Strawbarries.

"What?" the little girl asked, looking at the bird.
The bird's head bobbed up and down excitedly. The little girl reached out a hand towards the bird. It hopped out of her reach, giving out a chirp. The girl got up and dusted of her dress then scowled at the bird.        
"Look what you've gone and made me do."
The bird seemed to nod again.
"Well I have to go inside. Aren't you gonna eat the worm?"
The said worm was trying to borrow back into the muddy ground where the girl had been kneeling a moment ago. The bird pounced on it. The girl smiled and nodded.
"There you go. Bye bye, bird." the girl said, waving.
She skipped away, clasping a basket of strawberries in her will muddied hand. She looked down at them, contemplating weather she could eat one now. She decided and selected a big, juicy berry. She put it in her mouth then made a face. She spit it out, mud and berry then quickly looked around. She wasn't supposed to spit. The girl decided to save the berries later, after she washed them. She skipped down a hill, skirted a small pond and made her way towards a little white house. The house had no fence to decide where the borders were. The borders were where ever you wanted them to be. A huge oak tree with a tree house in it was the little girls favorite feature. Running up to the porch, she opened the door.
"Mom! Mom, I brought some strawberries from the garden."
She heard a voice answering her.
"Thank you Emma. Come put them in the kitchen."
Emma walked into the kitchen to see her mother, Linsie, mixing something up in the kitchen.
"Hi mom." she said putting the basket on the table.
Linsie smiled at her.
"Had fun playing in the mud?" she asked.
Emma looked hard at the table, rolling a berry in her hand.
"No, I just had to help a worm get a worm out of the ground."
"Is it really muddy outside?"
Emma nodded.
"Really, really muddy."
Linsie put the bowl on the table.
"Why don't you clean them," she picked up a bucket up from the floor. "With this."
Emma pulled it over to her and sat down at one of the chairs.
"Where's Gracie, mom?"
"She isn't feeling very good so she is laying down."
"What's wrong?"
Linsie wiped her hands off on a clothe.
"She's just sick."
Emma began to wash the berries.
"Think she would want some strawberries?"
Linsie nodded.
"Yes, I think so."
"Are you still going to make the strawberry pie?"
Linsie smacked her head.
"Oh, I forgot! I'm sorry, Emma, but I said that I would go to Sara's house to show her how to make my apple pie."
Emma looked disappointed.
"But," Linsie continued. "Maybe you could do it."
"Me?" Emma was not so sure.
"Why not you? I think Gracie would like that. You know how to make it, right."
Emma bit her lip. If there was one thing she hated in life, it would be cooking. But then again, Gracie did make her that doll only yesterday. Emma smiled and nodded.
"Okay, mom, I'll do it."
Linsie smiled at her.
"Now that's my big ten-year-old."
Twenty minuets later, Linsie had left and Emma had just finished washing the berries (and her hands) she took out a knife. Sitting back down at the table, Emma lined up five strawberries and chopped down. She was rewarded by the knife nicking the tip of her finger.
"Ouch!"
She sucked on her finger then washed it. It was a tiny cut, no harm done. She finished cutting up the straw berries and put them in a bowl. She heard someone walking into the kitchen. She turned around and saw Gracie, her older sister standing there. Emma quickly stood in front of her operation.
"Hi, Gracie."
Gracie looked at her questioningly.
"Hello, Emma. Do we have any water in the house?"
Emma nodded and pointed to a bucket beside the front door.
"Yeah, there. Its fresh."
"Thanks."
Gracie took a cup from the kitchen counter and dipped in the bucket.
"Are you feeling better?" Emma asked.
"No, not really. My throat hurts now as well as my head."
"I'm sorry."
Gracie smiled again.
"I'll be fine."
She went back in the living room and Emma turned back to her strawberry creation. Her resolve was strengthened. She walked over to the kitchen counter and got a bowl from it. It was dow that her mother had made the day before. Sprinkling flower on the table, she pored out the dow and began to spread it out on the table. Once it was flattened enough (she thought) she  found a pie pan and put it in. Filling the pie with berries, she put the top layer of dow on. Getting up from the table, she took the pie and put it in the oven.
Waiting was not in character for Emma. People who knew her always said that's why she never burned anything. But suddenly she saw the bird! The same bird she had seen that morning. It was on the window sill, bobbing its little blue head up and down. Emma walked over to it.
"Hello little bird. Did you eat the worm all up."
It chirped.
"Sorry, I don't have anymore."
The bird flew into the big oak tree. Emma watched and saw it land in a nest. Birds fascinated Emma greatly. She ran outside, following it. Standing at bottom of the tree, Emma could barely see its white tail over the brown nest.
Emma smiled then her eyes went wide. Her noise twitched. She smelled something burning then clapped a hand to her head.
"The strawberry pie!"
As she ran towards the house, she could see smoke coming from the window. Breathlessly, she opened the door and to her great disappointment she saw Gracie drawing the blackened pie from the oven. The elder smiled.
"Was this what you were up to?"
Emma walked slowly to the kitchen.
"I'm sorry Gracie. I didn't mean to leave it."
Gracie put it down.
"I heard you and mom talking."
She hugged her younger sister.
"Thank you for making strawberry pie for me, Emma."
"You're welcome, Gracie."

The End.