Generous Spirit
Amber and the other girls laughed at Sara Perkus. Sara was a tall, gawky girl with big eyes and messy hair. “You look like a fucking bag lady, Sara.” She hunched forward and walked faster. Ceciley chimed in: “Run lil bitch, get your skinny ass back to the homeless shelter!” “I bet your mom died of shame from looking at you.” Amber Quinn shouted. The other girls went silent and stared at her open mouthed. Sara felt the tears sting her eyes. She ran, leaving the girls far behind. The path she walked from school to home fell away beneath her pounding feet. When she got to the pine woods she ran off the path and fell sobbing into the pine needles. Her lungs burned. The spring air was warm. Being made fun of she could handle. She had endured some pretty harsh teasing over the years. But when Amber talked about Mama something inside her broke. She rolled on the ground shrieking in elemental agony. Images bombarded her mind. When Mama and she would bake cookies and knit ...