Eggs

This story was inspired when I was walking home after getting the paper from the local shop where my parents live. This is a lovely quiet area in North Yorkshire and the atmosphere seemed to make this idea jump out (Not sure this is a good thing though).

Hope you enjoy.

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Each white picket fence around the cul-de-sac had the morning newspaper placed in the middle of its gate. All were freshly painted from the previous weekend as the neighbours came out to paint them on the relaxing sunny day. Group activities always helped to build a community within the cul-de-sacs, the young and old, all took part and congratulated each other on a job well done when complete. Today saw how the sun rise above number 3, bathing the houses in a warm glow for the day ahead.

Erik was collecting the paper for his father as 3 cars drove into the street and parked around the car already there by number 7. People in light grey suits got out to open the doors as the Trygg family appeared from the house with their bags. Erik naturally waved across the street as Sten, his father, briskly walked out to bring him back in with the paper. He calmly waved, greeted everyone a ‘Good morning’ but swiftly turned to walk back inside.

Once inside Erik looked up to his father with a smile. After the door had closed Sten looks down to his son, his young eyes beaming back to his, and spoke clearly. ‘It seems that the Trygg’s have been rewarded with a new house. I hope they enjoy their bigger garden and new community. Now let’s get ready for our day ahead so we can go get your comic, sorry, graphic novel, and have a nice day in the park’.

Outside, with the bags packed, 3 cars quietly pulled away. A remaining member of the group locked the house, closed the gate and got into the car which then droves off. Leaving the quiet cul-de-sac with the freshly painted fences and the newspapers in the middle of each gate.

——

Halvor couldn’t sleep. He knew that today was the day that the local shop would be getting the latest edition of The Loyal Citizen and he didn’t want to have to wait for the second delivery in the middle of the week. This would mean trying to avoid all his friends, who will no doubt have read it and want to discuss it in school on Monday. He also knew that he would not be able to get out to the shop when it opens if he didn’t do all his tasks first. Maybe, with a few extra tasks complete, he would be able to have enough money to buy some sweets.

As he walked outside he pondered an odd tradition in the cul-de-sac. No one wanted to be the last house to collect their paper, but to be first was looked equally frowned upon. Today, Halvor didn’t care. He was going to get each of his tasks done before his parents even got up to make breakfast. He had thought he heard his mother moving around at one point, but their door never opened so quietly continued.

As he skipped out of the front door to collect the paper, he was expecting a quiet, empty road in front of him with the newspapers sitting in the middle of their gate. Halvor had never seen who delivered them, but they were always there when people woke up in the morning. Today this was not the scene. Well it was, but there was something new.

In front of him was a cattle lorry. It was large, black and resembled his sports shirt after playing all afternoon on a muddy day. He was amazed that it was still able to be let out in public as his mother had always sent him straight to the bath when he got home from sports. Once, he was even threatened with being hosed in the back garden to save the carpet but, as he had stopped 3 goals that day, he was carried upstairs by his father like a champion. It was as he was looking at the muddy streaks he realised the two drivers hadn’t seen him while they were talking about how to reverse back to the main road. Then they noticed Halvor, standing there, and froze.

Gleefully he called out, ‘Good morning, are you lost?’

The two drivers stood and didn’t respond.

Halvor couldn’t tell what exactly happened next, but he did know three things happened pretty quickly.

From behind his mother, Thyra, appeared out of the door and heaved him back into the house. Halvor himself was pleased that he was able to hold on to the paper and hand it carefully over to his mother once they were inside. She simply looked down at the paper while Halvor walked off to find his next task, placing his shoes on the rack to keep the hallway tidy.

At the same time a black car appeared from around the corner and 3 light grey suits appeared, they seemed to quickly organised the cattle lorry to support it being driven away.

The final thing that he noticed was how the cattle had begun to wake up and started moving around inside. This created an awful noise for the early morning and Halvor wondered if anyone else in the cul-de-sac was woken up by the beasts.

Inside, Halvor had started to set the table for breakfast. As he placed the final fork his father, Ivar, and his mother entered the kitchen and saw Halvor standing proud of what he accomplished so early in the day. So many morning tasks complete and breakfast wasn’t even started yet.

‘I think it’s time we get our new eggs open’. Thyra glided across the kitchen patting her son on the shoulder. ‘After all, we need to reward the hard worker who started the moment the sun was up.’ Slowly she started breaking and beating the eggs together in a bowl while trying to whistle her favourite tune.

Normally an eggy breakfast was reserved for someone’s birthday or a national holiday, he read this as a clear sign that he was impressing his parents with all his hard work.

Before the pan could be started there was a knock at the door. Ivar calmly paused his son from running to open it and went to find out who it was. It was not long until Halvor was called to the hallway by his father where he was met with two people in the same light grey suits as those he caught a glimpse of before. Ivar guided them all to the front sitting room where his father proudly showed guests he wanted to impress. There were family photos, prizes and certificates on show that they had all won over many years. It was only ever used for guest and if Halvor was ever found playing in there he would be given specific tasks to remind him not to be there.

Halvor had noticed no one seemed to go to open the curtains. He was called over to the sofa next to where the two guests sat in the single seats looking at him carefully. It was odd, but they were apologising to him for the inconvenience caused by the cattle truck, but all Halvor could think of was to ask if they wanted any help in cleaning it. He explained how he was recently given the task of keeping his father’s car clean and wanting to get the practice of washing other vehicles too.

It seemed the only thing that would stop him from offering the different levels of cleaning and waxing he had learnt about was his father to promise that as he had been so helpful, they would go to get his ‘comic’ once the local shop opened. This made Halvor stop talking straight away.

The light grey suit with the notebook paused. Their voice was calm and warm to Halvor as she queried, ‘Do you have a favourite character in The Loyal Citizen?’.

Halvor had never really heard of an adult wanting to discuss his favourite graphic novel. But the other suit seemed to stop the conversation before he could go on about how he loved the recent developments and how the main character had to make a choice about their two best friends. The light grey suit simply asked if he was ok after seeing such a large cattle truck in his quiet cul-de-sac.

Halvor eagerly explained what he saw, how the two drivers seemed to have taken a wrong turn, the beasts inside were sleeping when he walked out but started to wake when his mother pulled him inside. He also apologised that he was not able to help more and give directions but he was proud that he kept hold of the newspaper as it didn’t get dirty or crumpled. He then began to list the tasks he completed in the house but he was stopped short. They only seemed interested in the disturbance outside.

With a side glance between the two suits, they rose. They shook Ivar’s hand and congratulated him on his house and the one with the notebook bent down to shake Halvor’s hand as well, thanking him for his continued effort to make his parents proud.

Outside, Thyra was in the corridor waiting to see what was happening, attempting to dust an already clean corridor when the door opened. The leading suit greeted her, repeated the congratulations on a tidy and organised home. Along with praise for a helpful and responsible son. As they shook hands the suit leaned in and wished her luck for making her eggy breakfast. Commenting ‘It is always good to reward those who have worked hard the moment the sun was up. Have a good day Mrs Trygg.’

Thyra smiled as she opened the front door to bid farewell to their guests and wished them a good day.

As the door closed Halvor was looking up at his mother. ‘Mum, there is something I don’t understand.’

Thyra paused and looked back at her son who was lingering in the kitchen doorway. His puzzled face staring back at her.

‘Mother, if that was a cattle lorry, why did I see some human hands appear from the truck?’.

Thyra paused in the hallway, standing there looking at her sons inquisitive face. Slowly she breathes in. Then out. His eyes beam up at her wondering why his mother is looking at him and wondering why his father behind her has a similar stunned face. He then notices his mothers hand begin to shake.

It was at this point a shadow fills the glass in the door, then a second, and then a third. Finally three knocks follow as a fist hits the door.

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