A World With/Out Home

Chapter 1: A Baker's dream (Part 1)

"What do you think the world will be like in 400 years?"

The young man smirked as he looked towards the girl who asked the question, "I barely know what will happen tomorrow let alone 400 years." A fire cracked between them.

Another boy close by them laughed, "And why 400 years? That's pretty random. If you're talking time, why not 100 or 1000?"

The girl puffed her cheeks, "I don't know. 400 seemed like a good number okay. Are you going to answer the question or not?"

"Haha well...," the young man's smirk faded to a soft smile. He brushed back his flaxen hair in thought, "Hopefully a nice place I guess."

"That's just like you," the boy who had laughed poked him with a stick before standing gallantly. "No matter if its 400 years or tomorrow, of course this world will be a nice place. Why? Because we're here."

A silence spread across the three. Embarrassed the boy sat back down.

"Well umm," he cleared his throat. "Please don't just stare at me like that."

Unable to contain herself the girl began to giggle and as the young man joined in soon a full blown laughter spread from the fire and into the surrounding night. The cloudless sky shown down on them revealing the stars above and despite the wilderness around them an atmosphere of peace radiated from the sound of their voices. The two continued as the boy blushed indignantly.

"Okay that's enough," he folded his arms. "I was just answering your question anyway."

The girl finally managed to calm herself, "I'm sorry." She sniffed and breathed, "It's just you said that so seriously."

"Well sorry for being serious."

The young man smiled, "No don't be. It was a good answer. Better than mine at least." His eyes gazed into the darkness to where the light of the fire could never reach, across the plane of grass they camped in and towards the forest beyond where the shape of earth began to move. "Besides it's our job, we should be optimistic about it."

As the three began to calm down a new voice entered the fray, "Wow you guys are loud. I could hear you from eons away." The tone of her voice was light and as she entered the light of the fire a clear grin was plastered on her expression. "Sorry I'm late. Though where are the others?"

"They couldn't make it," the girl stood up shaking her head. "We also got a call from the south so they left this to us."

"It's not like we'll need their help anyway," the boy rose to his feet as well, dusting off his pants.

"I wouldn't be so confident," the flaxen haired man said reproachfully. "We're dealing with something pretty troublesome this time so stay sharp."

"I know," the boy waved him away.

The girl who had just arrived looked towards the darkness, "Well since I'm here we'll be fine. And Estile, about your question, 400 years really is a long time but what I can tell you, tomorrow we'll have ourselves a party."

With those words the hidden tension in Estile's body began to fade away, "Right."

And like that, as the now four companions left the warmth of the fire disappearing from sight, so did the dream come to an end.

*

For a baker the day began before the sun rose and this morning was no exception. While the quiet village of Tomph slept, a young man faced a crude awakening. He could practically feel it coming before it happened but it didn't change the fact that he was always too slow to dodge. With a splash the ice cold water spread across his face and in a splutter he rolled from the bed onto the hard wooden floor.