Throat raw, I take a long deep breath my screams fading away. I feel better, energy released the rage gone. I can focus on my tasks once again. Stomping several times in place, I rush giddily towards the chicken coop. It's closer to the main house than the wood pile where I got the snakes. There are two routes I can go. Back through the fence gate next to the storage unit where I follow the fence to get there. Or I can go the shortcut route I found a while back. It's following the forest rather than the fence, and I can get straight to the chicken coop. 

I go to the little forest often to release animals and bugs. So I've had to find alternative routes to get where I need. I hop from stone to stone, dancing under the leaves giggling and laughing. The folic through the forest is short-lived. The fence is made of wires and wood and is as tall as I am. I had a rock propped against a pole but the wind must have moved it. Looking around I cry in glee as I find it, rolling it back in its spot. Then I stand on top of it, push myself atop the pole, and slide down to the other side. "Yeeeee!" I cry out in joy spinning around and around until I get a bit sick. 

I follow the dirt road, darting from tree to tree looking for any dropped fruit. As long as there are no bugs they are a tasty treat and if they do, I can give them to the chickens or dogs. Speaking of dogs, there's a bunch of barking and yapping in the distance. I peek from behind a tree watching the pack surround two people talking on the main driveway. This reminds me lunch should be happening soon... we all had a bit of a late start today, due to that storm last night. And I also got distracted by the snakes, the chickens must be starving. I hurry off getting there as quickly as I can. 

The chicken coop is a decent-sized building with an indoor and outdoor area for them. There are no roosters only hens in this coop, most of them a fluffy black puff ball but we have a few browns and white hens. A total of eleven hens all healthy and happy but getting on in age. Outside they have a water fountain and several chicken toys. I open the wire fence, using my feet to stop them from escaping. Cooing and fluttering around me, they demanded attention and food. "Calm down, I'm getting it." 

Tossing the fruits I've found, I head to the indoor coop. Hay and straw litter the chicken-stained floor, the wood pillars need to be scrubbed, and their roosts could use new straw for their nests. Under their roosts is an extra water bin for them to have at night, it has an automatic filter in it but I still check it every day. At the end of the long building is a storage closet where we keep brooms, extra filters, food, and chicken pampering tools. 

Once I get to the outdoor coop, I toss corn, grain, and crickets. The chickens immediately went after them, excited to eat their breakfast lunch. I place a few small pumpkins for them to peck at, and check the little mirror toy I created a year ago. It does need to be checked in case the chickens broke a mirror, and cleaned from the wind-blown dust and dirt. They may be chickens and definitely not the smartest ones, but I want them to have a good life. One full of happiness and stimuli. 

I sit down on my flat stone, crossing my legs and waiting for them to come to me. It takes a little bit, seeing how they are hungry, but one of the older chickens crawls into my lap fluffing up her feathers and waiting for me. I have a special chicken brush, chicken nail clippers, and special treats. Once I finish with her I give her one of the treats and let her down. Over and over again I do this until all the chickens had their turn. 

A voice shouts, "Julie! It's time for lunch!" Unlike other people who say they can tell who's speaking just by their voice, I can't. All I know is it's a female voice, and seeing how they know my special nickname it has to be either Auntie or Jill. Since being near chickens is bad for pregnant women,  I have to assume it's Jill who is calling out my name. 

"Coming!" I shout, putting all the tools up before leaving the coop. I'm locking the door when someone wraps their arms over my shoulder pushing against me. "There you are!" Jill shouts clinging to my arm and pulling me up to her side. Now that I can physically see her, I recognize her voice and face. As I re-remember her face I notice something is off. I'm not good at telling emotions, but I can easily see past her smile. Her voice shakes with anger, and her grip on me is a bit tense like she's trying to keep herself steady. Who is she mad at?  

"Jill, slow down," A male voice calls behind us. I only get a peek before Jill keeps my head forward. I was able to get a peek. It seems Jack has inquired about our sister's rage once again. 

I whisper, "Why are you mad?" 

 

Jill grits her teeth, "I'm not mad. Let's go get some lunch now." 

"Ok," 

I glance at Jack, shaking my head. Jack is taller than me but shorter than Jill. He's built a lot like our Uncle with wide shoulders and strong muscles that tighten his neck and limbs. His soft hazel brown eyes were the color of a chestnut tree's bark. He's wearing his favorite jeans and grey teal shirt. Slung over his side his annoying leather backpack. He tries to mouth back at me, but I can't understand what he's saying. I shrug turning back around to Jill. 

Jill is therapeutically brushing my head like one would a cat, "Auntie has made some delicious sandwiches for lunch." 

"Did she make mine without Mayo and mustard?" I don't like wet condiments on my sandwiches. It just tastes offputting when on dry bread. It's silly I know, but if I can't stand the texture of something, I can't eat it. It's physically repulsive and I have to fight back my instincts to puke. 

"Auntie always puts yours to the side, you better eat the crust today." 

"I will," I giggle, "How are you today?" 

"Fine, I got up late. But it seems everyone kinda had a late start today. Oh," She leans down whispering in my ear, "You still game for the night jog?" 

She's talking about us getting to the nearby town to watch movies. Jill's not allowed to leave without Jack, Uncle, or Auntie, but Jill hates being watched so she takes me with her on her escapades. I don't mind really, it's fun exploring the world beyond these fences. We get snacks, watch fun movies, visit stores, and then at the end of the day Uncle finds us and scolds us for escaping. But he still lets me keep the stuff we buy. 

I was sat down once by Auntie, and she told me that while I didn't have to tell uncle if we were running, to tell her and borrow her phone. I don't have one yet, don't care much about having one. She knows I'm not going to betray my sister, and she's understanding of Jill's situation. However, if something really bad happens I can call my uncle and get help.

"They are watching you," I whisper back. Not untrue, since our last escape Uncle has put some alarms on her window and door. 

"Not the past few days, the storm made them lax. The new movie for Fortune Kills is out. I need to see it, and I don't want the hovering birds to tell me what to do." She kicks at another stone, "I have a job, I go to school, I take all my medicine. They don't have a right to stop me! I need space, I need fun. You in?" 

I shrug," Alight, I'm happy to join you. Oh, let me tell you about the Mew snakes I saw today." I tell her my story, and halfway through it, Jill gets furious. "That old man! I told him so many times you're not stupid or crippled. You have Autism!" She kicks at the same stone, "Are you alright?" 

I smile, "I am now." I was a bit hurt, but hearing Jill get mad at Cranky always makes me feel better. "I know I'm different, it takes me a lot longer to learn social skills. And I misunderstand situations all the time, I can't say I wasn't in the wrong either."  

"You are not in the wrong, you try hard. I don't understand I'm sure no one really can understand what it's like to be you, but I know in my heart you are trying your hardest! I'm going to talk to Auntie and fix his attitude." 

"Thank you," I giggle leaning against her. 

"You are...." She doesn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Suddenly I am swept off my feet and slung over a wide pair of shoulders. I gasp from surprise, my eyes unfocusing and blurring with stars. The ground below me rushes by, and my stomach twists in pain from being held wrong and being dizzy. 

Jack shouts something, his and Jill's voices mingling together. Closing my eyes I press my hands to my ears, clinging to Jack as tightly as I can.