SF? Maybe? No title as of yet....

[Lily of the Night]

ooc; Okay, guys. This is one of the stories I started up in, like, fourth grade. It's basically a kiddy story, through and through. It was the second story story I ever attempted. I'vebeen remodeling it a bit, so as not to burn out your eyes. But if you don't get into it, don't worry about it. Kks?

A card table was set up by a rather large pond and willow tree.
Four girls sat around it, laughing as the pile of Janga Blocks fell over on top of one of the black haired ones.
“Guys,” she said through the laughter, “that was unfair. And you know it was, too! I demand a rematch!” Another girl shook her head, her light brown hair tickling her chin. “Loraina, fair is fair! Just because you lost doesn’t mean you have whining privileges!” As a groan escaped from Loraina, another of the girls shook her finger. “Lolita is right, you know! Loraina, you should be ashamed!
Loraina spun around to face the girl with dark chocolate hair. “Maria! How could you abandon me? I thought I was once the greatest Janga player of us all!” Lolita shook her head sympathetically. “Pepper is the new champ now, Ms. I-Must-Win.” Loraina stuck out her tongue. But the girls all knew it was merely an act of resignation.
“Alright, Pepper, you win,” Loraina said. With that the last girl, one who had sleek black hair as well, jumped up. “Yes! Now you must all bow down to your new master!” she cried out, raising her hands up.

[Lily of the Night]

“Oh no, I’m so scared, aren’t you Oro?”
A small boy with dark brown hair shrugged to his twin.
“That’s a good question, Nardo. Too bad we would never consider talking with those losers, huh?” he asked.
Pepper snorted. Lolita laughed at her bluntness. “She’s got a good point, boys. It’s not like you could ever even take us on. Not the two of you verse four of us, anyways!” she yelled at her brothers. Oro and Nardo, slightly taken back, crossed their arms.
“You better watch out, ladies,” Nardo hissed at them.
“Yeah,” Oro agreed, “One day we might just run you out of this town.”
Maria took the chance to laugh at that remark. “Oh, well I think that’s more likely the Mayor’s job, wouldn’t you think? And, oh right, that just so happens to be my father.” Loraina nodded eagerly. “Then we’ll see just who is doing the running around here.”
Nardo stormed off, leaving Oro alone to face the older girls. “Whatever, jerks,” he said, then snatched one of their Janga blocks and threw it into the nearby lake. Lolita ran after him, chasing Oro along as the other three helplessly watched.

[Lily of the Night]

As Lolita returned, Pepper sighed. “It’s sad, you know?” She asked them. “They’re only eight and we’re a mighty two years older than them… and yet they still bully us around! Shouldn’t it be vise versa?”
Lolita laughed. “Hey, I’m three years their senior and their sister. You can’t let that slip by. They just want to cause me trouble, and you guys are affected by it. Sorry for that.”
Maria shrugged. “We’re your friends. What else are we for, but to take the brunt of your brothers’ lameness?”
“Oh come on!” Loraina whined, “There’s got to be more to life than just defending! I want to conquer!” The other three laughed as she pretended to stomp out the silhouettes of the twins in the distance.
Maria turned back to look at their scattered game pieces. “We should find a place to play our game in peace.”

[Lily of the Night]

“Yeah,” Pepper complained, “where they can’t steal the pieces. Like a club house or something.”
Loraina sighed. “Oh, please, it can’t be as obvious as a club house! We need a secret hideout, more like!”
“And where, do you propose, we look for this secret hideout?” Lolita asked realistically. Pepper shrugged. “There are always little things hidden everywhere. All you need to do it look for them.” When all three of the girls looked at her, Pepper shrugged again. “I learn a lot from my siblings; especially the little twins. Erik and Erika are just little gold mines of information.”
“Fine, then we split up!” Loraina said, and each went off in a different direct to scout the town park.
“What about under that oak tree?” Maria asked as Lolita walked up to her. Lolita examined the tree, but then shook her head. “It’s kind of an obvious spot though. We need something more secluded.”
Loraina walked up behind them. “Yeah, what about under the bridge on the far end of river over there?” she asked. But Maria shot down her idea. “It’s almost too secluded…and wet. I don’t think it would work. I don’t think anything by the lake will work.”

[Lily of the Night]

Pepper walked up shaking her head. “Not true. I think there’s a hole under the willow tree we were just by.” Maria run up to the table and glanced under the tree’s sagging branches. “I think you’re right. I didn’t notice that until just now!”
Loraina stared at the tree. “But what if there are animals living down there? And besides, the hole might not even be big enough for us all to fit into!” Lolita rolled her eyes at Loraina. “Fine, then. Oldest is the bravest! I’ll go first since you’re such a Fraidy-cat.”
And with that Lolita brushed the branches aside and sat down at the edge of the hole. Slowly she lowered herself down and the other girls heard a plop. “Hey guys! This is pretty nice. There are roots everywhere, and it’s kind of small, but for a hole it’s really big.”
Slightly confused, Maria walked over and jumped down. “Hey, you’re right,” Pepper and Loraina heard her say, “this is really cool.” Pepper dropped down and Loraina followed.

[Lily of the Night]

There was barely enough room for the four of them to sit, even with seven feet between the ground and the “roof”. There were roots everywhere, which would make getting back out a synch.
“So what should we do? It’s nice and cool down here, especially with it being underground. But we don’t have enough room.”
Loraina stared at Maria. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” she asked Maria. When Maria answered with a blank look, Lolita answered, “We can expend it with shovels! It’s far down, and we can dig deeper. And we could even drop the dirt in the lake next to the tree.”
Pepper nodded, and then added, “Although we’ll have to dig away from the lake, in order to keep us all dry, right?”
Lolita nodded. “Alright, then it’s settled. Tomorrow we’ll all come back with shovels and pails. But I think I must go home now. Who knows how long it could take me to find those wretches. They call themselves my brothers! Huh!”

[Lily of the Night]

Loraina shrugged Lolita past her, then turned back to see the other two girls getting up. “Girls, girls!” she said, “We can’t be leaving just yet! We could do more planning, or start something new, or play a game of Janga.”
Pepper shook her head ruefully. “Sorry, Loraina, but Lolita was right. It’s getting dark, and Lord knows I need to get the little twins home before my mom freaks out on me. It’s not a pretty sight….”
Maria laughed. “I believe you, sister. My mother is even worse as far as the watchful mother thing goes. If I’m home any later than eight o’clock, I’m done for. Sometimes I hate being an only child.”

[Lily of the Night]

Loraina sighed and worked her way out their new hiding place as well. “My mother doesn’t care all that much. She knows from experience with Kaylie that girls will be girls. Or at least, that’s what she tells me. Ever since Kaylie left for college Mom’s been spouting off all sorts of philosophical junk.”
Pepper just giggled at the sophisticated tone in Loraina’s voice. “My older brother Jeff leaves in a year and a half, and that’s a year and a half too long, no matter what nonsense my parents will start spouting once he leaves.”
Loraina just shrugged. “I suppose it’s a different story when you have an older sister verses an older brother. Kaylie always brought home awesome friends. It was so much fun.”
Pepper smiled mischievously. “Oh, I loved it when he brought his friends over. A lot of them were so cool! It was fun hanging around with them. And they loved the fact that I play soccer. It makes it more fun when I whoop them in a game.”

[Lily of the Night]

***

“I don’t know, Dear,” Loraina’s mom told her, “You know how busy I am with the Station. It might be hard for me to find a night off.” Loraina watched as her mom tapped her finger to her chin. “Alright, Mom…. I know how it is,” she replied sadly.
“Oh, Dear, no need to be down,” her mother said, hugging her tight, “T.V. is just that way. I’ll see what I can do about my schedule. Until then, we’ll just have to settle for breakfast and late dinners. Alright?”
Loraina nodded and her mother sighed. “Have a good day, Dear, and let me know if Kaylie calls.”
Loraina sighed and walked out to her garage to get a shovel. “Today, mere expansions,” she said out loud, “Tomorrow, a never ending journey forwards!” Then she turned and started down the street towards the park.

[Lily of the Night]

"Hey guys!" Loraina called out, a wide smile splitting across her face.
Lolita and Maria turned to see who was calling out. "Hey girl!' Lolita replied, high-fiving Loraina. "So where's Pepper?" Loraina asked, turning about. Maria shrugged. "She isn't here yet," she explained to Loraina. "We've been waiting for you both!" Lolita nodded.
The three friends sat down next to the willow, waiting as the time ticked on. However, after waiting nearly half an hour, their firey wills were smoldering. And Lolita and Loraina, not having Maria's patience, began a long entourage of whining and groaning. Just as it was taking it's toll on Maria's nerve, Pepper came over a distance.
"Pepper!" Maria cried out, dashing over to her. "Pepper! I can't believe you left me alone with these maniacs for so long!" she scolded. But Pepper understood, and laughed, turning to Lolita and Loraina. "Guys, was I gone that long?"
"Yes!" the two complained, and Pepper laughed. "Then let's not wait any longer!" And with that the four rushed down the hole.

[Lily of the Night]

Tirelessly the girls worked, each shovelling a section of their place. With two buckets that Lolita had brought along they were able to dump the earth they dug up into the lake beside their tree. It was a long while before any of the girls mentioned a break, but finally Loraina gave in.
"Guys, time out," she said, her breath slightly ragged from all the work. Maria nodded. "I second her notion," she said, her voice a plea. Lolita and Peper consented. "Alright."
They climbed up to sit under the shade of the willow, since the air below ground had begun to heat up.
"Guys," Lolita told them, "I'm exhasted." Pepper laughed. "This is true," she said, her head bobbing. Maria sighed, and looked around the park.
"Your brothers," Maria told Lolita. The girls laughed, but when Maria failed to continue, Lolita pressed her on.
"Well," Maria explained, "your brothers just have so much energy! HOw do they do it?"
"Ah, to be young," Loraina exclaimed, and once more they all laughed. FInally, smiling, Maria shook her head. "No, but seriously!"
Lolita let her chin rest on her hand, watching her brothers run around. "They're crazy, and they're evil..." she explained, "but they're good, little boys. Sometimes." Maria smiled and Pepper clapped her on the back. "Alright, guys, let's see how much more we need."
They all jumped back down and were surprised to see just how much progress they had actually made.
"Guys, any more digging and this tree would fall down," Loraina told them, and they all nodded. "You're probably right," Lolita said, and they all sat down.
"Lolita! Lolita!"
They all sat up, looking at each other.
"Lolita, that's your brother's voice!" Pepper whispered to her, and they all ducked down, forgetting that the boys couldn't see them either way.
"Lolita!! Where are you?!"
"They're getting nearer!" Maria said, straining to guess how close they were. They all looked at each other.
"Lolita! It's time to go!"
Now Lolita was confused. "They... they never, ever come to me...." She glanced around at everyone's wrists. "How late is it? Does anyone have a watch?" Loraina glanced down.
"It's seven, almost," she told them, and Lolita smacked her head. "We're supposed to be back by six thirty!" she cried out, and Maria put her hand over her mouth, shushing her.
"Lolita!"
"Listen," Loraina told Lolita, "don't freak out. Their footsteps are fading. Once they're far enough away, we can all get up without them seeing. Then we can all go home."

[Lily of the Night]

Maria watched as Lolita hailed the twins and walked homeward with them.
"Bye!" Loraina and Pepper called to her, then turned towards their own houses.
So on Maria walked. Her house was the furthest from the park, so everyday she had to ride the local bus. She stepped up to the Bus bench and sat down. The next bus was due any minute. When it pulled up she climbed up the stairs, slipping in her Bus Pass and pulling it back out.
"Hello, Maria," the bus driver greeted her. She smiled back and went to the back of the bus. Three stops to her house.