Wider Fields

Chapter 1

"And if you have any further questions... I would be happy to answer them." My eyes scanned the tour group from under my ranger hat, looking for raised hands or puzzled looks. It was a rather small group, and seeing how no one was paying attention to me, I told them where the exit was located and to have a nice day. After making sure everyone exited the caves, I too, left them behind and turned out the bright lights. I heaved out a sigh, and went to clock out and wait for my mom to pick me up from work.

It wasn't that my job was particularly difficult or stressful, or that I didn't like what she was doing, rather, it was the early mornings every day. It was the same rude tourists who would tell me how to do my job, and it was the tight collar of my uniform that bothered me the most.

When my mother picked me up, I was a bit resentful, as I always am. I know that when the car ride begins so does my average everyday home life. That bothers me more than the rude tourists and uncomfortable uniforms. I has to go home, and, well, be at home.

"How was work?" My mom asked like she always did.
"It was fine, it was typical."
"You can't be getting bored of the job already? You only just started!"
"I've already memorized the three tours I am allowed to guide, I know the park map better than my own neighborhood, and I know all the answers to any questions that any one could ask about the caves!"
"Well honey, that just means you are good at what you do."
"But I don't do enough! Work is fine and fun and I love teaching about the caves, but I hate the people that are there, they don't really appreciate the park, it's just an attraction to them!"
"To most of them, yes it is. But what about that one little girl? Last week?" I rolled her eyes. The girl was about 10 and said she found me to be so cool that she wanted to grow up and be just like me.

"You will always meet people who don't care, most of them never will, but you can't let that stop you."

~~~

The following day

~~~

Sun shone brightly through the cracks of the trees, tossing shadows on the ground like people throw candy at parades. There was no breeze today, but it was hardly necessary considering how the cool air from the caves rushed over to picnic are, enveloping everyone on their lunch break in a frigid entanglement.

"It's chilly over here." A faint voice said. "Mind if I sit with you?"
I gestured for the stranger to sit down, being as welcoming as possible. I stared for a moment trying to place where she knew him from. He was young, really young. He was probably sixteen, a year younger than me.
"You're one of the new hires, right?" She finally asked.
"Yeah, first day was last week, I'm doing my first tour today." He said.
"Whose tours are you shadowing?"
"Katie? Cad-eh? I don't know how it's said but the sheet said C-A-D-E."
"Oh! You'll be shadowing me then! And it's pronounced K-A-I-D."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Rishi!"

We talked a for the rest of our lunch break. I learned that he had moved here from Michigan two years ago, and that mother worked as a Lawyer and his father was an elementary art teacher. He applied to work at the Caves and Caverns National Park because his parents were never home and he felt like his summer was wasting away.

At the end of the break I showed him to where we wait for our tour group to assemble. The group was small with no more than 20 people and they clambered loudly about various things. One said he had been on this tour so much he had memorized it, which was a lie because I'm the only one who runs this tour and I've never seen him before. He was telling a woman next to him about how he has a life time pass, which doesn't exist, and that he knows all of the workers names. When she wasn't looking he quickly looked over at me and Rishi and read our name tags, and then told the girl who we were.
"Discretely... Take off your name tag." I whispered to Rishi behind the gazebo pillar. He did so and I did too.

"Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful day! My name is Abigail and this is my trainee Cole!" I spoke loudly and lied about names, watching the man the entire time, and laughing under my breath when the woman he was trying to impress glared at him inquisitively and then ignored him.

I went over the safety procedures and the rules about not touching cave walls, and then motioned for everyone to follow me and "Cole" down to the entrance. Rishi played along well, and was very responsive to the name when guests asked questions or needed to get our attention. The next three tours went well, and Rishi even led the first half of the last one.

As we were walking to the offices to clock out for the night, we began to talk about things other than the national park.
"Do you want to come over to my house today?" He asked.
"You drive?"
"Yeah, I just started a couple of months ago."
"How do you have a car?"
"It was my older sister's and then she got a brand new Honda as a college graduation present."
"Oh wow. That's awesome! What did she major in?"
"Theatre, she actually just got a role in a commercial. Doesn't pay much, but it's a start. Anyway, did you want to come over to my house today?"
"Oh yeah, sure, would you be able to give me a ride back home."
"Yeah that's no problem, and me parents won't be home at all. Is that okay?" I nodded and we went to his car, which was a good condition blue beetle. Clearly something a 19 year old sister would dream of having, and then ditch for something more practical.

His home was less than 5 minutes away from the edges of the park reservation, and his home was beautiful. It was super expensive like I expected with his mom being a lawyer, it was just nice. It had great decorations and pictures of his family, and his dog was so friendly and sweet.
"Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee? Tea?"
"Tea would be fine. Thank you." I had always been an avid tea drinker and was pleased to be able to have something familiar considering how awkward it felt at this house.
"Which kind?" He asked after putting the kettle on.
"What are my options?" He gestured to a small closet door and as I folded it back I saw the biggest collection of tea I could ever have hoped for. There were boxes stacked on boxes of bagged tea and loose leaf tea. Tea I had at home and teas that were in another language. The shelves were stocked with hundred of different flavors and the bottom shelf had a basket of whimsical infusers and bag holders as well as cane sugar and different kinds of honey.

I can honestly say I never felt more at ease. I had always had pretty bad social anxiety, and I only accepted his invitation because my therapist advised I got out with friends more. I had been jittery the entire car ride here and I didn't stop feeling so strange until I saw about every tea imaginable. Something about how the aroma that seeped out of that cupboard put me at ease for the rest of the day. And it turned out to be a very eventful rest of the day.

~~~

Hello everyone! I hoped you've enjoyed my first chapter so far! This one is a bit slow but the story picks way up from here! Feel free to leave comments and ask questions, I will try to respond to them all! Thank you so much for reading!

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