Broken Wings

Chapter 1: Ruby's Gift

It was a sunny day outside, so Ruby decided to take a walk to the beach again, even though she had also been there yesterday. She hoped that her mother would not object. Ruby was not aware of any chores which still needed to be done. She walked tentatively past the dining room, into the kitchen and out the backdoor.

“Ruby, where are you going?" her mother called from behind her.

“Just taking a walk to the beach, Mom," Ruby replied.

“Well dear, just make sure you come back in time for preparing the dough for the pie crust. I did not get a chance to get to it," her mother asked.

“All right Mom!" Ruby called back.

Ruby sang all the way to the beach. There was nobody else around, so she felt confident enough to sing really loud. As she neared the beach itself, Ruby spotted someone up ahead. It was Chris, her best friend and neighbour.

“Hey Chris! Why are you outside already? Don't you have homework?" Ruby called out.

“I am done early with homework today, but our class has a practical assignment of collecting unusual seashells and plants today," Chris explained.

“So, where exactly have you looked so far?" Ruby asked, with a frown between her eyes. Chris was carrying a small bucket, so Ruby approached him and peered inside. “You have not made much progress," Ruby commented.

“Well, do you know where I can find some exceptional shells?" Chris asked. He knew that Ruby always had a trick up her sleeve. She knew the beach better than he did, because she lived closer to the ocean.

“You're always at the beach," Chris added.

“You might want to try way further up, near the caves," Ruby suggested. She burrowed her right big toe into the sand and added, as an afterthought: “Unless you want to dig really deep, if you're going to search around here."

“No, let's walk up towards the caves," Chris suggested. “Then you can tell me about your next music concert. Is it true that you were selected to go and compete in the next inter school music contest?" Chris asked excitedly.

“Where did you hear about that?" Ruby asked curiously.

“School gossip. Where else?" Chris responded, with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

Ruby shoved him in the side with her elbow. “Don't be silly!" she chided. “You have to tell me or I won't help you search for shells.

“All right, all right. Zureicka and her friends were talking about it. I overheard," Chris relented.

“So, does she also sing?" he asked Ruby curiously.

“No. She doesn't sing, but I heard that she models after school, on some afternoons," Ruby commented as they neared the cave area. "I don't like talking about Zureicka, because she and her friends are always full of drama. They do not mind their own business," Ruby remarked. "Zureicka's mom died long ago, so now Zureicka is being spoilt rotten by her dad," Ruby added.

"That's sad. Well, let's get to the caves then," Chris responded.

The caves were a secret place to the two friends, but they knew that it was likely that a few other people also knew about them.

“Do you see now?" Ruby yelled out in delight. “Few people come here. That's why there are so many gorgeous shells." With that Ruby started to pick up as many colourful seashells as she could.

“Chris, do you know that you have actually distracted me now? And I might get a call from my music teacher, concerning the competition," Ruby stated suddenly, after a few minutes. She got up and shook sand out of her waist long auburn curls.

“What's that? You were supposed to practice your singing, I suppose," Chris commented offhandedly, because he was very busy focusing on his own shell collecting.

"I'm going over to sit and practice on that rock now," Ruby announced and marched off, in the direction of a high rock in the distance.

Chris stared after her for a few seconds. "You're really serious about your music!" he called after her. Her hair was like a golden flame in the sun as she stalked off.

After about an hour of vocal exercises Ruby looked around her. It was getting late. Where was Chris? She spotted him quite a distance away. He has moved along very far, while picking up shells.

"Chris! It's getting late and the tide is coming in!" Ruby screamed at the top of her lungs. "There's water coming up against this rock!" she shouted again. "I'm not afraid to swim, but still, just come this side, so you can give me a hand?"

Chris approached and waded in the tugging water, over to Ruby. He held out his hand to her, but as she reached out to him, she lost her footing and slipped. Chris grabbed her by the arm to steady her.

The two friends then swam out towards the shore and landed up on the beach, breathless.

“Wow! That was close," Ruby giggled, as she collapsed onto the sand. A thought hit her suddenly: “Oh my mom is gonna kill me! I was supposed to be back in time to make chicken pie crust," she exclaimed with disappointment.

“Don't worry, I'll help you quickly," Chris promised.

The two adolescent friends grabbed their towels and bucket, before they walked home at a brisk pace.

“I think my mom already made the filling. At least, I hope so," Ruby mumbled.

Back at Ruby's home the two friends burst into the kitchen and Ruby headed straight towards the fridge, to get the butter. “Hey, you two! Did you wash your hands?" Ruby's mom called from the passage. At this Chris and Ruby quickly rinsed their hands in the soap water, which stood in a basin in the laundry area.

“I didn't get to make the filling, Ruby. You guys should try and get that done quickly, since you're arriving here so late," Ruby's mother ordered in a stern voice.

“Thanks for helping, Chris!" Ruby's mother shouted again.

“Chris you can make the filling, because the instructions are on the sauce packet and you know where everything is," Ruby suggested.

“Oh well, you can be the pastry chef then. Whip up a masterpiece dough, Madame!" Chris joked as Ruby ran around the kitchen, searching for her ingredients.

The two friends had the pie in the oven in less than thirty minutes, because they were used to making it.

They then went outside, because Ruby had to take Chris halfway home. The driveway was rather long and there was no gate in the fence which separated the two farms.

“I have to practice really hard and put all my emotions into my songs. If I don't do that I will fall behind. That's what my music teacher said," Ruby commented as they walked with hurried steps.

“In other words, you should pretend to be singing for a movie soundtrack?" Chris asked enquiringly.

“Well, something like that." Ruby was not sure about whether Chris understood what she was trying to say.

“Do you know that we will have a guest performer at the music contest?" Ruby asked Chris as they hurried along. It was getting dark and Chris could hear his dad beginning to call him. His dad was not as strict as his mother though.

“I know, but do you know who it is?" Chris asked.

“I should find out soon, if I listened to the right gossip," Ruby teased. With that she turned around, because she realized that they have chatted so long that the pie could be burning in the oven. She shouldn't have walked all the way to the gate.

“Ruby!" Her mother was calling in an upset tone. Ruby hoped that the pie did not get burnt.

“Goodbye Chris!" she called as she ran home quickly.

At the same time Chris' father was also calling loudly now. Would Chris get punished on her behalf? Ruby wondered anxiously.

“Ruby!" her mother was calling again, from the kitchen door.

“Someone's on the phone for you!"

Ruby became anxious. Was it her music teacher? If so, was it to inform her that she was no longer participating in the music competition?