The Final Frontier

This was going to be a big day. Lily was going to see to that herself. Whether her friends wanted to or not. The not part was made more than obvious. Lily rubbed her forehead and sighed.

“Come on, everyone!” she said. “This isn’t like you.” Lewis, Clyde, and Muriel looked ready to kill her. How did they let her talk them into this? How did it end up like this? Lewis looked up at the leader.

“Sod off, Lil!” she shouted.

“I beg your pardon!” the leader said with her hands on her hips.

“You heard me!” the farmer snapped. “I didn’t ask for this! None of us did.” Muriel tried to look away. Clyde kind of whistled. Lily took in a heavy breath and closed her eyes.

“Lily?” Muriel asked. The former teacher opened her eyes. She had a strangely calm look on her face.

“We’re going to help out with this bake sale,” Lily said in a calm tone. “We will be staying here until six in the evening. Are we understood?” The other old biddies stared at her and shivered.

“Are we understood?” Lily asked again. Her friends slowly nodded. The former teacher breathed out.

“Good,” she said. Lily turned and walked into the church. Lewis, Muriel, and Clyde nervously followed behind. They were going to have to plot for another escape.

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The Sunny Plum van pulled up along the gravel road. Dustin had gotten better at driving. Annie looked happy to be alive. Her nephew turned his head.

“Are you okay, auntie?” he asked. She turned her head and nervously laughed.

“Uh… yeah, yeah, yeah,” Annie said. This van hadn’t been used since Tucker went across the country. The woman took a breath.

“Just help me get the desserts out,” she said.

“Yes, Auntie,” Crusher said. Aunt and nephew hopped out of the van. He opened the back. All of the food was in light purple boxes.

“You know what to do,” Annie said. Dustin reached in and picked up a stack of boxes. It was a good thing that there were going to be volunteers to be helping them out. Annie held up her hand.

“Hold it,” she said. Crusher looked out from behind the boxes.

“Stay right here,” Annie said. She turned and walked to the church. Crusher looked confused.

“Auntie?” he asked. The young man just stood there with boxes of treats in his arms. Now what?

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Lily lost track of her friends right away. She tapped her foot as she frowned and looked around.

“Where are they?” she asked herself. She turned back for one moment and they all disappeared around the church. Lily didn’t want to think about what they could be doing, but they were her responsibility. She was going to have to try and pull them back in line. Right away, the former teacher was going to have to look for Clyde first. She didn’t want to picture what that old biddy would be doing if left to her devices. Lily took a breath and marched forward. She was going to have until this afternoon to get them back to work.

That’s when she heard a scream and then a giggle. Oh crap! Lily ran toward the sound.

End