Three - Beginnings (.001)

'Here? They live here?'

Ellyn's jaw had fallen effortlessly as the truck pulled next to the red barn house. About three stories tall, the barn door hung open, allowing free range to the chickens and other farm animals that were housed there. Hay and grass were in many different directions and the smell of manure became more and more prominent the closer they got to the shed. As the truck roared to a halt, the sound of a horse came from nearby.

From behind the side of the shed, a stallion, golden as fresh open flames, trotted elegantly with a woman aboard. Firm muscles pierced through the skin of the brawny equine and its pastel mane bounces along its sturdy neck. Even though it was a few yards away, Ellyn could still feel the strong presence of the horse. She removed her eyes away from the statue of perfection and noticed the woman climbing from the horse's bare back. The woman was relatively beautiful. Her features were sharp and firm, much like the rest of the family. Her pale brown hair bounced along her back as she jogged over to the truck. The woman's attire was baggy, yet neat. The shapeless pants hung off her petite hips and sank into her black boots. The woman smiled a joyful smile as she sat her arms on the focused on Mrs. Brenton. Ellyn sank deeper into the backseat of the truck.

"Did you get the grain from the shed? Heaven hasn’t eaten all morning." The light haired woman spat out a thick southern accent. Now that she was closer, Ellyn could scrutinize her facial features better. Her eyebrows were bushy and not manicured. Her plaid shirt was slightly dirty from whatever task she had been doing recently. She was your typical farm girl.

"Well, let's say we got a little distracted." Mrs. Brenton looked toward the backseat were Ellyn sat, tucked away in the corner. The blonde felt her cheeks burn. Suddenly, she was the center of attention. That wasn't something that too well with her. The elder turned her attention back to the woman outside the window.

"Faven, you wouldn't have anything the child could fit? She looks about your size, if not smaller." Ellyn let out a brief chuckle. Every eye in the car once again was back on her redden face. Her back slid lower into the seat.

"Sure, I'll tie ole Heaven up and run back to the house." Faven smiled once more before she ran back over in the direction of the horse.
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Gabriel pushed open the door first, allowing the women to go in first. Ellyn was first step through the threshold. She hesitated at the entrance, taking in just the living room itself. It was so light and open. The scent of fresh apples blew through the open window near the fireplace. She never expected to see such beauty just by examining the exterior. She walked further into the main room, allowing those behind her to join. Her surroundings were poles apart from where she resided last night and many other places from the past.

"This—your house...it is so beautiful." Ellyn breathed.

"Why thank you sweetheart." She was still looking in awe as Mrs. Brenton walked toward the couch. Isaiah quickly followed. She immediately noticed and turned around to face him.

"Isaiah would you be a dear and show Ellyn upstairs to where she'll be staying for the night?" He quickly opened his mouth to protest, but Mrs. Brenton gave him a look that made him think otherwise. He turned around and looked at her.

"This way." Before we could reach the stairs, Isaac rushed past Ellyn's arm and up the stairwell. She tried to ignore it, but she was sure, he had mumbled something under his breath. What was his problem?

He led me up the stairs and into hallway. A few unknown paintings hung about the neatly painted walls. Some of them photographs of people she had never seen, nor met, before. She looked ahead, trying to keep up with Isaiah's quick pace. His footsteps were quiet and long. From behind, her eyes were fixated on his back, his very muscular back. His shirt didn’t bother to hide neither one of muscles that bulged out at every crease of his body. It was so difficult to remove her eyes from his physique when they finally they reached the room. The door was gapping open.

"This is it. Where the guest usually stay. There's an extra blanket at the top of the armoire," his finger pointed in the direction of a blue armoire that sat cattycorner next to a twin sized bed, "in case you get cold. Trust me, you'll want it come nightfall. It gets pretty damn cold up here." He chuckled under his breath. Ellyn giggled back while she took in her surroundings. Compared to where she had slept the previous night, this night would be much different. Tonight, she would be sleeping on the clouds.

About a minute had gone by. Apart of Ellyn could feel his eyes focusing on the back of neck while the remaining portions focused on the beauty of her surroundings. Her feet stopped me right in front of the window that over looked the barn. Chickens and other different species of bird waddled across the field, plucking at the grass. Slowly, Ellyn turned to face the doorway. Sure enough, he was still there, carelessly leaning against the door frame. His eyes never moved.

"Oh sorry for interrupting!" Faven giggled and strolled into the room. Isaiah jumped, his eyes fell to the floor. She threw a suitcase on the bed and broke it open. Clothing spilled out from the bottom in different directions. Ellyn stepped back slightly in fear that she could be hit in the face with the objects flying out.

"I was just leaving actually. I'll see y'all at dinner." Isaiah disappeared behind the wall.

"Ok let's get started! Tonight is your first dinner with the Brenton's and you must look your best! Now what size are you honey?" Faven immediately began shuffling through the pile of clothing.

"Uh...a seven. Why do I have to look my best? Isn't this just dinner?" Faven suddenly stopped what she was doing and placed her hands around her small, round hips.

"See, around here honey when we say dinner we don't just mean dinner. Catch my drift?" Ellyn shook her head. Faven sighed and walked over to where she stood. "When we have dinner, it's dinner with the whole town. It's how we all get along around here. Everyone brings a dish and we all eat as a family. It has been done for generations, at this very ranch inside the barn house. There's music and dancing. We all just come together and have a good time. It takes place every first Monday of the month. You're pretty lucky to catch this just in the nick of time! A day late you would have missed it all!" Her voice was so elated. Ellyn couldn't help but smile.

"Well I shouldn't be going to something like this; I'm not a part of this town. I don't want to intrude."

Faven laughed. "Nonsense! Look here, the moment you step into the town limits you're family. No matter where you came from. Ya hear? As long as we're not lied to, we don't judge, so don't judge us. No need to be all shy and scared around us. We won't bite, unless you bite first." Ellyn smiled. Faven smiled back and pulled her into a hug. As they lingered in their embrace, Ellyn allowed herself to fall into a deep thought. She couldn't help but replay what Faven had said in her head. "As long as we're no lied to, we don't judge..."

How would they react to her past? Although it wasn't a pretty one, not telling them who she really was would be a lie. Wasn't it? She barely knew these people, yet they were kind enough to let her stay in their home. She owed them that much. Suddenly, she was sick to her stomach. Even if she were to speak on her past to them, she would still be prone, in not at more risk of him finding her. The deal was to keep everything under the rug. Unseen and unspoken. She owed that much to my family.

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As the sun melt behind the horizon, the atmosphere of the barn was no longer a boring red house in the middle of the ranch. Music poured from each possible opening. Voices and laughter barely could be heard over the harmonies and tunes, but they were defiantly there. Many more voices than Ellyn had predicted. She was pretty convinced that she was going to kill Faven. If her outfit wasn't incongruous enough, her overwhelming awkwardness was sure to make her stick out as the 'new girl'. Confused and wry looks consumed the majority of her face as she hid in the shadows behind the barn door.

She could run away. Avoid all of this embarrassment. Something like this should come natural to her. She had stood in front middle aged men in nothing more than a pair of heels. Why was this so difficult? She hardly knew these people, yet they took her in with arms wider than she had ever seen. An act so generous and kind couldn't have terrified her more.

Her feet began to back away from the light that came from indoors. In a few inches she would be invisible to anyone who had caught a glimpse of her accidently.

Her back was no longer in contact with the open air. It was like she had come into contact with a brick wall or perhaps a chain-linked fence. Whatever it was, had deferred her from evading this humiliation. Her hand dropped down to touch the barrier, only realize that she was touching a thigh; a very muscular thigh. Ellyn gasped, and shut her eyes. She imagined that she was invisible and whoever this was didn't exist. Everything should have just gone back to how it was to two seconds ago. No one around. No eyes to catch her in put her in the position she is in now.
The other free hand balled into a fist and stayed by her side, while the hand against the human continued to fell around. Eventually, she landed on something she shouldn't have. Whoever was standing behind her was far from a woman.

The second her hand brush across his growing, Ellyn nearly broke the back of her heel lurching away from the unknown man. Each stand of hair on her body was erect and alert. Her heart pounded at an uncontrollable rate as her hand flew to her chest.

"Is everything alright?" Isaiah's eyes studied her. Her face flushed red and her head fell to her feet. If she wasn't embarrassed enough, this was the breaking of the ice. She finally looked up at his stoic expression. He attempted to smile, but it did more scaring than comforting.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

He hesitated before he spoke, looking between Ellyn and the entrance of the barn. It looked like he was adding a complex problem in his head.

"Aren't you going in?" 'Dammit,' she thought to herself.

"Err, yeah. I just had to...um, use the bathroom."

He didn't buy it. "It looks like you were trying to run away."

"What? No, I was just looking for the bathroom." She always hated telling lies under pressure. Lying wasn't the problem; it was the anxiety that made it so difficult.
"Well, if you're looking for a bathroom, then there's one inside." He gave another attempt at a smile, but his hard expression didn't do it any justice.

"We won't bite, trust me. Well, that’s if you bite first." His masculine body disappeared into the lights alluding from indoors. She was starting think that everyone in this family had a minor case of multiple personality disorder.

Ellyn gave a deep sigh and made her way into the barn. What she saw when she entered left her speechless. Not just speechless, but out of breath.

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Sorry for the lack of pictures in the beginning, my game decided it wanted to crash suddenly, and I didn't feel like reentering the game, so yeahh.Thanks for readings :) You guys are EPIC!

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