The Ozark Mountains

Chapter One

Rose Wilder was sitting on a fallen tree stump out in the fields near her parents home. The Wilder family had just moved to Mansfield, Missouri from De Smet, South Dakota. Rose was the only child. Her face was round, along with her nose. She had a blue plaid dress on. Her head was adorned with a round flat hat. Her hair was combed with two braids plated on each side of her head.

The smell of wet dew permeated the air as the sun was starting to creep up over the purple clouds. A voice was calling off in the distance,

"Rose. Rose. Where are you?"

It wasn't until the third time that the voice rang out over the rolling hills that Rose finally heeded it's call.

"Coming, Ma."

Rose got up and ran down the lane between the hills, and saw her mother standing on the steps of the big white two story house.

"Where we're you Rose?"

"I was in the fields watching the sun rise. I was ever so encumbered by the rising sun that it blocked everything else out of my mind."

Rose heard a chuckle come from her mother.

"You remind me so much of myself. I was one to gaze at the vast world around me, and want to get into everything and explore. I never heeded what my Pa said. I guess it's the Ingalls blood inside of us."

Rose was ever so excited to hear that she was just like her Ma.

"It's so great to be like you", said Rose as she placed her hand into her mother's and walked up the steps into the house where the table was laid out with an array of breakfast faire, including bacon, eggs, and toast.

"Your father and I have some wonderful news for you Rose. You're going to be going to school at the start of the school year in August."

"Oh, Ma. That is ever so delightful. I was wanting to for so long. I felt so alone being out in the woods, and having nothing but the animals and trees to talk to. But now I'll have classmates and maybe one true friend in particular that I will love wholeheartedly over all others."

Rose's father Almanzo came in from doing farm duties with a smile on his face.

"I can tell by the smile upon Rose's face that you told our girl that she is able to go to school."

"Yes, I did. She just burst to the seams when I shared the news."

Rose's eyes lit up even more, and she ran both to her Pa and Ma, and gave them the biggest hug that any child of eight could muster.

I used to enjoy "The Little House on the Prairie" on tv, so recognised the girl's name immediately. What I've read so far is most promising!

The glow of the sun's beams we're cascading across the floor as Rose got up on Monday.

"I feel all of a flutter inside, Ma. It's like it's a mixture of joy and nervousness. I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach."

"I know how you feel. That's how I exactly felt when your aunt Mary and I first went to school for the first time in Walnut Grove."

"What was it like, Ma?"

"It was pretty good until I met the snippet Nellie Oleson. She called Mary and I "Country Girls" in a stuck up way."

"Oh, Ma. I hope none of the kids are that way towards me."

"Just be yourself Rose, and you'll attract the right people to you."

"What if I can't become friends with everyone?"

"I don't expect you too. It would be difficult in this world to get on with everyone. Besides, Nellie was jealous of me, and still tried to brag that she was better than I was, even when we started to become well off."

Rose started to feel better inside, and the nerves lessened after she talked to her mom. Rose was braiding her hair while gazing into the looking glass. She was just getting her sun bonnet on when she heard the ten minute bell ringing across the sky like a chorus of many heavenly chimes leading her onto confidence. Rose picked up her slate, writing tablet and pencil, and gave her ma and pa a kiss, before heading off to school.

Thanks for liking it so far, and the suggestion. I may write some more later on tonight, or tomorrow.

The Rose Wilder books were some of my favorites when I was 10 or so. Swiney made things interesting.

Funny, I forget what her school was like. I suppose your story will remind me.

Rose was walking along the hills and enjoying the fresh summer air that was sweeping across her face. She soon came to a bend in the road, and didn't know which way to go until another girl was heading up the lane to the left. Rose followed her, and the excitement of school still coursed through her body. Rose began to wonder of the girl walking in front of her would become her friend. As this thought continued to plague Roses mind, she walked up to girl, and said

"Is this the way to the Mansfield school?"

"Yes it is. Are you new here?", replied the girl.

She had long flowing red hair with green eyes, and freckles stretched all along her nose. She had a clear complexion, and Rose was a little jealous that this girl was prettier than she was. Her dress was the finest of silk and the color of grass growing anew on a fresh spring morning.

"Yes, I am. I moved here from the Dakotas with my Pa and Ma just last month. My name is Rose Wilder."

"Nice to meet you, Rose. My name is Stacey Mckinon. I was just like you two years ago. My father wanted to move his business from Iowa to the Ozarks. I wasn't too fond of the move at first, because I felt like I would never see my friends or family ever again."

"How awful! It's like that with me too. My grandparents, and aunts are back in the Dakotas. Pa and Ma thought it was best to live here."

Rose felt a bond with Stacey forming. that the first day jitters started to disappear, and she was enjoying herself with Stacey, that she didn't even realize they were outside of the school.

The school was a long white building that looked as though several houses could fit into it. There was a wooden box type structure at the top of the school that a held a round bronze looking object. There were four steps leading up to the school porch that Rose had to climb. As Rose reached the last step she saw that the school room wasn't big at all. There were two chalkboards in the room. One was placed behind the teachers desk, and one was towards the right of Rose.

Several desks were laid evenly in rows of threes. They were wooden with lids that lift up and open to store your school things. The seats behind each desk were rectangular in shape and have also been made of wood. Each seat had enough room for two children to sit there. Rose was ever so excited to see that the spot next to Stacey was empty.

So true, Copperfox! An emotion that must be contained and controlled. Where this has not been done, it has even led to premeditated murder! (Cain and Abel, for example).

Rose looked at the teacher and thought that she was the second most beautiful woman in the world, after her Ma. Miss Anderson had long dark hair that was tied up in a bun, a curved face and light green eyes.

"Hello, dear. You must be Rose Wilder. I'm Miss Anderson. I see you have your books for school and a slate already."

"Oh, yes. They we're my Ma's, and she's letting me use them."

"That's very niice of her. You may take a seat next to Stacey that you can sit at."

Rose looked so happy at this arrangement that she was bursting inside with a wave of blissful joy.

"Oh, Rose. I'm so glad that Miss Anderson let you seat next to me. Isn't she so nice?"

"She seems like such an elegant teacher. I'm sure I will learn loads from her."

Just as Rose was saying this another girl from the right of the desk.

"Look at the new girl. What she's wearing looks like something that parents wash dishes with."

"Oh stuff your face mud, Mary. You're just upset because the teacher didn't make Rose sit next to you."

Rose had an aunt named Mary, and from all that she heard about Mary Ingalls, she knew that her Ma's sister was never as horrible as this beastly girl was. It was true that deep down inside that Mary was upset that Rose wasn't able to sit next to her.

Mary had blond hair that she wore in braids. Her dress was pure white, and she wore a straw colored boater hat on top of her head.

Update on my Little House/Rose Wilder fan-fic. I've been sick for the past few days and I am still under the weather. I have some ideas to further the story and will write them when im 100 % better.

Clearly Mary is a snob! I wonder if she is related to Nellie?

As I walked along the garden path I saw Ma picking tomatoes from a vine. She was ever so thrilled to see me.

"How was your first day of school?"

"It was great, ma. I met a nice girl named Stacey. Miss Anderson is also the nicest teacher in the world. She let's Stacey and I sit together. The only problem with school is a girl named Mary who I can't stand. Looks like the new girl is wearing something my parents washes the dishes with".

All of a sudden I heard a chuckle.

"Reminds me so much of my school days", said Ma. "There was a girl just like that when Mary and I first went to school in Walnut Grove. Her name was Nellie Oleson. She thought she was better than Mary and I, just because we were what she called "Country Girls."

"Did you ever get even with her, ma?"

"Yes, I did. We had a party at our place, and I introduced Nellie to our creek's crab and the leeches. Let's just say Nellie went screaming from our place in a big hurry."

"Maybe I should do something to get even with Mary."

Ma laughed again.

"I'm not saying that's a bad idea, Rose. But when Pa found out what I did let's just say that I found it hard to get even with Nellie again."

"Your Pa or my pa?"

"My pa and your grandfather."

Just then Pa came in from the fields.

"There's my sweet Rose on the prairie. Or should I say in the Ozarks." He chuckled softly.

I ran up to Pa and hugged him tightly. He smiled genuinely at me.

"I heard there's going to be a fair in the town this weekend. How would you like to go Rose?"

My insides started to flutter full of excitement.

"Oh, would I!!! I've never been to one. It's going to be so exciting!"

Ma and Pa looked at me, and beamed at the joy on my face.

The day of the fair finally arrived. Pa and ma were just as excited as I was. I decided to wear my red dress and my boater hat. My hair was braided on each side of my head, and as I walked to town they swung gayly with each step.

Ma was recollecting her first time at a fair, when she was a child.

"It was so exciting, Rose. There we're clowns, balloon men, a guy putting fire down his throat on a long stick, and an hot air balloon."

"Did you win any prizes, ma?"

"No. But I got even with Nellie by letting her sit for the next half-hour of my turn at the dunking game. She got dunked when Danielle Peterson, the kid with the best throwing arm threw the ball at the target and didn't miss."

"I bet that was so exciting and funny!"

"It sure was Rose. If I ever write down the memories from my childhood, I would definitely include that one."

Although I was thirsty,I couldn't help but laugh. The streets we're dusty and it flew up everywhere. The sun was high over head and beating down like a thousand scorching rays. There was a stand selling lemonade for five cents a cup. There was both pink and yellow lemonade.

"Can I please have some lemonade?"

"May I", said Ma. "Yes you may Rose."

Ma gave me a shiny round coin. I was ever so mesmerized by it. I skipped down to the stand and choice the pink lemonade. It was ever so sweet, cool and tart going down my throat. I never had anything like it before.

Just as I finished the cup of lemonade I heard a big blast and saw the hot air balloon fly off into the sky. Then all of a sudden I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around.

"You're not my Ma!", I said,

I try to muster up the courage to scream, but I felt a pair of elderly hands go over my mouth. I looked up and saw a pair of brown eyes looking back at me.

"You're to come with me dearie. Your Ma and Pa said I was to look after you while they go and have dinner."

I never saw this lady in my life before. She steered me around the fairgrounds with such a grip that I couldn't get loose. I didn't know where she was taking me. Or what her plans were. I was ever so scared.

My first reaction is that Rose should have given this person a good kick, and then ran! Then, perhaps I'm being a bit hasty in assuming that this woman has sinister intentions, although that is certainly my first impression! However, I'm pretty certain she is lying! But, maybe I'm seeing this too much from a 21st century perspective!

I was being led down to an abandoned building on the edge of town. All of a sudden I heard a sigh.

"My Helen used to enjoy fairs. I guess it was all the excitement that drew me to town. She was about your age when she fell down the well and died. In fact you look just like her."

"Please let me go, ma'am! My pa and ma will be worried about me".

"Oh, I don't think they will bother about you dearie".

"You obviously don't know mother and father very well. They care for me deeply".

"I can see that they do. I will let you go. There's just one thing you can do for me before I do so".

"What is it Mrs... I'm sorry I don't know your name".

"I'm Mrs. Spiedel I was just wondering if you could get a few apples from the crate I have down cellar".

"No problem ma'am".

I heard the cellar door open and began to walk down the ladder. The cellar looked completely empty.

"Where are the apples ma'am?"

The only thing I heard was the ladder being pulled up and the cellar door closing. I was trapped down here.

"Help. Help", I started screaming with all of my might. I was sure that no one could hear me.

My screams didn't leave the cellar. I didn't hear anyone from my location. I was ever so scared.

"Were people even looking for me?"

I'm almost sure that Pa and Ma were. I started to shiver. It felt like the day was ending, and twilight was approaching. I was ever so scared, because of all the tales I read that involved Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches. I wondered if any of them would come and find me down here, or if this was a resting place of a Vampire.

I continued to get tired, and that wooden box in the corner started to look like a coffin to me. The last thing I needed was a hand to slowly raise the lid, and have a vampire come out. With these unwanted thoughts Rose curled up on the cold cellar floor, and fell asleep.

The only witch there is the vile woman who has kidnapped her and locked her in the cellar!

I awoke the next day. Several noises were happening in whoever's house I was in. It was in a dialect that I wasn't accustomed to, but sounded like an incantation. I walked up the cellar steps, and tried to push the door open, to no avail. As I pulled my hand away I felt a tingling sensation. Was that magic that brought the tingling on? And was magic keeping me bound in the cellar?

I started to scream some more. I was hoping that someone could hear me. As I continued to scream the chanting stopped. I heard several voices talking at once.

"What was that noise?"

"It sounded like a girl screaming to me, Harold."

"It sounded as if it came from Miss Meyers cellar."

"Did you hear that scream, Miss Meyers?"

"I did", she responded. "I thought it was some kids outside playing."

"To me it sounded as if it came from your cellar", said Jon Davies.

"There are no children here. I can't open my cellar and haven't used it in years."

"How do you eat during the winter then?"

"I grow stuff year round."

"You must know something we don't. Or is it an incantation? I swore I heard you chanting while we we're in the other room."

Rose's head perked up. That was the voice of her Pa. If only he wouldn't believe this evil woman, then he would be able to rescue his Prairie Rose. As soon as she heard her Pa's voice, she sank back down in defeat as she heard footsteps leaving the house. Rose started to pray.

"Please God, let them find me. Let me get out of this woman's house, and away from her sorcery. I don't feel safe here. Come and protect your child from harm. Please send my Pa back to me."

Rose was just about to fall asleep again from being held captive, when she heard an incantation and the cellar door being pulled open and footsteps descending the steps. She was disappointed to see that it was Miss Meyers, who she now knew was a witch.

"Come here, child. I bet you're hungry. I won't hurt you."

Rose didn't believe her. She backed further away from the witch. All of a sudden Miss Meyers lunged for her, and Rose dodged out of the way, ran up the cellar stairs, and slammed the door shut. She knew the cellar door wasn't magically locked anymore, so she ran out of the house, and all was bare without a soul around. She saw her parents house from here, and hurriedly made her way home.