Isaac, carrying Lily, walked out of the passenger cart, getting his first glimpse of the Kingdom. The buildings were prefabricated, built out of smooth stone. The roads were like the trail that carves through the Great Forest. The entire Kingdom of Acorn was surrounded by a wall, which was bordered with trees. The train let out a loud whistle, going backwards on the railroad, exiting the Kingdom, and going through an opening in the wall. Gently, Lily stirred from her sleep, her eyes slowly opening. She looked around, not yet realizing where she was.
"Did you have a good nap?" Isaac asked, setting her down.
Lily stretched out her arms and yawned, beginning to wake up. She looked around, finally realizing where she was.
"We are here! We made it!" She exclaimed, taking in the city.
Isaac handed Lily her pack, who promptly slung it onto her shoulders. Grabbing Lily's hand, Isaac walked further into the Kingdom, looking around for an opportunity to make a living for him and his sister. As he walked, he saw a large mound of land, where water trickled down the slope, leading up to a large castle. Isaac knew the land was governed by a monarchy, but he never paid mind to politics. Not something he considered essential to he and Lily's well-being.
"Sir!" A voice cried out.
Isaac stopped, hearing the voice behind him. He looked over his shoulder, seeing a guard walking towards him.
"Sir, are you new here?" The guard asked.
"Is it really that evident?" Isaac asked.
"What is the nature of your stay?" The guard asked.
"Exodus." Isaac answered.
"Pardon?" The guard asked, not understanding Isaac's answer.
Isaac cleared his throat.
"I wish to live here. I was told this would be a good place to start over." Isaac clarified.
The guard nodded, writing down something on a piece of paper. He handed it to Isaac, which had an address on it.
"Those immigrating must admit an application for citizenship to the council. They will review your application and will provide quarters and a paying occupation until the application has been approved. Have a good day, sir!" The guard explained, marching off towards the castle.
Isaac looked to the piece of paper, feeling as if he just had his means of living provided to him by an official. He looked to Lily, who had a look of hope.
"See?! Elohim has helped us! Now, we have somewhere to live!" Lily exclaimed.
While Isaac was a believer in miracles, he never thought something like that would have ever happened to him. Taking Lily's hand, he walked to the address, which was a large building, which consisted of multiple stories. Isaac walked into the front door, seeing a large desk. A human female was sitting at it, typing into a computer. Isaac had never seen a computer, but he was nonetheless intrigued by it. Isaac and Lily walked up the desk, catching the person's attention.
"Hello, welcome to the Kingdom of Acorn. Is it safe to assume you are her to inquire about citizenship?" She asked.
"That is correct." Isaac answered.
"Alrighty. Now, your review will be submitted electronically, so I will be asking you a few questions to get the process started. Now, how many people will be part of this application?" She asked.
"Two." Isaac answered.
"Okay. Names?" She asked.
"Isaac and Lily Abaddon." Isaac answered.
"Alright. Is your wife here with us?" She asked, not looking from her computer.
"Actually, she is the little girl beside me." Isaac corrected.
The teller looked over her desk, seeing the young hedgehog by Isaac.
"Oh, hello there! Sorry about that! I'll just correct that. And… there we go. Now, how old is your daughter?" She asked.
Isaac chuckled.
"She is my sister, actually. And she is seven." Isaac said.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Just need to correct that. Usually, when someone walks in with a little girl, they are usually their parent! Okay, just fixed it. Now, are you the primary caregiver?" She asked.
"Unfortunately, yes." Isaac answered.
"I'm sorry, hon. I know it's a stressful job. Do you have any special skills that would benefit to an occupation?" She asked.
"I am a hunter, I know how to forge weapons, and I can cook." Isaac answered.
"Excellent! Lot of demand for a hunting blacksmith cook, I know that!" She commented, chuckling a bit.
Isaac couldn't help himself from laughing.
"Now, how old are you?" She asked.
"Seventeen." Isaac answered.
"Just the right age. If you would have said sixteen, that would have been a whole different stack of paperwork! Alright, any medical conditions I should be aware of?" She asked.
"No." Isaac said.
"Perfect! Alright, your application for citizenship has been sent! I will call someone down to escort you and your sister to your quarters. You'll be living with a few others, but they shouldn't give you a hard time." She said, grabbing her desk phone.
"That is it? It seemed… too simple." Isaac asked.
"They all say that. You see, I put in the information on the application, and I take the liberty to organize it, so it looks more… attractive, for lack of a better word." She explained, putting the phone to her ear.
"Hello, Steven. Yes, I have two new applicants ready to move in. Right, I'll tell them you'll be down here shortly. Goodbye." She said, hanging up.
"My friend, Steven, will be here shortly to escort you and Lily to your quarters. You'll be staying there for as long as it takes for your application to be approved. In a few days, you'll be notified of available job opportunities that fit within your field of expertise. Have a nice day!" She said, going back to work on her computer.
"Thank you, ma'am!" Lily said, bowing.
The woman looked from her computer, captivated by Lily.
"Oh, that's so sweet! I haven't been thanked in a while! Here, come over here, child! I have a little something for you!" She said, motioning for her to approach the desk.
Lily did so, looking up. The woman reached into her desk, producing a handful of wrapped candies. She gave them to Lily, who proceeded to unwrap one and pop it into her mouth.
"Be careful with those. They'll break your teeth if you try to chew them! Again, have yourself a nice day, now!" She said, returning to her work.
Lily offered one to Isaac, but he declined. He was never one for sweets. The only thing he considered a treat was when he would make hot chocolate from cocoa beans he would get from Talion. Soon enough, a fox wearing a t-shirt and shorts walked through the door. He had name tag, which identified him as 'Steven'.
"Alright, the newcomers! If you two will follow me, I will have you settled in one of our quarters before dinnertime." He said, motioning for them to follow him.
Isaac and Lily followed Steven, walking from the council building, and going up the road. Eventually, Steven stopped in front of a boarding house. It was a two-story building, being made from logs instead of the smooth stone that the rest of the city was apparently made from.
"Alright, just head inside and we'll have you two set with a room." Steven said, holding the door open for them.
Isaac and Lily walked in, seeing the interior as rustic. There was a large fireplace in the main room, which had a large dining table with multiple seats in the center. There was a front desk near the entrance, where a human male was sitting. He had two sets of keys ready for Isaac and Lily.
"Okay, you two. I have your keys for your room, but there are a few ground rules we have to go over." He said.
"Alright, what are they?" Isaac asked.
"First, you cannot bring overnight guests. Second, quiet hours are from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., which means no loud noises during this twelve-hour period. Third, all weapons must be locked up in our storage room while you are inside the building. When you leave the building for the day, you may retrieve them. This includes swords, bows, and arrows, daggers, firearms, and anything that is considered not a tool of daily use that is designed to harm someone. Small knives and pocketknives are exempt. Fourth, anyone who is not of working age will be watched over by staff. They will also have opportunities to volunteer themselves in helping around the boarding house, such as in the laundry room and the kitchens. Speaking of which, all meals are provided, but only at certain times. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Someone will knock on your door for these meals, but if you fail to come down to eat, you'll be missing out. Now, can you follow these rules?" He asked.
"Yes." Isaac answered.
"Okay. Just need you and the little one to sign this form, saying you are aware of the rules and will follow them." He said, showing them a form.
Isaac hoisted Lily up and both signed the form. The man took the form and gave them their keys.
"Third door on the right. You'll have two beds, a desk, a closet, and a bathroom. Make sure your quarters are clean so as to prevent sickness. Thank you for your application for citizenship and may you thrive in the Kingdom of Acorn. Also, dinner will be served in half an hour, so listen for that knock on the door." He said, pointing to the staircase that would lead to their quarters.
Isaac handed the man his dagger, his sword, and he and Lily's bow and arrows. Isaac and Lily walked up the stairs, entering a hallway of doors. On the third door on the right, Isaac put his key into the lock, unlocking the door. A bunkbed, a desk, a small fireplace, and two doors made up the quarters.
"Two beds. Stacked on each other. Well, there is a first for everything." Isaac commented, throwing his pack under the bottom bunk.
Lily ran up to the beds and hopped up, landing on the top bunk. Taking off her pack, she set it at her feet and laid down, stretching out her arms.
"Do not sleep yet. The man said dinner will be served shortly. And a meal would be rewarding for this trip." Isaac said, opening one of the doors.
Isaac looked in, seeing a switch. He flipped it, illuminating the room. It was the bathroom.
"What is that?" Lily asked, pointing at the sink.
Isaac grinned, realizing that Lily never lived in a building like he had before… the incident.
"It is called a sink. It dispenses water. You use it to wash your hands after using the toilet. You know, instead of having to keep a bowl clean water and a bar of soap." Isaac explained.
"Clean water?! Right out of the sink?! This place is great!" Lily exclaimed, running up to the sink.
She reached for the faucet, turning one of the handles. Water rushed out, slightly pooling into the sink before draining into the pipe. Isaac turned off the faucet.
"Don't let the faucet run. It wastes water. Anyway, wash up. They should be knocking on our door for dinner in a few minutes." Isaac said, walking out of the bathroom.
Isaac walked over to the second door, opening it. The room was empty, let alone a few coat hangers. Isaac took off his ranger cloak and hung it on one of the coat hangers. He took off his holster of knives, taking off one of the smaller knives and hanging the holster on another coat hanger. Isaac walked out, strapping the knife onto his pocket. Lily walked out of the bathroom, drying her hands. Isaac pulled out the chair of the desk and sat in it, groaning. But as soon as he felt comfortable, there was a knock on the door.
"Just as I am getting comfortable…" Isaac said, getting up and walking to the door.
Isaac opened it, coming face to face with a female Mobian, wearing a jumpsuit. She was a wolf. Isaac towered over her by about 8 inches. Now, the average Mobian height was 3'3". But Isaac was about 4'3"! She was wide-eyed seeing a rather tall Mobian.
"Wow!" She mouthed, not making a sound.
"Can I help you?" Isaac asked.
"Y-yes! Dinner is ready." She answered.
"Thank you. We will be down shortly." Isaac responded.
She walked down the hallway, faintly blushing. She stopped at another door, knocking on it. Isaac felt a tug at his shirt, looking down. Lily was looking up at him.
"Did she say what is for dinner?" Lily asked.
"No. We will find out when we go to eat." Isaac answered, walking down the hallway to the stairs.
Isaac and Lily walked down the stairs, seeing the dining table with a few people seated. Isaac and Lily sat down on the side closest to the fireplace, which had a fire roaring. The three Mobians and two humans seated were talking to each other, catching up on what has been happening in their lives. The Mobians were named Lucy, Clark, and Rob. The humans were named Chuck and Sydney.
"Work was the worst today! I had to scrub the floors on my hands and knees with a brush! I was their about two hours longer than my shift said I would be there today! And I doubt they'll be paying me overtime." Sydney said, venting about her work that day.
"Man, that's a drag! Luckily, I haven't been drug through the wringer at work yet! The lady at the desk keeps telling me my application is almost approved, but it's been five weeks! I mean, how long does it take to get an application approved?! There's not even ten of us here!" Chuck said, agreeing with Sydney.
"Man, we keep telling you! There are more boarding houses like this one! Some of them can house up to fifty people! Applications take time." Lucy observed.
"Hey, how about the new guy? What about you, new guy?" Clark asked.
"Me?" Isaac asked.
"No, the other new guy. Yes, you!" Rob clarified.
"What about me?" Isaac asked.
"Well, first off, where're you from?" Clark asked.
"My sister and I lived in the great forest for seven years. We relocated here today." Isaac answered.
"Really? What did you do for a living?" Lucy asked.
"I am a hunter. I hunt deer and other animals, butcher them, and sell their meat and pelts for supplies." Isaac explained.
"Dude, you know, you could just order a burger instead." Rob commented.
"I am sorry, but what is a 'burger'?" Isaac asked.
All of their jaws dropped.
"You never had a burger! Have you been living under a rock?!" Chuck asked, surprised.
"No. I have been living in the great forest outside of the Kingdom of Acorn." Isaac clarified.
"No, it's an expression. Man, you're old fashioned! Have you also never watched TV?!" Sydney asked.
"No. I am unfamiliar with many things, but if I have never seen them, then they are of no importance to me or my sister." Isaac answered.
"I'm also guessing you never seen a phone before." Clark said.
"Guys, come on! Lay off him! Honestly, I think it's pretty cool you went your whole life without that stuff! I know I couldn't it!" Lucy defended.
"Thank you." Isaac responded.
After a few minutes of talking, a trolley with food came out of the kitchen. Cuts of meat, an assortment of vegetables, and a basket of rolls were on the menu tonight. Everyone plated up, but Isaac could not recognize the cut of meat that was on the platter.
"Something wrong, Isaac?" Lucy asked.
"You're not a vegetarian, are you?" Chuck asked, almost hostile.
"I do not know what animal that came from." Isaac said.
"It's a porkchop. It's rather good. Maybe a bit dry, but a glass of water helps." Clark clarified.
Isaac shook his head, pushing the plate of meat away from him.
"My sister and I cannot eat pork. It is against our religious beliefs." Isaac answered.
"Really? Oh, sorry about that. We'll get you and your sister something else for your protein." The desk man said, walking into the kitchen.
Not long after, after everyone started eating, the desk man came out with fish fillets, putting one on Isaac and Lily's plates.
"Please, let me know your dietary restrictions and I'll make sure to include you for breakfast and all meals afterward.
"Thank you, sir." Lily said, breaking her silence.
"No problem. And please, call me Tod." He said, walking back to his desk.
Before Isaac and Lily ate, they both bowed their heads and prayed.
"Ellōhim, eṅkaḷ jepattaik kēḷuṅkaḷ. Inta uṇavukku naṉṟi. Putiya naṇparkaḷukku naṉṟi. Namakkāka oru putiya toṭakkattai uruvākkuvōm. Āmeṉ. (Elohim, hear our prayer. Thanks for this meal. Thanks for the new friends. Let's create a fresh start for ourselves. Amen.)" Lily said, leading the prayer.
Isaac and Lily sat up, seeing the eyes on them. They paid no mind to them, instead focusing on their meals. After the meals, staff took away the dishes and any excess food. The majority of the residents stayed and continued talking about what has been happening for the past few days. Isaac and Lily decided to retire for the night, since they would sleep when the sun had set. After changing into sleeping attire and washing up, Lily hopped into her bunk, nestling under the covers. Isaac stretched his back, turning out the light. But before he could sleep, Lily broke the silence.
"Isaac, could you read to me? I cannot sleep." Lily asked.
Isaac obliged, reaching under his bed, and retrieving his pack. He fished out a book, an old bible written in Tamil, the language they would pray in. Isaac opened, starting in Genesis.
"Ārampattil, kaṭavuḷ vāṉaṅkaḷaiyum pūmiyaiyum paṭaittār… (In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth…)"