October NaNoPrep Day 9

Walking was extremely unpleasant.  Long, tedious, uncomfortable.  Ta-j was unsure of the way, so he walked along a busy byway, hoping it would easily lead him to his destination.  There were numerous motorized vehicles on the large black road, but no people.  He found this strange.  After walking until the sun was halfway across the sky, Ta-j was growing frustrated with his limited progress.  He paused.  Much to his surprise one of the motor vehicles stopped parallel to him.

“Hey mister, do you need a lift?”

Ta-j was unsure how to respond.  He had found the best route in these situations was to remain silent.  Almost all beings feel a need to continue restating themselves until they are understood, as if any miscommunication was their own fault.  Sure enough, after Ta-j responded with a blank stare, the man began speaking again.

“Mister, you can’t be walking along the turnpike, it’s illegal.  Now do you want me to give you a ride or not?”

“Yes, a ride.”  Ta-j said, thinking he understood the man.  He was willing to gamble.  The walking had grown very tiresome. 

The man pushed his door open and nodded at Ta-j.  Ta-j slowly climbed into the vehicles, it was large and red with the silhouette of what appeared to be a nude female on the back window.  Ta-j sat down and nodded at the driver.  The driver stared at him for a moment and then shrugged and began accelerating the vehicle.  Ta-j watched the man carefully, studying his every move.  As they drove Ta-j began to feel he was understanding the basic mechanics of the transporter.  It was a fairly simple design. 

“You don’t talk much,”  the man said to Ta-j. 

“I do not.”  Ta-j replied, still watching the man.

“So, what’s your name?”  The man said.  Ta-j noticed the man shift in seat.  He was making him uncomfortable, Ta-j could feel it now.

“Ta-j” 

“Ta-j what?”

“Ta-j,”  Ta-j repeated. 

“Oh.”  The man said, nodding again.  “I’m Thomas.  You can call me Tom.”

“Tom.”  Ta-j said replicating the man’s nodding.  This seemed to put him more at ease. 

“Unlike you, I have a last name, Thomas Gray.  What are you, like Madonna?” 

Again Ta-j only stared.

“Never mind,” the man said, laughing to himself. 

Ta-j nodded again and resumed watching the man, occasionally looking out the window at the world that was passing him by. 

Eventually the man pulled his car off the road and parked near a small building.

“We are stopping?”  Ta-j asked.

“It’s a rest stop, I need to take a piss and get some gas.  You can get some food or just look around.  It won’t be long.”  Thomas replied, climbing from the vehicle.

Ta-j followed the man towards a large concrete building surrounded by parked cars.  Once inside Ta-j immediately noticed a large map on the wall.  He stared at it hoping to get a better idea of his location in this world.  He stood under the map and put his finger on a large red sticker.  The sticker stated, “You are here”.  But where is here? Ta-j wondered.  He studied the map more carefully, northwest of the marker was a large black spot marked Washington DC.  He would head there.  He moved his finger from the red sticker to the black dot, quickly memorizing highway names and landmarks.  Knowing the route he needed to take Ta-j moved away from the map and began exploring the rest of the small building.  One section was made up of shelves and shelves of small items, such as miniature ceramic cups and decorated scooping utensils.  In the corner were small plastic objects.  Inside they were filled with water.  In the water were miniature landscapes, Ta-j reached out and picked one up.  A small cloud of white particles floated up from its bottom.  Ta-j stared transfixed.  He shook it gently and more white particles filled it, covering the small landscape. 

“You like that?”  A young female came over to Ta-j and gestured towards the object in his hand. 

“It’s strange.  What is it?” 

“You mean you’ve never seen a snow globe?”  She said stepping towards Ta-j.

“Snow globe?”  Ta-j stared at the strange contraption. 

“Yeah. “ She took the snow globe from his hand and tipped it upside down.  She righted it and handed it to Ta-j. The white particles fell slowly down on the miniature city.  “See, it looks like it’s snowing?”

“Snowing?”  Ta-j stared at the girl blankly. 

“Yeah, silly.”  She said laughing.  “The white stuff is supposed to be snow.”

“Snow.”  Ta-j looked into the snow globe, captivated. 

The girl leaned close to Ta-j. “Here take it, anyone who’s that interested in a crappy snow globe deserves it.  Nobody ever buys these anyways.”  She pushed the snow globe into Ta-j’s hands.  He nodded at her.  She smiled back.  Ta-j sat on a bench holding the snow globe in front of him.  Once the particles had settled he shook it again and watched them slowly rain down on the miniature landscape. 

“You ready?”  Tom said walking up to Ta-j. 

Ta-j nodded. 

“Why’d you buy that crap anyways?” Tom asked as he approached the vehicle.

Ta-j looked towards Tom, but said nothing. 

Once they’d begun driving Ta-j turned to Tom, “I must go to Washington DC.”

“Sorry man, I’m only going to Somerset.”

“I have to go to Washington DC.”  Ta-j repeated. 

“Dude, I can’t.”  Tom replied, seeming annoyed at Ta-j’s insistence. 

Ta-j turned his attention back to the snow globe, turning it slowly over in his hand.







Ta-j sat behind the driver seat of the truck.  The controls hadn’t been difficult for him to master, although he was still a little unsure whether or not he was moving in the right direction.  A man by the side of the road caught his eye, he had his hand outstretched, thumb up.  He looked like a man who spent a lot of his time by the side of the road, which didn’t inspire confidence, but Ta-j was desperate.  Ta-j slowed the truck and pulled onto the shoulder.  The man looked up warily, as if someone stopping was the last thing he’d expected to happen. 

“Hey mister, do you need a lift?” Ta-j said, trying to nod reassuringly.

“Sure, I guess.”  The man said making no move to approach the truck.

“Now do you want me to give you a ride or not?”  Ta-j said. He leaned across and opened the passenger door. 

“Where you going?’  The man asked.

“Washington DC.  You?”  Ta-j replied quickly.

“Ok, sounds good.”  The man said, slowly climbing into the truck. 

Ta-j could feel he made the man nervous.

“So, what’s your name?”  Ta-j said easily.

“Robert, well everyone calls me Robby, but I hate it.  How about you partner?”

“Tom.” Ta-j looked over at the snow globe he’d placed on the dashboard.  “Tom Snow, you can call me Mr. Snow.”