Hannah by Gloria Whelan

Author:Gloria Whelan [Whelan, Gloria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78905-1
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-03-09T05:00:00+00:00

Verna led me outside. She tried to comfort me by telling me how Carl was always getting into trouble. “I don’t think he likes being the oldest one in school,” she said.

After a while one of Verna’s girlfriends called to her to come and jump rope. “I’ll just take one turn,” Verna said, and ran off. I was just standing there by myself. I thought about how I hadn’t been able to do any lessons and how no one talked to me. I wished I were with Mama. Suddenly, the only thing that seemed important was to get back home.

By going from tree to tree I felt my way down the path that led from the schoolyard to the road. Because I was moving through the trees, no one noticed me. When I reached the road, I was unsure about which way I should turn. I decided any way was better than staying at school. I had been there all morning and hadn’t learned anything. Miss Robbin had hardly spoken to me.

Under my feet I felt the sandy road with its wagon ruts. At first I began to run along the road. Then I thought someone might see me, so I turned into the woods. There was no sun in the woods, and I hadn’t taken my sweater. I began to shiver. Everything felt strange and unfriendly. Blackberry briars scratched my arms and snagged my hair. Branches slapped at me and tore my skirt. Every direction I turned seemed to lead me into more trouble. The ground gave way and slipped out from under me. I gave up, sinking down to my knees. At first I was too stubborn to call for help. Then, knowing I was lost, I cried out. There was no answer. I was sorry I had ever left my house, where my mother watched over me.

Once, Johnny had caught a field mouse and put it into a little box to keep it safe from owls and foxes. I thought at the time, even with the danger of owls and foxes, I would rather be free than live shut up in a box. Now I wanted to be shut up in the safe box of my house.

I sat there on the ground, hugging myself to keep warm. I could smell the pine trees and hear the scuffle and scratch of squirrels running along the ground. I thought of getting up and trying to find my way, but I was afraid I would lose myself deeper in the woods and no one would ever find me. It seemed like I had been sitting there shivering for hours when I heard Papa calling to me. I called back. At first he didn’t hear me. “Papa,” I called. “Here I am. Take me home. I want to go home.”

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