Chapter VII

2249

Jeremy

Adopted

Jeremy timidly stepped into the chief's office. It was a round room with a chair placed in the center. A desk sat in front of the chair, with a comfier chair behind the desk.

Jeremy sat in the chair before the desk. He felt like he was to be interrogated by a detective.

"Tell me, Jeremy. How did this all this begin?" coaxed the chief.

"Well," Jeremy started. "my brother was away to enlist in the marines. I was waiting on the porch when my house caught fire. I panicked and ran. I ran far away until my legs felt numb. Only when I stopped to rest I realized what I'd done. I then wandered through the forest where your officer found me trespassing. So that's what I'm doing here."

"House burned down, eh? Well now, we can't have that. I don't s'pose ya have anywhere to stay now, do ya?" Jeremy shook his head. "A course not!" bellowed the chief. "Yer stayin' with me then ya rascal!" roared the chief, ruffling Jeremy's hair affectionately.

"Really? Oh thank you so much!" Jeremy cried. He was relieved tremendously, and resisted the urge to hug the chief.

Later that evening, the chief and Jeremy were walking home on the dry and cracked streets.

"So, were ya born in Northwest County?" asked the chief.

"No." was Jeremy's answer. "My brother told me that when I was about six months old, we moved from earth to the colony. He didn't say where from down there."

"What about yer Ma and yer Pa?"

"I think they're dead."

"Oh." They continued the rest of the way in silence.

Just as the sun was setting, Jeremy and the chief arrived at the chief's home. The chief opened the door to reveal a quaint house. There was a staircase to the left of the door and a dining room across from the door. To the left of the dining room was an empty doorway and to the right was a door. In the dining room was a long table with three chairs.

As the pair entered the house a plump, short, and kindly looking women emerged from the empty doorway.

"Hello!" she exclaimed, pecking her husband on the cheek. "Oh---and who's this?" she said, not having to bend down to match Jeremy's height. Something dinged in the kitchen and she rushed off to get it. "We'll have dinner and you can tell me all about it."

They all sat down at the long table. "You must be starving." The chief's wife said to Jeremy after the chief told the story. She put a full plate in front of Jeremy. "Oh you poor thang!" She threw her arms around him. "You stay here as long as you have to!"

"Thanks." gasped Jeremy. "Just one thing."

"What's that darlin'?"

"Get off me!"