Traveler

Speaker

My eyes scanned the streets warily, the dusty landscape familiar yet somehow concealed. Someone slammed into my side, spinning me around slightly.

"Watch it!" he called roughly.

Anger rose inside me, but a quieter, stronger side of my personality shoved it down. Instead, I shuffled on through the heat, ignoring the man.

Finally, I reached my home and entered, the thin wooden door automatically swinging shut behind me. My mom looked up from her cooking, and I couldn't help but notice the dark circles under her eyes. I put my arms around her in a bear hug, and she weakly held on to them.

"How was school?"

I shrugged, untangling myself from her. "Okay. I guess."

She tilted her head, searching my eyes for what had gone wrong. She didn't even need to ask the question.

"Just more of the same. It's nothing, Mom."

Her eyes got sad. "The threats?"

I nodded.

Our society was sad. Not in the way someone might think, though. It was maybe a little depressing, but what I had decided was that it was just ridiculous. There was no government to speak of, and therefore no law, so people ran around doing whatever they wanted. They could threaten people, carry out on those threats, and do pretty much whatever they wanted to do without any consequences at all.

There were the good people, like my mom and maybe a few others, but when people were let loose to do whatever they wanted, naturally there wouldn't be too many "good" ones.

Everyone knew that my mom was sick. And everyone knew that it took its toll on me, too. Most of all, everyone knew that I didn't have a dad. That made my little family a target for every thug within at least twenty-mile radius.

Not that we had much to give. My mom was a baker, and so we lived mostly on leftovers from her work. If we had a lot of food, it meant that business was bad. If we had only a little, it meant business was good. I never knew which to hope for.

Today it looked like we had plenty of food. I sighed, staring at it. My mom followed my gaze and smiled weakly. She put a hand on my shoulder and I just looked into her blue eyes.

Finally she broke and looked away with a sad little huff of breath. I watched as she navigated her way toward the couch, lowering herself onto the worn cushion even as she patted the area beside her. I sat down beside her obediently.

She grabbed my hand and stared at it, deciding something difficult. I wished I didn’t know what it was. Finally she spoke. "I know you love me, and that's the best thing a mother could ask of her son. But honey, you need to go."

I shook my head resolutely. "You need me. Those threats may be empty now, but as soon as I leave, they'll be very real.

My mom nodded. "I know. But I'm not giving you what you need. I can't. You may not like having to go, but you have talents. Skills. Things that could be used. You could change our world."

I shrugged silently.

"Maybe you don't like it, or want to help at all. But the world needs you. Something needs to be done, or we'll die off just like we did fifty years ago."

"The Splitting Wars are a horrible example, Mom," I protest.

"But a true one."

I shook my head firmly. "I'm not leaving. I can't leave. Plus, where would I go? Not much I can do, anyway."

My mom's eye sparked mischievously, so full of hope I found it hard to argue. "Oh, you'll find a way."

She left to the kitchen again, finishing our dinner. I sat on the couch still, only just realizing how exhausted I'd been.

That was when our door exploded.

~*~*~*~

You're back again! Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse of the Speaker of our group. They all have a different view of their world, as you'll see more in the coming chapters, and each has a different voice.

Also, welcome to the first cliffhanger in our little story!

Please, if you're reading, review! It doesn't have to be a perfect thing that highlights every little thing you like or dislike. Just say something. I really do love reviews.

Anyway, I hope you like Traveler, and keep reading!

~Raine