Not Too Far From Home

Couldn't Keep Up (#2)

10:45 PM: Twinleaf Bus Station

Lucas and his parents were unloading the bags from the bus. Lucas looked around at his surroundings. There was a countryside feel: quaint houses, a paved two-lane road running down the side of the hill, and trees lining the horizon. It seemed like the perfect place to start a journey. Or end it, he supposed. By that time, he was tired to no end and he felt as if his knees would give in. The wheels of the luggage hit the rocky soil on the side of the road, making a crunch as it rolled a little on the ground. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see his dad.

"It's nice, huh?" Rowan asked.

"Sure is," Lucas noted a breeze coming from his right side, a cool one.

"Come on, our house is this way." Rowan pointed down the road, where a suburb appeared to exist. Lucas was eager to enter the house and start sleeping. He dashed down the side of the road, kicking up dirt and sod as he went. His mom and dad stayed back, chuckling a little before walking on towards their house.

10:55 PM: Twinleaf Suburbs

Lucas skidded on his feet, stopping right before a sign that read Twinleaf Center Suburbs. He waited, tapping his toe, wondering why his parents were so slow. He pulled out his phone and read the time. 10:56. Tapping his toe, he removed his berét and wiped the sweat from his head with his arm. Breathing heavily, Lucas plopped down on a bench and pulled out his phone. Checking the news, he found that today's news was of a recent drought that devastated a region. Roria? He didn't know.

Lucas looked up at the stars. They were beautiful tonight, shining and sparkling down the dark black sky. He noticed slightly larger clouds dotting the sky like polka-dots with large, sparse areas between them. He looked at the mountain range in front of him, which could be seen reflecting the light that the quaint houses produced. Finally, his parents came walking down the hill. Breaking his trance, a pair of keys were thrown at him, hitting him in the shoulder.

"Ow, Dad." Lucas scorned at his father, who was chuckling a bit, with his white lab coat seeming to float in the wind.

"Come on, Luke. You gotta be a lot stronger." He sighed. "Our house is over there." He pointed towards a house across the street with a notable green roof. "1007 Chambers St. Unlock it for us."

"Gotcha, Dad." He started walking across the street and went up to the door. Opening it, he released the fresh wood-laden smell of a new house. It had looked like someone had lived in this place before: it was furnished, had new granite countertops, and spare boxes stacked up in the corner. Every surface was laden with a thick layer of dust; obviously not having been used in a number of years. He trekked inside, closing the door behind him, steps making creaks in the hardwood floor below him. It seemed that you could hear a pin drop in these conditions.

Suddenly, the doorknob handle turned, distracting Lucas from the serene foyer. Lucas turned back to see his parents standing, and his mom flipping on the light. The chandelier over the dinner table flickered a little before turning on, with a bulb out on one side.

"Wow..." she grumbled. "Dirt... dust... everywhere. It's disgusting, Rowan."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of dust, Ems."

"I'm- I'm not." Emma looked up at Rowan and whimpered. "It's just..." She straightened her poster and tightened her face, as if speaking in a serious tone. "I don't want Luke to get a dust allergy."

"Come on, he won't!" Rowan facepalmed and turned to Lucas. "How do you think it is?"

"Well it's... um..." Lucas paused for a moment, with a look of confusion on his face. "New. That's all."