Sun Kissed kids

Freedom

“What is it?” asked Rusty in a worried note.

“The ocean, it smells different.”

“How different?” He couldn’t have possibly known the difference and he envied Tristan.

“Its smells of the City,” was Tristan’s answer. A thrill ran down Rusty’s spine’s hearing the tone that Tristan used. “I must find out what happened.” Then he turned towards the door and called Rusty to follow him.

“You mean now? But Sister Anna is expecting us today. Said, there were volunteers coming.”

Tristan swore eloquently and stopped in midstride. “You’re right.”

It has been their habit to help the foundation feed the hungry and care for the sick of the slum. Sister Anna was one of the most active and passionate in helping the slum dwellers. She would call on her family friends and connections to raise money or ask for food and clothes for the needy. Everybody loved Sister Anna and it was also with the help of Tristan that the once a week feeding program was started where volunteers, rich kids with nothing else to do, would visit Sister Anna’s foundation situated at the edge of the slum area with foods or learning materials.

The volunteers must have been late for when they came to the foundation they saw that the place was just being prepared. The food containers were just being carried off from the car into the small building.

Tristan was just entering the gate then, and Rusty had run ahead to help, when his attention was caught by a woman smiling at a little girl standing outside the building. His heart suddenly stopped and everything around him froze. “Mari,” he whispered and he stepped back quickly behind the gate wondering if he should go and present himself to his sister. But fear clutched at his heart and he couldn’t move. Doubt clouded his mind and his feet seemed to move on its own accord as he strode away from the foundation.

It wasn’t until much later that Tristan gained enough courage to go back to the foundation. But, it was a little late because the car earlier was now heading away from the foundation.

“Tristan! Where did you go off to?” called Rusty as he reached the gate.

“That car?” asked Tristan with a sinking heart.

“I was looking all over for you. Sister asked me to follow those two home,” Rusty sounded excited. Well, he should be. It would be his first time to drive away from the slum into the center of the City. “Sister already gave me the key to her car.”

“I’ll drive,” said Tristan and there was a frown on his voice.

“What is it?” asked Rusty.

“They’re heading the wrong way,” said Tristan then before Rusty could he react he was bodily carried to the garage where the car was parked and thrown inside.

Rusty could only grumble in bewilderment as he seated himself more comfortably. “You do know that I hate being man handled,” he whined.

They were already out of the City lights and everything was pitch black around them except the lights from the car ahead of them. “Where are we?” Rusty looked about him with fear in his eyes.

Tristan was unhelpfully silent as they drove further away from the City. Rusty could hear all sorts of horrible sounds that must have come from monsters that were told in the stories. He looked at his silent friend and dared not ask for fear of being thrown out of the car.

They finally stopped, a little further away from the car and they were immediately covered in darkness. Rusty let out a startled squeak and jumped hurriedly out when he saw Tristan’s silhouette heading towards the other car.