The Ballad of Redemption (Promo Sample) Sadigail Fanfic

The Ballad of Redemption Chp. 1

Sadie Morgan

The flickering of light from the oil lamp makes shadows dance around the room where Sadie lay on the cot next to her older brother, Arthur, who is now fast asleep. His low snoring annoys her like no other but being that there are only two bedrooms in the cozy cabin home, there isn't a better option. Though, at this point, she'd rather sleep out in the horse barn than fight this losing battle.

She tosses herself on her side and checks her pocket watch for the time. 12:03 in the morning. She groans and sits up from her stiff cot, throws on Arthur's burly winter coat, and heads outside into the night. Her bare feet touch the fine dirt as the light of the lantern shines through the dark abyss. The moon is full, so it helps illuminate the path to the barn. The sound of crickets and toads fill the silent void, and when she makes it to the large barn doors, she sets the oil lamp down to push them open.

Before she can silently slip inside, two hands are on her waist and Sadie yelps in fear. The sound of girlish laughter rips through the silence.

"Gotcha," Abigail teases.

"What the hell are you doin' up?" Sadie hisses at Abigail. "You scared the hell outta me!"

"I saw your lantern all the way from my room." Abigail plays with Sadie's sandy blond braid. "Why? Do you want me to leave?"

Sadie narrows her eyes at Abigail, whose blue eyes are luminescent from the moon's glow and the handheld flame. Her midnight black hair falls loosely from her updo, and Sadie can't find the strength to send her away. She has a feeling Abigail knows this.

"Come on, then." Sadie pushes the barn door open. "Get in before anyone else wakes up."

Abigail excitedly squeezes inside the warm barn and heads up to Old Boy, her older brother John's horse. Old Boy's coat matches Abigail's obsidian hair, other than the white stripe running down his face and the socks on the bottoms of his legs. Sadie is jealous of John and Old Boy's bond. She could only wish to have her own horse one day. Arthur's horse, Clementine, hates anyone who isn't Arthur or their Pa, and refuses to let anyone else ride her.

"So, what are you doin' up anyway?" Abigail asks while stroking Old Boy's neck.

"Couldn't sleep with Arthur's snorin'." Sadie slowly approaches Abigail. "Why can't Arthur and John room together, and you and I room together?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

The flirtatious look in Abigail's eyes makes Sadie blush. Hard. Abigail slowly approaches Sadie with graceful movements and tilts her head teasingly. Sadie feels the need to reach out and touch Abigail's porcelain skin, just to make sure this moment was really happening. Abigail then slips her arms into Arthur's winter coat and Sadie stops breathing.

"Ah, there they are!" Abigail pulls back and reveals Arthur's pack of smokes. "He always has somma these."

Abigail places a cigarette between her pink lips and strikes a match to light it, putting Sadie in a trance. Sadie tries calming her heart from the close encounter and attempts to play it off by acting responsible.

"We prolly shouldn't smoke in here," Sadie advises.

"I'll be careful."

Abigail seductively wraps her lips around the cigarette and sucks in the tobacco. Sadie hates how attractive she finds this. She hates how Abigail seems to have her wrapped around her pretty little finger. She hates how she's never pined after anyone the way she pines after Abigail.

And she hates that Abigail seems acutely aware of this, only to treat Sadie like a game to be played but never won.

Abigail sucks the cigarette one last time before dipping the end into a water bucket, dousing the cherry flame.