by Larry Low
A hazy wisp of mist shrouded the lake below. A hovering helicopter morphed into a chuffing steam engine but at this time of day that was to be expected. Having kissed their mother goodbye, Will and his sibling rival, Darling Darlene, dallied before descending.
"Weird," said Will.
"Why?" asked Darlene.
"There's not a breath of wind, yet that poor excuse for a cloud morphed at will," said Will.
"There's wind on the lake," retorted Darlene.
"That's chopper wash," said Will.
"More like hogwash," replied Darlene gazing up at their mother. She returned a wave from the teetering steps of their cottage, crammed to the rafters with much music, more song than ever could have been said to have been sung.
The siblings, their riddling rivalry relegated for the moment, tarried while they enjoyed the sensation. Their hearts bubbled over.
"Couldn't be a warbling wanderer," Darlene said, wondering how strange it was that Will failed to recognize that the morphing cloud was only a virtual phrenomenon.
"Could it possibly be a cyber-morph?" asked Will playing catch up.
"Get real," Darlene replied smiling at how long it had taken her older brother to catch on.
"A cyber-morph would be every bit as real as a warbling wanderer, could ever be," insisted Will. "The wanderer only warbles from treetops," he added smiling at the thought that he had regained ground without undue effort, which suited him perfectly for if the truth but be known, he was categorically lazy. Look up lazy in the dictionary and you will see his picture.
"Those that wish to see me off on the eight-eighteen had better hurry on down," their father, briefcase in hand, said from some distance below.
"Faster! Didi," prompted Will.
Hot footing it to the scarred steam rail snaking along the lakeshore, they were greeted with an angry hiss from Old Loco.
"All Aboard!"
Complaining mightily, the decrepit old engine took its own sweet time, huffing and puffing, not yet quite in earnest. Long silvery drive rods groaned agonzingly. Wheels whelmed wearily. Chug-a - lug- Chug - chug! The Iron Horse gathered speed.