“Have no fear. I will make sure that you have your own room as we wait for transportation and, if necessary, we will sleep in the streets so that you are taken care of properly. Right, Mason?” Poking Mason in the leg to help make his point Fergus received an Uh-hmm from Mason in response.
“Okay, something else you need to be aware of while we’re in the wild world. There are, unfortunately, some not very nice people out there. I know you are both familiar with handguns, rifles and the like. We may run across people who use them to bully people, or worse. We will do what we can to stay out of those situations. But remember, Do Not get into an altercation with someone with a gun. Too much can happen too fast that can never be taken back.”
Fergus spent quite some time discussing some of the things he hoped to show them as they travelled. He thought they would try for parts of Europe that had finally finished squabbling over imaginary borders and had decided to instead pour their energies into catching the rebels and bandits that had made the area unsafe to outsiders for several generations. “Perhaps we can uncover a few tales that have escaped the net. I’d also like to see some of the castles in those regions. There were so many of the really old buildings lost during the Incidents that the few remaining ones are treasures. I think you’d enjoy seeing the places where the knights and ladies from our tales actually walked. Maybe Mason can find a sword to pull from a stone.” As Fergus laughed at his joke Mason rolled his eyes and opened a bottle of juice. Looking at his watch Fergus exclaimed, “Oh my! I’ve really let this go on too long. I’ve got to go inform the Uppers, I mean the Council, of our proposed travel plans.” He got up and asked them to meet in the travel storage room in the morning so they could go over their supplies. After saying good bye, Fergus left the Library at a trot to keep from receiving a tongue lashing from a petty tyrant like Malcolm McDonnell.
Suddenly, Tressa went from a comfortable conversation with Fergus and Mason to an uncomfortable silence with just Mason. As she sat there she wondered, what have I ever done to make him dislike me so much?
Mason drew back and threw his apple core over Roderick’s head and into a trash can near the librarian’s desk in the middle of the room. “Oh yeah! Listen Tressa…I figured I’d probably be Chosen, but I didn’t expect you would be the other one. I had always planned on Collin McDonnell going with me and Fergus.”
Tressa braced to hear how unwelcome she was.
“But after thinking about it, I think Collin would’ve gotten on my nerves. A lot! He talks all the time and it’s always about himself. You don’t talk at all unless it’s on the field. The more I think about it the more I like the idea of you going with us. And maybe I don’t express it like Fergus does, but I’ll make sure you’re okay while we’re out there, Deal?”
Tressa knew that if any tears showed he might reconsider everything he just said. She could only manage to respond with a simple, “Okay.”
“See that’s what I’m talking about. Straight to the point. Easy.” Mason got up and flipped the hair back from his eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow. This is gonna be cool.”
“Ok. See you tomorrow.”
As he walked away Mason laughed out loud and said, “Four words. Ladies and Gentleman of Top Peake…a new record!”
Tressa waited as long as she could to make sure he wasn’t going to come back into the library, but when she couldn’t hold it any more a single tear slid down her cheek. She started laughing so hard she had to pull a seat pillow over her head to try and stifle the sound. She kicked her feet against the floor and jumped up out of her seat, surprising Roderick by hugging him in his chair and then she ran out of the room.
The next few weeks were spent in all the tasks necessary to finish a school year. Reports, tests and all the other housekeeping items were finally finished. Another few days to move all her stuff from the room at school to her house left Tressa tired but excited for the adventure coming up.
Some considerable time was spent putting together the supplies they would take to get to the bus station and then on to New Omaha and beyond. Fergus would handle the finances, and they knew that food and shelter would be available. Still, decisions had to be made regarding clothing, medical kits, lights, water bottles, extra shoes and a bunch of other things Tressa wasn’t looking forward to lugging all around the world. Having never left Top Peake she struggled to make decisions about what she might need. The best part of the preparation time was being around Mason.
At first they mainly spoke about the sports teams they played on together. After those topics were exhausted they moved on to schoolwork, teachers and classmates. Eventually, they got around to what they thought about Top Peake, travelling, and the world. She found he became easier to talk to as they spent more time together. Tressa was surprised to find that spring had given way to full summer by the time all the meetings had been held and all the plans laid and the preparations completed. Finally, everything was ready and they had it all packed on a little electric wagon for their departure in the morning.
Chapter 6
Early the next morning Tressa met Fergus and Mason in the Amphitheater annex where they were toasted by their families, the entire Storytelling Council as well as many of the prominent residents of Top Peake. Many hugs and tears were shared as they said their good-byes to friends and neighbors. Eventually, most of the crowd drifted off to their homes, work or daily errands and the trio was left with just their close friends and family.
Fergus’ wife, Maria and young son, Jonathon, were there to wish him well and hoped for a speedy return. “Not too speedy”, he said. “We need some good stories for the next festival season.” He winked as he hugged his son and said, “Maybe I can find a little memento for you while I’m gone – if you’re good and obey your mother.”
“I will, Daddy. I promise.” He whispered into Fergus’ shoulder.
Mason’s father and mother were dressed, as usual, in expensive clothing. They barely seemed to acknowledge Tressa or Yvette, and only nodded a greeting at Gianna. Huddling off to the side with Mason, they whispered their parting words quietly back and forth. They seemed indifferent to anything else around them, but that was pretty much how they acted every day so no one was surprised.
Tressa, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to get started. She kept fidgeting with her pack and glancing toward the glass doors of the annex. “When are we ever going to leave?” she asked.
“Too soon for me.” Her mom replied tearfully. “I don’t know what I’ll do while you’re gone. Are you sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to let someone else go.”
“If I did that I’d never get Chosen again.” Tressa said. “Besides, I’ve got Fergus to look out for me. He’ll make sure we don’t get into trouble. And Mason, too, so….”
Yvette chimed in “I think you’re going to like travelling with Mason. Perhaps you can help him carry his pack.”
“Shut up. It’s not like that,” Tressa blushed. “He’s way older than I am. I can barely make two words come out right when he’s around.”
Finally the time had arrived. “We’re off!” Fergus proclaimed. All the bystanders helped to double check the bags and packs in the cargo area of the electric wagon for the two day trip to the Magno-Bus station. Fergus climbed in the cab and the two youngsters hopped onto the lowered tailgate. There were enough supplies and extra batteries to carry them all the way to the station. Along with camping supplies and food there were some small, carefully wrapped packages they would give out as gifts in various communities. The Peakians had found many doors opened in foreign lands with a little trinket and some good stories to entertain their hosts.
The electric wagon wasn’t terribly comfortable or fast, but it was made to handle the rough terrain and steep hills as they left the mountains for the wide plains below. It could travel a little faster than some of the horses around Top Peake, and didn’t need as much care. As long as you had power you were okay, but if you ran out you were basically left with just a reall
y heavy tent to sleep in. Fergus had double checked the charge on the batteries and even had Mason load one extra. There was a small solar charging sheet they could spread out on the ground, but it would take a long time to recharge the wagon if it came to that.
Hanging their legs off the tailgate Mason and Tressa swayed and bounced along as Fergus pulled out of the garage at the Amphitheater. They waved to their families as they drove off and quickly turned a corner, and their loved ones were suddenly out of sight. They wound their way up the main road in and out of Top Peake and passed over the lip of the mountain pass. Shortly, they felt a strange tingle as they passed out from under the Top Peake power umbrella. The little wagon slowly rolled to a stop.
Turning a switch on the dashboard Fergus said, “We’re on battery power now. Unless we decide to drive to the Atlantic Ocean we should be fine. He laughed and they started off again. Finally, they were out on the open road and heading down the mountain.
Tressa realized she was actually on her first adventure. She wondered how many other storytellers had felt this way too. She wasn’t sure when she would come across her first story worth remembering, but she knew at that moment riding along in the sun, feeling Mason’s arm bumping into hers now and then, and Fergus humming to himself in the cab, that she didn’t want to be anywhere else.
Later, as the sun started to set behind the mountains Fergus decided that it would be a good time to stop for the night. “I think this is far enough for today. We should set up camp and eat before it gets too dark. Tomorrow I’ll have a surprise for you around mid-morning.” Mason set up the cooking gear while Tressa gathered some firewood. Fergus set up a temporary table and started cooking dinner. After they ate, they sat quietly around the campfire enjoying the warmth of the fire on their faces as the cool mountain air settled on their backs. Fergus cleared his throat and said, “I think it’s time you two had a few things explained to you. As you know, all the children in town are tested when they turn five years old. Have you ever wondered why?” Both Mason and Tressa nodded.
Mason said, “I always thought it was to see who was smart enough to remember stories.”
“It is in part,” Fergus replied. “But it also serves a deeper purpose. Many years ago during the Technology Age scientists had developed a very advanced control of human genes. Previously, people who wanted to change their appearance to look younger or prettier would have to have skin surface surgery. But at times there were complications, infections or just bad reconstructions. When gene manipulation was safely introduced, all those changes could be added later in life to an adult or even chosen ahead of time for babies. If you wanted your son to have green eyes they would add that gene. If you wanted your daughter to be a good violinist, they could add dexterity to her hands, and so on.
“There were people who wanted to be better at sports, school or any number of things. These ‘improved’ genes of course were passed down from parents to children. Sometimes they faded away and sometimes they didn’t. But they are always there and from time to time they resurface in children many generations later.
“When we test our children we are looking for those who exhibit those ‘improved’ genes. Some of our students have excellent memory for languages. Others – like you Mason – seem to simply gain knowledge without any effort, and still others, like Tressa, have extraordinary gifts for athletics and physical tasks. Though we were also surprised at how many other areas she excelled at during her trials. No boy or girl has ever scored as high as she did.”
Tressa felt herself blushing in the dark and wished Fergus would talk about something else. She knew she had some amazing physical abilities, but she didn’t want to be the focus of attention because of them.
Both Mason and Tressa leaned forward and started to ask something but Fergus cut them off with a wave of his hand. “I know exactly what you’re going to ask. And the answer is ‘Yes’. You both have improved genes. And before you ask the next question I’ll go ahead and tell you that no one knows the extent to which they’ll affect your life. As you mature and develop some will remain strong or perhaps even improve while others may fade away.”
Fergus continued, “Sometimes the people wanting changes didn’t have the money to afford the safest or best doctors. Their outcomes were at times successful, but more often unfortunate. I guess it’s true that ‘you get what you pay for’.” He paused, before adding, “If you look closely as we travel you may see traces of some of these failed experiments in the people we encounter.”
Fergus let that sink in for a few moments then he continued. “As far as we know only Top Peake searches out these ‘improved’ genes in children. For our purposes it’s important that our Storytellers are able to remember what they see, defend themselves if necessary and most importantly be able to think on their feet. Improvisation is the best thing you could learn out here.
But we’ve also wanted to keep some limits on how far gene improvement can go and that’s why whenever anyone from the Institute wants to get married the council has to approve it. The fear has been that if a person, or family, were to grow too strong they might try to use that advantage against the town as a whole. Our system of government based on the Storytelling Council has worked well from the time Top Peake was founded until today. Hopefully, it will last for another 300 years.”
Tressa spoke up, “But my mother isn’t from Top Peake. Was she tested before she was allowed to marry my dad?”
“No she wasn’t. It was a very unusual situation when your father brought home Gianna.” Fergus mused for a bit then said, “In fact, I’m the only other person who knows that story. Perhaps your mother would allow me to tell it at Festival sometime.”
Tressa didn’t think that was going to happen anytime soon, but didn’t say so.
“The Council decided that the chance of your mother having ‘improved’ genes was so remote they didn’t try to intervene. Of course, what could they do? Your father was so well liked he could’ve had the whole town demand the marriage be approved if they tried to stop it. You may have been too young to remember how he was treated around town, and the people would’ve done anything for him. He was truly a great man…and a better friend. Okay, that’s enough for now. Let’s get some sleep because tomorrow will be another long day.” Fergus stood up slowly and stretched. “I love being on a journey, but the open road always tires me out…more and more easily it seems, too. I guess I’m just starting to get old.”
Fergus had rigged a sheet across the front of the covered cargo area in the electric wagon so that Tressa could have some privacy. As she lay in her sleeping bag listening to the occasional, gentle buzzing of some insect bumping into the side of the tent cover, she considered the things that Fergus had told them. Her mother had always said very little about meeting her father. If asked about Gabriel, she focused on their time together in Top Peake raising the girls.
Tressa started to drift off to sleep as Fergus and Mason were lightly snoring in their end of the wagon. Just before slipping away she had a fuzzy memory of being a little girl and falling over the edge of their tier into the McDonnell’s tomato plants. Malcolm McDonnell had come out of the house and grabbed her by the arm so hard she thought he’d pull it off. In her mind she can see the figure of her mother jumping straight down a tier and lifting Mr. McDonnell off the ground with one hand and throwing him back against the house. With her other arm wrapped around Tressa she flew straight up and out of the garden onto the roof of the McDonnell’s house, then up again onto their own tier and landed safely outside Tressa’s bedroom window in the backyard.
Chapter 7
Tressa awoke to find Fergus and Mason already up and around. They were moving around outside the wagon and a small fire was crackling happily near their table. The thin smoke drifted straight up through the trees into a clear blue sky. Sitting up she found Fergus just starting to shovel eggs and toast onto some plates for breakfast. She quickly jumped out of the wagon and slipped off into the trees for a few min
utes. The travelers ate a quick breakfast and cleaned up. Fergus had everything down to a smooth schedule from his years of being outside. Pack the food up. Put the packages in the wagon. Wash the plates and cookery in one bucket and rinse in another. Pour the bucket on the fire. Before she knew it they were in the wagon and ready to go. Today Fergus had them ride up front with him because he wanted to show them something.
The wagon eased along a road the traders had created to bring their wares to Top Peake for the market. It wound among the pine trees and in places was built up over streams and small valleys. Birds flew across their path from tree to tree. The wagon was so quiet they often came around a bend and had to slow down for deer to leap away into the brush. They had been descending the mountain all morning and just before midday they came around a bend onto a wide flat cliff. It seemed as if the whole world had opened up before them. Fergus stopped the wagon and they all got out. Tressa had grown up in the mountains and was used to the heights, but this view was incredible. There were no more mountains in front of them. As far as they could see was a wide flat plain. It was perfectly flat at the horizon and if they leaned out a bit the foothills looked like a rumpled green blanket at the foot of the cliff.
“You can see forever.” Mason whispered. “The stories don’t describe how vast it is. It’s just…so…big!”
Fergus laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “I said almost the same thing when I first came through here.” He chuckled, “As they used to say; you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!” Tressa could make out just the tiniest lines on the dark green fields below to where Fergus pointed. “That’s where our journey really begins. The Flatlands Station.” He added under his breath, “…such as it is”.
Tressa was overcome with the beauty of the place and wished they could stay there longer, but Fergus clapped his hands and said, “Come on my little birds, you’ll need more than a backdrop to make a good tale. Let’s go find some characters for your stories.” As the little wagon quietly rolled across the cliff top and back into the woods the trail now showed a steady descent. Soon they found themselves among more and more hardwoods as the pines and firs gave way to oaks, maples and giant chestnut trees. Stands of birch trees swayed lightly with their papery skin peeling in the dappled sunlight.
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