THE TRACY NARRATIVES

SET BEFORE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE

Episode 1: A New Life

Chapter One

Jeff and Eloise Tracy were moving with Jeff's mother, Sally, and their five children – Nora Tracy, Scott Tracy (they were twins), John Tracy, Virgil Tracy and Eloise Tracy Jr. Eloise Jr was just called Ellie to differentiate between her and her mother and was four years old.

Virgil was seven years old and followed in his mother's footsteps, i.e., Eloise loved music, especially the piano, and so did Virgil.

John was nine years old and loved space. If he had any spare time, he could be found reading about space, rockets or watching stuff on his laptop from NASA. He loved watching the Cassini satellite's mission and also had watched the Cassini's final many times.

Scott Tracy was twelve and the boss if none of his parents were around.

Nora Tracy was Scott's twin and apart from looking the same, they did not have that much in common. She was a proper little lady and loved writing poetry. The only person that was allowed to read her poetry was her twin brother, Scott.

"Virgil," said Ellie in the mini-van, "read." She held out a book to her big brother, Virgil. It was a nursery-rhyme book.

Virgil smiled. "Of course, Ellie," he consented and began reading.

"When are we going to get to our new home, Dad?" Scott asked. He hated waiting and wanted to get there as soon as possible.

"By the end of the day, I reckon," Jeff replied shortly. He did not like to be talking to much when he was driving. Eloise smiled to herself as she listened to her children in the mini-van. Nora was quietly talking to Sally about crochetes and the like. John, she was positive, was daydreaming about space. She grinned as she heard Virgil reading the Wheels on the Bus rhyme to Ellie. But she was quietly concerned about her mother-in-law, Sally. She had decided to move with them as she did not want to be away from them at all and they had gladly agreed. But, something seemed to be wrong. Sally was tiring more easily, and also seemed to be gripping her sides for a few seconds in pain. But, Sally just brushed off all well-meant concerns and offers of help, saying she was just getting old. Eloise did not know if anyone else had noticed, and was silently concerned about what was happening.

Her mind drifted back to the day she married Jeff. Her parents had been rather dubious of the whole affair and had taken alot of persuasion to allow their daughter to marry the astronuat.

They had decided to move because Jeff's previous job took a turn for the worse when a new boss, Callum Fischler, had arrived. He was dishonest, did not pay the workers in time and took alot of phone calls before he would actually pay them anything. Also, he traded in their decent equipment for second-hand junk, had no real concern for safety and the living conditions swiftly became terrible. So Jeff quit and then he found out on the internet that a position was open at White's Aerospace in New York City. So he flew over, was interviewed, was chosen, secured a home for them, and was now moving over there with his family. Eloise and him and conducted numerous phone calls with one of the schools in Manhatten and had arranged for their children to go there once they became settled.

NEW YORK CITY

After becoming lost by taking a wrong turn at Battery Park and ending up at the Plaza Hotel, they finally found their house and Jeff pulled up infront of the two-storey house. "This is our house, kids," Jeff said. They sat in the car looking at everything they could see of their house.

"It's beautiful," Sally complimented. "Look, Eloise! You and I can have a flower garden right in that lovely spot along the fence." Plus, it will be good for me to get out in the sun, like the doctor recommended, she thought to herself. How will I tell them?

"Yes...yes, I think you're right, Sal! What do you think, Jeff?" Jeff simply unbuckled himself and stepped out of the vehicle.

"Come one, everybody! Time to get unpacking," he ordered. Everyone dutifully stepped out and Jeff climbed up onto the trailer, passing things to anyone of his family that was nearby and capable of taking it.