The next generation- where we go from here

Tammins pastor

Sage pov
I had caught a ride with a truck driver all the way to Tammins. but then he was headed south to Sumner. So I had to find my own ride. So back to hitch hiking. The Queen family had given me a scarf, fingerless gloves and beanie when I left them.

I held my thumb out, but the driver sped out splashing cold icy water on me. I muttered to myself and kept walking. I checked my watch, curfew was going to start soon. I had to find shelter.

I kept trudgen in the snow drift till I came to a small church. There was an old pickup truck in the driveway. I went up to the sanctuary door and it was unlocked. I knocked as much snow off my boots and then went inside.

"Hello?" I called.

No one responded. I went to one of the pews and sat down and prayed.

"Excuse me!" I heard. I looked up and was a man about my father's age.

"Yes sir?" I asked.

"What are you doin' here so late?" He asked.

"Um I was looking for a place to stay for curfew. Could I stay here?" I asked.

"What's your name son?" He asked.

"Sage." I said.

"I'm Rev. Elijas Thomas." He said. "So what brings you to my humble little church?" He asked.

"I'm trying to get home by Christmas. I'm from Angels, but I was a soldier in Waverley. I was captured and held in a shipping container for a week before I was taken to execution. Yet another soldier knocked me unconscious and stole my cloths. He even took my dog tags." I said.

"What happened after that?" He asked.

"I then had to run through the streets of New Waverley in a short sleeve shirt and my pants. I found my cousin's house and took some of her husband's cloths. I ate some of there canned food because I was so hungry. I probably would have stuck my head under the faucet if the water was turned on. But I took some water bottles. I then made my way west. I got a ride from a truck driver he drove me to the town other then he had to head south so I was let off and I started walking till I came here." I said.

"Well you can stay with me for the night then I can drive you to town." He said.

"Thank you sir." I said.

He took me to his house which was right down the road. We went in and I took my boots and jacket off.

"Are you hungry I could whip something up?" Elijah asked.

"Sure." I said as I took my jacket off and hung it up.

I took my scarf and beanie off also and hung them off.

I went to the kitchen and helped Elijah with dinner. We both are in the living room. Elijah turned the tv on so we could watch the report.

"Did you hear Prince Sage died?" Elijah asked.

"I did." I said.

"Did you know him?"

"I knew him, I knew him very well." I said.

Dimitri came on. He went over the normal war update and economic updates. "And finally Prince Sage's funeral will start at Ten am tomorrow and that is west coast time. Good night Illea." Dimitri said then signed off.

I got up and left the room.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked me.

"No I'm not. I feel terrible, my parents and the rest of my family think I'm dead when I'm standing right here alive and healthy. My parents and my wife are probably devastated. My parents think they've lost both of their children with in the corse of two years. My wife has probably sunk back into depression and that's not good. I pray she hasn't cut her wrist. And poor Regina has never met me. I've never met her because I was deployed when she was born." I ranted.

"Your Prince Sage." Elijah said.

"I am, I've got the tattoos to prove it." I said. "I was supposed to get home on Christmas and I promised I would see them on Christmas Day. And I'm not one to break a promise. I've always kept my word." I said.

"I'll help you." Elijah said.

"Thank you." I yawned.

"We can leave in the morning." Elijah said.

"I'd actually like to watch my funeral. I mean how many people alive can say they've seen their own funeral." I said.

"There's something wrong with you." Elijah said.

"I'm the way God made me." I said.

Elijah laughed. "Let me show you the guest bedroom." He said.

I got ready for bed then climbed into bed and went to sleep.