Read Donners Bend for Free Online Page B

long and she was very unacquainted with the land, she asked Jon , “Where are we going now ?  Home?”
     
    He shook his head, “Not just yet.”
     
    Jon guided Penny down dirt paths, across rocky streams, and through thick forests .  The wind whipped Ellie ’s feathery hair behind her, and her hat flew right off her head .  If it hadn’t been for the red ribbon around her chin it would have fallen off completely, but now the ribbon ran across her collarbone and the hat sat on her back .  Ellie laid her head lightly on the back of Jon ’s shoulder, causing Jon to smile.
     
    Finally, they reached what Jon had been searching for.
     
    “This is where I used to come play as a child,” he told Ellie , “I’d come here to be alone, to be free, to be calm .  No one ever knew about it, until now.”
     
    They were in the middle of the forest .  Ten large pine trees made a perfect circle around the grassy area in which they were .  Looking up, the sun was shining b eautifully through the trees and into this one, heavenly-like ring .  It was like someone had taken a piece of the sky and framed it in this one magical spot in the center of the dark forest . 
     
    Jon hopped off Penny and lead Ellie in an orbit around the outer edge of the circle by Penny’s reins . 
     
    “It’s beautiful,” Ellie said truthfully, for she couldn’t take her eyes off the piece of sky above her . 
     
    Jon smiled, “I used to come here to read, and dream, and just think .  I called it my felicity, I don’t know how I even knew what felicity was at that age, but I guess I must have learned it somewhere.   It’s that blissful place of pure contentment. ”
     
    They stayed there, in Jon ’s felicity , for who knows how long .  Jon lost track of the time, but it must not have been too late for the darkness couldn’t prevent them from seeing one another .  Together they lay on the ground in the middle of the grassy circle . 
     
    “Do you know what?” Jon asked finally.
     
    “What?”
     
    “I don’t think I’ve felt this perfectly content in a long time.”
     
    “Me neither.”
     
    Just as the sun dipped beneath the horizon in the distance, Ellie felt a light drop of water hit her forehead . 
     
    “Did you feel that?” she whispered.
     
    “Feel what?”
     
    Another drop hit her arm, “That.”
     
    “Oh no,” Jon said as he sat up, “It’s raining, isn’t it?”
     
    Only seconds after he held out both his hands, drops of rain hit each.
     
    “Come on, Mae,” he said taking Ellie ’s hand and pul li n g her up, “We have to go .  It’s too late to be far away from home in the rain.”
     
    Jon hopped on Penny and pulled Ellie up behind him .  Without warning, Jon kicked Penny’s sides and they were off .  Ellie held onto Jon ’s middle tightly and bit her lip from fright.
     
    The dark, mysterious forest surrounding her didn’t seem too inviting .  Plus, she was afraid Jon wouldn’t be able to see where they were going, and Penny would trip ove r something, sending them all tumbling to the ground . 
     
    The wind whipped cold drops of rain into her face and Jon ’s .  First she tried to protect herself by holding her hat back on her head, but when that became too troublesome, Ellie buried her head in Jon ’s back and tried to hide from the rain, which was beginning to come down harder .  The ride home was longer than both Jon and Ellie had expected, and by the time they reached Ellie ’s house both were soaking wet .  Ellie ’s skirts clung to her legs and she could feel her hair sticking to the back of her neck.
     
    Jon hopped off Penny and helped Ellie down .  Taking her hand, he ran with her to the front porch and immediately began apologizing:
     
    “I’m so sorry, Mae,” he said, taking off his sopping tweed hat, and running his hand through his dripping whitish blond locks, “If I’d known it was to start raining tonight , I’d have never taken you out .  And now