In the Wake of Silence

Jacob Miller had never owned much. He was the seventh generation farmer for a stretch of land in the middle of nowhere Kansas. He often found himself gazing out into what locals called the Three Horizons. North, East, and south was nothing more than sea of golden wheat with a long road to nowhere running through the Western side.

One day, toward the end of summer, Jacob ventured out into his vast field with a bad feeling. You know how sometimes people can feel storms coming because of the pressure on their joints? Jacob was like that with invasive pests on his land. He just knew something was out here. Last time he felt this way, he had found an infestation of aphids tearing up his crops. This was his home, dagnabbit, and he wasn't about to let any critters spoil it.

He stood among the waist-high wheat that gently swayed in the autumn breeze. Nothing seemed amiss at the moment, but that strange gut feeling just wouldn't cease. A few moments passed, and he was about to head home when he saw it. Just a glimpse, but for sure, there was something moving on the horizon.

Jacob lifted his binoculars to his eyes which strained against the brightness of the day. Was that--a person? He looked again in disbelief as a girl ran for her life in his direction about a quarter mile out. "What in tarnation?" he asked himself quietly.

Jacob hurriedly climbed onto the roof of his tractor and peered into the distance again, searching for what the girl was running from. The only thing in that direction was more fields full of corn and beans, some lying dormant. How had she even gotten this far out on foot? The next house was only a couple miles out, maybe she had come from there. But he knew those folks and they didn't have a little girl.

She was closer now, clearly running toward him specifically. Jacob stood and waved, slightly perplexed at the sight. He climbed down off the tractor and prepared to meet the stranger.

She was maybe twelve or thirteen, wearing a blue dress. Her dirty face was framed by messy hair as golden as the grain around her. "Hey--are you okay?" Jacob asked. The girl didn't say anything; she just panted and collapsed. Her face was beat red and she looked like she had been out in the fields for the last couple days at least.

Jacob immediately scooped her up and set her on his tractor and drove as fast as he could back to the farmhouse. He set her on his bed and laid a light blanket over her. It took a minute, but she eventually stirred, and he was at her side with a glass of water before she could ask anything. She took a gulp or two and fell back asleep.

He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. Her skin was absolutely on fire from exposure. How long had she been out there? He frowned as he fussed with the sheets. Walking into the living room, he decided to call the Andersons who owned the property to the North, the direction the girl had come from. They didn't answer, of course.

Jacob spent the evening tending to her sunburn with some aloe from the plant he kept in the windowsill in the kitchen. She would stir every once in a while, wincing each time. He was sure to utter some comforting words just in case she happened to wake.

Feeling the girl was as comfortable as he could manage, Jacob packed his pipe and smoked it as he scanned the horizon for any sign of what she was running from. All he could see was the familiar silhouette of the golden sea of wheat stretching out as far as the eye could. He walked around to the front porch where his favorite rocking chair was. He sat and contemplated what he saw today, his gut still wrenching with that strange feeling. The night settled quietly, a few stars beginning to flicker in the deepening sky.

The nights came early this time of year. As soon as darkness came, Jacob decided to retreat to the living room where his nightly newspaper ritual waited for him. He was skimming through the sports pages when he caught motion out of the corner of his eye. The girl leaned timidly on the doorframe to his bedroom as if it was the only way she could stay vertical. Her head swayed a bit.

He set the newspaper and his readers down gently, not wanting to startle her. "Hey, you're up. Feeling better, I hope?" Her head slumped a bit. She looked like she was about to fall over, so he took another step toward her. The sudden motion snapped her out of it and those wild eyes returned. She studied him like a mouse studies a well-fed cat.

"Sorry," he said quickly, his hands out in front of him, "you looked like you were about to fall over." She looked him up and down again, seeming to calm down a bit. Jacob noticed she was carrying the glass he had set next to the bed. It was empty now. "Would you like some more water?" he asked, keeping his tone as gentle as possible. She glanced down at the glass, then back at him and nodded. She held it out and Jacob took it, careful not to startle her again. He smiled, then walked to the kitchen for a refill.

"If you’re hungry, I got a little soup in the fridge I can heat up. It ain't a feast, but it'll be warm and fresh." Well, sorta fresh. "No pressure, though." he called from the kitchen sink, being sure to speak up over the running water. No response came from the other room besides a weak, hollow cough. His heart sank at the sound. Poor thing, he thought.

He brought her the glass and asked if she had a sore throat. She sipped and nodded at the same time. He returned shortly with a spoon full of honey. "Here ya go, hun," he said, aware of the pun, "this always helped me when I had a dry cough." The girl eyed him with trepidation, but her throat was instantly relieved and she handed back the spoon, followed by the glass. "More water?" he asked.

She nodded again, this time a little more at ease. "Okay, but this one has to last the night, understand?" Another nod. It was time they both got some sleep.

Jacob woke to a loud and urgent knocking at the door. He looked at the clock on the wall and groaned. He had fallen asleep in the living room, which did not help his aging back. The girl was sitting up straight on the couch, eyes wide. He hobbled over to the door where he was greeted by two officers standing patiently. He glanced back at the girl who's eyes were still wide, but was now shaking her head as if answering the door was a bad idea.

"Mornin', sir," one of them said, tipping his hat, "my name is Officer Mantel with the Pinewood County Sherriff's Office. We're going around knocking on doors to inquire about a missing child." Jacob's jaw clenched. What had he gotten himself into?

"We're looking for a girl, 'bout this tall with blonde hair. Have you seen anyone matching that description?"

Jacob Miller was an honest, caring, down to Earth, God-fearing man. And lying to the police would get him nowhere. He glanced at the girl who was looking like a cornered animal about to make a run for it, and stepped out to the porch for a more private conversation.

"Yes, I found her in my field yesterday. Poor thing was dehydrated and scared."

Officer Mantel's eyebrow rose. "Is she alright now?" he asked, looking past me. His partner was already peering through the front window next to us. "Yeah, she's fine. Still thirsty I s'pose."

The officers, elated to have found her, politely asked to enter, Jacob stepped aside.

"Miss," Mantel said gently, kneeling down to match her eye level, we're here to make sure you're safe and healthy. You're not in trouble, okay?" She gave a slight nod. "Can you tell me your name?" The girl wouldn't move or make eye contact. She just stared at the ground, nodding and shaking her head to his questions. His partner asked if he could use the phone to call Doctor Hammond out to the scene. Jacob obliged and watched the scene play out before him.

"Alright, thanks Jen." The officer hung up the phone and looked at Jacob who had fallen into a chair. "Should be a couple hours, tops", he said. "Coffee?" offered Jacob. "Absolutely."

As the coffee brewed, Jacob glanced back at the living room. The officer was still speaking softly to her, his tone calm and reassuring. He couldn't quite hear the words, but he could see her fidgeting, the urge to flee written all over her face.

"It's tough to see this kind of thing," Officer Mantel's partner began, leaning against the counter, "Her father was involved in a domestic violence incident—got drunk and set their house on fire while she and her mother were inside. Thankfully, the mother managed to escape with minor burns, but we’ve been trying to track down the father ever since. He’s still missing."

"How long ago did this happen?" he asked, a bit perplexed.

"Last week." the officer responded, the weight of his answer filling the moment. They shared a look that said everything that needed to be said.

"It’s sad, but this happens more often than you think. Families caught in cycles of violence, the kids often bear the brunt of it. We’ll have the doc check her out. After that, we'll need to get her somewhere safe—maybe a shelter."

Jacob suddenly felt protective over the girl. After all, she had nowhere else to go. "She can stay here for the time being." he said. The officer just nodded.

Officer Mantel walked into the kitchen, running a hand through his slicked-back hair and sighed. Jacob offered a cup of coffee and the man accepted, taking a sip. "She's shaken," he said, "I couldn't get a word out of her but it's definitely the one we're looking for."

"Mr. Miller here has offered to let her stay until we can figure out a permanent solution."

"That so?" Mantle asked.

"Yes, sir. I have plenty of food in the cellar and a spare mattress in the other room."

"You live alone?" Mantle asked, looking around, "must be difficult running this farm."

"Ever since Evelyn passed, I've been taking care of things on my own. I have a few local boys help out with the harvesting and planting."

The men both accepted this.

"Hello there." the doctor had just arrived and was currently looking her over. Doctor Holland asked many questions. All of which went unanswered as the girl remained silent. He checked her vitals, looked at her sunburned skin, and saw the signs of dehydration. After a few minutes, he straightened up and turned to the three of them, a warm expression on his face. "She’ll be fine," he assured them, "Just needs some rest."

The officers said their goodbyes, seeing everything was in order. They said they would follow up at a later date.

Doc patted Jacob on the shoulder. "Not many would have done what you did in such a situation. It’s good to see that kindness still exists."

"I just did what seemed right." he responded.

"Well, you did more than most would. She’s lucky to have found you."

There was a long pause.

"Ya know, I believe in fate," the doctor said, packing up his things, "sometimes, it leads people to exactly where they need to be, even in the most unexpected circumstances."

Jacob nodded, "You think it was fate that brought her to me?"

"Absolutely!" the doc exclaimed, holding out a finger, "Fate is resourceful."

His words resonated as Jacob watched the girl, still curled up on the couch, but this time with a hint of trust in her eyes.

"From where I stand, you were there at the right moment, ready to help when she needed it most. It’s as if the universe conspired to connect you both." He sounded like a preacher in that moment, so sure of his own wisdom. "I s'pose you’re right, Doc."

Turns out our little nowhere town didn't have much in the way of taking care of orphans. A woman from the church suggested he legally adopt the girl. "Well, I cant quite adopt a child without a name, now can I?" I heard him say. We finally settled on Lilly as it was my favorite flower.

My name is Lilly Miller, and this is the story of how I met the man I would eventually call Dad. The altercations with my real father left me mute so I had no way to communicate how appreciative I was when this man set aside his life and raised me as his own.

At the end, I was the one taking care of him. The cancer had him confined to a hospital bed and from time to time I would visit and show him stories I had written about our adventures together.

I'll never forget the last thing he ever wanted in life. It was late summer, the leaves beginning to turn. The wheat harvest was soon upon us and I wouldn't have much time left to visit. He motioned for me to lean closer and I did, kissing him on the forehead.

"I'd like to see the sunset over the field one last time."