1
Roy
I wake up to the smell of fresh baked bread and open my eyes to be blinded by the morning light. I roll over with a groan and rub my eyes, forcing myself to get up and out of bed. I stand up and stretch and then take a few wobbly steps to my small desk to the left of my dresser. I took out clothes the morning before and sat them here on my desk so I wouldn’t have to wake up and be on the search for clothes for the day. I unfold them and slid on my jeans and button-up flannel shirt. I roll up the sleeves, put some socks on and then go brush my teeth.
One hand holding my toothbrush well the other is frankly flopping around my hair around to make the style for the day. Roselake is a great place, really, I ain't lying. The elder here can make your problems disappear. Everyone at school talks about her, nothing bad though. No one has anything bad on Rose. As old as Rose is she moves very well and is very healthy.
I spit out the toothpaste and rinse out my mouth. I go out to the kitchen and see mama washing some morning dishes. She washes one and then sits it on a towel to later be hand dried and put away, one after the other, on repeat until later when she's done.
“Morning Roy,” her voice sounds sluggish, “Breakfast is on the table.”
“Morning Mom, and thanks.” I walk up beside her and get a spoon from the drawer. I go and sit down at the table and quickly eat my bowl of cereal. I drink the milk that is left and put it down, wiping my mouth off with my sleeve. I get up, hand my mom my empty cereal bowl and spoon and grab my school bag. I slide on my shoes and I throw my bag over my shoulder and run out the door.
I run up and into the school door. I meet up with my best friend,Toby, in the hall with a high five. We laugh and talk down the hall. We stop at our lockers, which are luckily right next to each other. We stuff our backpacks in and walk into our class.
“Hey Roy! I got an idea! How about we go to the playground to hang out after school?”
“Yea, that sounds like fun! I’ll drop my stuff off at home then head there.”
“Ok, sweet. I’ll walk with you.”
“Ok. How about you just spend the night then?”
“Good idea! Yea, my parents shouldn’t mind.”
The bell rings and the teacher tells us to sit down and to shut up. She then passes out a morning math packet and tells us that we can pick partners and to get to work. Of course me and Toby are partners every chance we get. We work well together. Me and Toby have been best buds since we were little kids. He has black fluffy hair and dark gray eyes. He wears a dark pair of jeans and a white tank top and boots. Me and Toby only have each other. Everyone here really picks one person and ignores everyone else at school. I’m just glad Toby is the one that I got. He’s not snobby or needy-greedy like the other kids. He is also very smart and he doesn’t hurt anybody.
After school Toby and I ran back to my house. I slowed down when I heard what sounded like mother yelling. And then I heard my father yelling too. Then I realized that they were fighting again. Toby tapped my shoulder and pointed to my bedroom window with a sympathetic smile on his face.
We run up to the window and help each other through it, without making any noise. We put our stuff down and go back out the way we came. I couldn’t help it, my eyes started tearing up.
“Hey, cheer up! How about we go visit Elder Rose? Surely she could help way more than I could.”
“Elder Rose….I guess this could also be a way to test those rumors around school.”
He smiles at me and grabs my wrist taking me somewhere else.
“T-Toby. I’ve never actually gone to Elder Rose’s place. Do you know where you're taking me?”
“Of course I do!”
We stop at a little bridge. “This is it Roy! Right across this river!”
“Wow. It’s pretty!”
Elder Rose’s place was nicer than any house in the town. I suppose because all the time she had, and she most likely personalized it to her own liking. It was a big white cottage that was set up high. It was held by wood and had hay covering the roof. Two thin brick chimneys and small windows. The door was big and also wooden. Around the house were many different types of pretty flowers and in the back peeked purple trees. And the sides are lined with flower bushes.
Toby pulls me along and across the bridge and I look down and see small fish following along with a little current as we pass. We walk up to the door and Toby knocks twice, lightly hiting his knuckle off of the wood.
“Elder Rose! Are you home? Sorry to disturb you!”
“Maybe she’s helping someone else, Toby?”
“I guess. Just wait a sec. I hear footsteps coming from inside.”
The door starts to move slowly our way and we both step back, It creaks as it opens, revealing elder Rose. Her face is full of webbed memories and eyes pure like the sky and hair that looks like snow. She wears a long black skirt with a white button up that was tucked. She wears her bangs in front of her face and a bun in the back. Her shoes were simple sandals and she wore a light pink pearl ring on her pointer finger, so it was probably a gift, seeing that she has no husband or wedding band.
“Ah, what are you two young ones doing out here? Isn’t it your dinner time boys?”
“Well yes Elder Rose, but I was hoping that you could help my friend here, Roy.”
“Well, Roy, and..”
“Toby.”
“Well, Roy and Toby come inside. I’m sure I could help you boys out.” She then steps aside and gestures to us to come in.
“Thank you elder Rose.”
“Yes, thanks.”
We walk into a dark violet wall doorway. She points down at a rug. “Sorry boys, I don’t want mud or anything tracked up inside.” We both nod and do as she so politely asked. We step off the rug, now in our worn used-to-be white socks. I shut the door behind us and then we both follow elder Rose. She has a tan cushioned bench and a wooden rocking chair in front of a fireplace. In front of the bench sits a long coffee table with a wooden pot filled with small lilies.
“Go ahead and sit down on the bench boys. Would you like some sweet tea, water, or perhaps a fresh-baked cookie?”
We both shake our heads no and she moves over her rocking chair to face us. We all sit down and Toby starts the conversation. “Is it true that you can make people’s problems disappear? Well, I mean can you really help Roy?”
I went to interrupt but Elder Rose put her hand up to silence me. “I will do what I must. I take it you know the problem well, Toby?”
“Yes, yes I do.”
“How long would you say that Roy has had this problem of his.”
“It’s hard to say. I suppose as long as I can remember.”
“Mm. Ok then. Roy, could you tell me what the problem is?”
“My parents. They always seem to fight. Yelling back and forth….I just wish for it to stop.” Toby pats my back and when I look up back at him he gives me a slight smile.
“Ah, I see. Say how about you boys get your stuff and you two can share the spare bedroom. I think it would be best to let me settle this.” We nod and get up, heading to the door. “Also, please do be quiet.”
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