Second Chances

The Machine

COURTNEY P.O.V.

As I entered the house, I immediately heard a dreadful noise. It sounded like a mix between a wolf stampede and the local blacksmith, Eva. I quickly put my book and the groceries down and practically flew down the stairs to the basement, Papa's work place. Or, as he likes to call it, his "thinking zone." When I reached the bottom, I saw papa hammering a piece of metal to fit next to the other metal pieces. The strange contraption looked like a mix between an oven, wagon, and a carriage, but it had an axe at the front of it.

So this is where our money goes....

"Papa, are you sure that this one will work this time?" I tried to stay positive but this looked like something out of a fairy tale.

"I'll be darned that this ol' hunk of metal will do its job! If it ain't working I'll just make a bother one of them prototypes! Say did you sell that bread from earlier? I could use a croissant and some tea, I'm as parched as a desert!"

I immediately knew that this was not my father. The bent over figure, old man voice, and weird comparisons could only mean one thing. My father must have gotten frustrated with the machine and turned into Chester.

"Pa- I mean Chester, let's bring you upstairs to have a drink and cool off, okay?"

Immediately I saw my father gasp and return to his normal state.

"Courtney? What was I saying? I can't remember anything."

"Chester came out. You must have gotten frustrated with the machine. Let's go upstairs and have some tea."

"That sounds lovely. Thanks."

So we we went upstairs,hand in hand, and I told him all about my day at the market,over a cup of tea and croissants.