Hawk looked down at the wide brown eyes of one of the children. He noticed Zach's eyes were just as wide.
"Oliver, of course they are going to live there. A quick cleaning and the lodge will be quite comfortable," an elderly smiling native said. He pulled the boy backwards to stand right in front of him, extending a hand out, "Welcome to Salmon Run. Steve Neeley, but everyone calls me Grandpa Neeley."
"Nice to meet you," Hawk said, shaking the rough hand with large knuckles. "You know the lodge?"
"Helped George on many an occasion. It's a good solid place, built to last." Grandpa Neeley ignored a muttering from further back in the store and continued to talk, making it impossible for Hawk to hear more of the whispers. "We've worked with Mr. Pelson to keep her in shape. You don't keep a building cold in the winter. It will destroy a structure faster than anything."
"Wonderful. Then we can move right in."
Grandpa Neeley scratched the salt and pepper short-cut hair at the back of his neck, "Well, I didn't say that. Will need a bit of a cleanup. A herman got into the kitchen not too long ago."
Zach leaned on the rack with a frown. "Then tell Herman to go mess up his own place."
The comment was met with a round of laughter throughout the store.
Oliver rolled his eyes and gave Zach a haughty, "Herman is a rat."
"Not a rat, an ermine is a type of rodent," Grandpa Neeley said with a chuckle, emphasizing the pronunciation of the word. "Annoying little things, make one heck of a mess, but pretty harmless. We chased him out. Finish up your shopping. We can update you on the lodge on the train."
He herded the kids away. The others drifted away to continue their shopping, some still laughing and shaking their heads.
Hawk pulled off the coat before he melted from the heat. "This one will do."
"Don't believe all the stories about the place?" Zach asked. "What did that mean?"
McRoyal shrugged. "Don't pay any attention to that. Now to find a coat and snow pants for Zach. What size do you wear?"
Fifteen years old, and people were still trying to dress him. "Um, I'm fine."
"They really are a lot warmer," Hawk said. He put the coat aside. The thought of going back out in the cold had just become more palatable.
"They cost too much," Zach said with a frown. "My jacket is fine and we have other things to spend the money on."
Hawk smothered a sigh. Not the budget again. Sometimes he worried about Zach becoming much too old before his time.
***
Zach slipped off his coat at his father's urging, trying on a heavily insulated light blue coat. Zach didn't care for the color, but fortunately it didn't fit. The long day of travel was starting to wear on him, making him eager to get on the Solar Express and get to Salmon Run and the lodge as soon as possible.
A brown eyed teenager not much older than himself studied him from across a display of boots. "If you are going to be living in the lodge that means you will be attending the Salmon Run School."
Zach shrugged. He searched another rack. If he had to get a coat it would be in a color he liked. "Yeah."
"How's your crossover?"
Zach paused while pushing the hangers back and forth. "My what?"
"Or your layup? Blind pass? Give and go?" The boy started frowning. "Come on, anything?"
YOU ARE READING
Night of the Aurora (Salmon Run - Book 1)
Science FictionWhen Hawk and Zach Callahan arrive to start a new life in the wilds of Alaska they find the first challenge is just getting to the small town of Salmon Run. But, Alaska has more in store for them. Such as a massive aurora, the Solar Express train sh...
