A few called her Ellie only because they knew it would bug her, but everyone knew she preferred Elliot, which completely suited her tomboy attitude. Growing up with three brothers made it necessary to be a little tough, for a prissy girl would not have survived well in this family constellation. The boys indulged her mostly, but occasionally they took great pleasure in torturing her as well.
One brother especially loved to pin her down and tickle her and made her laugh so hard she'd cry. He had hoped that she would be bothered enough to go her own way while he entertained friends. Elliot, naïve as she was, did not get the message. She thought it terribly amusing to spy on her brothers as it helped to pass the time.
Being the youngest and only girl often got very lonely, so she would set off on long walks as far as possible from the household chaos. During one of her late afternoon escapes, she headed into a well-hidden trail just inside the thick forest at the end of her unpaved road.
Behind her and in the distance, her neighbor Murray tried his best to catch up. Trapped within his own yard fencing, he shouted after her, "Hey, Elliot, wait up!"
Elliot kept up her fast pace forward despite him, forest goal straight ahead. She had known Murray like forever as her neighbor, and he’s okay, but Elliot had no interest in actually hanging out with him. She had enough boy vibe at home.
She ventured through the woods’ looming darkness, into a slight clearing surrounded by lots of old, tall pine trees. A river ran through it – a fair volume of water rolled gently over the rounded boulders and river rock. The sun peeked through the treetops at long, misty angles. The dusty rays sparkled as they landed on the water, then broke into fidgety bits and pieces of gold.