"BRAXTON KENTEL! I will NOT shout across the house for you again!"

Brax awoke with a jolt, glanced wide-eyed at the old alarm clock by his bed, and noticed it was past 8:30; the time his mom wanted him up every morning to eat breakfast. To him, this was just another stupid rule.

"Okay mom! I'm coming!", Brax shouted back, making his usual small hop off the bed and onto the floor.

Brax ran through his bedroom doorway, down the hall, and into the living room, where he quickly scooted a chair out and sat down at the table. His mother grabbed a plate from the kitchen counter and crossed the room to the table, giving her son "the mom look". This was the look she often gave Brax when he made mistakes that could've easily been avoided. Needless to say, out of all the looks she gave him, this was the look she had mastered the most.

"Good. You better be on time tomorrow. Don't let this happen again." , she scolded, setting a plate of eggs and blank toast in front of him.

Brax picked up his fork and started stirring the eggs around.

"I don't see why I should get up so early on the weekends, mom. It's not like I have to go anywhere."

His mom took her usual seat across from him, and smiled.

"Actually, you do."

Brax was about to shove a clump of egg in his mouth, but stopped halfway, raising an eyebrow at mom's words.

"Mark called me the other day and said he was short a few farmhands. He said he wouldn't mind having you around to stack bales."

"Awww mom! Mr.Hutchins? Are you serious?",Brax groaned.

"Ah- you let me finish. Mark said he'll pay you, but only if you do the job right."

Brax narrowed his eyes.

"Oh really? How much?"

"Five per bale."

With that, Brax scarfed the rest of his food, slammed his hand on the table, and picked up his plate.

"Deal!",he shouted through a face-full of food.

His mom rolled her eyes and smiled.

Finally, she thought. Something responsible for him to do.

Brax hurried into his room and pulled on a pair of jeans faster than he ever had in his life. Being thirteen and earning easy money was a total godsend for him. Brax figured tossing and stacking hay bales all day should be easy enough. He wasn't much of a mathematician, but he knew since there was always a crazy number of bales every harvest, he'd be making bank before school started. It was common for other kids in his community to earn money at a young age. Most of those kids we're the farmers' kids, so they'd easily secured a job. Before now Brax had often thought about asking if he could work with the other kids, but he didn't think his mom would approve. Something about heavy machinery or whatever.

Brax pulled on his shoes, rushed past his mom out the front door, and hopped down the rickety wooden steps that led from the porch to the yard. He grabbed his trusty red bike (which spent most of it's life leaning against the side of the house) and threw his water bottle in the basket on the front. Since the driveway was filled with potholes and comprised of nothing but chunky gravel, Brax had to walk the bike down the driveway. It was about a two minute walk, since his driveway was longer than the average one. Once he'd gotten to the road, he had to check both ways carefully. It was hammered into his head by his mom ever since he got that bike. Left, right, left again, and go. The same pattern every time. The road in front of Brax's house was used frequently by semi trucks making their deliveries. When truck drivers were running low on time they came through here in order to cut the journey down. As a result, the people of the town saw an opportunity for business and put a convenience store right by the road as it snaked in. Brax's mom worked there. A lot of other people worked there too, so she got more time off than she deserved. There were a few of his mom's coworkers that Brax liked. However in his eyes, most of them were utter trash. Because of that, he didn't like to go there often. Brax sped by the store, and gave it a disapproving glare.

He knew the way to Mr.Hutchins' house by heart. Before he got kicked off the bus two years ago, Mr.Hutchins' house was one of the stops on Brax's morning route to school. Right on the block with the chicken coop, down a few houses, left at the bent stop sign, and straight until the grey house with the old truck in the yard. This was his stop.

Brax parked his bike next to the truck and stepped up to knock at the door. After a few moments, the door creaked open to reveal a tall man with frizzy brown hair and hazel-green eyes. He leaned against the doorframe and smiled down at Brax.

"Hey there champ! I figured you'd show up. Couldn't pass up the opportunity, huh?",he chuckled.

"My mom said you needed help so I thought I should do that."

"Welp you're in luck. I've got a few more hands waitin' out back in the truck. We're about ready to head out so why don't you hurry along and hop in with em?"

Brax nodded.

"Okay Mr.Hutchins. Just let me get my bike."

Brax took is bike and walked it around to the back of Mark's house, where a large white pickup was waiting. Inside the cab were two men, waiting for Mark to join them. In the back sat three other guys, all older than Brax. He shuffled closer to the back of the truck and struggled to get the tailgate open. One of the older boys noticed.

"Need some help dude?"

Brax hated to admit when he needed help from others, even if it was something small like this. He slowly nodded and the older boy sat up and leaned over the tailgate. He stuck a hand in and popped the handle in no time.

"There you go man.",he said, lowering it down.

"Thanks.", Brax huffed in a small voice.

He lifted his bike up into the back and hoisted himself up after it.

"Hey, are you working with Mark too?",asked one of the other boys.

"Yep. He told my mom he needed more help so here I am."

The guys laughed, almost in unison. Brax glared at them.

"What? I wanted to earn some cash."

"Oh, lighten up dude. We're just screwing with you.", said another. "Let's not get off on the wrong foot."

Before Brax could say anything, Mark emerged from his back door and made his way toward the truck. The boys fell silent and stood up, facing Mark as he came to a stop.

"Alrighty boys. We may not have got as much man power as last year, but this is shaping up to be another good harvest. So work hard and maybe I'll hire ya back again next year."

Mark paused and surveyed his small crew.

"And Joel, no horsing around on a honeymoon with Ethan this year. I wanna see your sorry arses in gear."

"Yes sir.", Brax heard from behind him.

Mark hit the side of the truck and ran around to the driver's side.

"Let's get a move on."

As they pulled out of town and sped down a dirt road, the other boys laughed and joked about times they had hanging out over the summer and all the things they were gonna do during the school year.

"You know your old man ain't too bright, is he Ethan? That barbecue was like eating a rock."

"Are you kidding? At least my pop can keep a girl. How about your girlfriend, Rachel?", Ethan shot back.

"Yeah Todd!", said Joel. "I heard she went off and dated another girl! That's what you get for dating a red-head!"

Todd gave an angry stare at his shoes.

"Let's not talk about that right now."

Ethan snickered.

"Okay dude, but when we get there you bet I'm gonna hound you until I get my answer. You owe me anyway."

Joel brushed back his long dirty-blonde hair and turned to Brax.

"So, first time on a job, huh kid?", he asked.

"Oh yeah. I just turned thirteen a month or two ago, so I haven't had a job before."

"Hey you'll like working for Mark. It's a bit of a tough job but it pays.",said Todd.

The other boys gave a chorus of agreement.

"Hey but it's not just easy money.",Ethan pointed out. "You gotta lift."

Brax tilted his head.

"Lift?"

Joel lifted his hat and scratched his head.

"What Ethan means is those bales are a little heavy. Just letting you know what you're in for."

The truck pulled into an open field, where all kinds of machines were already parked. Joel lowered the tailgate and hopped out, followed by Ethan, Todd, and then Brax. The two men who rode up front with Mark had gotten out and walked toward the tractors that waited a few feet away. Mark made his way around to where the boys stood and crossed his arms.

"Listen up, here's the plan. Ethan, you ride one of the balers. Todd, you too."

The two ran off into the same direction the men did.

"And I don't want you on the same one! You know how it works!", Mark yelled after them before turning back to Brax and Joel.

"Joel, I want you and Brax to go behind and pick up bales. Joel, take the truck, but go slow. I want em' stacked right over there so they're out of the way.",said Mark, pointing to his left.

"Joel, be patient with the rookie. Just guide him through. If he needs a break just go take one. We aren't on much of a time crunch here so you can still get away with breaks if you want."

"Got it sir.",said Joel as Mark walked off.

He turned to Brax, who was watching the balers get to work.

"All you gotta do is walk behind those tractors, pick up the bales, and toss them in the back of the truck. Nothing too special.",said Joel. "Come on then."

Brax shrugged. Alright, seems easy enough...