Oakaigus #1: Red Bloom Read Online Free PDF Page A

lip.
     
    Downstairs in the kitchen, Fae and Mr.
Singu were finishing packing up.
     
    “Got everything?” Fae said.
     
    “Yeah, all good. Any more questions
‘bout the shop?”
     
    “You pretty much covered everything.
Don’t worry, you’ll have two diners when you get back.”
     
    “Haha! I’ll hold you to that.”
     
    “You know,” Fae said, “father’s really
gonna’ want to see you after this. You gonna’ go see him when you get back?”
     
    “Eh…not yet. Just give me a little more
time.”
     
    “It’s fine.”
     
    Fae and Mr. Singu heard slow footsteps
coming down the stairwell. Jogen came down sniffling and rubbing his eyes.
     
    “Said your goodbyes?” Mr. Singu asked.
     
    Jogen nodded a “ yes ” in response.
     
    “It’s okay to let it all out, you know,”
Mr. Singu said.
     
    “I know…”
     
    Mr. Singu then grabbed all three of his
bags and hurled them over his broad shoulders.
     
    “Got everything, Jo?” Mr. Singu said.
     
    Jogen tightened the strings on his bags.
“Yeah,” he replied, clearing his throat.
     
    “Good. Our carrier’s outside.”
     
    Jogen hunched his back to swing the bags
over his shoulder. As they approached the door, Mr. Singu lifted his free arm
when he turned to Fae.
     
    “Alright, sis,” Mr. Singu said, “be
safe. Don’t forget Lilah’s checkups.”
     
    “I’m not THAT old.” Fae and Mr. Singu
shared a small chuckle as they reached out to hug each other. “Please,” she
said, “be safe.”
     
    “You too…Let’s go, Jo.”
     
    Mr. Singu backed away to let Jogen hug
Fae. “Bye, Ms. Fae,” he said.
     
    “Stay safe, Jo! I wanna’ see you again!”
     
    Jogen then stepped away and followed
behind Mr. Singu, stepping out into the bright rays of the sun.
     
    Outside, a large, metal cart manned by a
short, elderly man riding on the back of a tall, yellow animal with a shaggy,
white mane. “Singu?” the elderly man asked.
     
    “Yes sir!”
     
    “Alright, let’s be off!”
     
    Jogen and Mr. Singu stepped to the back
of the cart and lifted the metal cage. They threw their bags inside and hopped
in, closing the gate behind them.
     
    “YAH,” the elderly man shouted as he
pumped his heels against the sides of the animal. The animal lunged forward, causing
Jogen and Mr. Singu’s bodies to jerk from their seats.
     
    “No safety belts?” Mr. Singu grumbled.
     
    Jogen settled back into his seat and
watched through the cage as the distance between him and the diner grew further
and further.

 
    CHAPTER 9
     
    After two hours of passing sceneries in
the wild, Jogen and Mr. Singu finally arrived at a bay with a huge stone sign
that said “ Lekobo Regional Express .”
     
    Jogen and Mr. Singu unlocked the cage
and slid it up. They grabbed their bags and swung them over their shoulders.
     
    “Thank you,” Mr. Singu shouted to the
elderly man.
     
    “You take care now!” the man yelled as
he waved and went his own way.
     
    Jogen and Mr. Singu entered the station,
stepping onto wooden planks lodged into the dirt.
     
    They stepped toward the entrance gate
where a female clerk was stationed, wearing a long, blue robe with a blue and
gold cap. She stood behind a white desk accompanied by two men towering above
her with their heads held high and their hands latched onto their guns.
     
    “Welcome to Lekobo Station,” the clerk
said, smiling, “may I see your passes?”
     
    Jogen and Mr. Singu pulled two yellow
tickets from their pockets and handed them to her.
     
    “Thank you,” she said, “give me a moment
to verify.”
     
    The clerk reached into her pocket and
pulled out a red lens. She put the lens over her left eye and saw the special
ink stamp in the fabric of the tickets.
     
    “Perfect,” she said, “here’s your
receipt passes. Enjoy your trip!”
     
    The clerk handed them two pink tickets
and unlocked the heavy, iron gate behind her.
     
    “Thank you,” Jogen said.
     
    The two of them stepped