Author's note:

So it is November again which for me means that I'll be binge-writing for an entire month.

Wasn't able to fully edit the last volume but I did come up with a great plan for this second volume.

This second volume is still part of the main story but it can be read as its own separate book.

Only near the end will you figure out how everything is connected.

Enjoy!

p.s. this will be much more slow-paced.

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CHAPTER 1

'... and that is the end of class, I hope you all have a great summer vacation and see you next year.'

'Yaaaay' Frank grabbed his backpack and with one clean swipe shoved his books, paper, pen and eraser into his backpack.

After closing it he and all the other kids with him left the classroom saying goodbye to the teacher. Some even hugging the teacher goodbye.

Running down the hall Frank couldn't help but wear an enormous grin on his face.

Many other classroom doors opened up at the same time unloading the student body into the wide halls of this small high-school in the state of Washington, USA.

As one giant mass of children excitedly talking to one another; hearing the occasional goodbye here and there the students went through the main front door and down the steps into the front courtyard where many parents were already waiting to pick up their children.

Frank however had to take the schoolbus to get home. His parents were still working when Frank got out of school. Even on normal days. Today classes just ended early.

Frank got on the bus and took a seat near the bus driver with whom he often conversed. Frank enjoyed talking with older people, older people somehow always had more things to talk about than younger people.

The busdrivers name was Jack and he had 3 children who were all grown ups now and lived on their own. Jack is old and retired and likes to drive the schoolbus and be around children as their liveliness helps him stay young he says.

'Excited for your trip to asia Frank?' Jack said as he turned around facing Frank as some students hadn't reached their bus yet.

'Very excited; a whole week that I get to spend with my father and mother!' Frank said after which he grinned sheepishly making Jack laugh.

When the bus was about 90% full Jack closed the door and started driving away from the school doing his regular round.

After we left the town there were a lot of windy roads going up and down hills making it impossible to drive very fast.

Frank liked this part of the ride as you could see the rivers and mountains that make Washington state the beautiful state that it is.

'Where are you going to go to for vacation?' asked Ella who had sat down next to Frank.

'I am going to go to Japan, we're going to visit Kyoto there and have sushi, what about you?'

'I am going to go to Europe.' Ella replied, 'my dad is from the Netherlands and he wants to show where he grew up.'

'That sounds like a lot of fun.' Frank replied.

'When are you going to Japan?' Ella asked.

'We will be flying out later tonight...'

'Frank, this is your stop.' Jack said as he parked the bus.

'Okay, see you later Ella.' Frank said as he got up.

'Bye Frank.' Ella replied.

'Have fun in Japan' Jack said.

'Thanks Jack, I'll try and find a souvenir to bring for you.' Frank replied as he got off the bus turning around to wave goodbye.

The busdoor closed, Jack smiled and waved as the bus drove off into the distance.

Frank turned around and headed towards his home. They had a very long driveway with trees on either side. Franks parents bought it because it reminded them of a house in a movie named Forest Gump. Except you could actually see some mountains as we lived in a small valley.

On his way as per usual Frank climbed into on of the trees in their garden in a well practiced and methodical way he made his way to the canopy hanging his backpack on one of the branches he reached out and grabbed one apple.

'An apple a day keeps the doctor away' Frank mused as he first checked for any holes or brown spots on the apple that would indicate if the apple had worms in it which it didn't.

This was Franks usual spot from which he waited for his parents. In the winter or when it was raining Frank would stay in the barn instead. The house was locked whenever his parents were out of the house and Franks parents deemed him not old enough to have the keys yet.

The sun was still at its highest and except for some streaks of white from planes that had flown over there were no clouds as far as the eye could see. It was a perfect day.

Frank then started to hum a random song that he had once heard but couldn't remember from where to pass the time.

After a couple hours a car drove into their driveway; it was his parents car. They only owned one so his father had to go pick up Franks mother before heading home.

Frank grabbed his bag and carefully made his descent as going down a tree is far more dangerous and hard to do than going up a tree.

The car honked twice as it pulled into their regular parking spot.

Frank having reached the ground bolted towards the car as fast as he could getting there as his parents got out of the car.

'DAD!' Frank yelled as he jumped into his fathers arms.

'Hey Frank.' he said as he smiled. Franks mother looking at the two lovingly while she went and took their bags out of the car.

'So are you ready to go on the trip of a lifetime?' Franks father asked excitedly.

'YES!!' Frank said as he started to skip about towards their house.

They had already packed their bags early in the morning as they would leave with the plane to Asia that very same evening. Dinner had also already been prepared and only needed to be warmed up.

'Let us first go take a shower shall we.' Franks father said.

'Okay, dad.' Frank said as he bolted up the stairs to get his towel and put his schoolbag on his desk. Picking out the clothes that were prepared beforehand from his drawer he met up with his dad who had done the same and was just as fast at the bathroom door.

'A tie, once again.'

After a light giggle Frank replied. 'I am getting faster than you.'

They turned on the shower first as the boiler needed some time to warm up the water as they both got undressed putting their clothes and towels in their usual spots.

After a quick dip into the shower Franks father grabbed the shampoo and shot a whole glob onto Franks head and then his own. Frank started rubbing his head trying to spread the shampoo around.

Franks father then got a brush and rubbed it on a bar of soap giving it to Frank before grabbing a brush for himself repeating the act. After thoroughly applying soap and shampoo Frank and his father went back into the shower to rinse it all off.

Drying off and putting on clean clothes Frank and his father exited the bathroom and headed downstairs to take over what Franks mother was doing so she could take a shower too.

For some reason Franks mother always needed more time to shower.

Franks father went to the kitchen to warm up dinner.

'You can go and take our luggage to the car.'

Frank quickly went to the front door where 6 bags were set, ready for their departure and grabbing 2 per time he rushed back and forth to the care filling up the trunk and one of the backseats.

After having done that Frank locked the car went back inside just as his father was putting dinner on table.

'Dinner is ready!' Frank yelled.

'Coming' Franks mother replied from upstairs.

Frank then went and got the dishes and tableware ready for the three of them.

Franks mother came in with a pot of steaming hot chili while Franks mother came in her bathrobe with a towel in her hand still drying her hair.

'Tara dear, it is ok. We can wait while you get dressed.' said Franks father.

'Nah it is fine; I can eat like this.' Franks mother replied.

Franks father shrugged while smiling to Tara. Frank went and sat down as did his parents.

'You going to ask for the blessing over the meal Frank?' asked Franks mother.

'No, I think dad should do it.' Frank replied.

'Sure; I'll do it this time.' Franks father said.

'Dear God, thank you for this family, the food and the love and joy that we share.

We would like to ask for you blessing over this meal and our long trip to Asia later tonight that we may have an awesome and safe holiday to renew our spirits so we can get to work extra hard when we get back. Your will be done as it is in heaven so be it on earth in Jesus Christs name; Amen.'

'Amen' Frank and Tara repeated.

'Dig in!' Franks father anounced as all three of us took our spoons putting food on our plates trying to get as much meat out of the pot and onto our own plates as we possibly could.

After finishing up dinner Frank and his father went and did the dishes one last time whilst Franks mother Tara went upstairs to get dressed.

Frank dried the dishes and put them away while his father washed and rinsed them.

After finishing up the dishes Frank and his father went upstairs to the bathroom to brush their teeth resulting in all three being in the bathroom at the same time doing the same thing all three with a grin on their face.

As they finished up Frank gathered the rinsed toothbrushes and toothpaste and put then in a small bag. Franks father took the bar of soap and after putting it in a seperate plastic bag together with the brushes that they had used to wash themselves. Franks mother had a slightly bigger bag with all of her make-up, different kinds of soaps and parfums. It is no wonder that it took her longer to get showered when you have to apply all of that stuff every single day.

Going downstairs Franks mother went by each of the rooms to do a final check while Franks father did the same downstairs. Frank took the three bags and brought them out to the car. As he still had some time he went to the apple tree and picked an apple for on the way.

As he walked back to the car he checked the apple for any holes. It was summer so the sun was up pretty long even though it was evening.

Franks father and mother exited the house and locked the door one last time after which they all got into the car and drove off to the airport. It was still quite a long drive during which Frank did nothing but look out the window and daydream about the adventures that he read about in some of the asian novels that he found online wondering if he would be able to experience anything similar.