Blurb Book

Space Jump

"That depends on where here is," Sophie answered, dodging the unasked question.

"Nebraska.  Pinpoint, Nebraska," Abby answered.  She began to walk up the steps to a small building with the words City Hall painted on the front but asked no more.  Reluctantly, Nate and Sophie followed.

Inside, Abby rushed around, talking first to one person then the other.  Neither Nate or Sophie said anything.  After a few moments, Sophie heasitantly approached Abby.  "I'm going to to outside real quick, okay?  I need to talk to my friend," she said.

"Alright," Abby answered before turning back to her fiancee.  "They haven't told me where they are from.  I'm a little worried," she whispered before Sophie managed to pull Nate outside. 

They sat on the steps together, staring out over the flat landscape that was so different from their home.  "What are we going to do?" Nate asked.  He pulled his jacket off and laid it on the steps so he could finish drying.  Already what had previously been soaked was reduced to mere patches of dampness.

"I don't know.  As I see it, we have two choices.  One is to go back home but the other is that we could go to California.  I've always wanted to and I know you have too," Sophie said, watching him eagerly for a reaction. 

"Why not?"

"How much money have we got?" she asked, an unbridled smile on her face.  They both dug through their pockets.

"Between the two of us, twenty dollars," Nate said after double counting the bills, "and seventeen cents."

"Let's do this."

"We can't leave right now, that girl will be freaked out,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Nate answered, hanging his head.

They sat in silence for a moment before Sophie perked up.  "What if we say we called Mom then just leave.  She'd think we're fine and we could head out."

"Do you really think it'd work?" Nate asked skeptically, studying his friend from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, I'll tell...Abby, was it?  I'll tell her," Sophie said confidantly.  If anyone could succede with their ruse, it would be Sophie, so Nate said nothing as she stood up and dusted herself off.  "Besides, we have a few hours before Mom will even start to suspect something."

Walking inside, Sophie quickly found Abby, holding hands with a tall brunette man.

"'Scuse me," she said, ever so politely.

"Yes?" Abby asked, turing around with her fiancee.

"I've called my Mom and told her where I am so she'll be here any minute.  Thanks for the ride; it was really sweet of you," Sophie said, even going so far as to duck her head breifly.

"You should be careful next time you decide to go adventuring," Abby admonished.

Sophie nodded her head and pretended to be embarassed.  "Thanks again for the ride," she said before dashing outside. 

Nate stood when he heard Sophie's feet beind him.  He safely tucked their meager supply of money into his back pocket. 

"She bought it. Let's go," Sophie said.  Less than an hour before she had been gloomy and sad but now she was energetic and smiling broadly.  She ran down the steps, two at a time, before she even looked to see if Nate was following her.  He was standing on the second step.  "Aren't you coming?"

"Yeah, I am," he answered, trailing off for a moment before finishing.  "It's just weird, y'know.  I know I'm leaving now.  When we started I didn't but now I do and I feel like it's wrong."

"Dude, We asked to be somewhere else and now we are.  Granted, Nebraska is a far cry from California but it's a start.  How would we even explain this to our parents?  It's worth a shot anyway.  Besides, if we don't get a move on pretty soon, Abby will come back outside and see that I just lied to her.  Do you think she'll belive what happened either?"

"I guess not."

"Alright then, let's go!"  Sophie started walking again.  After a few steps she spun around, still walking, to watch him.  He was walking down the stairs deep in thought.

"Okay, to go, all we've got to do is keep heading west, right?" Nate asked when he caught up.

"Well, probably south a bit too," Sophie added.

"Well, yeah, but mostly west.  Too far south and we might hit theGulf of Mexico instead of the Pacific.

Squinting at the sky, Sophie lead the way west.  The Hall was int the middle of town so the road was nicely paved with a wide sidewalk.  They met only a few people as they travelled.  Everyone smiled and a few people waved as they passed.  Soon, the sidewalk shrank to a curb but the road contintued on west without a bend.

***

Okay, so now I explain where I would go with this.  These two kids would travel to the other coast, hitch hiking and just living happily--well, most of the time.  Back in Indianna, a full scale seach in going on for Nate and Sophie but, since neither brought a phone, they don't know this.  I actually have a fairly solid idea of where I'd be headed with this one.  I had much fun experimenting with this one.   I hope to use it someday.   As always, comments are wonderful!