ericcoleman | Fifteen Years Of Family

We escaped the house the next day and quietly made our way across the highways and byways toward our home. I still had the howling of the dogs ringing in my ears.

My sleep had been restless because in my dreams faces kept leaning toward me and warning me about Grandma.

We passed the time with music and stories piped into our vehicle by the stream driven wireless. Occasionally one or the other of us would talk about one incident or another but mostly we sat in happy silence as our home got ever nearer.

We paused for a brief respite in a strange town where people attempt to learn to fly without the aid of machinery. Through the aether we heard a ringing.

The crafty old wizard had found our location out on the road and through obscure magic spoke to Lizzie.

"Let me talk to Eric".

The fear set in again, I had obviously been judged. Would I be joyous, or would I be damned? Or both?

"It was nice to meet you, I like you a lot, welcome to the family".

They say that you have several families in your life, the one you are born into, your partners, and the people you choose to be family.

This one had chosen me.

His voice faded into the aether, and left Lizzie and I looking at each other in amazement.

We would return many times to this strange place, we are due there in a month or so, and I am no longer afraid.