Amish Jedi: In a City Far, Far Away

Episode 9.3 ~ Marty McFly

 It is chilly outside, so we run upstairs to grab jackets. I borrow a brown parka of Megs's that matches my outfit better than my Hufflepuff letterman jacket. Jason's waiting in the hall for me when I emerge, and we walk down the stairs together. When the cab arrives, he holds open the door and rolls down the window for me before getting in himself. I feel like I have my own personal guardian angel. No, my own Edward, only without all the romantic stuff.

"Thanks," I say, rolling down the window on my side.

"You're letting the heat out," the driver grumbles as he pulls down the street. "You'll catch cold."

"I'll be fine. I'm a werewolf."

The cabbie glances in the rearview mirror at me, as if checking to see if I'm insane. 

Jason sniggers.

"You got my joke?" 

"Sarah's a big Twilight fan."

"She hates Austen but she's read Twilight?" 

He nods. "And seen the movies."

I lean back in the seat and tilt my face into the breeze. "I never thought of her as a big reader."

"She's not. Only the one book, well four really. And she's only read it once."

"How is that even possible?" I ask as if I'm talking to Leah. "Every book I love, I've read at least five times. You don't even really know the story in one reading."

Jason is smiling as if this is the most fun day of his life. "I agree, but Sarah has different priorities..." His smile fades and he gazes out his window.

We pass the rest of the drive, each staring out our windows. Every once in a while, Jason will point out a restaurant that's been around forever or a shop. To me, it is all concrete. I miss the hills and cornfields and fireflies. My heart swells with longing and an overcoming loneliness. My family is still there, but what will I do one day when they are all gone and I'm alone. Assuming, of course, that I outlive them or they move away and I'm left single and living in a grossdaddi across the street from him and his wife. 

I shake my head, trying to wipe the thought from my mind. I can't think like that. I'm the oldest of my siblings. Hopefully, I'll die first. Miriam will likely take over the farm. I can live with her and help raise her children or something. Then they can bury me next to Gramps.

"What's wrong?" 

"Hmm?" I snap around, and Jason's staring at me intently. Too intently for me to BS him. "Just thinking of home." There, that's a reason to be down.

The cabbie rolls to a stop. Before I can get my wallet out, Jason pays and the yellow cab consumes another passenger. 

"Why do you keep doing that?" I look up at Jason, squinting at the sunlight over his head. "I can pay for myself."

"I know, but today's my treat to you."

I press my lips together. "Just today."

Jason breaks my gaze and guides me onto a path that weaves through the park. "Do you mind if I ask you about home?"

"If you let me pay for something."

"Very well, you can buy hot dogs later... You miss home?" he presses. 

I nod. "My family is everything to me."

"But you came here?"

I gaze around at the trees—more trees, though they are barren, than I've seen since leaving Ohio. "My life took a turn I couldn't face any longer."