SUNFLOWER SLUMBER short story Elena Gilbertson Hall // 12 Mae walked through stalks explore as far as her eyes could of wheat taller than her head, see. Later, when she couldn’t hold tickling the top of her auburn her wish in any longer, she sat hair. Pushing through the dense down next to her father. beige forest, she could see the “Can I go with you into the field of sunflowers beckoning fields tomorrow,” Mae asked from a half-mile ahead. The hopefully. setting sunlight trickled through Her father got a stony look on wispy leaves and landed on the his face. flowers, filling them up until they “The fields aren’t a place for looked like glowing yellow orbs. little girls,” he replied shortly. Birds flying above noticed Mae’s Now, Mae remembered her sparkling red hair and wondered nine-year-old self waking up if it was worth diving for. at the break of dawn, pulling a As Mae moved through the wool sweater over her head in field, she developed tunnel vision the chilly morning air. Tiptoeing leading her towards the forbidden down the stairs, she slipped out flowers. She didn’t notice the the back door and began running scratchy wheat stalks leaving red towards the endless opportunity incisions along she believed existed beyond her her pale arms or the scattered family’s wheat plots. She had rocks cutting into her bare feet. gotten so close, but just when the The thick sweetness of the face-sized flowers seemed within warm night air put her into a reach, she felt hands lifting her up. dream-like state The strong hands “She developed as she found carried her kicking herself back and screaming tunnel vision leading on her family’s body back to her her towards the porch on her bedroom -- which seventh birthday. now felt more like forbidden flowers.” Looking over a cage. the expanse of undisturbed A particularly violent scratch farmland, she closed her eyes and from a passing plant jolted Mae blew out her candles, wishing to out of her trance. She was now
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