Triiffic-Soul: Can I Be In Control?

Chapter 12 – A Day Out.

The day started like any other, but until Jen and George decided to announce that the three of them were going on a trip into the nearby town that day.

Anna asked, “How far away is it?”

“Not too far?” Jen replied.

[Do we know how far?] Red asked, watching the conversation happening but wasn’t paying too close attention.

[About two hours…] Lilly replied. She didn’t know that exact time, but she had tangential evidence based on previous conversations and trips her parents had, and how long it took to return. 

George added, “Don’t worry sweaty, We are going to buy a few things and so we are going to bring the cart. You can sit in it on the way up and back.”

“Okay,” Anna nodded.

The family finished eating their breakfast and got prepared to move out. Jen helped Anna tie her shoes and George hid certain valuables under the flooring.

After that, Jen and Anna stood out in the front of the house while the smacking echoes of wood could be heard. 

With a final, “Got it!” To end the noise.

Soon George walked out from behind the house with an old wooden cart. 

The cart was small, with two wheels and two handles to grab. Anna wasn’t sure if you were supposed to push or pull this particular cart. The basket was big enough to fit one person, maybe two but with a tight fit. 

Anna hopped into the cart, while Jen and George each grabbed one of the handles. Then they started their long journey. Anna distracted herself by staring at the animals, mountains, and trees that came into view. Finally getting a different view of the area where they lived.

[Do you know where we are going?] (Red)

[No, why do you ask?] (White)

[Cause you're the one who is usually active during Mother’s teaching time.]

[Not my fault you refused to pay attention.]

[Last time I checked, I still remembered how to spell, I’m good. So are thou going to answer my question?]

Anna (White) audibly sighed.

Jen asked, “Everything okay, dear?” 

“Yeass.” Anna waved her arm in the back of the cart.

[Fine… no I don’t.] White internally sighed, [Honestly when it comes to where we are living, we have nothing. Besides that, we are along a border and we are from a very small farming town.] 

[...None of the books… that we had access to… have anything either.] Lilly added. The only books that were in the house recently were storybooks, only learning materials were returned and left in the chief house, as they had to be returned the same day.

[So do we have any idea where we are currently living?] (Red)

[Nope, curious you are only asking now though.] (White)

[We have talked about this a little before.] Red said. They had in fact, minimally talked about this topic, but it was mostly concluding they were in a place none of them had been before. 

Besides just saying this wasn’t like their previous home. Red was from a clearly different country altogether, well they all were, but Red clearly didn’t live near White or Lilly.

Small aspects of her dialogue and terminology she used–gifts instead of attributes. There were also cultural differences, with mercenaries being a massive industry and the standards that industry had.

White and Lilly were more private with their past life’s location, but Lilly stated, that if they lived in the place she grew up, even in a small farming town, their lives would be vastly different. 

[But it’s nothing that special really, I just didn’t care, but now that we are leaving town, I would like to know.] (Red)

[... Yeah, we probably should.] (White)

“Where are we going, Mum?” Anna (Red) yelled out.

“No questions for dad?” George sulked.

“Don’t worry, it’s not your fault that I’m more approachable.” Jen smiled and poked George’s right cheek.

George placed his right hand over his heart, “Your words truly hurt me dear…”

“As they should,” She laughed.

Anna (White) asked, “Are… you going to answer the question?”

“Nope,” Jen replied, smiling.

Anna turned to George, and Anna (Red) asked, “Dad, answer the question, if you do, you will move up to first place!”

“In what?” He asked.

Anna stayed silent for a long brief moment.

[What do we say?] (Red)

[I don’t know, you asked the question.] (White)

[Parent status?] (Lilly)

[What, like a–who is the best parent competition?] (White)

[Perfect.] (Red)

“Best parent?”

“I’m not the best already?” He looked back, with fake tears starting to form. 

“You're stuck tied!” 

“With whom?” His comment got a harsher jab from Jen to his face. “Sorry Anna… I seem to be stuck…”

Anna cried, “Mother’s a tyrant!” 

“Ergh!” Jen exclaimed.

Trying to cheer up their child and divert attention from his wife’s emotional beating she was receiving from her child, he replied, “Don’t worry, we are nearly there.”

He whispered to Jen, “Get on the cart. I’m going to leg it.”

“You… don’t need to do that…”

“Just hurry up, it’s going to be another hour at this pace.”

Jen relented and jumped into their very small cart. George asked, “Everyone ready?

“?” Anna had a vague idea of what was about to happen but kept quiet.

“Yes, dear.” Jen grabbed Anna close, “Don’t move much, okay?”

“Okay?” Anna replied. 

“Let’s go!” George grabbed both handles and started running.

“WEeeeee!” Anna yelled.

The second hour of travel time was reduced by half, to a clean thirty minutes–nearly exactly on the dot.

“Ha……… argh……….. Ha……….. Errgh…….. Haa…… We…… Mad……..”

“It’s okay dear, please sit down…” Jen jumped off the cart.

George was on his knees, in front of the town. His body was drenched in sweat and his face crimson red.

“We…. made it…. Pufffffffffffffff, arghhhh.”

Jen concerned said, “Let’s walk…. Okay…” 

Anna also got off the cart and stood next to George, examining him for over a minute, checking his condition.

“Good job Dad.” Anna patted George on the back.

“Al…ll good.” He weakly raised his hand and returned a thumbs up.

Then he collapsed and rolled on the grassy ground.

“...He… will be okay?” Anna (Lilly) asked.

“....yes ... Hopefully,” Jen replied, whispering the last part.

“So what's this place called?” Anna asked.

Jen wore a pained smile. This wasn’t exactly the scenario she planned in her head, but she was going to keep going with it. She stood up and tried to brightly smile and point at the massive old wooden sign, “Ihere!” 

…

[What…?] (White)

“Umm…. that’s a stupid name,” Anna replied.

“Yes, yes it is.” Jen clapped her hands, “That’s the whole joke.”

“That’s why you didn’t tell me earlier?”

“I thought it would be funny?” She raised her arms and shrugged.

Then an arm was raised high, “I told you!” A dying voice called out, “She wouldn’t have your awful, below average, basically non-existent sense of humour.” George groaned before his arm flopped back onto the grass.

Jen yelled back, “I had multiple chances at least!” 

[What’s that supposed to mean?] (Red)

[No idea] (White)

[....] (Lilly)

Jen clapped, “Well anyway, let’s go inside!” 

“But you have to wait until Dad is back up.” Anna pointed at the dying man.

It took another ten minutes before they finally entered the town.