Chloe. The Tale of a Dead Flower - Ольга Холодова

The day was hot. The sun did not warm, but seemed to burn and bite. Chloe, along with Cousin Louise and Cousin Alan, collected strawberries from the house.

"I'm tired," Louise said. She sat down on the path and set before her a bowl with a berry.

"Louise, take my bowl." I filled it with strawberries to the top. Bring the berries to my mother, and in the meantime I will collect the strawberries in your bowl, "Chloe asked.

"Maybe you'll gather some berries in my bowl?" Alan asked and smiled.

"No. It's not fair. Louise is two years younger than us, so I'm helping her," Chloe said, and threw a rotten strawberry into Alan.

"Chloe stop throwing a berry at me," Alan said. "I do not want to offend you."

"Do not make me laugh," Chloe said, and laughed aloud.

Alan got angry with his cousin. He took a handful of earth and threw it at the girl. A little bit of land fell into a bowl of strawberries.

Chloe exclaimed, "Alan stop throwing the earth. You'll spoil the berry."

Alan did not stop. He again collected a handful of earth and swung, but did not abandon the ground.

"You're right Chloe. Perhaps, stop fooling around. We are already ten years old and I think we need to calm down a bit, "said Alan.

"A miracle happened, and you've become a smarter cousin," Chloe chuckled.

"How funny you joke," Alan muttered. He gathered a full bowl of strawberries and went to the house.

"Alan, do not be offended," Chloe cried to her cousin. She put some more strawberries in Louise's bowl and went to the house too.

The house was large and two-storied. On the second floor there were small bedrooms, and at the bottom there is a hall and a kitchen. The interior was decorated in warm colors, and oak furniture complemented the picture.

Chloe lived with Uncle Stefan and Aunt Emma from the age of three. Why little Chloe was an orphan, no one told her, and she did not ask. She fell in love with my uncle and aunt.

Chloe always spared and not hurt Cousin Louise, as well as the cousin of Alan.

Chloe's hair was chestnut, and her eyes were blue like the sea. The girl's white skin was very susceptible to sunburn, so Chloe tried to hide in the shade in the summer.

Chloe entered the house and saw her aunt picking up things in a large bag.

"We collected almost all the strawberries," Chloe said to Auntie.

"Well done," Aunt Emma complimented, and continued to gather her things.

"Where are you going," Chloe asked her aunt.

"Chloe does not distract me," Emma said.

Chloe put the bowl of strawberries on the table in the living room and went back to her aunt.

"Auntie, let me help you," Chloe suggested.

"All right," Emma agreed. "Take the bag I've already packed and carry it into the wagon."

Chloe took a small blue bag and left the house. She went to the cart and put a bag in her. Uncle Stefan led the horse out of the stables and began to harness her into the wagon.

"Uncle Stefan, where are you going with your aunt?" Chloe asked.

"My dear girl, it's hard times," Uncle Stefan answered. "I'm almost ruined and in order to pay my debts and keep the house we will have to sell something valuable in the market."

"Get ready to go with Chloe," said Aunt Emma. She took out a large brown bag with things from the house and put it in the wagon.

"Will Louise and Alan come with us?" Chloe asked.

"No," said the aunt, "they will stay at home and watch the pets."

"Maybe I'll stay home too?" Chloe asked politely, despite the fact that she dreamed of going to the market.

"No baby. I need your help in the market," Emma answered.

Chloe was delighted and ran into the house to collect things. Chloe wore her favorite green dress and black shoes. The girl put a plaid in her bag and, having made some sandwiches on the road, left the house.

"What a fine fellow you are, Chloe. You collected your own things and even made sandwiches on the road," Emma complimented the girl." Sit in the wagon it's time for us to go."

Chloe climbed into the wagon.

Uncle Stefan and aunt Emma put two more small bags in the cart and began to say goodbye to Alan and Louise.

"Do not forget to feed the animals," Uncle Stefan warned.

"Do not worry. We will do everything, as you taught us, "Alan replied.

Auntie kissed her children and climbed into the wagon.

"Let's go," Uncle Stefan shouted and hit the horse with a whip. A beautiful mare neigh and drove the cart. Chloe said goodbye to Louise and Alan, waving to them.

"Do not be upset Chloe. Three days later we will return home," said Aunt Emma and smiled sweetly at the girl.

The road was long and boring. The evening was approaching. Chloe regretted not taking her favorite book with her. She covered her legs with a blanket and began to look at the darkening sky. The sun had not yet disappeared behind the forest, but a few faded asterisks continually peeked out from behind the clouds. They seemed to play hide-and-seek with the sun. Suddenly, one star swayed and began to fall. She left behind a barely visible white trail in the sky.

"I'd like to come as soon as possible," Chloe wished.

Suddenly the horse stopped. Chloe cautiously looked out of the cart and saw four men on the road.

"Who are they?" Chloe whispered to Aunt Emma.

"Become silent and hide under a plaid," her aunt ordered.

Chloe covered herself with a plaid and did not move.

"Your way is over," one of the men said in an orderly tone. His name was Butch.

Butch went to the wagon and grabbed Uncle Stefan by the hand.

"Who are you such? What you need?" asked Uncle Stefan. He tried to free his hand from the strong grip of Butch.

"We are those who do not kill, but they take on someone else's good. We are forest bandits," Butch answered.

Butch was in charge of the gang, so he behaved very confidently and persistently. He threw off the uncle's wagons, and then to his aunt.

Chloe hid herself and was afraid to move.

"We are not alone," Uncle Stefan shouted.

"Of course. With you, your things," the robber agreed and hit the horse with a whip. The horse drove the cart.

"Chloe's daughter," screamed Aunt Emma.

Chloe looked out from under a plaid and, after seeing Butch, hid again. The remaining robbers fled into the forest. Aunt Emma and Uncle Stefan looked sadly at the wagon in which Chloe was sitting.

"Our poor girl," said Aunt Emma and began to cry.

Uncle Stefan embraced her, and stroked her head.

The moon entered into its full rights and changed the sun. Faded stars flashed in the sky with silver fireflies. The birds died down, but occasionally in the distance an owl hooted. The cart stopped.

"I made a wish," Chloe thought. She looked out from under a plaid and gingerly looked around.

Butch got off the cart, tied his horse to a tree and went to the fire. At the fire stood his son Colin and stared at the cart. Butch went to his twelve-year-old son and patted him on the shoulder.

"There are many things in the wagon. Tomorrow we will decide what to do with them," Butch said to the robbers present at the fire.

"I'll wait for the robbers to fall asleep and run away," Chloe thought.

The robbers spent a long time rustling about, like a flock of birds, and after a while dispersed through their huts. It became quiet and eerie. Chloe looked out from under a plaid and looked back. The fire nearly died out, and the girl could not see anyone in the dark.

"We need to get out of the cart," whispered Chloe. She crawled out from under a plaid and listened.

"Father, I'm staying at the wagon," Colin's ringing voice rang out in the darkness.

"All right," said Butch.

"What a nuisance. The escape is postponed for the morning," Chloe mumbled and crawled under the warm, black plaid. She hid herself, like a mouse and dozed off.

The morning singing of the birds awakened Chloe. The sun had not yet risen, but it was already light. The girl began to cautiously get out of the cart. Suddenly the horse snorted and scared Chloe. The girl pricked up her ears. Colin rolled over to his other side, but did not wake up. Chloe jumped gently from the cart and took a step.