Galactic Axia Adventure 1: Escape to Destiny Read Free Page B

buy more feed, but he had his doubts. Delmar finished his chores and then headed down the road to the Hassel farm.
    Surprised to find Delmar at their door early, Agnes led him back to the kitchen where she and Robert had been eating breakfast.
    “Breakfast is ready,” Robert said. Agnes poured the youth a cup of coffee from the pot on the stove.
    “No thank you,” Delmar said. “I’ve already eaten.”
    Agnes caught the hungry look in his eyes. He may have eaten but it wasn’t much. Without a word, she whipped up another stack of pancakes and set the steaming plate down in front of the boy. Delmar reddened with embarrassment.
    “Eat up, son,” Robert said good-naturedly. “Don’t want good food going to waste.”
    Delmar’s gut rumbled. Sheepishly, he started on the food. Agnes sat back down and silently slid the butter and syrup over as a suggestion. Delmar took the hint and generously spread the condiments on his tall stack of hot cakes. The look of delight and satisfaction was all the Hassels needed to get another glimpse into Delmar’s home life.
    Watching the boy eat, Robert came to a decision. “I need to make a run into town. I want you to finish stacking that hay and then see what you can do to fix the garden fence. You know where the tools are out in the barn. If I’m not back by then, I’m sure Agnes can come up with more for you to do.”
    “Yes sir.”
    “Don’t worry, Delmar,” Robert went on with a chuckle. “She won’t work you to death. It may seem like it, but she won’t!”
    Robert pushed up from the table after draining his coffee cup and spoke to his wife. “I may be a while,” he said as he stepped over to grab his jacket off the hook. “I’ll call before I come back just in case you need me to pick something up for you.”
    “I’ll try to keep the list short,” Agnes said with a smile. Delmar watched Mr. Hassel limp out to the car shed. He wondered what could be wrong with the old farmer’s leg. A minute later, Robert drove his car down the drive and off toward town.
    “Yes, I know he limps,” Agnes said in answer to Delmar’s thoughts. “Combat injury.”
    “I’m sorry,” Delmar said.
    “Don’t be,” Agnes answered, “we aren’t. It’s an old injury. I’m sure Robert will tell you all about it eventually,” she added with a knowing smile.
    “Guess I better get started on these projects,” Delmar said as he started to get up.
    “You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Agnes ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. “Now finish your breakfast. You don’t want it to go to waste.”
    “No ma’am,” Delmar said as he dutifully took another bite. Now that’s the waist I want to see it going to! Agnes thought while she studied Delmar’s too thin frame. Pouring herself a refill of coffee, she decided to make good use of the time.
    “You graduate already?” she asked innocently.
    “Why do you ask?”
    “No reason. It’s just a boy your age should be in school right now,” Agnes answered. “Since you’re not, I suspect you’ve graduated in some accelerated program.”
    “No ma’am. I’m in the correspondence program so I can be at home more. I hope to finish soon.”
    “I see,” Agnes said. Not a very good liar, she thought. “What have you been studying lately?”
    “History and social studies and stuff like that.”
    “History and social studies?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    From the look on his face, Agnes suspected the boy hadn’t spent much time studying anything of real importance. And it wasn’t even so much the look on his face that caused her to suspect as much as the timber of his voice. He didn’t sound convinced.
    “So how do you like living under a dictatorial monarchy?”
    “It’s ok I guess.”
    “But what if the empress ordered her troopers to storm this place and take us all captive?”
    “She wouldn’t do that, would she?” Delmar asked, fear shading his voice. Agnes made another mental note. This is very interesting.