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Laughter filled the small house as Zeke chased his younger siblings through the house before bedtime. He scooped them up into his strong arms and carried them to the room they shared with him, he let the older children share a room, so the younger ones could enjoy his calming presence. They said their prayers as the did every night and he tucked them into bed just as his father called for him to come to his parents’ room. Zeke kissed his sibling’s goodnight and promised to be right back.

“Are the children in bed?” Levi asked sternly.

[color=008000]“Yes, Father.”[/color] Zeke nodded, knowing what was coming next since tomorrow was the start of his freedom, the start of his Rumspringa.

Zeke dutifully removed his long sleeve shirt, eyeing the belt that was already in his father’s hands.

***

The next morning Zeke’s mother made him a light breakfast knowing her son would be a ball of nerves. He was dressed in his best clothing as his father instructed, his long sleeves ending perfectly at his wrists. [color=008000]“I will miss you, Mother,”[/color] Zeke said as he kissed her good-bye.

Aden and Joshua were arguing about who would get to move into Zeke’s room while he was away. Catching the look on his father’s face Zeke stepped in, tussling the boy’s hair. [color=008000]“You be good while I am away, Mother will send me letters and I don’t want to hear of this squabbling nonsense. You have to set a good example for the others.”[/color] Zeke got down on their level and lowered his voice so only they could hear, [color=008000]“Don’t give Father a reason to find a replacement for me.”[/color] At that the boys straightened up, they knew how much Zeke protected them. 

He said good-bye to his sister’s, promising to have a letter for them to read every Sunday. He would be missed by all of his siblings, his mother and even his father would miss him. Zeke would not miss the expectation he would be leaving behind. This was a chance for him to find himself and do something for himself for a change. His father expected him to look after the others on Rumspringa and he would out of habit, but this was their chance too. He sat dutifully through the Elder’s blessing and got on the bus, sitting in the front with his small roll of bread, wondering idly what New York City would be like. He winced slightly with every jostle of the bus but hoped no one noticed, hopefully too caught up in their own excitement.

They arrived at the house and Zeke was uncharacteristically quiet, relieved that his father wasn’t around pushing him to be a leader in some way. He grabbed his luggage, not bothering to ask if anyone wanted to be his roommate, it was inevitable he would have one and he didn’t mind who.  He entered the room and put his luggage away in the closet for now, he would have to find furniture. Perhaps that is what he would do with the thousand dollars they had been given. He remembered one of the girls said she would be making lunch and headed back to the main area of the house.

[color=008000]“Are we set up with groceries already or do some of us need to run to the store?”[/color] Zeke asked curiously.