An Unlikely Friend. part 1

Chapter 11: Gracie

Iona

The rumbling of wheels continues to slow and the children huddle together in a dark, cramped container.

“Are they coming again?” Nero asks quietly.

“Shhh.” Iona closes her eyes. We'll be alright...

The rumbling finally stops with one last jerk. The heavy breathing of the children turns the air of the container thick and hot and in moments sounds of sliding metal penetrate the vent holes, which drives their breathing even faster. Heavy footsteps vibrate through the floor, slowly coming closer. When they stop just outside of the container, so does the children’s breathing.

There is a muffled knock on the top of the container. “It’s safe.” The lid of the container cracks open and blinding light floods in around Sosimo who is wearing light beige loosely hanging long sleeves and pants. “Sorry if I scared you,” he says with little emotion and a toothpick hanging out of the corner of his mouth where the scars on his face just touch.

Korbin jumps out first. “Heck no!”

The rest of the children clamber from the container and scramble out the back of a large trailer to the glorious sun and fresh air.

“Was there any trouble?” Ryder asks.

“The containers I hid you in shield Aether, so the Erohsians didn’t detect anything suspicions,” Sosimo says. “It should be safe to ride upfront in Gracie now so stretch your legs a bit and get in. I’d like to put as much distance on these wheels as we can before night.” He closes the trailer and walks towards the front of his well-worn, bulky truck covered in a fading green paint.

“Hey Mr. Sosimo?” Thea says as she steps forward.

Sosimo turns to her. “Yes?”

“I was just thinking,” she looks to the ground for a moment and then at him. “You wouldn’t look so scary if you smiled some times.”

“Is that so?”

“It is. I’ve never meet anyone so sad as you… Well Nero can be pretty sad sometimes and he’s scared a lot, and Korbin was pretty sad when we made him leave his toys, and this one time our pet mouse named mousy died and we were all really sad, and even when I lost my necklace I was really really sad, but I’ve never seen anyone as sad as you. You’re so sad it makes me want to hug you but you’re so big it’s kinda hard.” Thea walks up to him and hugs his leg. “I can barely get my hands around your leg and all, but I’ll still try because maybe you’ll cheer up.” Thea looks at him. “Why are you so sad? Did you lose a pet or something?” Sosimo purses his lips. “Is it because you’re so tall and you always have to bend over to go inside and maybe your back hurts? Or maybe because your truck is so old… you could always buy a new one or at least paint it… It looks like pea soup and I hate pea soup.” She makes scrunched up face and sticks her tongue out.

Sosimo pats her on the head. “You’re so full of life little one. I hope it rubs off.” He turns away and hops into the front of his truck.

Ryder walks up to Thea. “Jeeze Thea, you shouldn’t talk to people you just met like that, it’s rude.”

“Yeah but he’s soooo sad,” Thea says with her hands out and leaning forward. “I just couldn’t stand it anymore.”

Ryder nods. “Yeah he is.” He looks at the grassy, flat landscape and points to a bush. “I’ll race you to the bush!”

Ryder takes off and the rest of the children run after him. When they finish running around, they pile into the truck with Ryder and Iona on the three-person bench seat up front with Sosimo and the others in the back.