1797 Words
This is a beta version of Enar's Vacation. Changes can - and probably will - be made as a result of reader feedback. I hope you'll enjoy it and I hope you'll take the time to give me some feedback. It will help me make this story the best it can be.
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Enar opened his eyes and for a while he just lay there in the bed; too awake to go back to sleep, too comfortable to get up. Birds sang outside in the orchard and the morning breeze played in the curtains.
Today he'd go on an expedition - a long walk through the forest, and a climb up a big hill. Hopefully it wouldn't be too far. A bit of a hike would be nice, just not too long a one. The more he thought about it, the more he looked forward to it.
Even so, he made no move to get up. The day could wait a little longer. He closed his eyes and listened to the morning. There was no need to rush.
Somewhere outside in the orchard the laughter of children cut through the birdsong. The kids were awake and about. Better get up and get dressed. Before long, someone would come knocking on the door and ask him down to breakfast.
Enar yawned one last time and climbed out of bed. Leaving his pajamas in a pile on the floor he pulled on his jeans, and on bare feet he tiptoed through the little hallway and down the steps, to the washroom.
Last night, just before going to bed, he'd remembered they didn't have running water out here. Grumbling and reluctant he'd grabbed the jug and, lantern in hand, he'd ventured out into the night to fill up.
At the time it had been a bother - an unwanted chore when all he wanted was to sleep. He'd done it though, and a good thing that. No way he could have gone outside in his pajamas - not when others could see him.
Refreshed by the cold water he returned to his bedroom and donned a clean shirt.
Yesterday had been warm and he probably wouldn't need his coat today. He glanced at it where it hung on the back of a chair, hesitated for a moment, and then reached into the pocket and fished out his phone.
He knew he shouldn't be taking pictures. Someone might see him. They probably wouldn't be there just yet though. If he hurried, he could snap some shot before they came to tell him about breakfast.
Parting the curtains he looked out, but couldn't see anyone. A few minutes. It would do. Better hurry.
Enar switched on the phone - no new messages, no coverage - and took a picture of his bedroom. The click from the little camera echoed through the burrow; much louder than the birds outside. Heart beating like a drum he hurried to take another look outside. No one there. No one had heard him. He turned off the sound.
In the kitchen he took two pictures: one showing the little table by the window, and one the old iron stove.
Smiling to himself he headed for the washroom. Too dark. The first picture came out nearly black despite the candle he'd lit earlier. He turned on the flash and took a new picture. Behind him, the door to the burrow banged open.
"Enar, wake up," shouted Elsie. "Breakfast is ready. Mom says you need to come and eat."
His stomach sank and his heart raced. Had she seen the flash? Had she seen the phone? Did she even know what a camera was? What had she seen?
"Enar? Are you there Enar?"
"Yes." He cleared his throat and shoved the phone into the pocket of his jeans, hoping she wouldn't have noticed anything. "Yes, I'm here. Just a moment."
Leaving the washroom he found Elsie standing in the corridor peeking into the bedroom where he'd slept. Perhaps she was curious about his stuff. When he appeared she turned to face him.
"Enar. Breakfast is ready. Mom says you should come eat."
"Yes, yes I will. I was just..." He hesitated. "I was just in the washroom. I was looking for something..." Would she believe that? "I was looking for my socks. You can tell Beired I'll be right down." That'd do it. She had no reason not to believe that.
"But you don't need socks here Enar. It's not winter now."
"Oh..." Stupid. He should have thought of that. No one here were socks. "Well... it's a city fylk thing." He felt his face grow hot again. "Don't worry about it. It's silly."
"Okay. I won't." She paused for a moment. "I promised mom I wouldn't bother you with a lot of questions. I'm not asking too many questions am I?"
Enar smiled. "No no, Elsie, not at all. You're not a bother."
He went into the bedroom, stopped, and try to look as if he was checking for something. He couldn't well drop his phone off here with Elsie standing around looking at him like that. He'd hoped she'd run off to tell Beired he was on his way but apparently the girl didn't think along those lines.
There was nothing for it. He'd have to keep the phone in his pocket for now. He could drop it off later - before he left.
"Very well," he said. "I'm sure I'll find my socks eventually. I won't need them anyway, will I?" He smiled at the little girl. "Shall we head down to breakfast then?"
Elsie looked at him and then glanced at the washroom. Enar's belly grew cold. She had seen something - and he'd been so careful. The girl tugged at her hair and bit her lip.
"Enar," she said eventually. "You forgot to blow out the candle in the washroom. Dad says we shouldn't leave candles burning. It's a waste."
Elsie had run off. As soon as Enar set foot outside she'd darted off down the path through the orchard. He'd looked after her until she'd disappeared, and now he just stood there, taking in the view. Apple trees in bloom, forested hills, and a clear blue morning sky all welcomed him out into the world. This would be a great day.
Enar closed the round door of the burrow, taking care it shut completely. He didn't want any rats or other strange creatures to sneak in while he was out. Not that he'd seen any so far, but you never knew; they might have all manners of strange pests out here. Better safe than sorry.
Smiling, and humming to himself, he set off along the path, following the little girl. He caught up with her by the old pump, where she crouched next to it with her ear pressed to the pipe.
"Are you listening for the sylph?" he asked.
"She says you should bring more water next time Enar. She says if you don't she'll give you mud instead."
"Really?" Enar looked from Elsie to the pump and back to Elsie again. "Well, I guess I'd better do that then. I can't wash in mud now, can I?"
Elsie sat still for a bit, ear still pressed to the pipe. "She says she really means it. Bring more water next time."
"Tell her I will." He started walking again. "Are you coming? Some little girl told me breakfast was ready, and I sure am hungry."
Elsie giggled and ran to catch up with him.
"Enar, what's a tiger?"
"A tiger is a really big cat," he replied. "How come?"
"Is it like a lynx?"
"Yes, sort of like a lynx, only much bigger and with stripes instead of dots."
"There was a lynx here in the orchard this winter and then I was not allowed to go out and play in the snow for a whole week after that."
"Was there really? That's a good thing you stayed inside. You don't want to get eaten by a lynx, do you?"
"I wouldn't have been eaten by the lynx. Anna watches over me and she would have scared the lynx away if it tried to eat me."
Enar hesitated. "Yes. She does..." He grasped for words, trying to think of what to say. "But she doesn't like it when you take unnecessary risks. A lynx is a dangerous animal."
"That's what mom said too." Elsie frowned and walked in silence for a moment, and then she shone up and smiled again. "Do you think there will be a tiger here next winter? I'd like to see a tiger - and a lynx. I'd like to see the lynx too." She skipped ahead a few steps and then waited for him to catch up.
"No. Tigers don't live here in the north. It's too cold for them."
"It's not cold here Enar," she said with a giggle. "Only in the winter. Where do tigers live?"
"They live in the south, on the great savannas, where it's much warmer."
Elsie looked up at him with big eyes. "What's a savanna? Why is it much warmer there?"
Enar caught himself before launching into an explanation of climate zones, ecosystems and animal habitats. "Now you're asking too many questions Elsie. You'll have to talk to your mom and dad about that." He had to watch what he said. His hosts probably wouldn't appreciate it if he put too many new ideas in her head. The little girl was quite a handful already.
"I'm sorry Enar." Elsie walked in silence for a while, occasionally biting her lip. Eventually she looked up at him again. "Why doesn't Linnea like being called a tiger? They must be very beautiful."
"They are. I don't know why she doesn't like it. You'll have to ask her."
"No." Elsie kept her gaze lowered and her skipping lost some of its energy, and then she just walked beside him.
Enar walked in silence for a bit, waiting. "Why not?" he said eventually, when no other explanation had come.
The girl stopped and stared at her feet, one of them kicking against a tuft of grass. "She'll find out I was listening last night and she doesn't like it when I do that."
"Oh..." Quite a handful indeed. He'd better be careful with what he said from now on. You never knew who might be listening.
"Please don't tell anyone." She looked at him with big, pleading, eyes. "I'll get in trouble again."
"I won't," he said. "Don't worry, I won't get you in trouble." He patted her on the head, hoping to comfort her a little. "Come now. I'm hungry. Let's eat."
Questions - Chapter 15
These questions are meant to be answered from memory, based on your first impressions of the chapter. Please do not check back or re-read the chapter before answering.
These questions aren't meant to test if you've paid attention, they're meant to test what kind of impression the story has made on you. As such, any answer is a good answer. If your answer doesn't match with my intention for the story, then it's the fault of my writing, not your fault for not picking up on everything.
Please also bear in mind that some questions may be referring to things mentioned in previous chapters.
Do you feel that this chapter furthered the story, or could it have been skipped, completely or in parts?
Was something in this chapter unclear? If so, was it in a negative or in a positive way?
How do you feel about Elsie?
What's the big deal with the camera?
Is there really a sylph in the pump?