~Chapter 2 – The Orania Family ~

         A group of individuals were seated at a stop along a thin road, many of them teenagers and children. Along the road were metallic rails embedded in it, with haul cables lingering over them. They were the tram tracks running near the school. Those waiting could feel the sea breeze on them.

         Among this group were two sisters, one eighteen years old, and the other thirteen. The elder sister sat with a straight posture, always making herself appear presentable. She was dressed for the warm weather their country was known for. She had lighter skin and red hair.

         Her little sister inherited their father's black hair; hers was shoulder-length and curly. Her shoes were beat up from all the time she'd spent on the farm. Usually, she was more energetic, but she was quiet that day.

         "Are you alright, Maggie?" The older sister asked.

         Maggie turned and enthusiastically nodded, "Mhmm!"

         One of the tram vehicles pulled up to their stop and opened its doors to them. The older sister took Maggie's hand, "Come on."

         A host of people entered the tram line, and soon after, it set off down the tracks. As it went, the ocean and sandy beaches were clearly visible. The tram stopped near a marketplace; groups of people boarded and departed before the tram vehicle set off again. It'd be a few stops before they were close to home.

         All the while, Maggie had been staring through the window at the ocean. She was being uncharacteristically quiet.

         "Are you sure you're okay?"

         Maggie perked up. At first, it seemed as if she would say, 'I'm fine!', yet again. She paused before asking, "Paula, do you think Ma is safe?"

         The older sister, Paula, tilted her head, "What do you mean?"

         "Do you think she's safe from Population Control?" Maggie elaborated.

         "I'd say so," Paula replied calmly.

         "Even though she isn't working?"

         "Yes. She's taking care of you and me," Paula explained.

         "But I have a friend whose dad wasn't working! Population Control took him!" Maggie fretted.

         Paula furrowed her brow, "That doesn't sound right. Did your friend's dad take care of them... or was he doing other things?"

         Maggie's eyes looked up and to the right as she recalled something, "I guess he was out at the bar a lot. He didn't really help out."

         "Well, there you go! That's why. Mom isn't going to have that problem," Paula assured her.

         "What about when you leave this summer for work?"

         "She'll still be looking after you. And after you graduate and move out like me, I'm sure she'll start working somewhere to stay busy. There's nothing to worry about."
         "...That makes sense," Maggie paused, "She must be extra safe because she's looking after Ernesto too."

         Paula winced, but forced a smile, "I don't think Ernesto is doing them any favors.

         After a few more stops, they arrived at the one nearest to their home, and they hiked the rest of the way. On the way they passed by their father's farm; His pride and joy. Maggie couldn't help but greet one of the cows at the fence's perimeter.

As she did, many of the farmhands recognized them and waved as they tended to the cattle. The two girls waved back and continued on their way. Paula couldn't help but remember being a tomboy and helping her father on the farm when she was little.

Occasionally, vehicles passed them by on the roads, all commercial vehicles. There were a few individuals they saw on horseback as well. Most people simply used the tram lines to get around.

"I wish you didn't have to leave..." Maggie uttered as they walked, gripping both straps of her backpack.

"Where'd that come from?"

"School's almost over. You'll leave after that."

"I'll visit though! Once I'm settled, you could come visit me in the city too. Plus, if I do well, you might see me reporting on the news."

"Ooh, that'd be cool!" Maggie cooed.

"You'll go out on your own when you get older too," Paula said. Every chance she had, she tried to cultivate the idea of what a successful future would look like in Maggie's mind.

"Ernesto didn't!" Maggie replied.

Paula grimaced. She didn't understand how Maggie got along with him. "He's not the best example. He didn't even graduate."

"That wasn't his fault. He got sick."

"He could've gone back when he got better, but he never did," Paula replied. That was her one worry about leaving. With her gone, her only example would be their brother. If there was a time to try and instill a good work ethic in her, these last few weeks at home would be the time. "You'd never make that mistake anyways. Have you thought about what you'll do when you grow up?"

"I'm not sure. I like helping Pa on his farm."

"You're better than that!" Paula replied snappily, "Do you like any of your classes?"

"Umm... Not really. I guess the survival class is fun. I learned how to make a campfire!" Maggie replied.

"Maybe next year, you can switch it up. Find what you really like."

Maggie strolled along for a moment before looking up at her sister, "Being an artist would be fun."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, Ernesto has been teaching me."

Paula winced, "That'd be a nice hobby. Not so much of a job. I'm sure you'll find your calling."

         The two girls came to a suburban neighborhood with many houses of similar design and palm trees dotting the area. The girls came to the door of one of the houses - their home.

         Every time Paula came home, she couldn't help but feel like the house was shrinking. It wasn't terribly small, it fit the five members of their family comfortably. But Paula suspected it was all her parents could afford when they first bought it. Paula was looking forward to moving out to her own place.

         As they walked, they could smell something cooking in the kitchen, accompanied by a faint humming. Their father, Ignacio, was lounging on the couch, passively watching something on television. It was one of his days off.

         "Hello, girls!" Their mother, Delilah, called out as they came inside. Both Paula and her mother shared red hair, but her mother's was curly.

         "Hi Ma!" Paula called out, slipping her backpack off and heading towards her bedroom.

         "Food is almost ready!" Their mother, Delilah, announced. Right on time for their arrival at home. A perk of being a stay-at-home mother, she had a good sense of everyone's schedules. It wasn't something Paula ever wanted to do herself, but she respected her mother for it.

         "I'm not hungry yet," Paula replied as she walked into her bedroom and set her backpack down neatly.

         Her mother left the kitchen and peered into Paula's bedroom with her hands on her hips, "You're still living with us, might as well enjoy dinner with us while you can."

         Paula rolled her eyes and smiled, "Okay," she acquiesced.

         Paula took her place at the table. Her father and sister sat as her mother finished prepping. She tapped on a closed door of their home and said, "Ernesto! Food is ready!"

         It took a moment, but a young man emerged from the room clutching a notebook in one hand and a pencil in the other. He was a thin young man in pajama pants and a baggy shirt, with overly long black hair. It hadn't been cut by their mother in some time. No one would guess that he was her older brother.

He was scrawny; Paula wouldn't have been surprised if he weighed less than her. His skin was paler than the rest of them too. From the drowsy look on his face, it appeared he had just woken up.

         He meandered to a seat at the table beside Maggie, his eyes glued to the notebook he held. He smirked before turning the notebook over to Maggie, "How does this look?"

         She peered into the notebook and giggled, "That looks silly, Ernesto."

         Ernesto smiled softly. The two of them always got along. Paula could never quite relate to him when they were growing up.

         "What is it?" Paula asked from across the table.

         "You won't like them," Ernesto answered dryly.

         "How do you know? I'm sure Pa and I would like it. Right Pa?" Paula replied, nudging her father beneath the table.

         Ignacio straightened up in his seat. "Umm... Yeah! We'd like to see."

         Ernesto shrugged, "Well, alright." He slid the notebook across the table for his sister and father.

         Paula looked at the notebook. In it were a series of pencil sketches on the page of various animals. Dogs. Cows. Chickens. But... there was something uncanny about all of them. The Dogs torso was unrealistically long. The cow's head was smaller than it should have been and had strange horns. Paula wasn't sure what was going on with the chicken's feet. It just looked incorrect.

         But it was still decent.

         "It's... good!" Paula said with a nod.

         Her dad was still peering at the book with a confused look on his face when he said, "Yeah. Good job, son."

         Paula slid the notebook back to him, and Ernesto unenthusiastically took it back.

         Their mother began serving the family food, and Ernesto asked, "Hey Ma, would you be able to pick up a few more notebooks for me soon?"

         "You went through the last few I bought you?"

         "Almost," Ernesto replied.

         "Sure. I can grab you a few more."

         "Thanks, Ma."

         As soon as Ernesto finished eating, he trudged back into his room without another word.