Logs-Little Pumpkin

Garden
Autumn has settled over the Bree-lands, and has brought with it cooler weather.
There are remnants in this garden of the summer that was, as most of the
plants still grow, though any vegetables have long since been picked. One
crop that is still seen is the pumpkin. Though not numerous, there are a
couple of pumpkins here and there in various shades of orange.

Obvious exits:
West leads to Stone Houses.
Up leads to South Row.

================================== Bree Time ==================================
Real time: Mon Nov 17 03:49:55 2003
Bree time: Mid Afternoon <about 4 PM (tea time)> on Mersday of Autumn -
September 22,1430
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous Moon

Breelands Weather
The mid afternoon autumn air is cool but pleasant around you. A misty rain
comes down from the day sky.
===============================================================================

What little sun there is peeks from behind thick clouds and now hangs low on
the horizon. A light misty rain falls from the sky, causing the air to be
damp and cool, but not all together unpleasent for those who enjoy such
things.

Megan Tasselberry seems to have wandered into the garden, her basket on her
arm as if she were preparing to have an afternoon tea, though now stands in
the middle of the area, the rain dusting her shoulders and her hood as she
stands perfectly still as if in a trance. Maybe she's lost? Maybe she's
forgotten what she's doing?

"No, -you- carry it!" a boy's voice comes from somewhere at the far end of the
garden. "This was your idea."
The response, in a piping soprano, is, "But it's big and heavy and ... shh!
Someone's coming!" There's a scuffling sound and a sudden quivering of leaves
and spray of raindrops, and if Megan emerges from her trance she might notice
two little figures crouching behind the pumpkin patch, the one with the
ginger pigtails cradling something large, round and equally orange: a ripe
pumpkin.

Megan, as soon as she hears the voices, is snapped out of her trance, shaking
her head lightly so the hood falls and reveals her mess of brown curls.
Carefully and quietly she places the basket somewhere dry and creeps in the
direction of the voices. An amused, curious and somewhat mischevious smile
lights up her face- though it might seem difficult that she's able to express
all these emotions at one, she somehow manages. "Betsy? What are you doing
over there with that pumpkin?!"

At the sound of Megan's voice, Betsy's pigtails tremble, and her little face
flushes. "I was - I was borrowing it," she manages eventually, coming out of
her tongue-tied state. "What are you doing out in the rain?"
Behind her, the hedge heaves and shakes, and when she turns round, it is to see
the green breeches of her partner-in-crime disappearing through a gap. She
looks down at the pumpkin in her hands and back to Megan, lower lip starting
to tremble at being 'abandoned'.

Megan makes her way over to the pumpkin, eyebrows raised in question.
"Borrowing a pumpkin? Whatever for? And besides that, there's plenty of other
things you could have said you were doing with it. You could have said it was
your pumpkin and you were taking it back to your grandda.. could have said
your neighbour told you to go pick it up.." Megan speaks like one who is a
professional in the field of... lying?

Megan glances up as Betsy's partner in crime flees, and a disappointed look
appears on her face, her head shaking once. "Now that's not right! That's not
fair at all!" Megan crouches down, looking at the pumpkin. "Now don't you
worry at all, I'm not going to tell anyone, and I'll help you take it
somewhere with you if you'd like.."

"It was for - for the art display at the school," she eventually forces out.
"Johnny and me, we thought we'd make a Pumpkin man ... Oh, why did he go and
leave me?" She stamps her foot, then turns to Megan, her bright brown eyes
innocent. "Will you help me? I don't think Granda would understand, you
know," and with that confession she thrusts the pumpkin into Megan's hands.
"What do we do now? And you -still- didn't say why you're out in the rain,"
she reminds the older girl.

"Oh, Well that makes a bit more sense! I don't see why you didnt' just say that
in the first place.." Megan takes a closer look at the girl, to be sure she's
not lying. "Maybe he was scared I'd get you in trouble so he abandoned you.."
The Breegirl laughs at the thought of getting /anyone/ in trouble. "I'll help
you, and I'm also sure I could make him understand..." she takes the pumpkin
with a light frown, then gives the girl a shrug. "Well, where do you want to
take it, and we'll go there!" for a moment, she says nothing on the question,
before giving another shrug. "I was meant to meet someone here, for afternoon
tea, but it's raining.. and they're not here anyway..." her voice is sad for
a moment, before brightning. "So, where to!?"

Betsy regards Megan quizzically. "Well, we thought we'd take it to the shed
behind Johnny's house," she begins - and then an elderly male voice echoes
from the direction of the road: "Betsy? Where have ye got to? Yer ma says
tea's on the table."
Betsy jumps, utters a sharp, "Oh!" and glances worriedly round. "Perhaps /you/
could take it there?" she suggests hopefully to Megan. "An' then the rain
might have cleared up and you an' your friend could have proper tea here."

Megan's attention shifts to the road and she nearly drops the pumpkin on the
ground in surprise. "But I don't know where Johnny's house is! Maybe I should
take it to my house and you can come round and pick it up when you want
it..." Megan stands on her tip-toes, the pumpkin hugged close to her chest as
she tries to see who's out on the road so she might offer a greeting. "And I
don't think they'll be coming, it's too late now anyway, and raining...I'm
sure I'll see them another time.." she says with a dismissive shrug

"That would work," Betsy agrees, and then the voice shouts again. "Betsy!"
There is the sound of footsteps, and the garden gate creaks. "It's granda!"
the little girl exclaims. "I'd better go, or he'll be all grumpy - and mama
would be -so- cross. Thank you, Megan!" And without another word she skips
across the lawn, leaving Megan with pumpkin in hand.

Megan gives a gentle smile, though it's obvious that her mind is elsewhere-
focusing on something other than the theft of pumpkins. As the gate open she
turns, an innocent smile on her face. "Good afternoon Mr.. Bramble...
fl...ee.. ee.. ce.." she draws out the last name, looking for comfirmation as
she goes so that she might suddenly change the direction of her
pronounciation should she be going astray. "See you later, Betsy. Enjoy your
dinner.." another gentle smile, before she wanders back to where her basket
lies

"Why, it's Miss Tassleberry!" the figure who's just entered the garden (it is
indeed Hugh, stooped and rain-speckled) exclaims. "Aye, Bramblefleece, that's
right," his head dips in a nod, which might help hide the fact that he's
scowling. "Can't stay, dinner's waitin'." And then to the little figure
that's just skipped up to put her hand in his, "Well, young'un, what've ye
bin up to, eh?"

"See, I knew I'd remember eventually!" There's somthing sombre in her tone-
perhaps lacking its usual bright and playful quality, though she manages to
mask this well enough.. "Understandable.. me, I'm having pumpkin soup
tonight. Farewell!" Megan waves a hand and watches as they leave, a moment
later picking up her own basket and, struggling between the pumpkin and the
basket, she struggles her way back home.

"But-" Betsy squeaks, twisting her little head round, and then understanding
dawns. "Oh - right," she mumbles as she's tugged along behind her granda,
who's fortunately too busy rushing her home to ask her what's wrong. A moment
later the curtain of drizzle has parted Bramblefleeces and Megan from view.