Excerpt from Earthbound

Here's an excerpt from a recent chapter of Earthbound

As she fumbled with the folding chair and a device called a radio that somehow share music, news, and weather, she pulled Rob’s house key out of the small bag he’d given her. She’d only just put the key into the slot when footsteps came up behind her and a loud voice exclaimed, “Holy hell, is that my bathing suit?”

Sera spun around quickly and found herself staring at a girl about her age that bore a strong familial resemblance to Robert. The chin was similar, and the nose was a bit too large to be called pretty, but she had long, flaxen hair that was nearly as long as Sera’s own. A bag was slung over the girl’s shoulder, and her hands were on her hips in a pose that was definitely disapproving.

“What the hell?”

“Pardon?” Sera replied, once again feeling insecure about her ability to interact with this world’s people. At home, she’d not have thought twice about talking back to a younger girl who dared reproach her, but here, everything was different.

“Well, it certainly didn’t look that good on me.” Rob’s sister said wistfully, looking her up and down.

“I apologize for not seeking your permission to use your garment.”

“Eh, it was last year’s anyway. So who the heck are you and where did Rob find you? You’re certainly not his girlfriend. You’re too pretty,” Rob’s sister frowned at the fading bruises on her side, “although you do look as if you’ve been in a fight.”

“I am Sera, Rob’s friend.” She answered. She supposed it was only right that she identify herself, but it struck her as strange that people continually demanded to know her name without offering their own. “What do you mean by girlfriend?”

“The girl he’s sleeping with.”

“Oh. We are not sleeping together. He stays in the other room.”

“Psh. I knew he couldn’t get a girl like you. No way, no how.” The girl said smugly, shaking her head.

Sera laughed. Rob’s sister certainly didn’t have a favorable opinion of her older brother. She’d never had a brother, so she didn’t know how it was, but she’d had an older cousin, and she’d always treated him with deference. “He is a nice man, but we just met.”

“And already you’re wearing my old clothes and sleeping at his place? This, I’ve gotta hear.”