The Truck Ride

Lina looked at the lamp. The light bulb was still in it. She remembered the way Torren looked at her when he gave her the lamp. He shouldn't have given it to her. It was a special gift from his brother Casper, the traveller. A bump in the road in front of the truck made her regain her train of thought. They were all leaving to go somewhere. The outside land, where only Casper had been, no one else. They needed to find a new place to live and to rebuild their own town. Instead of using all of Sparks resources, like in the past. She couldn't believe that she was already referring to the town of Sparks as the past.

Everyone else in the truck were people she knew. Lina knew them from the city Ember. Now that was past. No one else probably ever thinks about Ember anymore. She then reminded herself of what that lamp could be used for. Ember fell because of no electricity; especially no leadership! This light could be used to see and illuminate the darkness, and…

"Lina! What's wrong?" said voice.

She got up. She must've dosed off. The voice was Doon Harrow. Lina's friend that helped her get through the last couple weeks of Ember. She still couldn't believe that she couldn't forget about Ember!

"Doon, I have to ask you something." said Lina.

"What is it Lina?"

"It's about Ember! I can't forget about it! What about you? Do you ever think about it?" Lina was making a complete fool of herself, speaking loud and hysterical, as if something bad were to happen.

Doon replied calmly, "I don't think anyone thinks of Ember anymore. It's long gone. Besides, why didn't you bring up Ember while we all were staying in Sparks?"

"I don't know. Maybe the thought of living somewhere other than where I was born and raised all my life." Everyone on the truck was still staring. The two noticed and attempted to keep their volume lower.

All the trucks in front suddenly stopped, causing this one to stop as well. There were strange wild animals the people of Ember had never seen. She remembered the day they all arrived at Sparks and saw the little animals that they were caring for. Chickens… The people of Sparks looked at them like buffoons, like they were from another planet. This is how they were looking at the other animals in the way of the truck.

They looked like the wild horses Torren showed her that one day… Maybe that was it, a horse!

"A horse!" She randomly exclaimed. Everyone looked at her, strangely as she revealed all her thoughts with dialogue.

Torren couldn't take it anymore. He didn't like hanging under a truck that was being pulled by some clumsy ox. No one else knew he was there, but he couldn't let anyone find out. Torren was the only person on any of the trucks that was from Sparks. He ran away. He wanted to travel like his brother, Casper. He was a big role model for him. What happened to my family? Is everyone okay back in my town?, thought Torren. He couldn't bare the thought of losing his family. And the worst part of it would be that he wouldn't be there.

Torren was beginning to regret running away from his home. He wanted to return but they had traveled for about a day already and in that amount of time, who knew how far they were from Sparks? Torren was about to scream because the ride was taking so long. He began to wriggle his little body in discomfort. The knots at the end of the blanket holding him up began to give away and untie...

He toppled to the dirt and the truck behind his abruptly stopped. The drivers eyeballed him and yelled something to the back of the truck. The truck in front stopped too and very soon every truck was still in the pathway. Torren was being interpreted as a threat. But as two men came out to take Torren and began to ride one the wild horses back to Sparks, Lina popped her head out of the curtain of one of the trucks.

She saw him and hollered, "No! I know him, he can travel with us!"

The two men looked at each other as a way of confirming to let him go to her. And so they did. Torren ran to Lina very happily. He hugged her. Lina of course thought, What am I thinking? This boy pelted me with eggs and tomatoes and now I accept him? They continued to the truck where Lina was just at. They entered the back and sat near Doon.

"Stay here, Torren." said Lina. She scooted over to Doon and explained exactly what just happened. Torren thought to himself. He looked in the direction of Sparks and thought... All he did was think.