Traveler

This story begins in a small village the inhabitants call Pocket, population 101. The newest member of society was born just this morning. Pocket isn’t your conventional looking village. It has one tall, 200 meter, 50 story concrete building at the North end of the village. The building sits at the bottom of a cliff, the cliff’s wall is 5x that height, virtually unclimbable and its width spans beyond the eye can see. The rest of the village consists of 30 standard sized, 2 story, modern wooden houses and one 3 story, Town Hall building that sits on the edge of the West end of Pocket’s border. The Town Hall also included the 100 acres of land surrounding it, the grass is always perfectly cut and the land is filled with flowers and trees that do not grow anywhere else in or outside the village. On the south end of Pocket’s border is where the school is located, it’s a 1 story building, the size of 2 houses put side by side and includes a 2 acre field for the children to play in at recess. The east end is where you’ll find the entrance to Pocket, although Pocket has no walls, this is where the villagers leave and return from. Further away from the entrance, the wooded area surrounding Pocket gets thicker and feels impossible to explore.

Pocket has no history books. Mr. Bird, the 56 year old town Historian, teaches math, science, and writing. The history of Pocket is only available to him, inside his mind. He is barred from speaking the history or prophesying but what he does with the knowledge is of his choosing. The forest surrounding Pocket is full of life, animals are abundant and hunted regularly to keep the people fed, with the addition of various fruit and vegetable crops tended to in the north eastern part of town by the Fell family. Pocket has no currency, everything is exchanged through trade or gifted between families. The more a family contributes to the community, the more gifts they’ll receive, encouraging families to work for everyone rather than themselves.

The forest surrounding Pocket has a name, the people call it Shade Forest and the land beyond Shade Forest has been named the Fog Lands. The Fog Lands have never been explored and are rarely talked about. They are rumored to be impossible to reach, even if you tried. Mr. Bird says he has no knowledge of what’s out there, but he also isn’t allowed to say anything if he did.

There is a story told within the Yor family, about their grandmother Sophia, who one day left Pocket and never returned. She is said to have told her husband she was going for a walk early one morning, which wasn’t unusual for her personality. Hours passed that day and when she didn’t return home, her husband went out to look for her. Hailey Watcher, whose family lives the closest to Pockets entrance, said she spotted Sophia leaving and asked “where are you headed at a time like this?”. Sophia responded “I’m travelling.” and left in a hurry. Sophia’s husband Daniel rushed out without preparation to find her. He followed the main dirt path that wound, dipped, and rose above the trees at its highest points but couldn’t find her. What he did find was a note. He picked it up and read;

“My Dearest Daniel,

I know you’re looking for me. I won’t be returning to you this time. I had a conversation with Mr. Bird the other day and he wouldn’t tell me anything. I mean nothing! I can’t stand living in this village anymore, although you make that experience enjoyable regardless. So, we are old now, but before we get too old I need to go to the Fog Lands. You’re not one to want to do much, I’ve learned this over the years. It’s actually one of the things I love about you most. That is the reason I didn’t invite you and our grandchildren need you. You are strong. Go back now and tell my story, have some fun with me one last time and make it our family secret. Mr. Bird can’t have all the fun! Don’t tell him nothin’! If I find a way I will send letters, otherwise..

I love you, Daniel.

Sophia Yor”

Daniel returned to the village. When he arrived most of the village was waiting for him, eager to hear what happened. He looked up with teary eyes and said “She’s gone”. His family ran over to him, hugged him, and took him home in their arms. When they got back home he called everyone over to his chair. “Cheer up!” He said, “Sophia is alive.” and he shared the note.

10 years have gone by and the Yor family has kept their family secret well hidden. Although they haven’t received any new notes from Sophia, they are known as the most excitable family, always ready to take on new challenges and encourage others. They often receive gifts, usually because others feel sorry for them or because they tend to help others without asking for payment.

The Yor family includes Daniel the grandfather, age 76 but looks 40, he is a spritely old man who loves to stay fit and leads the hunting crew. Emerald, his daughter, age 50, is a strong old woman who’s known for her raw strength, often helping with building or moving goods around the village with her giant wooden cart. Her husband Pepo, from the Aart family, died at the age of 44 trying to climb the northern cliff. The villagers made a statue of him with a warning on it that reads “Pepo Aart, died half way up the cliff, we hope, because when he hit the ground he made a thunderous sound.”. Asana, daughter of Emerald and Pepo, age 22, is considered a spitting image of her grandmother with the personality to match. She loves to go on hunts with Daniel and as a result is an expert markswomen with the bow, fast, agile, and strong.