WIND DANCER

BY CHRISTOPHER TOILKIEN

[ part 2 ]

Inside the rickety old-line shack, the sweat streaked nude little girl saw an unopened one liter plastic bottle of water. It glistened in the dusty beams of sunlight that managed to find their way through the grime-encrusted window. She had been under his thumb for the last two years and knew very well what was required of her to earn it. As had been every other drop of water or morsel of food for the last two years.

Wind Dancer had once been the youngest daughter of a large family that owned acres of fruit trees. Once it had been a collective unit under the communists, but after the fall of the communist system, the family, with the financial help of American relatives, had bought it and ran it since as a very profitable operation. But that meant everyone in the family had to work hard to ensure a successful harvest.

It had been her job, as the youngest and smallest child, to climb up into the trees, checking for bugs and parasites. Snipping off unwanted growth, and at harvest time, collect fruit growing on the higher, thinner limbs.

She had learned to walk out on a limb, balancing herself, fearlessly swing from limb to limb. And even daringly launch herself from tree to tree, without even climbing down.

Then one day just after the pear tree harvest, her father had called her into his office. There she had seen him for the first time. A tall thin man, possibly thirty ears old with what had once been an athletic body succumbing to the ravages of middle age.

"Wind Dancer." For that was her father’s pet name for his youngest daughter.

"Rigori her has watched you perform your daring feats as you assisted with the pear harvest, and has come to me with a rather interesting proposal."

As she had only been eight years old at the time, she had known it was too early for marriage, and wondered what these two adult males had in mind for a little preteen girl.

"Rigori here was once our countries most famous gymnast, winning innumerable medals at the Olympic games." He opened with. "And has offered to train you as an Olympic class gymnast."

"Why me, father?" I inquired, looking up into his eyes.

"Last week I came here to talk to your father about having someone look after the apple orchard on my estate." The new adult male informed me.

"And since your father was out with everyone else in the orchard, drove out there to talk to him. And while I waited for him, saw you performance as you moved around the trees and even leapt fearlessly from tree to tree."

He saw in my eyes, I had no idea what he meant, so he elaborated.

"Most little gymnastic girls your age are not trained to leap and swing as I saw you so easily do, because their bodies are not strong enough, nor is their balancing abilities up to it." He added.

"And because of that, I have returned today and offered my very experienced services to train you as a gymnast."

Since I normally perform my duties in the orchards wearing nothing more than one of my mothers head scarves panties like wrapped up between my thin legs and held in place by a knot at each hip, my face turned bright red. Usually only family members are out in the orchards at this time, or my mother would have not allowed me outside wearing so little.

"Do not worry Wind Dancer." He added. " I only saw you at a distance and your mother made very sure I was not allowed to stay around to see any more of you."

"If you agree, we will go and see your mother, who will have the last word on the subject." My father informed me.

"You can try me out for the next three months, and if you do not like anything about your new home, nor my instruction. You do not have to return after the Christmas season spent back here with your family." He offered.

"Okay, as long as no one will be annoyed at me if I do not want to go back after Christmas." I said. Most little eight-year old girls are not asked to decide their futures while two adult males watch them with expectant faces and batted breaths. But I was, and it took me until I was twelve, and already a famous gymnast, to decide I had made the correct choice.

So off we went to see my mother in the office where she kept all the farm accounts and after both men had made their pitches, we were left alone.

"He promises much." My mother opened with. "Schooling beyond what we could afford to spend on you, with better clothing and accommodations too."

"But on the other hand I would be exposing you to an adult male who just might want you for another reason."

At my tender years, most little girls had no idea about the birds and the bees. Nor what an adult male could do with a little girl left all alone in a big house with him. I did not know then as I am perfectly aware now what she meant, but my mother certainly did.

"Every day you will be picked up and delivered to the same school you attend now, he has promised." She noted.

And I realized she had already decided to agree.

"As your homeroom teacher is my cousin, so one word of maltreatment and we will be coming to retrieve you In a second."

"If you think I will be safe alone with him." I relented, then I will go and try him out between now and Christmas."

My mother then called the two men in and informed them of her decision.

I was sent off to pack my few belongings as the adults worked out the details of the transfer of ownership. For that was what really occurred while I packed my bags. Rigori agreed to invest in new modern equipment to greatly increase productivity, sharing in the increased profits. And I was signed over by my parents as if I was a truckload of produce as a down payment in return.

But I never knew this until I was much older, and it still brings tears to my eyes after all these years.

Right now I was concentrating on practicing one of the first skills he taught me. How a subject little female earns her food and water by performing felletto on the adult male that owns her.