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Jeanway

~~ EDEN ~~

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Crystal and Daniel's faint ghostly images appeared in the mirror that Abe and Aaron had place in the dining room. They watched the humans of the other demention, as the newest member of the group, Kaitlin told of her adventure.

Daniel feeling a little frisky wrapped his arms around me and whispered softly in my ear. I couldn't help but giggle and as I did the lights flickered a little brighter and a bit warmer. I pulled loose of Daniel's hold and sank slowly and respectfully into the rocking chair causing it to creek and rock on it's own accord. Lida smiled towards the *empty* rocker and then explained to Kaitlin about the friendly poltergiests that found a home at EDEN. Mirrors now adorned nearly every room of the house but for the outhouse and Becka room as despite her trying to be receptive of us, we still unnerved her.

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Blood curdeling mini-screams could be heard coming from outside the barn. Then they traveled into the barn , under the loft then out the backdoor of the barn. Aaron, nik, Lida and IlikeSeven were chasing the elves trying to get them into their new little home. "Come here you little monsters." nik yelled as he almost caught one of the, by the back of the collar. Then nik fell on his face in a puddle. This made him more determined to catch them. "Aaron, go around the other side of the barn and head them off, I'll go around the other way." nik told him. As nik went out the front and Aaron chased them towards the front, nik smashed right into Aaron as he rounded the corner and they knocked each other out. The two elves immediately jumped on them both and started rifelling through their pockets. Lida came around the corner after hearing the thud and caught them red handed. They took off toward the field and ILikeseven tackled them by throwing a blanket over the both of them, tieing it around with a rope then dragged them to the outbuilding for the night. Yep. The cows were already inside. :assimilated:

Edited by Jeanway

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Abigail and Kaitlyn lay awake in the bed they shared, laughing softly as they listened to the chase outside. When the elves were finally caught, and the noise ceased, they settled down and began to whisper. The three younger girls were already asleep in the other bed, so they had to be quiet.

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"So what was it you meant earlier?" Abbie asked.

"Well, I don't actually know," Kaitlyn said.

"You don't?" :assimilated: Abbie raised an eyebrow. She ended up looking just like Spock, and Kaitlyn laughed.

"Well, I know what I meant, but it's hard to explain."

"How so?"

Kaitlyn sighed,"It was scary, yes, but thre was a lot more to my journey than just being scared. I also knew that I 'had' to make it to Eden. Reaching this place was my only hope. My whole family was gone, is gone. That, along with the help of faith and prayer, was, I think, the only thing that got me here. That's what made it so, I don't know, different. Just weird."

"You know, I lost some family too. My cousins and aunt and uncle used to live in this house, but they were taken. Most of them, anyway," Abbie said sadly.

"Oh?" Kaitlyn said, surprised. "I didn't know that."

"Yes. Addie over ther is the only one left from my cousins' family. She lost everyone too, like you did. Lida and Aaron found her here after they arrived."

"Oh no," Kaitlyn said sympathetically. "I'm glad she still has you, your parents, and your brothers and sisters though. I don't have anyone-" her voice caught, and she forced her way past the forming lump. She had never cried after the aliens had come, hadn't felt this way then. She guessed that she'd been in shock or somthing- too shocked to feel sadness-but now that she was here with these people, the emotions of the ordeal were coming full-force. She had struggled to control them all afternoon. But she wouldn't cry here. Not that she didn't want to cry in front of other people, but she just couldn't do that to Abigail.

"What's wrong Kaitlyn?" Abbie asked.

"Nothing..."

"Don't give me that Kaitlyn," Abbie said in a forceful yet caring voice. "What is it?"

"I just miss my family, that's all. I miss my family and everyone back in Mississippi. Ther was one girl left in my town, just one other person. She sort of like Star Trek, and was a member of stf.net, but she hardly ever looked at the site. Before I left I tried to convince her of what happened and to get her to come with me, but she refused. Tiffany has aleways been hard-headed." Kaitlyn's eyes started to tear up against her will. I just feel so alone, Abbie! I know God is always with me, but I just feel so alone!"

Kaitlyn began to cry, releasing the saddness built up over weeks. Abbie held her as she sobbed.

"It's okay, Kaitlyn,"she said comfortingly. "You're not alone. I'm here for you, Kaitlyn. I'm here for you too."

"Thanks Abbie. You don't know how much that means to me."

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"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now I'm found.

Was blind but now I see." :unsure:

 

Lida sang softly in her room. She had found a beautiful old steel guitar in the closet of her room and decided to try a few chords. She layed back on her pillows and hummed the song to herself until she fell asleep. Her two mirrored companions held each other and moved as if they were waltzing. :assimilated:

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The next morning at breakfast Kaitlyn and Abbie sat next to each other. Lida studied them curiously throughout the meal. There seemed to be a minute change in both of the girls. They seemed closer, almost as if they had become best friends over night. She was glad that the two of them were friends. So far Abbie had not had any other girls her age here, except Taffita, but she had left. Also, the newcomer to Eden looked as if she needed a friend, and apparently she had found one.

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Abe ate his scrambled eggs and sausage quickly. He looked like he had something on his mind as he scanned the crowded kitchen table. "Yep, best get to buildin that new table today. One more arrival and someone 'll be eatin off the floor." He said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up. "Ya with me Aaron?" He asked. "Yep, right behind ya Abe.' He answered as Abe went out the backdoor.

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While everyone was finishing their breakfast they talked. The girls all bombarded their new roommate with questions. The men discussed what kind of table to build exactly. Becka, Lida, and Chrissy started clearing the table after everyone had eaten. Abel led the rest of the boys outside to get started on their chores. Becka told her daughters to go straighten up the bedrooms. Kaitlyn and Mellie followed them. The girls could be heard chattering all the way upstairs.

 

Abe, nik, ILS, and Aaron had finally all agreed after much discussion that they did indeed need to build a new table when Aaron had a realization.

"Hey. We're going to need some new chairs to go with this table."

This set of another round of heated debate as to how many chairs, what style of chairs, what kind of wood they should be made out of, they even argued about where exactly the word "chair' came from originally. After nearly an hour of this the women threw them out of the house so they could finish cleaning up. Standing on the back porch they continued.

"Wait. Why don't we ask the two elves? They know a lot about woodworking." nik suggested. Everyone agreed so they headed to the outbuilding that the elves shared with several cows.

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When Abe undid the bolt to the outbuilding the elves came running out. nik grabbed the two of them by the collar.

"Not so fast you little miscreants. We have some work for you two." He said.

"Oh yeah? After spending the night locked up with a Big Mac on legs why should we help you?" The first elf replied.

"Because if you don't you don't get any supper. No work, no food." Abe replied.

"Alright. Alright." The second elf relented.

nik explained to them about the new table and chairs.

 

"Maple. We could make a nice table out of maple." The second elf suggested.

"Do they have any maple?" The first countered.

"Um...I don't know." The second replied.

"Then why don't you find out?" The first said.

Abe led them to a storage building. Climbing over the piles of wood the two elves weighed the options.

"Hmm...I don't see any maple. There is some nice cherry in here." The second said.

"Cherry? What's with you and your obsession with cherry. Forget that, There's some oak over here. That's what we're going to use." The first elf decided.

"Oak? Oak sucks. We're going to build it from cherry." The second said.

"Look here you little smarta**. I'm the Sub - Head Supervisory Elf Third Class. I'm in charge here and I say it's going to be oak." The first elf said putting his hands on his hips.

"We're not at the North pole now you moron, and I was building tables while you were still shoveling up reindeer turds so stop acting like you know what you're talking about. Besides everyone knows the only reason you got promoted was because you had those Polaroids of the fatman getting his egg nogged by the Toothfairy." The second elf replied.

"You little b*****d! That's a lie!" The first elf launched himself at the second. The collapsed in a heap of little arms and legs. Rolling around on the ground, they hit and kicked and bit and swore at each other. Finally Abe threw a bucket of water on them and pulled them apart. Sputtering and swearing they still tried to swing at each other.

Edited by fenriz275

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Abe and Aaron took the first elf and started working on the table. ILS and nik took the other one and started working on the chairs. They decided to make the furniture out of cherry. The elves were very helpful and by mid afternoon they had the rough forms of a table and several chairs. ILS and nik were putting together the last of the chairs while Aaron and Abe were sanding down the rough edges on the table. Standing up and stretching Aaron wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Hey? Where did the elves go?" He asked suddenly.

Preoccupied with their work none of the men had noticed the elves sneak off. They went looking through the barns and outbuildings for them. In the main barn they found the boys. They were showing Sabe how to feed the horses.

"Boys? Have you seen those two little guys?" Abe asked.

"No papa. We haven't. But we've been around here most of the day." Cain answered.

They continued their search. It was nik who found them around the back of the house.

 

They two of the were on top of a bucket peeping in one of the windows.

'Quit shaking the bucket. I can't see." One of them whispered.

"I'm not shaking it, you are." The other said.

"Hey! What are you two doing?" nik yelled at them.

The startled elves almost lost their balance. They slipped and came tumbling down. The four men were standing around the two deviants.

"What exactly were you doing?" They all demanded.

 

"You little perverts!" Aaron tried to strangle the first elf. Abe and ILS held him back.

"Keep him away from me! He's gone mad!" The elf yelled. nik grabbed the two elves by their collars and dragged them back to the cowshed. They spent the night without their supper.

Edited by fenriz275

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Lida listened at the backdoor to the men arguing about, of all things "Chairs" :assimilated: Bending over in laughter. Then she finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes with Becka and Chrissy. "Becka, what's a girl gotta do around here for a nice hot bat, anyway?" Becka laughed. "Well, we usually use the big tub in the laundry room. But it takes alot of hot water. We'd have to heat it on the stove then bring it out there in shifts to get the tub filled. You up for that?" she asked. "Yep, at this point, I am." Lida answered. "Well, if we are going to go to all THAT trouble anyway, I take seconds." Becka told her. Then Chrissy chimed in. "I'll take thirds."

 

They stoked the fire in the huge stove then began pumping the water handle and filling as many large pots as they could find. One by one over the next couple hours they filled the tub with hot water until it was full. Lida went back to the laundry room, hung some sheets over the windows, undressed and got into the hot water. "Ahhh." She said as she sunk down under the water, head and all.

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She luxuriated in the hot water since this is the first real bath she'd had in months. She washed herself with some fine French milled soap and washed her long hair and used a conditioner since she hadn't done it in a long time. Life on the farm had turned it dry and unruly from the dry heat from the wood fire in the stove all the time. She layed back and let the conditioner work. When after a few minutes she heard a thud outside the window closest to the tub. She stood up and grabbed the towel, wrapped it around herself and pulled the sheet back just enough to see outside. She saw Aaron and nik dragging the two elves off away from the window. They were trying to look in. :assimilated:

 

Lida got back in the tub laughing, finished her bath then dried herself and dressed and went to get Becka for her turn in the tub.

Edited by Jeanway

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After the elves were locked up Aaron went back to the window to get the bucket. He started to pick up the bucket when his hammer slipped from his belt and thudded on the ground. At the same time Abe walked into the kitchen. Lida and Chrissy were starting supper.

"Where's Becka?" Abe asked.

"She's taking a bath." Chrissy answered.

"Alright." Abe said. Then he walked back outside.

 

The window that the elves had been looking into was now covered with a sheet. Aaron bent down to pick up the pail and hammer. Just then Abe walked around the corner of the house.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Abe demanded.

Aaron felt a little embarrased getting caught.

"I want an explaination. Why are you peeping at my wife." Abe said.

"Huh? Your wife?" Aaron said, confused.

Abe reached to pull the hammer away. Aaron held onto it and the struggled underneath the window, causing a ruckus.

 

Just then the window was yanked open.

"Abe! What are you doing out here!" Becka yelled at them. Aaron now understood.

"I was just...he was.." Abe sputtered.

"You get away from this window right now Abraham! Or you'll be sleeping in the barn with the elves and cows! Right now!" Becka said then she slammed the window shut. Abe walked away, redfaced from embarrasment. Aaron started to follow him when he saw Lida watching him from the kitchen window. She winked at him. Aaron felt his face turn red too. He stuck the hammer back in his belt and followed Abe. :blush 2:

Edited by fenriz275

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Becka came back into the kitchen, obviously aggitated. "What's wrong?" Lida asked her. "Oh, it's nothing Dear, just wanted a few minutes by myself and Abe and Aaron decided to have an argument outside the window, that's all. Chrissy, it's your turn, lets drain it a bit and add some more hot water, it's getting a bit cool and murky." :assimilated: Becka grabbed a pot as did Lida and Chrissy and went back to the laundry room. It was now Chrissy's turn for a hot bath. Chrissy called outside for ILikeSeven to bring Sabe and Mellie back in so they could have a bath too with her. He brought them in and he joined them as well.

 

Since everyone seemed to be having a bath today Aaron decided he wanted one too. He came in to the kitchen. "Sorry about that becka, I dropped my hammer and was looking for it." He said to her. Becka answered. "No problem Aaron, I understand." She said with a wink and a giggle. "What's chances I can get a bath today Beck?" He asked her. "Well, fill these pots, you'll need to drain the tub and start over. So far Lida, me, Chrissy, ILikeSeven, Sabe and Mellie have been in that water, you might want to start fresh, your pretty dirty." She said with a smile and a sniff. "I'll go get Abe, the boys and nik, they may want to follow after you. Becka went outside.

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The girls had finally finished their job, and now all six of them were sitting on one of the beds in their room, talking. Kaitlyn was still being baddgered with questions. She'd thought they had asked every question in the book, but they kept coming up with new ones out of nowhere!

"Okay!" She said, a little louder than she had wanted too. It had gotten much easier to talk about what had happened, and about her life before the aliens came, but by now she was simply tired of it.

"Look guys," Kaitlyn said. I've told you everything you want to know so far. Why don't you tell me some more about yourselves?"

"you're right," Beth said, "we have been asking too much, haven't we?"

"You could say that," Kaitlyn said, smiling.

Mellie spoke up. "I'll tell you about me," the little girl said eagerly. "I have one brother, I used to live in Holland, we sailed all the way her with our sheep-"

"All right, Mellie, we know that," Cali said.

"But Kaitlyn doesn't," Mellie replied with a pout.

"How about you tell me later, when it's just us two. Okay?" Kaitlyn suggested.

The youngest girl smiled again,"Okay."

Addie giggled, "I'm glad Mellie wasn't here when Lida and Aaron found me; she probably would have talked to me until she drove me crazy!"

"I would not!"

"We know, Mellie," Abigail interviened. "Okay, why don't we just go back downstairs and see what's going on?"

"Yes!" the girls agreed. The younger four-Mellie, Addie, Cali, and Beth-ran ahead of the the older two. Abbie and Kaitlyn followed, but walked slowly.

"Good sugestion," Kaitlyn complemented her new friend quietly.

"I know how to handle my sisters," Abbie smiled back. The two of them laughed as the started down the stairs.

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Lida stood at the sink when the girls came downstairs. "Addie, Sweetheart, could you take the girls down to that room in the tunnel, you know the one with all the mirrors, and pick out a nice mirror for the laundry room? It'll be nice to have one in there when we have our baths so we can comb our hair and see what we are doing?" Addie jumped up and down in excitement. "Sure Lida." She said. "Oh and pick out a couple for your room, with the five girls in there now you must NEED a couple." :assimilated: Lida added. "Come on, I'll show you my old room Kaitlyn, your gonna love this. "Hold up, just a second." Lida said as she handed each girl a candle and gave the box of matches to Abigail, since she is the oldest. "Be careful now with those matches." She warned her. All the girls climbed down the ladder to the cellar.

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Taffita parked the plane one of the remaining Dartmouth students had taught her how to fly then loaned her. She was excited about her week long visit to EDEN, as she had missed the farm, despite the fact that she liked the higher level of technology avaliable at Dartmouth. She planned on surprising her old friends and the new arrivals, thus entered the house through the passageway. However, it was dark there. She did not see the three girls approaching from the other end and they did not see her. They got within two inches of each other before noticing, and all jumped back in fright.

"Taffita?" Addie asked in shock as she held up her candle.

"Yeah. Um, hi. I thought I would surprise you guys with a week long visit... I just did not expect to surprise you in a horror movie way..." The girls laughed at Taffita's attempt to explain herself.

"It's okay," Abbie said. "By the way, this is Kaitlyn. She is ChristianTrekFan on the site. Kaitlyn, this is Taffita, or Valeris on the site."

"I remember you. You have the picture of Wesley as your avatar," Taffita said with a grin. "Wes was my favorite TNG character. So what are you three doing down here? I read on the site about how busy EDEN has gotten..."

"We are getting mirrors. There are now five girls in the girls room and we need some more," Kaitlyn said.

"Wow. Um... I do not do so well when sleeping with others in the room... can I use the black bedroom in the passage during my stay?" Taffita said.

"You will have to ask Lida, but I think she will say yes," Addie answered. "Want to help pick out mirrors?"

"Okay," Taffita answered. "I can say hello to EDEN's resident 'ghosts' while we are there too. I think this is going to be a fun week."

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ILikeSeven, nik and the elves came into the kitchen. "Lida." IlikeSeven said. "Were you expecting someone else, a young girl perhaps?" He asked. "Why? did you see someone?" She asked. "yea, I saw a girl land a small plane out in the field, a bit of a rough landing it was ya too. But she got out after she parked next to the yellow plane out back then dissapeared into the barn. She's not in here with you? He asked. "No, I haven't seen anyone. Wait a second, maybe it's Taffita. She said she MIGHT be coming back. You said she went into the barn? Is she in there? Did you look around? She asked. "Yes, we all did. We called out to whoever it was and got no answer." He said.

 

Lida thought for a moment then remembered the entrance from the barn into the tunnel under the house. "I'll bet she's down in the tunnel with the girls." Lida went down the ladder to the cellar. Then through Addie's old hiding room then into the dark tunnel with a lit candle. She could hear the girls all joking and laughing in the mirrored room. Then she heard Taffita's distinctive laugh. She went to the open door and said. "TAFFITA!!! HI Girl! How ya doin??" Taffita ran over to Lida and gave her a big hug. "I'm so glad to see you Taffita. How long can you stay? Are you back for good? Tell me what you've been doing. You got your own plane, I heard. That's great. No, wait. Let's get the mirrors then go upstairs. Ya hungry?" The girls picked out 3 mirrors and carried them to the ladder. Then passed them up to the men.

 

Supper is almost ready. Why don't you all get washed up and let's eat, ok?" Lida said.

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Once everyone was seated at the table and introductions were made (including the elves, who were busy throwing their food at the windows in protest of being made to eat outside), Taffita told everyone how she had got there. "There were still a few students left at Dartmouth, and naturally, they were trying to survive to, only in a different way from you all. They have been trying to, for example, develop an easier source of power normal people can tap just from their backyards. One of the students can fly a plane, so she can go to farther out places and collect necessary items. When I expressed my desire to visit EDEN again, but my difficulty because of the long journey, she taught me how to fly, then let me borrow her plane. I am staying here for a week. However, I will be able to visit more often now." She suddenly grinned. "I did bring a present, but I was aiming for a lot less people than EDEN houses now." She pulled out a large box of Lindt chocolate and passed it to Becka. "Everyone will enjoy having this for dessert, though you are right. It will be gone fast." She smiled and put it in a cupboard to await the end of supper.

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Taffita's desire to spend the night in the 'Black Bedroom' in the tunnel was met with much objection by the girls. After much heated debate, Taffita relented and decided to go to the girl's bedroom with them for the night after the kitchen had been cleaned. Now with some 19 people in the house, cooking and cleaning up had to include everyone's help.

 

The next morning at breakfast Lida asked Taffita if she'd like to try flying around the area to see which other farms would be suited for IlikeSeven and his family. Lida also had an ulterior motive. Hoping Taffita would see the area and perhaps decide to bring some of her friends from Dartmouth here to take one. "Come on Taffita. I'll take ILikeSeven with me and you follow in your plane, sound good. Bring a couple of the girls with you too." Lida suggested. "Alright Lida but I need fuel, I'm low." Taffita answered. "So do I, we'll get fuel first, it's on the edge of town, not more than 5 miles from here."

 

They finished breakfast and headed out to the back field where the planes were parked. It took them a good half hour to do their pre-flight. Abbie, Beth and Callie came with Taffita in her plane and ILikeSeven brought Mellie, Chrissy and Sabe with him in Lida's. They taxied around the house and out to the dirt road to take off. Lida took off first then Taffita followed. They were in the air......... :assimilated:

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"Why didn't we get to go?" Addie said with a huff as she and Kaitlyn watched the two planes take off.

"Oh Addie," Kaitlyn replied with a laugh. "You know there wasn't room in those things for all of us."

"Yeah, I know, but still..."

"Come on," Kaitlyn said. "We'll find somthing else fun to do while they're gone."

"Like what?" Addie frowned.

"I don't know, we'll think of somthing."

"But it won't be as fun as flying."

"Of course it will, now stop moping and cheer up."

Addie sighed, "All right. What do you think we should do?"

"Umm," Kaitlyn thought for a minute. "What about hide-and-seek? I haven't played that since before everyone dissapeared."

Addie crossed her arms. "Kaitlyn, I'm seven. Hide-and-seek is for babies."

Kaitlyn laughed "All right. Then how about 'you' pick what we do."

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After Lida was in the air she banked a hard right and Taffita followed her. They circled the farm at a very low altitude and they saw Aaron, Abe, nik, the elves, the boys, Able, Bart and Cain, Becka, Addie and Kaitlyn outside in the yard waving to them. Lida went around one more time and this time she tilted her wings as if she were waving back, Taffita did the same. Then they headed out East towards the empty farms to have a look around. :assimilated:

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Crystal and Daniel noticed Addie's disappointment felt sad for the little one. Normally Crystal wouldn't interfere with toying with someone's child but as she thought Addie would enjoy playing with the *ghost* dogs in the dining room. Abe had left a floor lenght mirror leaning against the wall closest to the kitchen and the other floor lenght mirror was hanging on the wall closest to the parlor. A soccer ball seemed to roll by itself into the room and then there was a loud clatting sound. Addie and Kaitlin came running in to see the ball dancing around the room aimlessly and then to see the reflections of the two dog's playing a doggie like soccer game. Addie dived into the game and her joyful laughter could be heard throughout the house. Crystal smile sweetly at Addie and Daniel's eyes shown a love and gentleness towards the little one playing with our pets. The images of Crystal and Daniel faded into looking glass to being just weak blurs if looked at it in the right way and yet near enough should the dogs get too rough. Not that they could hurt the child but cause too much chaos and they didn't know they were actually visiting and playing in another demention, they were in there house and the child was a ghost to them.

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Becka peered out the front kitchen window as she began to prepare supper, hoping to see the two planes. The sun shone brighty as it got lower in the sky and out of it flew Lida towards the road followed by Taffita. Lida touched down on the road and taxied up to the front porch. She turned the plane so she could watch Taffita land. It was a perfect landing for such a new pilot. Taffita taxied up next to the Piper and turned the plane so they were side by side, wing-tips almost touching then she turned off the engines and got out along with Abbie, Beth and Callie. Lida, ILikeSeven, Chrissy, Mellie and Sabe got out of Lida's plane and

they all went into the house.

Edited by Jeanway

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Lida went in the door first. "I need to lie down for a while, everyone. I've got a terrible headache." She said. Then she went upstairs to her room and layed on her bed. she thought about what she had just seen and wondered how it was going to affect ILikeSeven and Chrissy since one of these farms would be their new home. she layed there and closed her eyes but she kept revisiting the scenes in her mind. The hundreds of animals dead on the ground, in the fields, in the yards. They were everywhere. Since both Lida and ILikeSeven loved the animals so, it affected them when they saw them below. When Mellie and Sabe spotted the gruewsome scenes below them their parents turned their heads away then held the children close to their bodies so they wouldn't look. Lida needed some time alone to get over this before she faced everyone downstairs at supper.

 

Meanwhile, she hadn't spoken to Taffita or the other girls about it and wasn't really sure they were even aware of it. Hoping they weren't Lida came back downstairs. And to her dismay saw the girls all red-eyed and sniffeling. ILikeSeven and Chrissy were in the same condition. :unsure: The rest of the children were chattering away with each other totally oblivious to the fact that everyone was heartbroken. No one talked about it. Becka, nik and Abe had no idea what was going on either. And the elves were still eating out on the back porch throwing most of their food at the window.

 

Then as Lida was sitting down Taffita looked at her. "Did you see Lida??" She asked. "Yes, and I really don't want to talk about it right now, alright Taf?" Lida answered. "I understand." Taffita answered. :assimilated:

Edited by Jeanway

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Taffita was not really in the mood for socializing, but she felt she had to stay there for the sake of the others. She herself was not affected too badly, not being a very big animal lover, and having a very Mexican attitude towards death, but so much wide-spread death had caused her to be more than a little bit taken aback. Her normal shyness, therefore, was slightly magnified as she sat awkwardly between Kaitlyn and Addie.

"Are you okay?" Kaitlyn asked.

"I'm fine," Taffita answered. "We have to grieve over the bad things, yes, but then remember all the good things God has given us. Look, we are all alive and well fed, I am living at the college I have wanted to go to my whole life, I can fly... God has blessed me a lot more than he has cursed me." The others nodded; they knew what she meant.

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Abe saw the sadness around the table. He tried to come up with something to say to lighten the mood and take everyone's mind off whatever was bothering them. He didn't want to intrude on their giref or be nosey about what was wrong. Lida knew how he was an animal lover too and didn't want to upset him either. So she tried as well to get herself out of this feeling of total dispair. "So

Abe, how you coming on that new table?" Lida asked. Abe took another big spoonful of his beef stew then tried to come up with something to say. "Well, it seems we're still in the discussion stage on that one. There seems to be a disagreement as to whether it should be maple or cherry." He answered. "OH, well, what's this one made of?" Lida asked as she slapped her hand on the table. Abe looked at her :waaaa: "Maple" He answered. "Well, then Maple it is." He added. Aaron looked at Abe then at Ilikeseven. "O.K. guys?" He asked. They both agreed as the elves overheard and flung their food at the window again. They must have heard and still voted for cherry. :laugh:

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Early next mornig, even before breakfast Abe was out in the barn working on the new table. He came in when Becka called out to him that breakfast was ready. She had made a huge pot of hot cereal and fruit and apple muffins. Everyone was at the table already eating when he came back in. "Got the planks at fit together and ready to drill the holes for the dowels to hold them together. I dove-tailed them already. "He told Aaron and ILikeSeven and nik. "You'd best get started on those chairs today." He added. "We'll get right on that Abe, you need me to help you?" Aaron asked. "Yea four hands are better than two. I may need the rest of you as well, at least for the first part, clamping them all together."

 

They finished breakfast then went back out to the barn. The girls helped Becka and Lida and Chrissy clean up. "How are the meat stores holding up down in the cellar Becka?" Lida asked. "We're alright, but maybe we need to slaughter some chickens today, whose up for pullin feathers?" The girls hated this job and tried to talk Taffita and Kaitlyn into helping, telling them it was fun. Taffita and Kaitlyn agreed to help. Becka was experienced at the neck-snapping so she went out to the barn and chose the chickens and one by one, she grabbed them, snapped their necks then threw them in a pile on the barn floor. Then she got the ax and chopped off the heads and legs. Then hung them up to bleed out. The girls also knew what to do once this had been done. Becka came back in after washing her hands and arms outside. "O.K. girls, get to pluckin." She said as she came into the kitchen. All the girls went out to the barn.

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Finally the feeling of grief at the supper table the previous night had seemed to waver as they began to talk about he new table. Kaitlyn was glad; she did not like seeing her friends upset, especially Abigail, and the fact that she didn't know what was bothering them only made her feel worse.

Eventually the supper conversation began to pick up. Kaitlyn did her best to cheer Abbie up, and at long last it was working. By the end of the meal that night everyone was talking and laughing again, if not quite like they usally did. When they were finished eating, the girls-except for Mellie, who's room was with her family-went up their room to get ready for bed. Most of them didn't feel like doing anything else. All six of them sat in a circle on one of the beds. Abbie, Beth, Cali, and Taffita were quiet again.

"You know," Abigail's voice broke the silence."What Taffita said at the table was right. We really sould do our best to get over this."

"Talking about it might help,"Kaitlyn suggested gently.

Cali started to cry, "They were all dead!"

"What? What was all dead?" Kaitlyn asked, turning pale.

"All of the animals on the other farms that we flew over were dead,"Beth said.

"What?!" Addie shrieked.

"They hadn't been fed," Taffita said, gulping. "They all starved."

"How terrible!" Kaitlyn said sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

Cali sniffed and dried her tears.

"It's all right," Abbie said, accepting a hug from Kaitlyn. "We'll be all right. I'm sure we'll be over it by in the morning.

"I hope so," Kaitlyn said.

The girls had talked for a little while longer, and then turned in. The three younger girls slept in their bed, and Taffita slept with Abbie and Kaitlyn in the older girls' bed.

Edited by Christiantrekfan

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Abe, Aaron, ILikeSeven, nik, Able, Bart, Cain and the elves all worked together in the barn the rest of the day. They had finished the table and the chairs and the final step was rubbing them down with linseed oil. The smell of it filled the barn and the men, but everything was finished. A beautiful table and 8 chairs. The elves did the major part in the chairs, they were precision craftsmen.

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