eggs too. But it was too late for Alice now. She was gone so fast that nothing could be done to save her. Joseph and Josh saw her new shoes that she had been so proud of, racing down the stream. They did not see little Alice anywhere.
    Poor William stood in the same spot where he saw his sister fall from the footbridge. He was screaming and crying but no sounds were coming from his throat. His face was turning blue because he could not catch his breath. All that he could do was stand there shaking and try to call his sister back with his silent voice.
    Joseph ran back