Chapter One
Step one: Moving Forward
I made my way through the forest slowly. I wanted this right? To move forward? That IS what I told my dad? I needed new, I needed something different. I put a hand to my forehead and rubbed. Of course, starting new, meant that I had to talk to people...Was I capable of doing that? Could I really pick up where I left of? Put the pieces of my life back together and move forward? Yea, as though that could happen. At least being over here I don't know anyone and no one is looking at me judgmentally, I thought to myself when I could hear rustling in the woods. I stopped and looked around cautiously. I was always on my toes, it was something I needed to do to survive in this world. That's when I saw him, he was an older gentleman in a long tan trench coat and matching hat. I froze. Did I have to talk to him? Was he hear to meet me? The thoughts raced through my head that I wasn't even paying any mind to the man until he finally passed out.
"Oh shit," I finally replied snapping out of my delusions and rushing to the man and feeling for a pulse. He still had one but it was very slow. I took a deep breath and dug around in my side bag looking for water. I cussed, clearly I forgot to pack me water. I studied the man. He didn't appear to be very heavy, perhaps I could carry him to the town? I thought to myself, and decided that I really didn't have time to think about anything. I needed to move him quickly. I gently hoisted him on my shoulders and made my way down a dirt path south out of the forest, hoping that there would be someone in town willing to help without question. I really did not feel comfortable with questions this early in the morning.
I made my way into the town and looked around. The entire town looked deserted and I began to panic slightly. Had I wondered into the wrong town? No. I went in the direction that my father told me to go. I followed the map. I held my breath as I knocked on the door of the house that was nearest to the forest, afraid that no one would answer. I discretely let out a sigh when the door opened to a woman with auburn hair and wide eyes not sure what to make of me.
"Hi," I began slowly not sure how to address the situation, my brain and mouth were not in sync as usual and blurted out the rest, "I found this man in the forest and he passed out and I'm not entirely sure what to do with him." After a moment's hesitation the woman smiled and moved out of her doorway to let me into her house. I walked in a bit relieved that she didn't think I was some idiot that didn't know what was going on...Although that was definitely how I felt.
"So what happened?" She asked indicating that I could lay him down on the sofa.
"I was traveling through the forest...Trying to look for my new town, in my own thoughts when I saw him, and then he kinda just passed out," I began rambling on. The woman smiled again.
"Are you nervous Hun?"
"I...I'm not entirely sure," I replied quietly.
"Oh Hun there's no need to be nervous. What town are you looking for?" She asked coming from the kitchen with a glass of water. I scratched my head.
"Echo Town?" I offered trying to make everything fit correctly in my head. The woman nodded her head.
"Well, at least you wandered into the right town," she said with a laugh.
"I did?"
"Mm-hm. You must be the young lady taking over Isaac's farm correct?"
"Yes, Isaac is my father."
"Well, if I must say, you look very much like him. Oh! My apologies for my rudeness. My name is Emma, and this man here is our mayor Dunhill."
"It's very nice to meet you then. You can call me Elise."
"A very beautiful name."
"Thank you."
"If you would like to go and settle into your new home I can handle Dunhill myself."
"Thank you...But um~"
"Your farm? Just south of here, follow the dirt path."
"Thank you. It was very nice meeting you," I replied excusing myself and walking out of Emma's house following the path south of the town, my face dropping when I saw the state of my property. I mentally crapped myself. My father said that the place was in terrible shape, however, I never imagined that it would be that bad. I let out a long sigh and dropped my bags my the porch of the little house and began to inspect the land. Overgrown trees, shrubs everywhere, rocks from the ends of the earth, and the barn? Let me not even mention the barn, you are so lucky that I went to school, I mentally noted in my head. This was a list of complaints for the letter I would be sending my father. I did tell him I would complain before I would thank him. I stretched, I would work on everything in the morning. What I wanted to do right now was sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. Should I start with the barn or the yard first? I though to myself as I walked through the door to my new house. The door creaked loudly revealing a small, but still in good condition, interior with a small bed in the back corner. This was your bachelor pad wasn't it Dad? I thought as I threw myself face down on the bed, slipping into a deep sleep.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" A voice called and I glanced out from behind a couple of trees to see who was awake at this ungodly hour that wasn't myself. "Hello?" The voice called out again and I made my way out into the area that I had already cleared out.
"Can I help you?" I responded when I noticed that it was the older gentleman from the day before. I wiped my hands on my pants and went to shake the man's hand. It took it generously and gave me a warm smile.
"Hello!" He began enthusiastically, "I wanted to thank you and apologize for the incident that happened yesterday. No one should have to worry about about me like you did yesterday," Dunhill replied. I shook my head.
"There is no need for an apology. I just did what needed to be done is all. I'm glad to see that you're ok. I was a bit worried but I didn't want to wake you if you were still recovering," I replied. Dunhill smiled.
"You are a very caring person. I see that you started to do work on your new farm."
"..Yea, I didn't realize that it was in such bad shape. My father really didn't say anything about the farm," I replied quietly looking around the yard again. Dunhill frowned.
"I really am sorry that I wasn't able to do more for you." I shook my head once again.
"No need to apologize. This is good work for me, you know, to get me back into the swing of working again," I replied swinging my ax down on a tree. Dunhill smiled.
"I hope that I can help in anyway that you need."
"Of course. Thank you Sir for your concern," I replied returning to my work when Dunhill put his hand on my shoulder.
"Really, if there is anything that you need help with, you can always talk to me."
"Um...Thank you.." I replied uncertainly. I couldn't understand where this man was coming from.
"You will probably see me pretty often. I would really like to breathe some life back into this town."
"Of course," I replied as the man dismissed himself and left off my property. I sat down. Only one day in and my first impression of this town was 'strange'. Thanks Dad. Love your home.
I nodded my head in sync with the music coming out of my phone. I was in my own little world, listening to the music, while I worked diligently on my barn's roof.
"I have walked in distant waters, let me drown, but I never walked alone, let me drown, if my heart should ever wander let the water lead me home," I recited to myself immersing myself into my own little world so much that I never heard him calling out to me until a shouting scared me out of my world. I jumped looking over the barn roof to see who was yelling at me at six in the morning. I cocked my head to the side not sure how I should proceed with addressing the young man that was glaring at me from the ground. He looked about the same age as me, 23, his shaggy blond hair fell around in head in a mess, but not unkempt mess, his scarlet eyes glaring daggers at me. I leaned against the peak of the roof trying to figure the man out when he spoke up again, pulling me from my thoughts that lead me to the conclusion that I was staring at him. I felt myself blush. How idiotic of me to stare, as though I never saw a man before in my life.
"Are you the new farmer?" He called pulling me out of my thoughts once again.
"Um, yea," I replied and the man cocked his head to the side.
"You responded as though you were not sure of that answer," the man replied. I leaned against the roof again.
"Well, I needed to tread lightly on that answer. You might not like me," I replied mentally slapping myself. I don't flirt. Why did I just do that?
"Well, I'm pretty sure I don't like you, but that could just be my opinion," he replied and I frowned. It was gone. Ass. I rolled my eyes and went back to my work.
"So what do you want then if you don't like me even though you don't know me?" I called out to him. I heard him huff.
"This isn't a gift from me so don't get any ideas. Dunhill sent me to give you a cow as a welcoming gift," the young man replied a bit sourly.
"I'll have to thank Dunhill later then," I replied, and I could feel him scoffing at me. I peered over the roof.
"Is there anything else you need?" I asked and the man rolled his eyes.
"Do you even know the first thing about raising a cow?" He said in a demanding voice. I let out a quiet exhale.
"You know," I began still working, "most people start off with 'hello, my name is~' and then the conversation goes from there. You're not very good with conversations are you?" I replied.
"Really?"
"Seriously? You step foot on my property and act rude to me? How do you want me to respond? Oh, I'm sorry, should I invite you in for tea and cookies?" I replied sarcastically, and when the man didn't respond I peered over the roof again, the young man gone. I huffed and rolled my eyes.
"That was rude," I muttered to myself focusing back on my work, when I heard something on the barn roof. I looked up nearly jumping out of my skin when I saw the man appear on the roof. I clamped my hand over my chest looking at him confused.
"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded looking at him confused. The young man furrowed his eyebrows.
"Well it didn't look like you were coming down, so I came meet you. So my question?"
"Hi, my name is Elise, you are?" I replied outstretching my hand towards the man. He looked at me in disbelief. I raised my eyebrows waiting. He grabbed my hand reluctantly and shook it.
"I'm Neil. I'm the animal dealer in this town. So my question."
"Sorry...What was it again?" I asked testing my luck. Neil closed his eyes in frustration.
"The cow," he replied through gritted teeth.
"Oh no, I'm a complete amateur and my dad never owned a farm or gave me any pointers on how to care for one," I replied sarcastically. "I'm confused Neil, did you really think that I would just come into something not knowing what I was doing?" I asked a bit hurt that he would question me. He flushed a slight shade of pink.
"I'm sorry, I just can't tell you how many people I've sold animals too that didn't know how to care for them," he replied and I let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been rude to you. I never expected people to give you problems with the animals."
"I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have assumed that you didn't know what you were doing."
"So we're friends?"
"Don't get your hopes up kid," he replied and I frowned. Should have known that.
"If you need anything just let me know," he replied heading down the ladder to leave me to my work. I sat back on my heels. First Emma, who was a sweet woman that just wanted to help, then Dunhill the older man that wasn't sure what to do with his life, then Hana who was the sweetest old woman I have ever met, and now Neil, the asshole animal dealer. This town. Did this town just attract broken people? I thought to myself knowing that I was living here as a broken citizen of this broken town. I'm doomed. Maybe this wasn't as great a plan as I thought it would be.
