Altrusia
Copyright© 2011 by Lxndr
Chapter 1
Every winter break, Marcia Richards took her son, Oliver, and his little sister Willow camping on the anniversary of their father's disappearance. Their campsites were always chosen to be near where he was last seen. Over the past ten years it had grown from a frantic search into a family tradition.
It was four days before Christmas, and the family was driving home to get the house ready for the inevitable invasion of distant relatives and family friends, descending on their home like a swarm of locusts.
Oliver was in the front seat, Willow was sandwiched between snow camping gear in the back wearing her dorky time travel T-shirt. "C'mon, mom, let me drive. You're looking tired. Besides, I need the practice."
"Absolutely not, Ollie!" His mother blinked sleep out of her eyes.
"Don't let him, Mom! Remember what happened last time?"
"It was ONE mistake, dork!"
Willow rolled her eyes. "A mistake that had us shoveling the car out of the snowbank for hours!" She cranked up the music on her headphones to drown out any rebuttal Oliver could make.
Undeterred by his sister, Oliver continued. "I still have my permit! I need to learn. How am I ever going to get better if you don't let me try?"
They drove by a sign, 'Rest Stop Ahead.' His mother yawned, and then sighed.
"You know what, Ollie? You're right. We'll switch places at the rest stop."
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