"I'm sorry," Lily said, pulling on her jacket in a hurry. "I don't have time to cook anything. I promised my friends I'd meet them at the mall."
Kemet sat up from the couch, still slightly dazzled from the day's television marathon. "The… mall?"
"Yeah, it's like a giant building with lots of shops and food. You'll see."
He nodded slowly, unsure of what to expect.
"We can eat there," she continued. "But, um… just don't tell anyone where you're from, okay? Things can get… weird."
Kemet blinked. "Weird? You mean like… E.T.?"
Lily paused, caught off guard. "Wait—what?"
He looked genuinely pleased with himself. "That creature with the light in his finger. He was different, and the people tried to take him away because they didn't understand him."
Lily stared at him for a second, then let out a laugh. "Oh my God, yes! Exactly like E.T."
She grinned, a little stunned. "You're catching on fast."
"I learn from the tv thingy," he said proudly. "Many things live in that box."
She smiled warmly. "You really watched E.T.?"
"I liked the part where he tried to go home."
Lily's smile faded into something softer. "Yeah… I guess that part hits different when you don't have one anymore."
Kemet looked down, silent. Then he nodded. "I'll keep my head down. Like E.T."
The wind hit his face as they stepped outside. The air smelled different—more metal, more strange. Even the sky looked like it stretched longer than it did on the farm.
Then Lily led him to the driveway, where her small blue car waited.
Kemet stopped short.
"This is one of the metal monsters," he said, wide-eyed. "The ones that screamed at me."
Lily chuckled. "Yeah. But this one's friendly."
She opened the passenger door. "Get in."
He obeyed carefully, lowering himself into the seat like he was entering a temple.
"Now put your seat belt on," she said, sliding into the driver's seat.
Kemet looked around helplessly. "My what?"
She leaned over, reaching across him with the seatbelt in hand. As she clicked it into place, her hair brushed against his shoulder—warm and fragrant, like cinnamon mixed with something unnatural.
Kemet inhaled sharply and froze.
The scent was unlike anything on the farm. Not wood smoke or soil or sweat. It was sweet, chemical… captivating.
She was close. Her arm brushed his. He stared forward, still as stone.
Lily didn't notice. "There. Safe and sound."
Kemet nodded, silent, his heart thudding for reasons he didn't understand.
As the car pulled out of the driveway and into the open world, the journey had truly begun.
The mall shimmered like a palace of lights and sounds. Kemet stood just outside its sliding glass doors, staring at the flood of movement inside—so many people, so many colors, voices echoing off walls, blinking signs, music bleeding from every corner.
It was overwhelming.
He took a step forward beside Lily, and the doors whooshed open by themselves.
He flinched.
"They won't hurt you," Lily said, grinning. "They're just motion sensors."
"I thought the building was breathing," Kemet whispered.
Lily laughed and nudged him gently. "Come on, E.T."
Inside, everything was alive. Floors polished like rivers, overhead lights so bright they didn't even flicker. Giant posters loomed above them. Screens played music videos and ads for sneakers. And the smell—grease, sugar, meat, popcorn, perfumes—it was a new kind of world.
Kemet's eyes darted everywhere, his senses in overdrive.
They reached the food court, and a group of teens waved at Lily from a long table near a fountain. She led Kemet over.
"This is my crew," she said. "Guys, this is… Kemet."
He gave an awkward nod, eyes wide.
A tall, lean white boy stood first, brown hair pushed back with a slight curl. "I'm Riley," he said.
Next was a stockier white boy with an easy smile. "Noah."
A girl with light brown skin and soft curls raised her hand with a warm grin. "I'm Maya."
The girl next to her was short, with sleek black hair and sharp eyeliner. "Ji-Ah," she said simply.
Then a confident Black girl wearing a varsity jacket gave a peace sign. "Taylor."
And finally, a blonde girl with dimples and bracelets covering her arm waved brightly. "I'm Emma!"
Kemet tried to take them all in. So many different colors, clothes, hairstyles, slang. His mind spun.
"Hey," Maya said gently, noticing his quietness. "You okay?"
Lily jumped in quickly. "He's just adjusting. Kemet is my uncle Charlie's wife's nephew. He's staying in town for a while."
Riley raised an eyebrow. "Cool… so like, just visiting?"
"Sort of," Lily said with a casual shrug. "He's starting a new life. Figuring things out. You know—fresh start, new stuff."
Noah tilted his head. "New life?"
"Yeah," Lily replied with a firm smile. "Like… new choices, new place, new people. He wants to try different things."
Kemet nodded slowly, then added, "I do."
The group seemed satisfied with that, and Emma pulled him toward the food counter.
Lily ordered for him—burger, fries, soda.
When the tray arrived, Kemet stared at it like it might speak. The burger was wrapped like a tiny present. He peeled it slowly, eyes wide at the sight of all that meat and cheese and bread in one place. Back home—no, back then—he'd never seen this much food meant for just one person.
He took a bite. Then another.
His eyes widened.
"This is…" he mumbled, mouth full. "This is joy."
Everyone laughed.
Later, they walked around. Escalators terrified him at first—he stood at the edge watching it cycle like some sort of hungry machine.
"You just step on," Ji-Ah said.
Kemet hesitated.
"I can hold your hand if you want," Maya offered.
But he shook his head, took a breath, and stepped forward.
By the time they reached the second floor, he grinned like he'd conquered a mountain.
That evening, they returned to the house. Lily parked the car and helped Kemet out—his legs wobbled from all the walking.
Inside, they found her mom in the kitchen, arms crossed, keys still in hand.
"There you two are."
Lily stepped forward. "Hey, Mom. We were at the mall."
Her mom eyed Kemet. "He doesn't look too well. Still dazed?"
Lily pulled her aside into the hallway. "Mom… there's something I need to tell you."
Her mother's eyebrows arched. "Lily…"
"No, listen. He's not from around here. And not just, like, out of town. He's not from this time."
Silence.
Her mother blinked. "Excuse me?"
"He walked out of a portal. From the past. Like… 1800s."
There was a beat. Then her mom folded her arms tighter. "Okay. So I did hit him too hard."
"No, Mom! He told me where he's from, how he got here, the way he talks, everything. He didn't even know what a seatbelt was!"
"Lily…"
"I know how it sounds. But you should've seen him with the vacuum bot."
Just then, Kemet came down the stairs, sheepish. "Excuse me, but… I was lookin' for the outhouse, but I didn't see none."
Lily and her mom blinked.
"It's upstairs," her mom said.
He looked puzzled. "I went upstairs. There weren't any small buildings outside."
Lily laughed and gently took his hand. "Come on. I'll show you."
She led him to the bathroom. When he came out a few minutes later, his face was red.
"Uh… Miss Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"Where… does it all go?"
Lily burst into laughter. "Eewh! Don't ask that!"
Even her mom cracked a smile at that.
Kemet looked down, confused but amused. "I just thought someone might get hurt. It all vanishes."