Marco collection

“Marco! Marco get over here this instant!” An older woman called from the cottage, when her son ran off through the door ”Ugh, I’ll never catch up with that rat.” She threw a rag she’d been holding just over her shoulder and turned inside, “Milo go get your brother” “But I got him last time,” “No you didn’t! It was me!” “Yeah right, Lorenzo! He ran off last night and I had to fetch him down in the stream!” “Boys shut up! Go get your brother, we’re leaving in the next hour” “Yes Ma” "ok Ma”. Marco on the other hand was hiding behind the trees. He could tell Ma was not in a good mood, she’d been hustling the family all day and night for today, but Marco wanted to play not pack, packing was for people who had stuff they wanted to bring. Tawny explained to Marco that if you didn’t bring what you wanted you wouldn’t see it ever again, so Marco didn’t pack his five brothers in his bag. He didn’t like them very much.

Today they were moving far away to the big city where Pa worked. Marco never met Pa but his brothers were glad to pack up everything to see him again, and Ma would throw out every old dress to make room for her new city dresses Pa had said he’d bought for her. Marco didn’t like how the city sounded, his brothers said it was bigger than the forest, more people than blades of grass in the field and all the money in the world to make. Chip often sang that he would be a famous actor and make millions, Lorenzo and Charlie were going to start their own business as soon as they moved out, Milo wanted to meet a pretty rich lady and live at the top of a skyscraper, Tawny bragged that he would go to an even bigger city and do accomplish everything his brothers wanted before they all turned thirty and Marco, was still too young to play in his fantasies like his older brothers. 

Being the youngest of five made it hard to get attention, he was often seen more as an annoyance rather than the little brother of the house. Lorenzo and Charlie were the oldest and definitely the favorites, Ma had big hopes and dreams for them. Chip was the most entertaining by far, everywhere he went he was always guaranteed attention, even if it meant fixing up old Mrs. Laurel’s flower stand down in the market trying to show off his sword fighting skills against Charlie. Milo was the lazy sibling and quite the scaredy cat, probably because he was dared to throw rocks at a bee’s nest by Chip so they could get honey for Ma’s biscuits, but as it would turn out a bunch of wasps came out of that bees nest and poor Milo never got a lick of honey, just a lot of red bumps. And Marco’s favorite brother was Tawny, Tawny was awesome! He was super fast, taller than Lorenzo, and he always stood up for Marco. When Marco grew up he wanted to be just like Tawny. 

“There you are,” Lorenzo said, towering over Marco from his hiding spot, “Gotcha!” Milo shouted, grabbing Marco from beneath his arms. “AH” Marco wiggled and squirmed against his brother’s grip. “Stop squirming!” But Marco managed to wiggle free and hop out of his brother’s grasp. Lorenzo tried to grab Marco’s arm but wasn’t fast enough, and Marco ran through the trees. “Idiot!” He heard Lorenzo snap at Milo. Marco ran across the roots of all the trees, over every hole and branch, but his taller brothers were catching up fast. Quickly Marco Grabbed onto the bark of a big tree and started to climb. His brothers made it to the base of the tree by the time Marco reached the first branch, he heard them cursing and bribing the other to climb up followed by more cursing. “Marco Come down!” Milo yelled. “No!” Maro shouted back, pausing his climbing to look down at them. Lorenzo took a deep sigh and started to climb, and he was soon to be followed by the less sure Milo.

“Common Marco! We’re leaving today!” Lorenzo called when he made it to the first branch “I don’t want to go! I want to stay here!” Marco called from higher in the tree, He could hear his brothers huffing and puffing but Marco wouldn't come down, not for either of them. He climbed up a few more branches when a thin branch snapped below him and Marco fell. “Marco!” Lorenzo screamed. Quickly Milo leaped to another branch and caught Marco just barely by the back of his overalls. His heart was racing and his eyes were filled with tears.

Marco was still squirming and wrestling to get out of Milo’s grasp between sobs, but Milo’s grip was frozen shut with shock. Lorenzo ended up taking Milo the rest of the way home while Milo let out his lunch behind a shrub. When the boys made it to the house again Ma was too busy digging out things Chip had managed to sneak into the cart that she told him not to bring. Marco spotted his stuffed rabbit toy still sitting where he left it by the house. Lorenzo unleashed him and Marco ran to his Plush rabbit picking it up to give it a big hug. 

“There you are, ' Marco heard behind him. “Tawny!” Marco ran inside the empty house where Tawny was checking the last of the rooms for belongings