Morning all. I hope you are having a splendid week. My allergies are slightly better this morning so I am feeling a lot better myself. It’s amazing how much better the world looks when you don’t wake up with the rag weed trying to swell your eyes shut. So let’s get going on the morning prompt. Wringing implements of choice at the ready and set those timers for fifteen minutes. Off we go.
I kind of like this. It gives a window of time in which things are going to go horribly wrong. He has only a few weeks before he can escape so those few weeks need to be packed with the unexpected. I can pack a lot of drama into a few weeks. Could be a fun exercise to see how much.
Wednesday, September 20th: He placed the box down.
He placed the box down. He tried not to look like he was breathing heavily. At the same time he wondered why he got all of the heavy boxes. None of the others seemed to be struggling. He gathered himself and made the final push up the hill to the house. The driveway needed replacing before the family moved in and it was decided to replace it before moving day so no one would need to be inconvenienced once the move was over. Unfortunately, the people fixing the drive were delayed and now the cement was still curing and couldn’t be walked or driven on.
So instead of parking in the drive and having a relatively short and level trip into the house, The van parked in front and everything had to be hauled uphill via the winding walkway to the front door from the street. Dan reached the landing outside the front door and felt as though he achieved victory. This was the last of the boxes.
Other people were responsible for the furniture. Or had been. The furniture was already in the house when he arrived and was told to join his siblings in taking the boxes up to the house. He was exhausted from working and wanted nothing but sleep, but still he did as he was told.
Now he was through. He saw his box was marked Kevin’s Bedroom and thinking the bedrooms were upstairs, he went towards the stairs and began the final climb. The rooms were already divided out and Dan passed the final box on to Kevin. Kevin took it with a grunt and then disappeared into his room.
Dan bit back his sarcastic ‘You’re welcome,’ knowing that nothing good would come of it. Very little he actually said to his family ever came out well. ‘just a little while longer,’ he told himself. As he trudged to the room that was marked for him.
It was the smallest bedroom but he had been expecting that. His stepfather was not thrilled with him still living at home. Once Dan turned eighteen he started paying rent so his presence was tolerated. Luckily rent was not that high. Dan was certain his step-father wanted it to be higher, but thought that Dan had a very low paying job. The rent seemed to be some sort of balance in his stepfather’s mind.
‘’I suppose if he wanted me out that badly, he would have raised the rent to a level he didn’t think I could pay.’ Dan shrugged. He had long ago stopped trying to figure out his step-father. He had half suspected that in the move to the new house he would be told that he was being left behind. He was grateful that hadn’t happened as he still needed to live with the family for just a little bit longer.
His job wasn’t the best paying when he started. He started at fourteen, the youngest anyone would hie him. He worked all through high school for the same place and gradually his duties and pay increased. Kevin was able to save most of those first year’s pay and knowing what he made when Dan started the job at eighteen the rent was placed according to those figures. By then Dan was taking night classes and gaining credits. The company noticed and promoted him. Just before the move, Dan was offered a better position if he was willing to relocate. He agreed and in three weeks, he would be leaving for a place on the other side of the country.
Ten til Midnight 