Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 144277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 721(@200wpm)___ 577(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 721(@200wpm)___ 577(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
It’s all supplies for the trip. Little trinkets like a pocket knife, or a small rod of some sort that comes with a handful of shredded metal. The handwritten paper tag says fire starter, so I guess that’s what it’s used for. There is a cup with a lid that folds up and can fit into a pocket—so crazy! And a light inside a tube. This is a torch. Tyse keeps one on his battle belt. This one has a clip on it, too.
There are many trinkets like this and I realize that they’re all small comforts for our trip. Plus a thick midnight-blue canvas rucksack to put everything in. There’s even a little diagram telling me how to pack it efficiently.
The rest of the packages are clothes. Delta has sent me two pairs of pants—one pair is very dark gray and the other is a very light cream. Both of them have lots of pockets and loops to attach things to.
There are two long-sleeve, button-down shirts as well. Again, one dark, one light. Both with plenty of pockets. People on this side of things really like pockets, but I’m not complaining, because pockets are very handy.
There are two more shirts—tighter and sleeveless. Both of these are a neutral beige, lighter than the pants, but not quite white. I’m pretty sure these are meant to be worn under the long-sleeved ones.
And then there is a belt, socks, and undergarments.
I blush a little at the thought of Delta picking out undergarments for me, but then realize, that’s silly. A god doesn’t pick out undergarments for his underlings. He’s got a personal shopper for that.
There are no new boots. But that’s because the ones Tyse bought me in Tau City are high quality and I’m used to them now. No one wants to start a trip with new boots.
The last package isn’t from Delta, it’s from Anneeta. I figure this out immediately when I pick it up because it’s covered in brightly colored wax pencil drawings. Hearts, and smiley faces, and little stars.
The package is about the size and depth of a small book. When I open it up, that’s what I find. Not a book, exactly though. Because all the pages are blank. The cover is a very attractive wax-pencil drawing of a couple—a man and a woman embracing each other. The background shows, what I assume to be, the Great Sandy Sea, and they are dressed in traditional clothing. Tunics and loose pants for the man and a long dress for the woman. Outfits I’d find on my side of the worlds. But as I study it a little longer, I realize, it’s supposed to be Tyse and me. Or, Anneeta’s seven-year-old, artistic-skills version of us, at least.
There’s a note attached. I read it out loud. “Dear Clara, I hope you are doing great. I hope you have a good time on your trip. I would like to go on a trip too. But I’m not allowed. So I made you this notebook so you can keep track of all your exciting adventures. When you come back you can give it to me and I will read it. Then it will be like I was there with you. Make sure to draw cool and pretty pictures too!!!” (three exclamation points!). “I’ve added some wax pencils so you have no excuse. Your friend forever, the Godling Anneeta.”
I smile, then look at the little bundle of colored pencils. They are secured to the back of the notebook with a ribbon, but there’s a little velvet bag in the package as well. To keep it all together, I guess.
Isn’t it funny that I woke up this morning thinking of stories and now I’ve been tasked with writing one?
Life is so fun.
I put the notebook, the note, and the pencils into the little velvet bag. After that’s done, I look at the outfits.
Two. One to wear, and one as a spare.
This is when it hits me that this isn’t a vacation. It’s not a grand adventure—I mean, it could be, but it hasn’t been planned that way.
Tyse and I are on a mission. And Tyse is a soldier. Not just any soldier, either. He’s an augmented soldier. A being, here in this world, almost akin to a mythological figure. Almost as fanciful as the Godling Anneeta, herself.
This is a deployment and there won’t be any dresses, or parties, or hot showers. Well, maybe hot showers if we find a waterfall and my spark can heat it up—but it certainly won’t be a regular thing.
One outfit to wear and one as a spare.
I choose the dark outfit, saving the light one for another day. And then I get to work packing things up, following the diagram that came with the rucksack.
I find that I can hook trinkets onto my belt, turning it into a battle belt. Like the one Tyse wears, except, with a pocketknife instead of a VersiStrike.