day 14 26818!!!!! I just can't get over my word count. (Sadly they are still on the bus.)

Another boy said. “The trade options for them are being looked at. We tried a few years ago, but there was little interest at that time. But we have made some changes since then so are looking at it again. The bags are made of mixture of post change fibers. I don’t think they would have had anything like them pre, but then who knows. We use a mix of the changed corn, flax and hemp in them.”

“Cool, so you make them? I can tell you right now my dad would buy a gross for his shops. Name your price, the outfitters he works with have been wanting better ways to carry food, and for that the government would be interested in them as well. This looks like it will last though touch use. How do they take open flames? There are some folks looking for flame resistant backpacks as well. Do you have something that would work? Price is not an issue for them.”

“Really? Yes we have some. Those are not good for lames, but we have others. Working on one that can hold a bit of hot ash. To keep things warm for longer, and have a box that will carry hot coals. Would there be a market for it to? Or is that still not needed. When we first tried we were laughed at, as it was easier to just use the other thing.”

“A few years ago maybe. But folks are wanting to go further in land see what is left, now that things are pretty much mapped here. And the explorers have found it to be handy to have non magic items. There are some nasty things in the more wild areas that are dawn to magic.”

Sara took out another bag and got a pie out, then set the bag on the seat and took up her book. The weather stayed good, and the roads clear. The other bus was waiting for them when they stopped at a small picnic area for lunch. Sara went over to the one of the tables and started taking bags out. “Help your self if you want to try something. The ones that say meat should still be warm, the frit ones are not.”

The ones from the other bus looked oddly at the bags but then a girl said. “Great idea, come on everyone, share about I bet we all have to much of something. Let’s make a real picnic out of it.” Her wiliness broke the ice and soon the table was full of food. Someone even came up with paper plates.

Sara smiled, and filled a plate, taking care that she was seen to take food that came from the Hammer kids, as well as that from Newton. Ignoring the scowl on Rebecca’s face, as she looked at the stands. “Just what were you thinking? Acting like that, and how do you know it is safe?”

Sara said. “I am just sure a few expected to be able to buy food, and those stands look to be mostly drinks. So why not share? I am sure the food is not spoiled. It was all things that could safely travel. The riskiest out there are my pies, and I know they were packed well enough to keep longer than they have been. I kept a couple of bags of the fruit pies back, should the last half of the trip take longer. I wonder if those stands have something cold?”

“They did here you go, and it is just my conurbation to meal. Just took a bit to get them bought so am giving them out instead of setting them on the table. It is not an attempt at flirting, ladies. Should I go get one of the girls to bring them over or can you take them? Just fruit juice.”

Sara said. “Thank you, but are you sure? I don’t want.”

“No problem, my folks way of having me pack for the trip was to give me a box of signed vouchers and another of cash for where the vouchers won’t work. If the boxes are not returned with noticeably less in content they will just yell at me for slumming. Buying drinks for everyone is helpful really.”

“Thank you then.” She took the drinks and passed them down. “It is all right Rebecca, I can see the water from the ice they were in, it is not magic that made them cold. And see even Leader Istcons’s son has one. You know if it was tainted he wouldn’t have touched it.” Rebecca was still frowning, but she took the drink, and as she did the rest of the girls took one.

After she was done eating Sara stood up and walked around a bit, Abiram and the boy she had told Rebecca to look at came over to her. Abiram said. “You could see the water on them? Really. And what did you forget Timothy’s name?”

Sara said. “Well it worked. Rebecca needed to drink something. She doesn’t have a water bottle and won’t drink out of mine. If I had have admitted to knowing a boys name she would have heard nothing more. She is that type.”

Timothy said. “Well glad you got her to drink, and she did eat a bit. She is going to have to loosen up a bit. Do you think she will relax once we are in the city? Or do I need to make a show out of eating at the hotel to get her to? And stop that. If you can talk to those boys from Hammer you can talk to me.

Sara said. “It is hard to let go, even though your dad said to. I think that in the hotel she will be better. She will be less sure that everything there had to magical up. But she is going to spend as much time as she can hiding in the hotel room, for fear of what is out there. I hope there will be a few mandatory walks. She needs to see something of life outside of Newton, or she will be to scared when she needs to interact with the world. There are things that come up in running a house that force such interactions after all.”

Abiram  said. “If there is not, I will suggest that there should be. There are going to be a few boys that need then as well.”

Timothy nodded. “Father, and a few leaders in other towns, is working on get the laws changed so all spend a few days at a market stall, just so everyone learns how they work and how to cope. Have you guys looked at your envelopes yet? I am fairly certain everyone has deferent amount in them from the stacks I saw. I saw some papers being put into a few as well.”

Abiram said. “No I have just went though the one my father gave me. It was enough of a shock to get it.”

Sara said. “No, I thought I would wait to do that. Grandfather gave me some so I don’t need it for the road. But I can tell you I was surprised at how think it was, but if there are instructions in it that would make since. ”

Mr. Bixter called. “All right we had best be getting back on the buses. There is a lot of road to cover yet.”

They turned back to the bus. Abiram said. “Did he give you a list of what to buy as well? He has a few books he wants me too look for.”

Sara said. “Yes he has things he wants me to buy for myself that he said I wouldn’t if he didn’t tell me to. And he wasn’t me to look for some new novels for him, as I know what kind to get.”

“Just how do you know and I don’t?”

Sara said. “He has me read to him each night, but if the books you are getting are technical ones then perhaps he will go see Dr. Cather and get some reading glasses. Reading for to long at a time makes his eyes hurt.”

Abiram said. “So that is why he has you bring him tea each night! How did this come about?”

Mounting the steps to the bus Sara said. “It is also so mom will think he is taking his medicines she has ne put in the tea. But it just devolved, at first he would read to me and then as I got older we would take turns. Dad would not like it if he knew the books we read, but I find them interesting. They are mostly pre change ones, but speak of magic. Well the myth of it, and there wild ideas of what it was. One set has the charters leveling thought the end of world. In some ways we have it better, some ways worse. They are fun, but not ones I should read. Hence the reason I couldn’t get him new ones around home.”

Abiram said. “He tried to get me to read some of those, but they were to strange for me. How is it that he got away with reading them to you?”

The last kids sat down and the bus started moving. Sara said. “He started it when I was so sick and just kept it up. There wasn’t a lot dad could object to, any more than Mom could object to Grandma having me in the kitchen with her, learning to make the things that Mom wasn’t interested in making. I think it is the stories she told me that makes me so interested in history, so driven to see it doesn’t get lost.”

“That would explain it then. Once it was stared there would be little he could say about it. You always have got along with him so well. Your sure it is just strain with his eyes?”

Sara nodded. “Yes, they only bother him after he has been reading, but it is getting worse so needs to be seen to. I am sure a set of reading glasses is all he needs. Thank goodness glass doesn’t take magic.” She took up her sewing and he turned back to the other boys.

A ways down the road it started to get to rough to sew, so she put her things back in the bag and looked out the window.  The trees looked a bit different and the further they went the more broken limbs she was seeing. “I think there was a storm though here recently.” The bus was slowing down as the road was getting worse.

The driver said. “Been one since the last crew was out at least. Figures the last hour of diving had to be the worst. This close in I was expecting it to be good. It was not much father and they came to a stop behind the lead bus and a few other cars. “Stay on the bus. I’m going to go see what the hold up is. I expect you to keep on being good.” He was back in a bit. “Have about four trees down up there. Someone on the other side went back to get the road crew, but it will be another bit before they get here. Then they have to get the trees moved, so we are stuck for now. If you want you can get out and walk along the road but do not go into the trees.”

Timothy said. “Why can’t we go see about moving the trees? We might at least make a dent.”

The driver said. “The locals say there are tree folks in the woods, and are not sure how they will react. That’s why they are just waiting.”

Abiram said. “Well no reason we can’t go look. Might be they will take a few pies, in exchange for us moving the trees.”

The driver said. “All right, but don’t do anything unless you are sure the say it is all right.”

The boys got off and started walking up the cars. The kids from the first bus seeing the hoped down to follow, wondering what was up. Even as the teachers started calling for them to come back. Sara tagged along behind, as she wanted to see a tree folk. As none of the walking trees came near Newton lands this would be her best chance.

When they reached the fallen trees Tim said loudly. “I am sorry for the loss the storm caused you. I cannot know what these trees meant to you, and I am sure you have reason to resent our road being here. But it is important to us, and it dose, I hope, keep our kind from trampling in your homes. I know you likely want longer to morn your falling, but we really need to get though and so would like to move them back into the tree line.” He jumped as one of the trees at the edge moved. “I know it is scant offering, but we have pastries we can leave as well.”

The tree folk said, his voice was gravely and slow, but clear. “You may keep the pastries, but help to move the fallen is welcome. Treaty prevents me from entering your road way, but others come who can. If you would just move then in the direction there trunks face.”

Tim bowed to the tree folk, one need to be polite to them, and the said. “You heard him guys. Let’s get to work. Try not to do more damage to the trees, but take them back the way they fell from.” A few of the Hammer kids, and most of the people in the cars just stared, but others set to work moving the closest tree. Sara went back to the buses.

Once there she said. “They will need water, if you could all gather up what bottles you have left and bring them. Bring the empty ones as well, it might be they will show us a place to fill them.” She then went to her bus and picked up tow bags of the pastries as well as filling another one with water bottles. She then went back to where they were working.

Once there she handed the water bottles out to whoever reached for one. Then went over to the tree line. “I know you said you didn’t need the pies, but perhaps there are others who will. I am just going to make a basket out of this dry grass for them.” She did so, weaving a simple basket was an easy task, and then she placed the pies into the bag. “They are all fruit, no meat. There is butter, but the sprites at home judge it fairly made. I hope some of your kin will find favor them.”