Snipet #11

Willow Falls was a town where most days were as predictable as a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. There wasn't much diversity, there wasn't much rule bending or breaking, even from the teenagers there. Most everyone did as was expected of them, even if it left their stomachs aching, just because it was the thing to do. Evelyn didn't take well to self induced torture, and found it more pleasant to do things her own way, much to the dismay of the residents of Willow Falls.

Parents discouraged their daughters from becoming Evelyn's friend, as she was considered a bad influence. She was different and didn't care about it at all. She flaunted her uniqueness and it frightened most folks in town enough to shy away from her. Some of the young people wanted to get to know her, but suppressed that desire as easily as they suppressed most of their feelings. Most youngsters in Willow Falls wore what their parents told them to, ate what was placed in front of them and washed behind their ears without being told. Most of these children, unlike most kids their age, had never felt cold slimy mud between their toes, had never ate raw rhubarb stolen from their neighbors garden, nor had they dreamed of anything other than what they were told was acceptable. Evelyn had done all these things, and she wore her defiance like a red cloak on a grey day. It's not that Evelyn was a bad girl, because her heart knew compassion and her conscience was a voice she listened to. It was only that her spirit was wild and windblown and couldn't be satisfied. That hardly makes a person bad, it just makes them different, and different is only considered bad if you live in Willow Falls. Unfortunately for Evelyn, that's exactly where she landed when the wind died down on the day she was born, and it was hard to convince anyone of her loving nature. They only saw her strange eyes and one too many fingers and they were convinced the devil had been visited upon them. Only one person in town had the nerve to admit that they were just a bit jealous of Evelyn's freedom and that they longed to look into her wild, unpredictable eyes and that was Percy Cooper.

Percy's parents, William and Irene, ran The Red Button General Store in town as Irene's parents had done before her. They lived their lives with the same cool efficiency most people in Willow Falls did. Their routine was flawless and without deviation. Their store opened promptly at 6:00 am everyday, save for Sunday, which was reserved for worship and family time. Percy didn't remember a day when his parents were too ill to open the store. Percy didn't remember any day or week or month that didn't seem like all the rest, until the day he saw Evelyn for the first time. Percy knew her since they were children, but the day he first really saw her was one he would never forget. It was the day the wind returned to Willow Falls and stirred up memories and brought to the surface unwanted emotions. It was a storm unlike any that had been seen in recent history. Percy didn't know it was Evelyn's 13th birthday at the time, or that this storm was just like the one that raged the day she was born.

The day the wind returned had been pleasant enough, but as dusk had begun to settle things changed. Night was fast approaching as the wind chimes on front porches began to ring and rattle. The skies opened and the storm touched every blade of grass within 3 miles of the General Store. Everyone ran for cover, except for Evelyn. She was drenched, her cotton dress clinging to her in ways Percy only imagined a cotton dress could cling to a young body. She was fearless, running through the storm, laughing as he sat quietly on the porch of the store. She noticed him there, looked toward him and stopped running. She just looked at him, or rather, stared, as the rain poured down on her and the wind threatened to knock her over. Her black hair seemed to be a wild river spread across half her face and back. Her eyes were ablaze and it almost frightened him, but he could not look away. Then she burst out in laughter, and turned away as if she hadn't seen him at all, as if she hadn't just stopped and looked right through him. That was the day Percy decided that if he could have only one thing in the world, it would be Evelyn, and he would sell his soul to have her.