Walking Contradictions

"Can't believe that bastard took the car." Brad groaned as he and his sister trudged down the street. "It's cold as shit out here. I miss LA."

"Could be worse. Could be snowing." Anna replied, watching as her breath steamed in front of her. It got chilly in LA, but never bad enough to become a human fog machine. The first time she ever saw her breath was when she was living with her abusive grandparents in Shasta. Tre tugged on his makeshift leash, trying to follow a bird that hopped along the side of the road. "No buddy, you gotta stay with us." She turned her attention back to her brother. "So what are we gonna do?"

"Well I was snooping around in the garage looking for treasure," Brad smirked, "and I found a shovel, so when it snows we can shovel walkways off. For now though, I found two ice scrapers so we could scrape the ice off of windshields."

"Sounds like a plan," Anna pointed down the street to a middle aged man struggling to simply brush the frost off of his windshield. "Let's go to work."

"Hi, can I use your phone?" Thomas asked as he approached the counter of the small coffee shop.

"Oh I'm sorry sir, it's for customers only," The teenager behind the counter replied, a weak but apathetic smile dancing on her pale lips.

Thomas sighed and glanced up at the menu over the counter. "Alright, let me get a small coffee. Black."

"Two dollars." The teen smiled before turning her head and calling the order out to a young man who came out of the back. "Headed to work?" She asked, trying to make small talk as they made the exchange of money and change.

"Looking for work actually," Thomas replied, putting his wallet away, "just moved here with my kids. Know any places that are looking for a cartoonist?"

"I think the one that worked for the newspaper passed away last week, actually." The girl responded. She reached under the counter and pulled out a small cell phone and put it on the counter. "Here ya go."

"Thank you." Thomas quickly dialed the number of the cell phone he shared with his children. "Come on Brad."

"Yeah?" Anna's voice came over the line.

"Hey baby, just calling to see how you guys are doing."

"Pretty good. We just made fifty dollars. How's the job hunt going?" Anna asked.

Thomas heard a scraping noise and smiled. "Think I've found something," He winked at the girl on the other side of the counter, who blushed. "just gotta go secure it. What are you guys doing?"

"Busting our asses!" Brad yelled in the background.

"Cleaning windshields off. People will pay good money if you do it fast."

"Nice! Well I'll let you two get back to work. I shouldn't be much longer so meet me back at the house around noon and we can go grab some food or something."

"Alright, see ya then daddy'o." Anna replied, a smile in her voice. "Good luck."

"Bye babydoll." Thomas smiled, ending the phone call and handing the phone back over. "So where is this place exactly?"

"Just go down the street to the right. It's on the block just before the park and the peer."

"Small black coffee to go," The young man said, placing a steaming styrofoam cup on the counter and forcing a smile.

"Thanks," Thomas replied, carefully taking it in his hands and smiling at its mass heat. "Well, thanks for the info. See you guys around."

"Good luck. Have a great day," The girl smiled as he walked out.

Thomas smiled to himself as he walked down the street towards his destination. He sipped on his coffee and watched as his breath steamed in front of him as he walked, smiling happily to himself. The street was deserted, which surprised him.

The partially frozen bay soon came into view and he looked around. The only way you would find the building the newspaper came from was a sign that said 'Cartoonist Wanted' hanging in the window. Thomas grinned and opened the small blue door. A bell rang overhead and the woman sitting at the front counter lifted her head. "Can I help you?"

"Hi, I saw that you guys are in need of a cartoonist."

"Do you have a portfolio?" The woman asked, looking very bored.

Thomas opened his messenger bag and pulled out a large folder. "A lot of these I wasn't trying very hard."

As soon as the folder touched the counter, the woman flipped it open and started looking through its contents. Her bored looked soon turned to shock and then amazement. "Whoa. These are really good. What art school did you go to?"

"I didn't. Natural talent."

Her head snapped up. "You're kidding me."

"No ma'am."

"How are those lights coming?" Brad asked dryly to his father in the other room.

"They're coming." Thomas replied, tightening a screw carefully before closing the circuit box with a triumphant smile. He closed the closet and came out of the freezing cold guest wing, closing the door behind him. "And Thomas said let there be light!" He flicked the switch on the side of the wall and the bare light bulb overhead came on.

Brad and Anna both looked up and smiled.

"I can't steal heat so wear layers." Thomas sighed, flicking the light back off as there was a knock at the front door. "Oh shit." The trio stayed so silent that you could hear the air moving throughout the house. There was another knock followed by quiet talking. Tre lifted his head and walked over to the door and sat down, as if expecting the person to open the door and pet him.

"Maybe they aren't home." A female voice said, obviously annoyed at being drug outside in the freezing cold to possibly find it was for nothing.

"The car's in the driveway." An older man said back. "Hello?"

"They aren't gonna leave." Anna whispered.

Brad got up and went to the door. He unlocked it and slowly pulled it halfway open. "Yes?"

A middle aged man smiled down at him. "Hello, son, I'm Andy and this is my daughter Izzy. We just wanted to come by and welcome you guys to town," His voice had a thick Australian accent. He was tall and slender with fiery red hair with a reciting hairline, with a trace of facial hair making an O shape under his nose and down around his mouth. "And you are?"

"Brad." He managed a weak smile before looking back at his father, who rolled his eyes and walked over.

Thomas pulled the door open and forced a smile. "Hey, I'm Thomas."

"Hello there Thomas," Andy smiled, "you guys settling in alright?"

"Yeah so far so good," Thomas bit his lower lip, "please, come on in." they father daughter pair entered the now well light home and looked around.

"Not big on furniture?" Andy asked.

"Oh, we had to leave in a hurry so what couldn't be carried was left. Are there any good thrift stores around here that might have some stuff?" Thomas asked, closing and locking the door.

"Not much of anything around here," Izzy said dryly.

Her father shot her a look. "A few towns over in Elizabeth City might be your best bet. If you want, I can take you out there. I own a truck rental company across the sound and I can make you a deal."

"That'd be great," Thomas smiled.

The two families sat on the living room floor for hours getting to know each other. Andy was a retired member of the Royal Australian Air Force. He had two children: Izzy, who was 18, and Seb, who was 16. Izzy was a self proclaimed Military Brat, much to her father's dismay, and it was very apparent. She had a rough exterior about her, shoulder length black hair ni a side pony tail, and she popped her gum constantly and loudly, much to Anna's annoyance. She was constantly rolling her eyes and acting as if she had better things to do. She, like her father, had a rather thick accent when she spoke.

"And where is your son, if you don't mind me asked?" Brad asked, getting sick of looking at a brat, who was glaring at him in return.

"Oh, he's back at home. Couldn't be bothered to come meet you guys." Andy remarked.

"Lucky shit," Izzy scoffed under her breath.