Pepper tossed and turned that night, which resulted in an extra groggy morning. By the time he got out of bed and walked into the kitchen area he was surprised to see his dad was taking a phone call. His curiosity brough him to inch just a little closer to overhear.

“Yes Miss Chuirc… I understand. Well, everything was scheduled before I left Portage and. Yes Miss Chuirc. I will be leaving here soon and will correct the discrepancy first thing tomorrow morning. Okay, yes, I will send you an email as soon as it’s fixed and updated in the system. Okay, thank you Miss Chuirc.” His dad looked like he was about to say goodbye, but the eye roll informed him the call ended before he had a chance to say it.

The two locked eyes and Pepper could easily see the frustration within his father. His dad shook his head and started to walk over from the living room area. “I swear that woman is a chaos gremlin that rivals the worst demons I fought in the war.”

“Sounds like you…” Pepper paused when he saw his dad grab the backpack he had brought with his change of clothes. “Are already heading out.”

His dad frowned and nodded. “Yeah. Welcome to adulthood. A time in your life when you’re told you can take vacation, only to be told you need to return from vacation after only 2 days.”

“Sorry dad.”

“It’s okay bud. I am at least glad that I got to help you get down here. You did a great job picking this place out.” His father hesitated and after a short paused he looked at Pepper. “I’m gonna miss you.”

He sighed. “I’ll miss you too dad.” They hugged.

Pepper saw the small tear begin to form in his dads’ eye as they separated and chuckled when his dad played it off. “You should uh, maybe consider some allergy meds or something. The pollen down here is pretty bad.”

The two chuckled and Pepper stood at the doorway and waved his dad goodbye once the truck turned off the driveway and headed for the interstate. Pepper looked out the back window and saw two perfectly placed trees in the backyard. Well, I know exactly what would go perfect there.

In less than two minutes his hammock was set up between the two large pine trees. He rolled in while Amprage cried for not getting to be in the hammock with him. His familiar laid down at his feet while they both enjoyed the cool morning breeze.

Pepper started to tap through his holodex and tapped on Andrea’s name. The call option beamed to life, and he waited while it rang much longer than he anticipated. He finally heard her calm voice answer on the other end.

“Hey you.” Andrea said.

“Hey… are you still sleeping?”

Andrea chuckled. “Nope. I already got the horses fed, cleaned the east stables and am about to go check on the goats.”

“Well, someone decided to pickup the morning shift I see.”

“Well Eli had a family emergency and texted me last night after we got done talking. She asked if I could cover for her, given the circumstances. Thankfully Kyle agreed to swing by the house and check on dad. So… yeah, just me running the place today.”

“Is everything okay?”

“I dunno. Not my business to ask. If it was, I’m sure she would have told me more.” Andrea quickly shifted the topic around. “So, what are you guys planning to do today?”

“Dad already left.”

Andrea quickly responded. “Really? What happened there?”

“The usual, he got a call from work and decided to head back.”

Andrea’s voice rose as she began to defend his dad. “That’s ridiculous! Your dad works harder than anyone else at that store and is constantly bailing them out. You’d think they’d finally let him take a real vacation for once instead of forcing him into straight burnout.”

Pepper flared his eyebrows while he scanned the tree canopy overhead. “I know.” He slightly chuckled while Andrea continued to go on a rant of epic proportions. She covered everything from work ethic to loyalty and then his dad’s connection to the community. The whole time he just patiently waited there and let her vent her thoughts.

She finally finished and then Pepper continued to share the rest of his plans. “I think Amp and I are going to venture into the city today.”

As soon as the words left his lips Amprage poked his head up. The metal golem looking back at him with pure excitement and then began to zoom around the yard. “Car ride! Car ride! Car ride!” Pepper was about to turn his attention to Andrea, but the distinct noise of metal crunching forced him to investigate.

“Oww!” Was all Pepper heard from Amprage until his golem came staggering around one of the large pine trees. “These things don’t really budge do they.”

Pepper reached up and grabbed his face while sighing heavily. “Amp… you can’t feel pain.”

“Says you!”

“Says science! You don’t have pain receptors.” Pepper said while he glared back at his familiar with a confused expression.

Amprage shifted his body weight to one side and then picked up his front paw. The metal leg dangled there and Pepper could hear the distinct grinding of metal as it swayed. “Can’t feel pain… explain this Pepper… explain.”

“Uhm! That’s totally different. Does it hurt?” Pepper asked as he shifted in his hammock.

“Well currently my emotions hurt with the fact that you’re neglecting my need for comfort, support, and reassurance that I’m a good boy.”

Pepper dropped his face into the hammock and groaned. “You can be so dramatic sometimes.” He sighed and started to make his way out of the hammock. A short few steps later and he swooped down and picked Amprage up and into his arms.

It didn’t take him long to discover that Amprage had bent some internal rods within the appendage. He knew it would take him a couple of hours to carefully repair, especially with the fact that he needed to preserve his resources and materials. Note to self, always plan for Amprage accidents. He added the mental note while he carried Amprage in his arms over to the workshop.

“Well, sounds like you two boys are already getting yourselves into trouble. I need to get back to work, but thanks for your call. I miss you.”

“I miss you too. I’ll call you soon.”

“Okay, Bye.” Andrea ended.

Pepper carried Amprage into the shop and set him on the work bench. He started to grab the tools he was going to need for the repair job and got to work. The metal exterior plating being carefully removed one at a time.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Pepper, I have discovered something.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Leaves can be quite slippery on grass when you’re running.”

Pepper chuckled and took a moment to narrow his gaze back on the internal components of the golems construct. His hands contorting around during the repair process, but then he felt the cold metal nose of Amprage poke his arm. The dog’s personality profile seemed to be on overdrive at the moment and Pepper couldn’t help but smile while it simultaneously slightly irritated him. But the cute distraction did help the repair process be far more enjoyable than it normally would take.

By the time Pepper was done with the repairs he noticed it was practically lunchtime. “Well, that’s one way to spend the morning. I think it is safe to say we don’t do zoomies anymore?”

“Okay…” Amprage replied in a sullen tone.

Pepper opened his holodex and then navigated to the Rover Ride application. A quick check of the settings to ensure it was properly reading his new home location and he then tapped to request a ride. He quickly received a ping notification that a ride was on its way and a few minutes later, he stood there stunned.

“There’s no wheels?” He asked out loud only to ask a second question a split second later. “There’s no driver either!?” The vehicle came to a stop and his hands and face were practically plastered on the side passenger window. “There’s not even a steering wheel?” Pepper stepped back and looked the vehicle over.

The whole thing looked like some kind of futuristic transportation pod that hovered above the ground. He then saw the faint glow pulsate through the curved design of the capsule. He instinctively knew the light was an indication of the use of runes.

“I guess the future is now…” Pepper muttered.

He then glanced over where the back passenger door appeared to be and saw a small square inlay. A quick tap of his finger and the distinct sound of a decompression sequence began. Amprage lowered his body to the ground as if he was prepared to pounce upon the vehicle. A small guttural growl letting out which caused Pepper to huff.

The rear passenger door opened a split second later and glided directly upward. Pepper couldn’t help but notice that if the opposite side door had been open at the same time, the vehicle would resemble almost that of a bumblebee. The two climbed in and found the interior was in fact colored in a light grey pattern with golden yellow accents. It was no surprise to him when he finally found the vehicle manufacturer emblem embroidered on the seats, which just so happened to be a tiny bumblebee.

“Buzz Podz” Pepper said under his breath once he caught sight of the name. The vehicle door closed and then the slight motion sensation hit him. Pepper, however, began to fixate on his holodex while he did a quick search for the vehicle.

Buzz Podz Ver 3.2 is a transportation vehicle built in Italy but primarily see’s usage in America, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Australia. The 3.2 is the latest technological achievement in transportation. A Blue Hawk Power Core services the Quintek gravitational rune that glides your customers with ease to their final destination. Our specialized essence absorption rune continues to pull in radiant energy to endlessly power you along your travels. The aid it provides to the power core delivery system, enables for minimal maintenance required. Additionally, without the need for wheels, brakes, rotors etc. The cost on repair and upkeep easily pays for itself. You truly can now enjoy luxury at a reasonable price. Click here to contact your area representative to receive a quote.

“Wow.” Pepper muttered while he closed out the screen and continued to look about the small cabin area. Amprage was standing on the opposite side of the compartment and looked out the window while wagging is tiny metal tail.

“Can you even see anything?”

“Not really… there are mostly blurred outlines of shapes and structures. We are moving at a high enough speed that I can’t really make out what exactly I am looking at.”

Pepper moved his ball cap and scratched his head. “Then why exactly are you looking out the window?”

“Because that’s what dogs do.”

Pepper rolled his eyes and then joined Amprage in staring out the window. The ride was indeed smooth, the gliding sensation was one he quickly adapted to and could see why everyone would love to travel in this manner. It also was eerily quite. So much so that there was no noise at all. The entire capsule was truly sealed off from the outside world. Pepper felt like he could have easily closed his eyes and been inside the vacuum of space.

But when he opened his eyes, he saw another world in and of itself. The capsule was now entering the downtown area. Pepper was taken back by the sight of trash, destruction, and massive tent and tarp encampments that had been erected all throughout the area. The vehicle came to a stop and played a small recording, “We’ve arrived at your destination.”

“Uh, mmm… yeah I dunno about this.” He muttered while quicky trying to add a new destination for the ride to take him. All the while he heard Amprage begin to growl as a few people took notice of the vehicles arrival. Pepper glanced up and saw a few begin to stagger towards him. His heart began to race and he felt panic begin to consume him internally.

The decompression sound began on the door and he heard its hydraulic apparatous begin to perform its motion of opening the door. Pepper was frozen in panic as the side panel lifted upwards and he was now directly exposed to this man.

The stranger was now what looked to be only 10 feet away from him. Amprage was not only growly but started to bark, living out his canine profile and protecting his master. The man’s movements made it look like he was a person struggling to walk through an earthquake but also acted in a manner like a zombie in a movie.

His clothes were tattered and torn. Grease and dirt spots scattered all about. A grimy clawed hand was now outstretched towards him. The man’s mouth was contorted about as if he was ready to take a bite out of Pepper himself.

Pepper clenched his fist yet felt the trembling within it. The sensation ran all up and along his arm as he worked up the courage to prepare to defend himself. He was a split second away from either dashing forward and meeting the man head on or being captured by the stranger blocking his escape.

Pepper was then startled when a large man of chocolate brown skin appeared out of nowhere. The man had his back turned to Pepper but the distinct sight of medical scrubs were clearly identifiable. “Charlie! Stop scaring these kids!” The man proclaimed in a loud and thunderous voice.

Pepper’s intervening hero reached up with his hand and placed a small plastic facemask over the zombie like creature. Pepper could here a quick sputtered noise come from the device and in what looked like an instant, the man was pulled out of the frightened state. “Hey! Why… what did you do that for?” The man’s raspy voice blared out from underneath the medical mask.

The man in the medical scrubs pulled the device down off Charlie’s face and pointed a firm scolding index finger at him. “I warned you Charlie. I warned you that if I saw you down here again on that quake that I would mist you. Did I not?”

“Hey come on…”

“Did I not!?” The medical professional didn’t even give the man a chance to refute his statement. He cut him off and looked to surge upwards, like a massive grizzly bear that stood up to showcase its dominance to anyone who dared to challenge him. “Now I told you Charlie, I’m going to mist you every time I see you on that quake! I’ll be misting you so hard you gonna swear it was holy water from Father Grippin’s church off 5th Avenue. People like this young man right here.”

The medical nurse turned and pointed an outstretched hand towards Pepper. “He just trying to be out here living his best life. He wanna be outside enjoying this beautiful day… but he can’t if you out here creep’n and zombie’n all over the place now can he?”

“Efrem! I’m just trying to…”

The nurse thunder clapped his large bear paw like hands together and cut off Charlie yet again. “I asked you… I asked you a question… I asked you a question Charlie! Can this young man enjoy his day if you out here acting like a fool?”

The man’s face was distorted with anger and frustration. But Pepper could easily see that the man’s cheeks were more filled with what looked to be embarrassment. The raspy and crusty voice struggled to reply but then finally crackled to life. “Well… no… I... I suppose not.”

“That’s right!” The nurse confirmed. “Ain’t nobody able to be up in here enjoying them day when you scaring them Charlie. Now, straighten up your shirt.”

The man being instructed on what to do in such a forceful manner appeared to reset his brains wiring. He reached his grimy hands down and tugged at the bottom of his dirt crusted shirt. He then stood there and looked back at the nurse as if he was waiting for the next set of commands.

“Now that’s better.” The nurse extended his arms out. The gesture looked to be half a part of emphasis the other half a sarcastic exaggeration. “You hungry Charlie?” The man nodded in response. The nurse then performed a slow half turn to the side and pointed to an area out of Pepper’s view. “Alright, you go on and get yourself some soup, bread, and some candy. Nurse Jacki gonna fix you up good, okay?”

The man nodded and now seemed more sheepish than the tarrying appearance he was just a moment before. “Yes, uh… thank you Efrem.”

“Alright now, you go on.” The nurse instructed and the man began to move along. He still had a slight stagger in his step, but it was certainly nothing compared to what it had been when he first approached the capsule. “And I’m seriously Charlie. I see you quake’n again and I’m still gonna mist you!” The nurses voice echoed out across the area.

Pepper watched as the nurse then turned around and extended his arms out with open palms. “Hey there, welcome to Atlanta!”