Hello again to all. Here is the 1st chapter. I noticed that a few of you have already read the prologue but no reviews. Please take a few moment, I would really like to hear your feedback, whether its + or - ... enjoy!

The Harvester

Chapter 1: Legacy

"Well well my boy. How long has it been? Well as you know I sold all the animals. What's that? Oh well you see I am just getting to old to care for them these days you see. Sadly too I haven't been growing many crops either. Yup, the fields are looking pretty dead these last few months. I'll tell you more as soon as you get here. I must say I was happy to hear from your father that you were coming down this Summer. I am looking forward to it."

The sun shone brightly high in the spring sky. Baby blades of grass breaking through it's icy prison. reaching out to the sun as a child reaches for thier mother. The side of the road was just a blur. He wasn't paying any attention to his surroundings. All he can think about was getting there in time before it was to late.

"Bring me some more water, his coughing is getting much worse."

The house was quant and small. Two elders cared for a third as he laid there holding on to what few more precious moments he had. The dying man tried to sit up, as he was sore from lying down all morning.

"Samuel you musn't move, you need to lie still'

"Mathew, Mathew cough my body is sore from laying on this bed for so long"

"I know, I know but surely you know the more energy you use, the less timen you have with us."

Just then an old women has returned with fresh cool spring water from the Goddess Pond

"Margaret, please come over here."

The old woman poured a glass of crisp water for Samuel before she walked to his bedside. As he lied there coughing violently, she couldn't help but wonder if "it" was causing this. Samuel was a very strong man and perhaps his fading spirit is struggling to fight "it" off. She looked at Mathew, and without speaking any words, they both looked at each other and wondered the same thing. Samuel isn't sick, so why was this happening, why is his death so violent? Will Jack make it in time?

She wiped away her tears. She so badly wanted to see him one last time, but she was afraid she would fall apart at the sight of him. She played her music as loudly as she could, drowning out the noise caused by her father downstairs. Despite of the news of the old man's condition, preperations had to be made to begin the sewing of the grapes, for the vineyard. The large man's voice penetrated the sounds of the girl's melodies as he was screaming for his daughter to help him. The large man went up to the girls room and bursted in in a rage, only to walk into an empty room, with an opened window.

"They all seem so sad, what's with them?"

"I have no idea. It's like, it's like there in mourning"

"What!? why would you think that?"

"Well like you said dad, they look sad, ever since news of old Sam's condition got out"

"Well I guess you could be right, I mean, most of these animals were his."

A man and his daughter looked on as a younger man struggled to milk the cows

The little pudgy man anxiously paced back and forth. Looking at his watch every 30 seconds. A lonely bus bench sits out by the road. Empty fields stretch out all out towards the east and west. Nothing but a few patches of grass and weeds litter across the road. A narrow dirt path break off from the main road, a few feet from the stop, and on it, a beat up pick up truck with a rather large intimidating man behind the wheel, his head leaned back on the head rest of the seat, eyes closed as he takes in the quite. The sun slowly continues to move along the sky, just then the brights rays beam upon the large mans face and the sounds of a large vehicle can be heard of in the distance. He opened his eyes and started the truck, it would be just a few more minutes before they headed back to Flower Bud.

There was nothing, nothing to bee seen in this part of the country. Just empty plains. I remembered how bored I would always get on the ride here. Nothing to do, just anxiously waiting to see that rotting bench, knowing that it would just be another half hour to the farm. Just then I saw it, the now petrified bundles of wood that made up a bust stop. There was a short balding old man in a red suit pacing back and forth, and on the road was a broke down pickup. Looking at the driver, I remebered the guy, Zack, the big bully who would give me a hard time when I was a kid, he also caused alot of trouble but at heart he was a good guy. I would say he is about 7 years older than me. The bus came to a stop and I got off.

His cough was getting more violent by the minute. Struggling for every breath. It was just minutes past high noon and still no sighn of the three men. Margaret and Mathew waited just outside the door to Samuel's house. They could see down the mountain path another old man coming down towards the farm.

"Margaret, Mathew, how is Sam doing?"

"Not good,...not good, at all. I don't think he will last long enough to see him."

"Mathew, please you must not say such things, he will make it, you must lend him the strength of your spirit to aid his."

Margaret went back into the house after this, leaving the two men outside. She poured another glass of water and took it to Sam, his coughing getting worse with every passing moment. Just then the door flew open. In rushed a young man, carring nothing more but a sack on his back. He ran to the bedside of the old man, a look of worry on his face, and relief on Samuel's.

"Grandpa, grandpa I'm here. How are you doing?"

The house was filled with people, the elders, the mayor, and the large truck driver. Margaret quickly rushed them out and closed the door behind her.

"Jack cough cough I'm glad cough I was able to see you cough one last cough time"

"Please, don't say nothing, your coughing is really bad'

"Don't worry Jack cough Im not siccoughk"

"...? What do you mean? Waht are yo..."

"Jack I must cough make this cough quick. I want focough you cough take ovcough the farcough"

"Of course, anything you want, please just stop talking and rest"

"Jack, It's cougher for me. cough I wish I cough've told cough what is happcoughing. Only you cough end cough"

"What are you talking about grandpa...? Please"

"You will coughrn in time cough cough cough train cough cough study cough cough learn cough cough cough cough believe cough cough stop cough cough cough "it" cough cough..."

"Grandpa... Granpa?... GRANDPA!"

All who were just outside ran in and saw what had just happened. The young man screaming up towards the heavens for his grandfather. The floor beneath him began to bleed with the tears of the boy. He collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrolably. Margaret did what she could to calm him down.

"Son, its okay, he is at a better place now, with your Grandma Alice and Aja. I only wonder what will come of this farm"

"sniff I promised that I would take over. I will make this farm 10 times better than how he had it. sniff I will continue the legacy of Versterah Farm, my farm, my namesake."

The covered Samuel's body and all stepped outside. All the elders's consoled each other while Jack went out towards the empty fields. He looked up towards the sky, filled with sadness but also determination. He would take over, and he would prosper. A cold wind blew, seemingly out of no where. Jack looked toward from where the wind was coming from, the Shadow Forest. As the wind blew, not only Jack but the elders too, they could have sworn they heard it. A cold evil laugh, coming from deep within.

AUTHORS NOTES: So what do you all think so far. Contructive critism welcome but nothing about grammer or what not, I am not an English major. Thanks! Please review and oh yeah myspace me