ARRIVAL (ERA 1)

14 | Underway

            "And here is where they set up the stage." Tria points to the large field behind the school. "It's for the Winterberry musical."

Tria enrolled me in her official Winterberry tour. Holly wreaths, tall pines, mint sticks, jingle bells –everywhere you look it is Christmas. The rows of crooked houses are adorned with candles and wreaths, some even with colored lights. All the lampposts are dressed with strands of holly-infested garland.

Tria and I made a pit stop at the Confectionary for an extraordinarily sapid peppermint and sugarcane cocoa. It's called CocoMint.

My hand is clenched around the warm mug as Tria shows me the school up close. It's rustic like the hospital, smaller than any school I remember but bigger than a one-room schoolhouse.

"Ev? Are you even listening to me?" Tria's melodic voice penetrates my introspection.

"S–sorry. I am." I blush.

She eyes me momentarily before continuing on with her spiel.

"Over there is where the orchestra sets up. Oh, they're always the best part. Christmas hymns are my favorite."

"What hymns do you sing here?" I ask her, trying to make up for not paying attention.

I remember loving Christmas carols. Curling up by the fire, and singing about Christmas was one of my favorite things to do.

"Hmm, let's see. There's the First Noel –I like that one, the Holly and the Ivy, Deck the Halls." She pauses, and bites her lip. "Oh and my favorite –Silent Night! There's more but those are the popular ones."

"I know most of those!" I sigh in relief.

I'm in good shape. Slightly bewildered yet impressed that such carols and hymns have lasted the Dark Age.

"Come on, one more stop." Tria pulls me across the Square to the Post.

Inside, it's decorated just the same as everywhere else, except there's an added overflow of people huddled in long lines –waiting for Jack and Jade. Holidays always take over the post office. Tria marches up to the counter.

There's a glass table against the far wall with stacks of papers and pamphlets. Reaching out, I pick up the first pamphlet I see: Regional RiverRoad Rail (RRR).

I flip through the booklet and study an intense, detailed schedule for the riverroads. I remember William telling me about this but I had no idea it would be so complex. I fold up the parchment and stick it in my coat pocket –planning to read it later.

I recognize a familiar brochure. On the cover are the shining faces of nine refugees. It's the exposé. My exposé. My 15 minutes of unwanted fame. I pocket it along with my riverroad schedule. I canvas the remaining advertisements and my eyes fall on a festive banner of sorts: the Berry Ball program.

"You ought to grab one of those. Look it over. I reckon you'll need it." Tria nods to the paper to which my eyes are glued. She leaves the counter with a tiny parcel wrapped and tied with thin golden ribbons.

"Good idea." I add it to my collection. "What's that?" I eye the package in her hand. My eyes scan over the wrapping, stopping on the crest of the town over.

"My early gift," she giggles. Tria watches me as I raise my brow and wait for an explanation. "Oh, don't look at me like that. It's from a friend."

"Mmhm," I sigh, rolling my eyes.

"Are you ready to decorate the Refinery? Come on, Adara wanted us over there an hour ago! You know she's not going to decorate on her own," she hisses.