Callum sat slumped down, his face pressed against the car window as they passed livestock behind gates on the highway. A little part of him felt sad about leaving his old city behind, he had been in Jersey for 15 years, so of course he was going to feel something. But there was also a small dent of happiness, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. He was starting fresh. This was new to him, and he thought about all the things he was going to have to figure out. But before he could dwell on it, he was interrupted.

  “Mommy, look at the horses! Woahhh!”

  A little girl in pink, no older than eight, pointed excitedly at a brown one.

  Another voice chimed in, lower and more reserved. “The black one’s faster,” the boy said, glancing out the window before turning back to his phone.

  Talia snapped her head toward her older brother. “You’re an idiot.”

  Charlie looked up, his hood almost falling off as he sat up quickly, his face shifting. “What’d you say?”

  A deeper voice cut through the tension before it could escalate. “Cut it out.”

  It was a voice of authority, deeper than all of theirs combined.

  “Sorry,” Charlie muttered, going back to watching his phone. It was what he always did when he wanted to avoid something, especially their dad. He was a loving father, but also strict at times. Even though Charlie wanted to argue in his defense, he stuck to his habit of staying quiet. Talia, satisfied, stuck her tongue out at him. He ignored her.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Ray turned back around and glanced at Elise, whose eyes stayed focused on the road.

  “You’re too hard on him,” she said.

  Ray looked at her, his eyes soft, his voice thoughtful. “I need to be. This world is worse than any man will ever be.”

  She kept her eyes on the road. “He’s a child, Ray. Let him do child things—like sibling babble.”

  Ray thought about her words, letting them settle. Finally, he nodded. “You’re right.”

  He turned back toward Charlie, but the boy was already buried in his phone, deeper than before. Ray let it go and faced forward again.

  Callum, oblivious to it all, had his headphones in. He’d always drowned the noises of others out.

  He was listening to a philosophical podcast—one of his favorites. It made the car ride pass by with ease, which helped, considering they had been on the road for five days now. All because Talia was afraid of planes.

  The last few hours blurred by, as time usually did for Callum.

  A tap on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts.

  “Ugh,” he groaned, stretching as the sound of joints cracking echoed through the car. He sat up and extended his arms, turning to see his little sister. He was about to say something, but before he could, his mother’s voice cut in.

  “We’re here.”

  He looked out the car window, taking in the sight of their new home—a nice-sized house in a well-kept neighborhood, lined with white houses and carefully tended gardens.

  Behind him, the back of the car lifted as his father pulled the suitcases out. Callum stepped out, stretching once more before gazing at the house.

  They 're Truly starting new. He thought to himself.