The Fence

The Fence

Chapter One

If Enoli held anything close, it would be her name. Sure, she had items, toys, and clothes. However, those had never had to fight in order to keep. At least, not the clothes worn by her father and mother, and those before them. 

That was a subject that was never truly discussed. 

Enoli had asked her cousin Yoki about this many times, and he told her many stories. Sometimes, Yoki told her that their ancestors had fought great beasts, and they earned their names from the beasts they slayed. On other occasions, Yoki told Enoli that the wind was a thief, able to escape with people’s worldly possessions. Because of this, people were only left with names. 

Today, Yoki told her that names bore beautiful gifts, and that said gifts were only prevalent among those with said titles.

“That’s not true!” Exclaims Enoli. “If names were so great Papa wouldn’t have switched his.” 

“It is, I swear!” Defends Yoki, who was plucking a thorn from his palm. “How would you know anyways, your Papa never tells you anyways.” 

Enoli glared, and decided maybe if she asked after a couple days Yoki could tell her the real answer. For a moment, she stared into Yoki brown deer-eyes, hoping he would give a sign that proved his lies. However, he remained focused on finishing today’s job. So, she decided to finish her task, too, for the day. 

It was a rather unfortunate job, but both Enoli and Yoki enjoyed being by the garden fence. They would pluck blackberries every Thursday, and tomorrow they would pluck weeds. Saturday, the two picks fruits from the Abbots small orchard. They all had specific tasks for everyday, and they had never varied. 

However, if the two finished early enough, they could play with Lucille and Carter before their parents return from town. 

With this, Enoli and Yoki rushed to finish the tedious task. The increased rate of this left their hands sore from the thorns and a dark purple from the juice, but it was well worth the reward. However, they were able to finish it half an hour later.

Yoki, filled with satisfaction, turned to face Enoli. His oval face sticky with the berry juice and grin wide. “I’m sure I’ll beat you to the window!” He exclaims, and he runs off.

Enoli comes to a sprint too. She was always the fastest runner between the four children, and it was something she prided herself on, but Yoki could beat her easy with a head start. 

When the two had finally reached the end of the cobble stone path, and carefully tip-toed up the dark wood staircase they could peer through the window. Enoli turned back at the path, which wound across the entire property. 

Inside the red-wooded house, and past the shiny window sat two children. The taller one, Carter, looked awfully bored. He had ash blonde hair, a mix between curls and waves, and the green eyes of his mother. Lucille, Carter’s younger sister, looked just as amused as her brother. Her mousy brown hair was always up in different hairdos. Today, her curls sat in pigtails tied off with pretty pink ribbon. She has deep blue eyes, like a spring puddle after the rain.

They were both glued to their large books. And the two must have been studying for school, which confused Enoli because it was still mid-summer. 

Yoki tapped one, two, three times on the bottom of the window. Lucille, who was sitting on the sofa nearest to the window, quickly turned to face it, her pig-tails swung as she turned. At the sight of Yoki and Enoli, she grinned, and Enoli saw her lips move to call to her brother. Carter quickly slammed his own book shut, and ran towards the door. 

The four rush down the stairs, all at once rambling about their own day. Once they had all finished their story, all though no one else heard each other’s over the sound of themselves, Carter finally asked what they should do today. 

Yoki brightened, “How about we go down to the back!” 

“And do what?” Asked Lucille, “We always go down there.” 

“Well, it is the funnest,” adds Enoli. 

The children all agreed, and they again raced away. They flew down the cobble stone paths that weaved around the entire estate. They turned to behind the big Abbot house, and past the small vegetable garden and corn field. As the path narrowed, they reached the area where the path reclines to long, green grass and a few fallen trees.

These trees were quite a sight to the children, for the Abbot’s land had few “imperfections.” She supposed that was the result of her fathers demanding maintenance. 

However, this area was the children’s favorite for just that reason. It had seemed that Mr. and Mrs. Abbot had forgotten about it, and so it grew overgrown and unsupervised. Enoli loved it for this. All of the perfectly trimmed hedges and trees lacked the character of the Lot.

A small creek ran through just the end of the area, which was hidden by tall crops growing before it. Behind was a space large enough to build a few small houses. It was bordered by a very tall fence, with poles much too close together to fit between. The tips of it were covered in thorny metal that winds all around. 

The children reached the edge, by the creek.

Lucille looks between Yoki and Enoli, “you two better wash your hands, they may think you two were stealing the berries.” 

The two nodded, dipping their hands into the cool stream. It was rather shallow, the bottom filled with rounded stones polished by the soft current. Enoli watched the berry juice run off her tan hands, the purple diluting as it drifts away. 

“Well what now?” Asks Lucille, her hands resting on her hips.

Yoki shrugged, “I’m not sure. What time is it anyways? I’m sure your parents will be back in a few hours.” 

“One,” Answers Carter, “We’ll have about five hours.” 

Enoli frowns, and turns to look at her surroundings. The old lot was somewhat empty. However, she could think of many entertaining things to do with items near her. 

“Why don’t we build a den?” She asks, eyes darting between the fallen trees. “There’s four of those trunks, we could build a base for the floor.” 

The children were delighted at the idea, and Carter and Yoki made beelines towards the largest of the trees. 

“It’s oak, isn’t that awfully heavy?” Carter sighs.

Yoki smiled, “Oh don’t be a baby! I’ll show you how it’s done.” His small hands wrapped between the wedges of bark, attempting to move it towards the middle of the lot. 

Seeing how it barely budged, Carter stepped in, and it began to move just a little more. 

Lucille turned towards Enoli, “Well we better help, they aren't as strong as they think they are.”

Enoli laughs as she and Lucille plant their hands under the tree trunk, and all at once the children push. The tree croaks and groans, seemingly unsatisfied with its removal. Minutes pass, and the tree has likely moved around a yard or two.

Finally, Carter withdrawals. He looks down at his hands, which are now imprinted with the pattern of the great oak. With him, the rest of the children do. 

Enoli looks between the other three, who seem to already be tired of the task. “Come on, I’m sure we can find some other way to move them!” 

Lucille sighs, “Oh yeah? What should we do?” 

“Well, we could…” Enoli spins around, looking for anything that may work. “We could use the rope by the fig trees, then we can just pull on it and move these trees easily!” 

Carter and Yoki nod in approval. 

“Well, why don’t you go grab it then? It was your idea anyway?” Persuades Lucille, her crystalline blue eyes pinned to Enoli’s. 

“That’s fair,” Replies Enoli. “I’m the fastest anyways,” she adds with a smile. 

Yoki crosses his arms, “That is so not true!” 

However, Enoli had already begun her brief journey, and she had put enough space between them that she heard the whoosh of the wind over Yoki’s disapproval. She spun around once she reached the end of the lot, and gave a small wave to her friends. Yoki's wide deer-eyes were still squinting at Enoli's remark. 

Enoli loved to run. She darted between the orchard trees, ripe with apples she couldn’t eat. The cool wind rushed past her, carrying the scent of the pollen and flowers. As she reached the cobblestone path, weaving between the numerous flower beds or crop plots, Enoli could feel the warm sun heat her skin. 

She followed this path around the geese pens, who honked loud enough to startle all the chickens. This led to a wondrous chain of events; all of the fowl began a chirping frenzy. 

With this, Enoli was propelled to run even quicker. That beautiful landscape blurred into a green whiz, and she was convinced that in this moment she would be able to outrun lighting itself. 

Finally, she spotted the cluster of fig trees, a heap on rope covered under the tight canopy of the honey-scented tree. 

Enoli paused, feeling something uneasy in her head, or maybe her stomach? She slowed, tiptoeing between the trees to reach the rope at the end. Through the west-ward end of the trees, Enoli could spot the big red-wooded house. 

As she reached down for the rope, a sharp voice paralyzed her. 

She raised her eyes, slowly moving to hide behind the largest tree in the orchard as she saw the cashmere coat of Mr. Abbot. He was quite recognizable, with the sturdy composure of his son and the same teddy-brown hair of his daughter. Enoli frowned, quite unsure of the setting. Why was he back so early? Enoli was sure that Mr. Abbot had never been home before six. To his left stood Mrs. Abbot, who stood in beautiful pastel ruffles. Her blonde hair, this time identical to Carter, held up in tight curls, and her deep blue eyes were pinned to Enoli’s father.

Noticing this, Enoli could feel her stomach drop again. Her fathers head was tilted slightly down. He, too, seemed frozen. Papa was a grounded man, with the stillness of a great stag. His black hair hung just above his ears, and he was very lean. Behind his dark eyes, Enoli understands that even from here there was much going on behind them. They were wide, filled with quiet alertness. 

Enoli knew that her Papa was always very articulate with the words he chose around the Abbots. He was always very polite with them, whether he wanted to be or not. Yoki had once told Enoli that her father would move a mountain with a spoon if the Abbots told him to.

However, right now, he seemed more angry than he typically allowed himself to be. 

Enoli leans forwards, attempting to spy on the adults. She could hear Mr. Abbot faintly, and he did not seem pleased.

“If you were wise, you would listen to me right now, Samuel!” Roared Mr. Abbot. 

Enoli frowned, watching her father flinch at his name. She never truly knew why he had such a distaste for it. He had gotten to pick a new name, perhaps he regretted the one he chose?

 Then, Enoli’s confused shifted to anger. She felt the sudden urge to walk over to Mr. Abbot and smack him right across his smug face. Her papa was the wisest person she had ever known. Not only that, but he was also the most hardworking. Enoli couldn’t understand how he could do so much for Mr. Abbot, and not earn a single ounce of respect from him.

Mrs. Abbot nodded her head, in clear approval of her husband. Enoli could see Papa's lips move in response. Unlike Mr. Abbot, her fathers voice was reticent, and Enoli could not make out the words. 

“They better stay away and I mean it. You have been with me long enough to know that I won’t hesitate to send them away in a heartbeat! I will not allow the poisoning I know they have the ability to bring.” 

Enoli watches, fingers trembling along the trunk of the fig tree. Despite the setting, the air was filled with the thick honey scent of the fruit, and the moist smell of the soil. The air became much too thick and sweet, and Enoli suddenly felt nauseous. 

Mrs. Abbot reached into her large purse, and handed Papa a bag that seemed fashioned out of a potato sack. Enoli’s brows furrowed, and she was pestered by the fact that although the Abbot’s were seated in the lap of luxury, all they had for her father was a cheap bag. 

“Also, get this to your little ones. We pride ourselves on our appearances, they should too.” 

Enoli was overtaken with rage, so much so that Mrs. Abbot's pitiful sack could be tonight's firestarter. She knew that her papa must feel the same, but he took the “gift.” Her papa thanked the Abbot’s, and they walked away. 

Enoli finally sighed in relief, and watched her papa as he opened up the bag to examine its contents. He shook his head, and his hands were gripping the bag so tightly his knuckles whitened. Then, Papa looked up, and his eyes locked with Enolis. 

Enoli’s eyes widened, and she didn’t know whether to be scared or relieved. Instead of deciding, she grabbed the heap of rope and ran. 

Again, she followed the gobble stone pathway. She tore through the geese, the trees, the plots. 

Enoli soon approached the Lot, and the sight of the Nanny caused her to abruptly stop. She watched in utter confusion as the Nanny, who never leaves the house, led away Carter and Lucille.